COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 25: A Sprinkle of Pixie Dust (Part 4/4)

 —————

Xmas is approaching, I hope everyone who celebrates is excited~

I'm not. But you can all expect a holiday's update in your virtual stockings regardless!

As for everyone that doesn't do Xmas, I still hope your having a good week.

 —————

          This was it.

          Every hair on the back of Káel's neck stood on end as the Queen's bellowing roar rattled his ribs.

          His heartbeat doubled, desperately trying to break from his chest and flee his planted fear.

          He was going to die here. 

          Trampled and stabbed to death for some stupid magical dust.

          Puff couldn't fly with him on his back, and it was likely that the dragon would stick with him to the bitter end. With a panicked breath Káel readied to unleash every spell he knew on the beast, a nest of twigs slowly snapping behind him as the bloodthirsty bucks closed in. 

          He was really going to die.

          His heart reached a peak of terror, the silver dots returning to swim across his vision and lighten his heavy thoughts to nauseating dizziness. The sickening sensation almost distracted him entirely from noticing the blue ball of flames that shot out to barely miss the Queen's face, colliding with a small pack of unicorns in the distance as they shrieked in terror at the surprise.

          "Pick on someone your own size you trashy white ponies."  

          Káel recognised the voice, the usual dread he attached to it lifted to pure elation as he twisted on his heel to stare wide eyed at Ray, the elite lingering a few meters back with his goggles tugged down and the same mechanical bracer he'd attacked the chirops with clipped to his wrist.

          Káel's smile withered a little when he remembered how that rescue mission went.

          Hopefully he'd charged it this time.

          Káel could feel Ray's stare as he shifted his attention from the queen, his intent hidden by his goggles, yet torn between urgency and irritation as he fiddled with the bracer. "Back up."  

          Without a word of protest Káel stepped out of the line of fire, thankful that the Queen had lost its interest in playing with him, it's grating snarls seized entirely by Ray's sudden appearance. With a barking roar it raked its hoof into the dirt, foaming blobs of saliva falling from it's bared teeth as it drooled in anticipation to sink its horn into the cocky blond.

          Ray kept his ground at the intimidation tactic, slipping out a familiar baton that snapped and crackled with an electric bite as he smacked the first unicorn that tried him upside the head, sending it running back into the shadows with a sharp whimper.

          Before the pack could converge on him all at once he did something with the bracer, the device pulsing with blinding energy as it unleashed a steady stream of blue fire, allowing him to draw half a circle to cover his back with a wall of undying flames. 

          Káel could still hear Ray's voice loud and clear over the thrashing flames, a menacing boom that chilled him more than the sound of the Queen.