Beneath the towering beast’s figure, its underbelly was almost bare compared to the rest of its fur-covered body.

Not that it was completely hairless—it was still quite thick—but nowhere near the dense coat it had elsewhere.

Still, that wasn’t its true weakness. No, that was simply the reason I had found it.

The underside of the beast was adored with hidden scars, but beyond those battle-worn marks, its real vulnerability lay.

In hindsight, it was obvious, but seeing it firsthand made me realize just how much of a weakness this gargantuan body was.

The joints.

There was a reason why they said, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall.’ Despite its abnormal speed for something so large, its weaknesses remained—amplified, even. If I could strike the joints with enough force the enormous creature would collapse like the leaves falling in winter.

As the realization settled in, the King started scanning its surroundings, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. I took the chance to grab the flower, but then another thought struck me.

‘How am I going to escape?’

I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Seizing the opportunity was one thing, but now I was stuck.

I could try the same strategy with the pebbles, but it was very unlikely to work twice. This time, I wasn’t only in a much worse position, but the King was on high alert, not the idle curiosity he had shown before. And that wasn’t even mentioning if I made a mistake and one of the pebbles hit it directly.

Not only would it find me, but he would be enraged, and I had seen what that anger looked like firsthand.

That alone convinced me against the idea. For now, all I could do was follow its movements, stepping only when its massive paws made enough noise to mask my own. But this wasn’t getting me anywhere. Anywhere good, at least.

Something needed to change, and fast. Who knew what the King would do next? If he sniffed around too much, it might find me. Or worse, maybe it already knew where I was and was just leading me deeper into the forest where I would have no way to escape. Or—worst of all—it could simply lose interest and lie down, crushing me in the process.

The more I thought about it, the worse my ideas became. Maybe I could simply crawl beneath him without being noticed. After all I was so much smaller, I was practically a bug to him, at least in size.

And that would have probably worked if not for my panicked thoughts prevented me from doing so. If the plan wasn’t foolproof, something that was simply impossible for me to figure out in this panicked state, I wouldn’t risk it.

So, left with no choice, I kelp following the King beneath it’s massive frame. Slowly, it led me deeper into the woods, making my already difficult task even harder. The ground grew soggier, and more puddles appeared, complicating each step.

Suddenly, the rustle of leaves in the distance made the King pause on his tracks and look. Pausing together with him, I held my breath and turned the same direction.

Instantly, I felt guilty for doubting Horny’s hiding capabilities.

Amidst the distant leaves, a pair of horns poked out, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.

They were almost impossible to spot—for anyone who couldn’t see quint, that is.

Knowing Horny so well, I would have to be an idiot or a terrible friend not to recognize his unique quint signature.

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Every quint user had a distinct signature that separated them from others. For us humans, Elves and Dwarves, it was our tattoos. For Deerhorns, it was their horns. That’s why every Deerhorns’ horns were unique, and that’s why they placed so much importance to them.

Those green and silvery waves that shimmered whenever they clashed weren’t just for show. Quint flowed through their antlers, and it wasn’t just for physical augmentation.

In Horny’s current case, it was camouflage.

While not a perfect replica of the greenery around him, they were good enough escape from the eyes of the King. However, to me, that bush was glowing like a beacon.

Once the King averted his gaze, Horny shifted, poking his head out of the bush, and staring directly at me.

His eyes held a mix of worry and confusion, as if he had no idea what to do next.

Without thinking, I tried to signal him to stay away, using every frantic gesture I could think of—wild grimaces, sharp head shakes, waving my hands in desperate motions that all screamed, Run away! But Horny either didn’t understand or flat-out ignored me. Instead, he steped closer closer.

He wasn’t planning on leaving me behind. That realization made me feel nice warmth in my tummy. And, that warmth made me calm down enough to let me think straight. Slowly, a plan began to take shape in my mind.

I switched tactics, cupping my hands over my mouth as if I was about to shout, then mimicked any motion I could think of to suggest making noise. I needed him to create a loud distraction—something similar to the pebble trick from earlier.

All I needed was a few seconds. Just enough for the King to be drawn away so I could slip into the cover of the trees and hide. With a little patience, he would move on, and I’d be able to make my way back to Mira without breaking my promise. Everything would work out.

Horny seemed to understand. He shifted again, moving silently to position himself in the King’s blind spot.

‘Good, this way he’ll be safe too,’ I thought, feeling a brief wave of relief. All he had to do was let out a loud howl and then dart into the bushes before the King could track him down.

But instead of staying put, he took another step closer. Too close. Still safe, but... risky.

Then he bolted.

My eyes widened.

He wasn’t going to stop. He—he was—

Before I could fully process what was happening, Horny let out a ferocious growl and charged, lowering his horns as he aimed straight for the King.

I didn’t regain my composure until the towering beast above me began to move. The moment its massive frame shifted, I bolted out of its shadow, sprinting to put some distance between us before glancing back.

With Horny making such a ruckus and the King fully focused on him, I didn’t have to be careful. When I turned around, Horny had just leapt off the ground, his horns still camouflaged with the surroundings.

The King reacted swiftly, but not fast enough. Before it could swipe Horny away, his horns struck true, piercing through the thick layer of fur. A spray of dark crimson erupted like a fountain, and the massive paw, ready to crush Horny like an insect missed by a hair’s breath.

That didn’t mean Horny was out of danger.

With an outcry of rage and agony that shook the ground beneath my feet the King prepared to strike one more, and this time, his target was still.

The dense fur was like a spider web and Horny’s horns were tangled like a fly inside it.

As the King reared up, I moved. I wasn’t fast enough to reach him, nor strong enough to take the hit in his place—but I could still give him a chance to escape.

Channeling quint through my feet I launched myself forward. A snap of my fingers ignited a small spark, catching the King’s eye for the briefest of moments.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

As the beast’s gaze flickered toward me, I pushed out two gusts of wind—one to slow down the descending paw, and the other to shove Horny away.

My desperate effort hadn’t done much, but it gave Horny just enough room to wrench his horns free. A split second later, the King’s paw slammed into the ground, sending out a shock-wave and two cries of pain.

Horny hadn’t escaped the blow—but he hadn’t gone down without a fight either. His horns had stabbed deep into the beast’s paw, locking them both in a brutal clash. One was crushed into the dirt, while the other had pierced its own foot, and coiled back in pain.

“Horny!” I shouted, forgetting all about my escape and sprinting to his side.

What was the point of running if I left him behind? I’d never forgive myself for it.

I dropped to my knees, shaking him gently. He let out a faint, pained growl and slowly opened his eyes.

He was in a terrible shape.

His whole body trembled with ragged breaths, patches of fur matted with blood. His legs twitched as if trying to support him, only to buckle beneath his weight.

I brushed a hand through his fur, feeling his heartbeat reverberate through my fingertips—steady, but faint.

The weight of what my actions had forced him to endure crashed down on me.

Then, the King let out another enraged roar, its sheer force sending a gust of wind at my back. I gritted my teeth and stood up.

“I’m sorry, Mira,” I whispered. “I can’t keep my promise.”