The sounds of wood warping and churning echoed through the halls of Koda's prison tower. The rivets of doors ground as they pushed out of their place and clattered to the ground. With an immense shove, Koda’s chamber door exploded open. The Mage King and his wolf were finally free!

“Come Wildeye, now is our chance to escape!” Koda told his familiar as he took off into a dead sprint down the corridor. He was not well enough to speak to her telepathically. The collar had taken its toll on him, and regaining his maximum capacity of Magi back would have to wait.

“Remember Koda, you must conserve your strength!” Wildeye urged as she stayed by his side.

Koda and Wildeye made a sharp right and then a left as they desperately tried to navigate a castle they were unfamiliar with. The shouting of guards bounced off the walls. Despite the overwhelming noise of clanging armor and commands, Koda could hear the repeated calls of "Prisoner escape! Prisoner escape!"

He turned around another corner, skidding to an abrupt stop as he came face to face with a column of guards. They fanned out, blocking any form of further escape, and pointed their spears at Koda and Wildeye.

The Mage King was not intimidated in the least bit. With one fell motion, Koda stamped his feet together and lifted his hands into the air. A carpet of lush grass ran down the hallway covering the ground in a small field.

The guards gave each other a nervous laugh before inching closer to Koda. However, the master of vernal magic wasn’t done yet. Koda dropped his hands to the ground and with that motion, the grass sprang up, puncturing through the solid iron armor and impaling the men. Koda snapped and the grass faded into sprite-like dust.

Koda fell to his knees, exhausted. He had practiced manipulation such as those movements plenty of times without the same amount of strain at his school, but the collar had drained so much of his Magi. Now, even the simplest spells seemed daunting.

Wildeye nudged Koda’s arm. “Koda, we mustn't rest now. Get on my back, I shall carry you out of here!”

Koda nodded, dragged himself onto Wildeye, and took a hold of her scruff. Strange particles floated from the tips of blue and lavender fur. Wildeye let out a melodic, enchanted howl and took off in a mad dash down the hallway. Koda had to hang on for dear life for the speed at which Wildeye sprinted was like no other horse that Koda had ridden before. With each step that Wildeye took, her paws flared with magic, sparking against the stone tiles.

More and more guards charged forward down the corridors after them.

“Hang on, Koda!” barked Wildeye. She leaped sideways onto the wall, racing over the heads of the guards, defying the laws of gravity. Koda’s eyes widened as his entire world shifted. His wolf leaped over statues and armor displays, cleared across window panes, and crashed through doorways.

“Do you know where you are going?” Koda shouted.

“Not quite!” admitted Wildeye.

“Try making a le—ack!” Koda gagged as a blur of violet scales latched onto his face and slammed him against the opposite wall.

Koda struggled to breath as the giant hand crushed him further into the stone.

“Where do you think you’re going, Dawnedge?” snarled Ro’Tan.

Wildeye chomped down on the draconian’s tail; with a feral growl she dragged Ro’Tan back and swung him through a statue of Aric Stine.

Koda fell to his feet, gasping for air.

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“Thanks girl, I’ve got it from here!” Koda said.

“You’ve got it from here?” rumbled Ro'Tan. “Don’t make me laugh!”

Koda narrowly ducked under a massive claw. He slapped Ro’Tan’s belly and thigh, hiding a small seed between his scales. Koda side stepped another swipe, but the dragon’s menacing tail slammed him against the wall.

Dazed, Koda tried to roll out of the way, but the dragon’s careening fist connected with his gut, lifting him off his feet to strike the ceiling. Ro’Tan caught Koda’s ankle and heaved him into the ground.

Koda threw his arms in front of his face protectively, as if such a feeble gesture could save him from splattering across the ground on impact—but he bounced, only bruised, as wood encased his body at his subconscious command.

Wildeye leaped onto the dragon’s back and sunk her magical fangs into Ro’Tan’s throat. Blood sprayed from the dragon’s neck as he screamed in anguish. With a desperate action, Ro’Tan ripped the wolf away from his neck and chucked her into a suit of armor.

Koda wobbled to his feet. Most of his wood armor had cracked apart, revealing his bruised and bloodied skin. Worn out from his liberal use of magic, he needed to put down the dragon now or this would be the end. One final spell.

Koda’s blue eyes flashed emerald as he reached out for all plant life across the castle. He searched for moss on the walls, weeds in the soil, and trees in the courtyard. He sensed the distant energy of a rose garden somewhere in the palace, but too far to call on for aid. The castle was barren except for his deteriorating wood armor. However, the two seeds still clung to the dragon’s scales. Perfect.

Ro’Tan beat his wings and took off towards Koda.

The elf thrust his left hand forward and with his other hand grabbed his wrist. As Ro’Tan zoomed towards him, Koda clenched his teeth and closed his fist. Instantly the seeds expanded, then exploded into massive vines wrapping around Ro’Tan, weighing him down until he crashed to Koda’s feet.

The monstrous vines twisted and squeezed the dragon until he could breath no longer, rendering him unconscious.

The fight took too much magic and strength from Koda. He needed to go, now!

“Koda!” a familiar voice came from behind the king.

He turned and limped slowly to the Div’Rah. “Let… me… leave…”

Tashna stepped forward, shaking her head. “Go back to your chamber, Koda.”

Koda’s wood armor slid off his body and down into his hand to form a sword. “I am… leaving… this prison…”

Tashna held her chin aloft. “This is your last chance Koda. Go back to your chamber!”

Koda raised his wooden sword and channeled the last bit of his Magi to turn its edge razor sharp. “I will… kill you… if I must.”

“You forced my hand, you silly boy!”

Koda raised his sword.

“Sleep,” Tashna whispered.

Koda’s pupils shrank into tiny specks. His mouth gaped open and his head rolled backwards. Before he or his wolf could react, they both clattered onto the floor, lumbering peacefully.

***

“Wake up, boy!” A hot pain spread across Koda’s cheek as the elf roused awake. His eyes widened in shock and fear as he found himself back in his old cell. His hands were shackled together by a crude, black chain and another chain attached his neck to the wall. Koda could barely move his head from left to right, but he was relieved to find Wildeye chained to the opposite wall.

The jailer, Grune, swung his cudgel across Koda’s cheek once more, opening a fresh gash on his face. “I’m the law around 'ere, Dawnedge. What I say goes, you got me, boy?”

Koda narrowed his eyes and gave the jailer a viscous glare.

Grune raised his lip and swung his club over and over again, bashing and beating Koda until the mage king could no longer see from one of his eyes to give Grune such a defiant look.

“I don’t think we’s communicating properly, boy.”

Koda smiled through a mouthful of blood and struggled to concentrate enough magic to gain control of the wooden club. It was difficult, he lost so much energy making his escape and battling against the draconian. Simply breaking the cudgel would have to suffice.

“The Div’Rah says you might try to magic your way outta ‘ere. She told us to not give you the chance.” Grune grabbed Koda by the collar of his shirt and battered him until the king was a bloody mess. “Think I might have overdid it. Well, I’m sure you understand now.”

Grune raised his club once more and chuckled as Koda waved his hands over his head.

“I-I’ll behave. P-please, no more,” Koda begged.

“You’s a smart one, Dawnedge. You’ll go far in ‘ere,” laughed Grune.

Koda sulked in the corner, rocking himself back and forth until he could finally fall asleep.