Realm of the Hidden Heritage||Book 1||

Chapter 16

"So, I don't have to hurt it?" Leah checked.

"Nope," Kalleu confirmed.

"Then, Then let's go," Leah stood up and walked towards the cave.

Kalley grabbed her bow and quiver and walked up to Leah, "Don't get yourself killed," and she ducked off to a higher place.

As Kalley got situated in a cap in the rocks, she carefully looked down at the monster, sleeping. She watched as Jeremiah walked in confidentiality and stood near the monster, his katana hidden. Maybe this could be easier than we thought, Kalley thought to herself. But just as she did, the Manticore woke up. He turned his head around and saw Jeremiah. Jeremiah just stood there without a worry.

"What brings you here?" The Manticore growled.

Jeremiah pointed at Kalley's mom and Leah's dad, "Those two," He said.

The Manticore laughed, and stood up. He basically towered over Jeremiah and Swung his claws at Jeremiah's head. Jeremiah barely ducked out of the way, causing The Monsters claws to get stuck in the rock.

"Foolish hero," he roared.

Kalley then saw Leah standing nervously by the entryway. She looked unsure about what to do, which confused Kalley. They literally had just gone over this, and Leah seemed to by paying attention. Soon, Leah snuck her way into the room, and watched as Jeremiah taunted the now awake monster.

"Okay Furball, let's stop playing here," Jeremiah said with a higher pitched voice.

"You shall not defeat me, I will not lose to another child!" The manticore howled.

"Are you so sure about that?" Jeremiah asked, mockingly.

"Yes, very," The Manticore confirmed, lunging at Jeremiah.

This time he caught Jeremiah under his left claw and pinned him to the ground. Kalley and Leah both watched in horror as this happened. Kalley scrambled to get an arrow nocked and pointed at the beast, while Leah walked up to it, unsurely. The Monster then turned towards Leah and picked up his paw. Giving Jeremiah room to breathe.

He chuckled as Leah walked towards him, seeming to find it amusing, "You have come to fight me as well, witch?" He asked.

Kalley lowered her arrow and just stared at the Manticore, angrily. Her friend was no witch. She was a powerful demi-god. Kalley shot an Arrow, barely missing his tail. He swung around and smiled like a maniac, "Come to defend the secret keeper young hero?" he asked.

"Yeah know what, Yes I am!" Kalley said proudly, "You won't be hurting my friend".

"Friend?" He laughed, "She has been lying to you this whole time Hero".

"How?" Kalley asked.

"She has lied about her life outside of you pathetic little camp, her true life, as a wizard," he answered

"Well the technical term for a woman is a witch," Leah corrected.

"Wait! What?" Kalley asked, confused.

"Whatever," The monster said.

Leah then pulled out her wand, and pointed it at the Manticore, "Don't move, you," Leah told him.

"And what can you do my child?" The Manticore asked.

"I'll Hex you!" Leah threatened.

"I don't think the ministry would be fond of that," The Monster teased.

"I don't care, you aren't allowed to hurt my friends, or my Father," Leah told the beast.

"You can't kill me, and I won't let you," He said. He then grabbed Jeremiah and ran deeper into the cave. Kalley jumped down from her vantage point and walked up to Leah.

"So, you are a witch?" Kalley asked.

Leah looked away, ashamed, "Yes," she admitted.

"Well, why didn't you tell me?" Kalley asked,

"I couldn't, witches and wizards must keep themselves hidden from the muggle world," Leah explained.

"Muggle? Like from Harry Potter," Kalley asked.

"Oh, you've read them?" Leah asked back.

"Nope, have heard of them though," Kalley answered.

"Well to answer your question, yes, the Harry Potter books are truly history books for us wizards, but to most Muggle, they're fiction," Leah explained.

"Dam(n)," Kalley answered, "Was not expecting that today.

"Well right now, we should get our parents down and go find Jeremiah," Leah said.

"Alright," Kalley answered, walking over to her mom who was still lying limp on the ground. Kalley picked her up and carried her all the way to the entrance, then helped Leah do the same with her dad. They waited for about 5 minutes, until they woke up.

"What happened," Leah's dad rubbed his head.

"Um," Kalley tried to explain, but she wasn't doing well so she gave the reins over to Leah.

Leah just sighed and started talking. She explained, quit nervously, what happened, and the fact that she was a Demi-god. Her dad just nodded.

"So where are we right now Honey?" Kalley's mom asked.

"Oxford, Maine," Kalley answered.

"You went from New York to Maine?" Leah's dad asked.

"Yup, with only a few monster run-ins." Kalley answered.

"Well that's good," Kalley's mom said.

"Well, we to get going now," Leah said,

"What. Why?' Her dad asked.

"The Manticore took Jeremiah, and we don't need him killed," Leah explained.

Her dad looked at her with concern in his eyes, but he nodded and tried to smile, "Do what you must," He told them.

"Thank you dad, we will," Leah said, and they ran into the cave.