“T-that shouldn’t be here.” Leah’s voice trembled, taking a few steps back.

Loud snoring filled the room. The dark brown fur going up and down to the breathing of the beasts. The sharp-edged tail snaking on the floor beside the beast's mangly mane. It must have been the size of one-third of the room.

“Why would a manticore be here!” whispered Leah in a hush voice, “Leo, we cannot handle this. Let’s leave before it wakes up.”

Tsk. If it never wakes up, then we don’t have to worry about it right? I need to reach the top of the dungeon no matter what. This place is my first clue…

I walked up close enough to feel the hot smoke coming out of its nostrils. My nose scrunched up and I waved the rotting smell away. It must have eaten some skeletons it seems. I put two of my fingers together and let the mana course only to my fingertips. My balance wavered, my legs started to shake. This body really does need training.

I flicked upwards and the thickest iceberg erected around the beast, trapping it inside.

“What are you doing!” Leah yelled in that hushed voice still.

“There’s no way it will be able to escape this for sometime, at least enough time for us to make it past this floor.” I said cockily, walking towards Leah with a smirk.

Leah’s face grew pale and she stuck her arm out to me.

“Leo watch out!”

I turned around, but it was a blur, knocking me backwards into the air. My back slammed against the wall with pebbles falling down to my face. I thought I froze it? It shouldn’t have been able to break through that magic that quickly.

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I glanced up to see two smaller versions of the beasts flying in the air. That giant vermin had children? I heard footsteps come running towards me.

“We cannot take on two! Let’s retreat for now.” Leah pleaded, shooting tiny embers erratically at the flying rats.

“There’s only two, I can handle them. Just step asi—.”

The loud shattering rang in my ear as a black tail broke free. The loud trumpet-like roars from the beasts pitched into our ears. I brought my hands up to muffle the horrid screeching, Leah seeming to fare no better.

Fuck. I won’t be able to handle that along with the two ‘babies’ beside it. How’d it break out of that iceberg? I glanced down at my hands, trembling. I used too much of my mana to conjure that stupid thing.

I looked back up, no, it didn’t break free yet. That won’t hold though, we have to leave.

One of the small manticores swooped down at us in a fast spiral. I yanked Leah down close to my body and put my other hand in front of us. With the remnants of my mana, I will only be able to go back a few seconds, I visualized a clock and traced a circle to rewind time. Feel the flow of the mana around us...focus. Rewind!

“Agh!” Leah groaned in pain.

It didn’t work! The manticore clawed at Leah’s back and flew back up. It screeched at us again and swooped once more. Tsk. I threw Leah to the side and created ice armor on just my arms. It swiped at me, seamlessly breaking whatever kind of protection I had.

“Leah, get up and leave already. There’s no time for your dawdling!” I urged, pushing back the paws of the beast.

Leah opened her mouth but closed, responding with just a nod. She made a break for the stairs.

The other manticore screeched, spiraling towards Leah. Then another screen, spiraling towards me. Ah! What is this damn mess. I outstretched my hand towards her and created a barrier just before the manticore could make contact.

My arms and abdomen surged with pain as the claws of the beast dug into my flesh. This pain! Shitty excuse of a bird! I grasped onto its hairy leg and let out bolts of electricity, causing it to flutter backwards.

I glanced down to see the giant wounds with blood seeping out, but there was no time. Pain is temporary, death is longer. I laid my palm against the ground and created a path of ice towards the doorway of the stairs. I staggered to my feet and coated my shoes with ice, making it easier for me to sprint.

I glanced at the middle to see the giant iceberg on the verge of being fully shattered. I raced down the path and tackled Leah down the stairs. I held Leah tight and created ice armor around her back and head. We tumbled down the long stairwell until we landed on the dusty debris at the bottom.

My vision blurred and felt the pain surge through all parts of my body. Leah laid beside me… is the princess dead? The light breathing became audible to me. No, she’s fine. Can I say the same about myself?

Everything around me darkened, the screeches of the manticore fading. My eyes were too heavy to keep open. I looked at my hands through my hazy vision. Blood. So, much, blood.

“Not like this.”

click