“There it is.” Frans said looking through a pair of binoculars.

“I think I see it.” Prince Reynard said squinting over to where Frans was seeing. He saw a small blip, gradually getting bigger as the seconds ticked by.

“Alright who wants to take it then?” Bryson asked once he made sure that the others were all hidden in safe areas. Mallory was currently being protected by both Clarissa and Lottie in case something went awry.

“Can I take it?” Reynard asked pulling out a bolt for his crossbow and looking at the bird in excitement.

Frans took a glance over to Bryson and gave a dismissive shrug, “He’s your guest. You want to give the merchant kid a chance?”

“As long as you kill it.” Bryson said with a shrug.

“Thanks.” Reynard said with a grin.

“Hmm, it’s moving a bit funny.” Frans said.

“Funny how?” Bryson asked.

“Not sure, moving a bit faster than normal I guess.”

“How do you know that?”

“Just that the wings are flapping a lot.” Frans snapped.

“Oh, so now you’re a bird expert huh?” Bryson mocked.

“You’re a piece of work you know that?” Frans sneered.

While the two noble natives began to squabble amongst themselves, Reynard focused on the storming hawk. He calmly loaded his crossbow with the bolt and readied it. Bryson quickly glanced back at Reynard and the bird he was aiming for.

“Not yet.” He said.

“Now.” Frans said after another moment passed and the bird now neared the nest.

With a simple trigger pull the bolt went shooting out at the bird. Bryson’s eyes traced the bolt, now soaring upwards and towards the large bird monster. Magic tracing off the bolt that was invisible to everyone but Bryson. Watching the bolt reminded Bryson of a shooting star in the night sky In a moment of tranquillity, the bolt struck into the chest of the storming hawk.

The impact of it brought Bryson back to reality as he watched as the creature came crashing down to the ground. Reynard stood straight up and threw his hands in the air in celebration, “I got it! With one shot!”

“Good shot.” Frans praised genuinely impressed, “Is that your first time using that thing?”

“It was given to me by my grandpa. He used this thing to kill dragons in the past.” Reynard said proudly.

“Dragons, that explains why that thing looks so strong.” Bryson said in surprise as he noticed Mallory begin to approach the bird. Bryson squinted a bit before he saw it. The faintest brimming of magic from the bird.

“Wait!” Bryson shouted out as Mallory reached out to touch it.

“Huh?” Mallory said looking back confused as the bird opened its eyes and let out a loud screech.

In an instant both Clarissa and Lottie closed in on it and struck it simultaneously. Lottie’s daggers slashed through the neck and Clarissa’s axe embedded straight into the skull of the monster. The monster could barely scream out as it died.

“Good thing they were here.” Reynard said breathing out relieved, “Your guards are very capable.”

“Well I picked her for a reason.” Frans said proudly.

“She’s not my bodyguard.” Bryson grumbled before studying Clarissa for a moment, “She’s faster than before.”

“She doesn’t intend to lose again. Tell your squire to be careful.” Frans said confidently.

“Hmm.” Bryson grunted before asking, “Was it just me or did this thing seem to fly a bit weirdly?”

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Yeah I said it was flapping a lot. What’s wrong with your memory?” Frans said.

“Shut up Snowfield.” Bryson snapped before pausing for a second, “Did it look like it was running something?”

As if to answer Bryson’s question the ground began to shake, a few seconds later a massive creature erupted from the ground. It was a massive white-scaled lizard that dwarfed even the large storming hawk.

It’s completely blue eyes glistened in the sunlight as it landed next to the fallen hawk. Without a second of pause it grabbed the bird and swallowed it whole. Clarissa still standing atop the bird had to quickly leap out of the way as it bit into the thing.

“Clarissa!” Frans yelled out in worry quickly rushing over to where she landed.

“I’m alright my lord.” She assured him as he began to drag her back away from the beast.

Damn magic dirt! Stopped me from noticing something that huge. Ate my catch too! Bryson lambasted internally as he clicked his tongue in frustration. His frustration however quickly turned to horror as he realized that the bird wasn’t enough for the massive monster.

Quickly it turned its gaze towards Princess Mallory currently unarmed and gaping at the monster in shock. With a deafening roar it went down to lunge at Mallory looking to swallow her whole.

“Mallory!” Reynard screamed.

Bryson grabbed his makeshift walking stick; his eyes glowed pure white and a cloud of icy blue mist stood where he was before being swept away by the wind. Bryson then appeared right in front of the princess and lifted his walking stick in the air, the wooden stick was suddenly engraved with several small enchantments.

As the monster descended directly down on the two kids its jaw closed in on the two. Only the lizard found that it was unable to close its mouth as the walking stick was lodged in between the bottom and roof of its mouth. It strained and struggled to try and crush the thing in its maw to no avail.

Bryson not wasting a moment turned towards Mallory who was taken aback seeing Bryson’s blank white eyes. Grabbing onto her shoulder the two of them disappeared into a similar-looking cloud of faintly glowing blue mist before reappearing right next Reynard.

“What the?” Reynard said confused as he saw his sister and the son of the duke appear next to him. Too busy worrying about his sister he failed to notice that Bryson had his eyes closed when he reappeared.

Returning his eyes back to normal Bryson opened his eyes and saw Reynard currently fussing over his sister. Bryson then turned Frans.

“What is this thing?” Bryson asked.

“Some frost lizard variant.” Frans answered as they watched as the lizard was finally able to unlodge the stick from its mouth.

“Weaknesses, strengths?”

“Armoured Lord Bryson. Struggles to look up and unarmoured where the joints are.” Clarissa reported.

“How do you know that?” Bryson said sounding impressed.

“I’ve hunted these things with my tribe.”

Bryson looked over to Frans, “She is useful.” He admitted.

“I know that.” Frans said proudly as Clarissa blushed a little, just as the creature noticed them.

“Alright, Frans you take the others and keep it distracted.” Bryson ordered.

“Oh you’re in charge now?” Frans said looking annoyed.

“Are you going to complain?” Bryson said with a glare.

“… Clarissa I’ll cover you.” Frans said in contempt as Clarissa charged forward and he ran off to support them.

“Avildors.” Bryson said making sure that Frans couldn’t overhear him, “Can you two fight?”

“I only have the crossbow.” Reynard said.

“Okay, support at a distance, Mallory?”

“Uh, I need my sword.” She said recovering a bit, unable to unglue her eyes from the fight between the monster and the others.

Currently Lottie was dashing around, striking whenever she could, the Lizard as it spun in circles trying to keep up. Anytime it even came close to harming her a few blasts from Fran’s magic circle forced the Lizard to change course. Clarissa at this time struck where Lottie wasn’t. Most of the blows from her axe hit the tough-scaled armour and simply annoyed the creature.

“Stay back and provide cover.” Bryson instructed before once more Bryson vanished into a pool of blue mist and reappeared next to Lottie.

“Hey Bryson.” Lottie said looking at him in surprise.

“Come with me.” Bryson said grabbing her by the arm before the two of them Flashed Stepped from their spot just as a massive tail swung where they were.

Reappearing atop one of the many trees they now had a bird's-eye view of the battlefield. They looked down at the momentarily confused lizard. They watched as Reynard shot a bolt straight into the eye of the lizard casing the scaled monster to scream out in pain and freeze on the spot in pain.

“So that's how it feels, I like it.” Lottie said experiencing the powers of conveyance magic for the first time.

“Can your blades plunge deep enough into the thing’s spine?” Bryson asked ignoring Lotties comments.

“These are weapons Mister Phillip custom made for me, of course!” Lottie said confidently.

“Good. Get ready.” Bryson said before grabbing her again and the two Flashed Stepped their way right above the lizard floating several stories in the air.

“Wow.” Lottie breathed out as she felt her and Bryson floating in the air momentarily.

“Make sure not to miss.” Bryson whispered to her, and in response she grinned at him. Satisfied Bryson pushed Lottie downwards, adding a bit of extra momentum into her landing.

Lottie dropped straight down onto the creature, short sword first and pierced through the soft scales at the bridge of the neck striking true into the spine of the creature. With a loud, dying roar, it collapsed onto the ground, shaking the snowy ground underneath.

“Huh.” Frans said, trying not to look too impressed, while Clarissa clapped in wonder.

“Yay! We did it!” Lottie celebrated as she watched Bryson slowly float down next to her like a feather.

“That should make up for a bird.” Bryson said, admiring their accomplishment, “Good shot; I don’t think Frost would have gotten it if it wasn’t for you.”

“Pleasures all mine.” Reynard said jolly, “But how are we going to drag this thing back?”

"Ah,” Bryson said, realizing their new predicament.