Drawing a sharp breath, Aiden conjured a dense firewall between himself and the creature. The beast skidded to a halt, swiping its massive paw at the flames. The fire hissed and spat, but held steady. Using this momentary distraction, Aiden darted away, pushing his body to its limits with every racing heartbeat.
Meanwhile, Melog had reached the cave. His heart pounded in his ears, blocking out the beast’s enraged roars. He rushed in, snatching the fallen knife with the still-intact vial attached. A sigh of relief escaped him. But, upon exiting, he realized the beast was nowhere in sight.
“Aiden!” Melog’s voice echoed, the sound bouncing off the cave walls. No response. He sprinted, tracing the path Aiden had taken.
Nearby, Aiden was buying time, leading the beast on a wild chase. Then, spinning on his heel, he shot a flurry of fireballs at the beast. It roared in fury, its monstrous eyes searing with rage. But the distraction worked. The beast paused, shaking its head to douse the flames.
“Melog, NOW!” Aiden screamed, his voice echoing in the quiet forest.
Melog finally saw him, now standing on an overlooking cliff, and took a deep breath. He assessed the distance, adjusted his aim, and with a powerful swing, he hurled the knife straight at the beast. He wasn’t aiming directly at him, but at the ground below the beast.
The knife spun in the air; the vial gleaming in the sunlight before smashing close to the animal’s paws. A cloud of mystic vapor burst forth, encasing the creature.
It thrashed wildly, the foreign substance causing its obvious discomfort. It staggered, its eyes fading, then fell to the ground with a mighty crash.
As the steam disappeared into the air, they saw a man on the ground, the glowing outlines of an animal around him. He was dazed, his naked body crouched, and his look frightened.
He spoke in a hoarse voice: “Go away, fools! You’ve less than ten minutes. I don’t know what you’re after, but get it and don’t return. I’ve memorized your scents. Next time, I’ll sense you before you know it. I don’t want your blood on my hands. Go!”
But Aiden somehow couldn’t move." We can’t just abandon you. I want to help, even if I still need to learn how. Can you at least tell me what happened?" He resented him.
“Just know that I deserved it. Now go!” the man on the ground closed his eyes and breathed calmly.
They had a small window to complete their mission before the beast woke, likely more enraged than before.
Spotting Aiden’s hesitation from his vantage point on the cliff, Melog called out, “We need to go to the cage, quick” Aiden, still catching his breath, managed a nod. Then, as Melog reached for him, he extended a hand, pulling the mage to his feet.
“We can’t help him now; let’s go,” Melog stated matter-of-factly, his gaze locked on the still form of the creature. Aiden nodded in agreement, pushing his weariness aside.
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The cave was a sprawling cavern of darkness. Aiden conjured a small orb of light illuminating their path as they ventured deeper into the unknown.
The cave walls were covered with blackened marks, likely due to the creature’s fiery breath. The air was heavy with a pungent odor that made them wrinkle their noses in disgust.
They ventured further. A large, ornate chest sat at the very end of the cave, seemingly untouched by the creature’s rampage.
With a quick glance at each other, they hurriedly approached the chest. Aiden set to work on the chest’s lock, his fingers nimbly manipulating the ancient mechanism. A few moments later, the trunk creaked open, revealing its hidden treasures.
“I’ll gather the herb; you take care of the contents,” Aiden said, his gaze sweeping the shadowy corners of the cave. Then, finally, he moved towards a dimly lit corner where the precious herb grew from the cracks, carefully collecting as much as possible.
A faint growl echoed through the cave. Their window was closing faster than they had anticipated.
Aiden stuffed the precious herbs into a separate pouch. His hands moved swiftly but carefully, knowing that each second they lingered put them in more danger.
“Just a little more time...” Aiden muttered under his breath, but a distant yet unmistakably furious roar drowned his plea. The beast was stirring.
“We have to go now!” Melog urged. Aiden nodded, hastily closing his bag.
The roars grew louder and closer.
Breaking into the daylight, they squinted against the harsh light. Then, without a backward glance, they darted into the forest, feet pounding the earth in sync with their racing hearts.
“No magic, Aiden!” Melog hollered over the chaos, recalling the beast’s reactions to magical influence. Aiden nodded. It was clear to him, the magic seemed to trigger the creature, likely a response to years of being shackled in her captivity.
They veered into the dense forest; the undergrowth slowing their pursuer but not deterring it. Its roars sent birds flying and smaller animals scurrying for cover. Despite its size, it was gaining on them, its heavy breaths echoing in their ears.
“We need a plan!” Aiden gasped, his lungs burning with the strain.
“I have one,” Melog replied, his voice steady despite their dire situation. “Trust me.”
“I don’t have a choice. Do anything; I can’t breathe anymore. I’m not built for running like this.”
A swift movement later, Melog pulled a slender, silver whistle from his cloak. With a deep breath, he blew a high, sharp note that sliced through the monstrous roars. Then, a powerful gust of wind surged through the forest, nearly knocking them off their feet.
A shadow passed overhead.
The mage looked up, and his breath hitched in his throat. Descending from the sky was a gigantic eagle, its wings outstretched in a majestic span, eyes sharp and beady.
The beast skidded to a halt, confused by the new arrival. The eagle let out a piercing screech, and without missing a beat, it swooped down, catching Aiden and Melog in its large talons.
With a powerful beat of its wings, the eagle rose higher, the beast’s roars growing fainter. Aiden clung to Melog, his knuckles white as he watched the shrinking figure of the beast.
Breathing heavily, they both dared to relax. The world below grew smaller as they flew.
“Where did that come from?” Aiden gasped, awe seeping into his voice. He’d never seen such a massive creature.
“A friend,” Melog answered with a smirk.
“Seriously? You could have called him earlier. We were at death’s door. You have a strange sense of humor.” Trying to shout over the wind, Aiden provoked Melog.
“He’s a mythical creature, Aiden. He doesn’t exist to do my bidding. Besides, it was risky to involve him. They’re endangered. We made it out alive, didn’t we? So everything is as it should be.” Melog replied most calmly, as if they had not narrowly escaped death a moment ago.