My eyes darted to and fro every time a spell was cast, be it the elk or mage that did so. It was fascinating to see fire and lightning be so easily hurled about like baseballs. This was true magic, and clearly one of the better perks of living in this new world. What astonished me greatly was how detailed and unalike the mage's spells were compared to the elks. The monster's fearsome command of wind and electricity spoke of powerful magic, wild and untamed. The mana that filled each magical form felt wild, untamed even. Even from where I was hiding, I could feel it reach out from within the spell, creeping out of its enclosure like a curious animal.
In contrast, the mage's initial three-pronged sneak attack held all the mana signature of a well-trained hawk. It never wavered nor deviated from its intended container. With barely a mote out of place, the entire structure was clean and without blemish, even as it rocketed towards the unsuspecting monster.
It wasn’t long after that that miniature hurricanes began tearing through the surrounding area, tossing leaves and twigs into my face. Jumping up to get an unobstructed view, I gasped in fascination when the intricate trap snuck into the fight from beneath the water. Despite the flashy outward appearance, the amethyst web had already coated the elk with its mana structure by the time it actually 'triggered'. Due to the uncontrolled nature of its mana the magical winds refused to die down even after the connection was cut, but any other spells cast after imploded on themselves since the mana had nowhere else to go.
Drawn in by the magical display, I was completely blindsided by the stray debris that came spinning towards me. I wasn't sure if it was a rock or a branch, but with an audible smack, I was sent tumbling down from my tree branch.
And landed right smack in front of a terrified Pongo. She squealed in shock but was quickly soothed down by a thin green hand. Her eyes were partially covered by a thin pelt, allowing her limited vision of her surroundings.
“Hunt well on back, son?” chuckled a familiar voice from above. Nudging the little hair I had with her snout, Pongo huffed at me in greeting.
Looking up, an opposing sight greeted my eyes. Standing next to Pongo like a barbaric warlord was Gro’Bur, fully kitted out. The goblin wore a variation of furs and hides, with a large wooden bow strapped across his chest unstrung. I grinned widely at his appearance, the disparity between my first impression of him growing larger by the minute. He was still weak-willed when it came to anything else, but I now knew that hunts greatly excited him, lifting his confidence to unrecognizable heights. Likely that stemmed from his incessant need to show off to me.
"How find me father?" I asked curiously since we were at a distance away from my usual hunting spot. He indicated with his neck at the ensuing fight, where loud explosions of various intensities peppered the area, the noise having drawn the both of them to the river.
"Never kill Knowing One before. Scary. Dangerous." Said Gro'Bur. The magical flames and lightning reflected off both his large black eyes, but neither of them showed any hint of the fear he was alluding to. Instead, I found anticipation, and even a hint of greed.
"Son.. still hunt?" he asked, his expression hesitant. Unsure of my intentions, I didn't answer him immediately since after all, my initial goal never included fighting anything. But from simply watching, the adrenaline coursing through my veins spoke for itself, the decision already made. We would try to get them both. Springing to my feet, I hastily threw my gray-scale cuirass over my head and gripped my ivory sword tightly. Gro'Bur gave a short chuckle and patted Pongo gently before placing my own hand on her. With a snort she nuzzled her forehead into my palm.
Cute.
"Pig is pig, can ride like wolf. Goblins do often. Move fast, but scared. Cover eyes work well." he said. He nudged the boar with a foot softly and she reciprocated with a grunt. The goblin still acted as though he disliked her, but like an old man that never wanted a dog, he was clearly warming up to her. He boosted me on top and before I knew it, I was already clinging tightly to the bristles on her back.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
"Try no fall son. Hunt well."
After making sure that I'd gotten on Pongo without issue, Gro'Bur sprinted to a tree further along the river bank. His athletic arms had barely gripped the tips of the branch before he swung himself up to it. Quickly stringing the bow with the lizard's elastic sinew, he watched as the two spellcasters rapidly approached the end of their battle. The rest of the men had already scattered away, leaving the aged mage drenched in the river, alone with the vengeful elk. In his haste he had never confirmed a crucial fact; I had simply never ridden anything alive before. Where we lived, horses were mostly for rich folk, and Lynn and I certainly didn't qualify. Which meant that as I sat on Pongo, there wasn't a clue in my mind what to do next.
I shifted my butt on top of her, tapping my feet on her sides, but Pongo stayed where she was. Glancing confused at Gro'Bur, It was clear there wouldn't be any help from him seeing how focused he was on the spectacle in front. The elemental fight was already reaching its climax, the outcome crystal clear. Despite his elaborate spells and the element of surprise, the mage lacked the mana to sustain a drawn out battle. Though his opponent was injured and missing an antler, its condition was far more spry.
In my urgency to move, my magi-sense activated, triggering an instant reaction from Pongo. She gave a squeal of terror that resounded across the river at the unexpected intrusion. For a split second I felt exactly the same, frightened out of my wits by an unrecognized sensation entering my mind. Clinging on to her hide, I held on desperately as she thrashed about wildly.
Its me! Its me! Stay calm girl! I yelled inwardly.
In the same way I talked to Ash'Kar, I pushed my own thoughts through the mental air between us. There was a slight resistance; it seemed it took awhile for her to understand the meaning. Gradually, her violent reactions lessened as her mind relaxed, and I could tell for the most part that the message was successful. Intrigued at this new mode of communication, I envisioned how I wanted her to move. Laying out every step in my head like a film, I packaged the whole plan into a brick and sent it across with anticipation.
What happened next was unexpected to say the least. As though she had received nothing, I groaned as Pongo completely discarded the mental link and charged forward like a bull. I held on for dear life as she rammed into the elk with the force of a truck, her tusks lifting the beast and sending it tumbling into the river.
"Ragrakkaahhh!! Best Pig!" hollered Gro'Bur from the tree. Nocking an arrow from the bundle strapped to him, he sent it shooting at the fallen monster's head, but a stray gust of wind snatched it from the air and snapped it in half. My stomach churned as I watched the drenched creature slowly regain its footing. Within it's eyes, silent rage could be seen as it stared at us, the three new players.
Sigils of white and yellow lightning, far larger than before began building up around the elk, reflecting a mystic glow across the water. A flash of bright light zoomed past our eyes, and my own widened the moment I realized their target. Fortunately Gro’Bur’s quick reflexes allowed him to drop out of the tree before the branches exploded into flames. With a scream, he tumbled down into the bushes below.
Grasping the hide of Pongo’s neck, I invoked magi-sense again, but slowly this time to prevent the mental assault she would experience. I felt the cognitive bond click into place, not a moment too soon too, as several of the elk’s destructive attacks shot towards us like birds. Gambling on my magi-sense, I directed Pongo out of their trajectories. Intense explosions blew apart the river bank, turning the area we were in into swiss cheese. The elk huffed in annoyance every time we dodged one of its lightning bolts. An arrow pinged off its antler, disrupting it as it tried to produce more mana structures.
With a roar, I led Pongo into a headlong charge, slamming my ivory sword into it’s flank and nearly dropping the blade in shock at the feedback. The edge had barely drawn blood leaving only a thin gash on its side. Fortunately, Pongo’s large momentum was enough to bring the elk down, and we steadied for a second round. Blood pounded in my head at the successful hit, and I was partially aware that there was already a vile grin on my face.
It was at that moment that a bolt of lightning practically materialized almost in our faces, forming far faster than I could react. With a surprised leap, Pongo twisted to the left, catching the spell right in her left side.
The mental link between Pongo and I immediately collapsed and I was thrown into the water, spasming in the river as the mana wrecked havoc across my body. Muscles trembling uncontrollably, my lungs too refused to take in air properly. I dry heaved continuously as I glanced to the side at Pongo, who laid prone in the brown mud unmoving.
"Son!!"