The Black Unicorn

War In the Hills

I had only ever been on the back of the black unicorn once before. In that specific situation though Master Ambrose had carried me in his arms and on his lap. I never actually touched the creature then. Now though it was different.

The Black unicorn was nothing close to any sort of horse I had ever seen or felt before. She may have been shaped like one, but she was not one. She was a creature of pure magic, be it as tainted as it was.

I have never felt a Unicorns pelt before, but I knew that her fur was not what it was supposed to be. The legends and myths said that a Unicorns pelt was its very own unique experience, Like soft fuzz and silk at the same time. Malicia's coat felt raw, and off.

Like livestock escaping a fire and getting some of their coats seared from the flames. That was how her pelt felt. It even sort of smelled like smoke too.

Riding on her bareback, I could feel the raw power of her muscles as they shifted and moved underneath her hide. Propelling her forward at an almost impossible speed. Yet I was not being bounced around and forced to cling on. It was the easiest ride in the world.

The world around moved fast. Hills, trees, and sometimes even far away houses would pass by in a matter of seconds. Or at least that's how it felt.

Yet I was not choked from the air velocity as it whipped over us. I could barely even feel it brushing over my skin and ruffling my dress. I could breathe it in, and it felt like I was truly breathing for the first time in my entire life.

I was surprised that she was so concerned about the order catching up to us. I felt like nothing in the world could ever even hope to match her speed. Not even the Wyrm.

These only must have been thoughts and feelings though. Like flying through the sky for the first time on a magical creature and feeling as if you could go all the way up to the stars.

The Black Unicorn probably was not going as fast as I thought she was, but she was still going faster than any normal creature I had ever seen. Which brought me back to the feeling of the order trying to catch up to us.

If what she told me was true, and there really was some kind of sorcerer in their ranks purposely trying to get them to hunt dark magic then there might be the possibility of them finding a way to catch up to us.

I glanced behind us at all the land we were leaving behind. The tunnels that I had come out of were no longer even visible. I felt bad for leaving the prince's behind, but they would catch up. Also, it would be for the best that I talked with Master Ambrose about them first, that way he did not immediately kill them when he saw them. Which is something he would do.

He just needed more time. Time to learn that there were still good people in this world. He had spent his entire life feeling the evil, and cruelty of others. It was all he knew. He's seen the good in me though, and I have seen the good in him. It just... he just... needed more time.

Malicia snorted, a gust of black ash coming out of her nostrils as she tossed her head back as if appalled by something. I looked forward again and saw that we were on top of a hill, looking down at a large field.

A battle was going on below us. I could hear the sounds of battle cries and weapons clashing even over the sound of the thundering hooves of the Unicorn. Masses and masses of bodies, armored, and bloody, killing each other below. The sound of thousands of horse hooves caused the entire earth to rumble. Like a distant waterfall that was slowly getting louder and louder.

The entire field was a large blood bath. Bloody bodies of both humans and horses were everywhere. Some of them were still alive as they slowly died, trying to crawl away. I recognized two things among the warriors fighting.