Page 13 of Soaring into the Midlife

"Definitely not just you," Kendra panted, ducking under a forceful jet of water. "This guy means business. We need to focus our efforts on taking down the big boss gnome over there."

"Let's give him something to remember us by." I smirked, readying myself for another round of gnome combat.

The battle raged on, with the three of us fighting tooth and nail against the onslaught of gnomes. Adrenaline pumping through my veins, as we dodged, kicked, and used our various abilities to fend off the relentless horde.

Just when I thought we couldn't possibly hold out any longer, Zara spotted something amidst the chaos. "Hailey, Kendra. Over there, a way out!"

"Good catch," I shouted, hope surging through me. There was a door in the middle of two giant flowers. "Let's make a break for it!"

"Right behind you," Kendra said, her determination palpable as she cast one last spell to create some breathing room.

Together, we raced to the door, which loomed ahead like a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. We were battered, bruised, and covered in gelatin and sweat, but determined to escape this nightmarish garden.

"On three," Zara yelled over the cacophony of battle cries from our pint-sized adversaries.

"Got it," Kendra shouted back, her eyes locked on the door.

"One-two-three," Zara roared, and the three of us launched through the door.

6

"Thanks for the claustrophobia,"I said as we tumbled through the door and into a portal. The doorway put us through into an incredibly tight space. But we didn't have time to dwell on it because everything changed in an instant.

We were hit with a whirlwind of colors and sounds, disorienting us as we spun through a void that was both magical and terrifying. It was like being caught in a tornado during a rave party - chaotic, confusing, and way out of my comfort zone.

"Guys, what is happening?" I yelled, trying to make sense of our surroundings.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Zara shouted back.

"Can we stop spinning, please? I'm getting dizzy." Kendra looked like she was about to puke.

The sensation of falling hit me like a ton of bricks, and I realized we were plummeting from high in the air, thousands of feet above the ground. Panic set in as I looked around, searching for something to grab onto. There was nothing but an empty sky.

I tried to ignore the sheer terror that threatened to consume me. As the wind whipped past, a surge of instinctual power coursed through me. Before I knew it, my body began to change.

I gasped as my skin transformed into shimmering silver scales, my limbs elongating and reshaping themselves into powerful wings and legs. My blue eyes became piercing sapphire orbs, and my senses sharpened as I took on the form of a gigantic dragon.

Kendra and Zara stared at me, their eyes wide with shock and awe. Their expressions quickly shifted to determination as they scrambled to grab hold of my scaly back before we all met an untimely end.

"Good thinking!" Kendra yelled over the wind.

All right, ladies, hold on tight,I warned them mentally, flexing my wings and attempting to gain control over our descent.

"We are!" Zara yelled, her fingers digging into my scales for dear life.

I soared through the sky, wings outstretched, and couldn't help the thrill of power coursing through me. Still, this dragon form was daunting, to say the least. The cityscape of Philadelphia spread out below us like a smorgasbord of potential witnesses. The last thing I needed was to be exposed.

"Hailey," Kendra shouted into my ear, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I'm going to try a portal again. Fly straight, and I'll see if I can get us out of here,"

I steadied my flight as best as I could. My heart thumped wildly, both from the adrenaline rush and the fear of what would happen if we were spotted.Come on, Kendra. You've got this.

"Ready?" she asked.

Ready, I said.

Kendra’s and Zara’s grips tightened on my scales.

Kendra said an incantation, but despite her focus, nothing happened. No portal formed in front of us. Panic bubbled up inside me as I realized there was no simple escape this time. We were stuck in midair, exposed for all to see.