"Ok, so no flying," Egar muttered when he saw the Asnadel troop surrounding the valley. The barrier of the fairy's territory was broken. The fairies were fighting with the troop to charge them out of the forest but it was not working very well. Even amongst the chaos, they would be noticed immediately if Egar turns into his dragon form and fly. They will need to fly after they reach the far end of the forest.
"So we walk?" Maya looked up, worried.
"No, young one. We run. And we fight if we meet the scouts."
Egar wished they had more time to rest before they run away but it seems that Karian quickly realized his trick. Maya's fever still worried him. Egar was only hoping Maya would be alright at least until they get to somewhere secluded.
Maya was holding a small bag with the Phoenix egg. As she clutched the bag tightly in her chest, she could feel the fast heartbeat of the creature. The creature that wants to be born and to live. Maya couldn't help but feel that the phoenix resembles Egar in some way. Could they really speak fault to the egg for its appetite, which was merely trying to crack out of its shell?
Maybe Egar hated the egg so much from the first glance because it resembled himself so much. He knew how much disaster the mere existence of himself brings to the people around him.
"Alright," Maya whispered, patting the egg gently.
They ran out of the fairy's territory and to the edge of the forest. However, something felt weird when they walked out of the territory. The air had a slight electric tension in it and the sky was purple and glazed.
"Fuck," Egar murmured when he felt an invisible barrier around the forest, trapping them. All the magic would be reduced and twisted inside the barrier as well, restraining the calciber.
"We need to break this barrier to get out," Egar sighed impatiently, annoyed at how much effort Karian is putting in to catch them.
"How?" Maya asked, feeling the force of the barrier pulling her strength down.
Then they heard the wheeze of the bullets hitting the trees around them. Egar quickly took Maya in his arms and hid behind the big boulder. Maya didn't dare to make a sound as Egar peeked out from the rock. There were 7-8 soldiers on scouts, shouting that they saw two figures around here.
"I'll take care of them," Egar whispered, squeezing Maya's hand.
"No-" Maya shook her head in fear.
"Hey, young one. I will be alright. Do you trust me?" Egar took Maya's face in his hands, reassuringly.
How could he not trust Egar? He was the only one she trusted in the world right now.
"Of course," Maya replied.
"While I'm taking care of them, you need to figure out how to break the barrier."
"Me?" Maya asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes, young magician. You are smart and talented. You can do this."
Egar's intense stare locked into Maya's and Maya nodded slowly.
"Be safe," Maya whispered as she let Egar go.
"I will."
.
.
Maya gripped her staff tightly, focusing on the barrier's spell surrounding her. The scream of the soldiers, the rip of the skin and spilling of blood, and Egar's monstrous growls faded to the background as she concentrated, searching for the one knot, the one weak spot that will unravel all the complicated structures of the magic.
YOU ARE READING
THE BEAST
FantasyMaya is a student of witchcraft and wizardry. During her school assignment, she accidentally summons a higher-order legendary creature with such power that everyone only calls him by - the Beast.
