THE BEAST

500 years - Tido Kang: Past Life

Is there one knot between Egar and her that could unravel all this mess that they have gotten themselves into? Would it be the resolution of his curse, would it be the matter of Egar's appetite or something else entirely? Maya thought of the 500 years linking them, how they are undeniably destined to each other - and she loved it regardless of how much the world makes it harder for them. 

"Quaerere Debilitas," Maya raised her staff, shouting the spell. The magic cracked from the tip of her staff like lightning, shooting up to the sky like a white bird. The whisp of spell disintegrated as it reached the center of the sky where the misty force of the barrier was concentrated. 

There. 

Maya raised her staff again, this time, to destroy the barrier. 

"Intremo Incidium!"  

A hurricane of fire erupted from her staff as it circled up to the sky. The fire destroyed the weak point of the barrier, melting the spells away. The barrier cracked into a thousand pieces as it ran down to the ground. 

The barrier was resurrecting itself though amongst the destruction. Maya knew they only had one minute, max. 

Maya ran to Egar, who was covered in blood now. The soldiers were down on the ground. Egar panted as he looked at Maya running to him. 

"We need to fly, now," Maya ordered. 

Maya hopped on Egar in his dragon form. Egar growled as he jumped off from the ground, flying at his highest speed. The wind was deafening in his ears as Egar rushed to the end of the forest. 

Please, just a few feet more. 

Maya was hanging onto Egar's neck tightly when a towering blue dragon suddenly appeared in front of them. Egar halted, attempting to blow a stream of fire to the old dragon. 

The blue dragon opened her mouth, howling. Sharp spears of ice rained down on them. 

"Egar-!" Maya screamed as Egar opened his wings wide, trying to protect the young one on his back. Egar screeched as one spear penetrated his heart. The dragon fell to the ground like a crumpled paper airplane, encasing Maya in his wings. 

A loud thud rang in the forest. 

"No, please. No," Maya cried as she crawled out of Egar's wings, holding the dragon's face. The dragon looked up at Maya with his cloudy golden eyes, blood running from his heart. 

Go on, young one. 

The world suddenly became colder as the dragon heaved its last breath, the fire dying in his heart. Maya knelt down beside the dragon in disbelief, frozen in time. 

Egar, no. Don't leave me. 

You promised me you will be safe. You promised. 

There was a footstep behind him as she stared down at the dragon in silence. 

"Calciber, the egg," Karian spoke in a rough voice. 

Maya slowly turned to face the real beast, the real monster in front of her. Her eyes turned dangerously fierce as she shook her head. 

"Never. Not to you." 

Maya took out the egg, holding it with both of her hands. 

Phoenix, I will set you free. 

"No-" Karian ran to Maya to stop her but it was too late. 

Maya closed her eyes, channeling all her mavis into the egg. The blinding light encircled Maya as the egg cracked. A stream of fire erupted from the egg and a gigantic bird in flame flew out, screeching. The flame was too hot for Karian to get near as the creature hovered over Maya, looking down at her.