The manticore was surrounded by injured soldiers and mercenaries. Seeing as it was outnumbered, its wings opened up and turned for the sky.

“Archers! Aim for its wings!”

The leader of the mercenaries raised his sword pointing at the flying manticore and ordering archers to aim. Arrows flew from bows trying to reach the fleeing manticore before it reached a greater height.

As it gained altitude, the arrows chasing it slowly lost it’s speed and fell helplessly, unable to reach its target.

In return, the manticore attacked using its tail. Poisonous spikes flew from its spiky tail, aiming for the people below. Each spike was as long as my arm and given the height, it struck deeply to the ground and its intended targets.

“Bea, leave. Inform the town about what's happening. Ask for reinforcements.”

Gael firmly held my shoulder. His red towering head looked had a stern look, not allowing any rebuttal.

“But, I can cast healing and defensive spells while I’m here… I can support with elemental magic too--!”

“With you, trembling like this?”

As he said so, I saw my hand tremble. I was drenched in cold sweat but I was feeling refreshed.

“No…”

Realizing what it was that I felt, I can feel a warm tingle in my chest and a spur in my stomach. I felt fear earlier, but this… this is different.

“I’ll stay.”

Unconsciously, I smiled. It wasn’t fear, no, I was scared earlier but this isn't it. It’s like that time when I discovered something new. Reading a new book, playing a new game, this was… excitement.

Shock painted the elf’s face as he saw my daring smile, with resignation, he smiled and patted my head.

“Apologies, it seems I thought wrong.”

We turned to the vanguard and casted all the defensive spells we could.

Contrary to their earlier attitude, the mercenaries were organised. They rotated and carried the injured beck for the healers who stayed to heal them. I made my way to those who’re gravely injured.

“Miss Beatrice, leave this to us.”

Mr. Owen stopped me from casting healing magic.

“I know I’m out of line but please, cast more defensive spells to them so we can minimize the injured.”

There were only dozens left of the vanguard and losing all of them to injuries could be fatal for everyone. He knows it’s wrong of him to force someone to participate in the front line, but I understood his decision, or maybe because I was high with excitement, I didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.

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I turned around and ran towards the vanguard. The manticore swooped down aiming to grab a couple of its unruly food. In return, the leader of the mercenaries brandished his sword and used the manticore’s momentum to cut through one of its paws.

Screaming in pain, it tumbled and crashed through the forest. The sound of its huffs and wails filled the forest. Warm steam continued to escape from its mouth.

I felt like I could soar. The adrenaline rushed through my head, thinking of ways how my game character would fight this monster. However, before I could do anything, spikes flew from its tail with one flying towards me.

“DUCK!”

My head was pushed down and I instinctively tried to catch myself.

“Stupid girl!”

I looked up and saw the leader of the mercenaries holding a javelin and tossed it to the manticore’s abdomen. It pushed down the unstable manticore as it tried to stand up.

Seeing it as a chance, I casted magic to grow the roots of the trees around it. Like earthen tentacles tying it down to the ground. Although in pain, it struggled to escape, snapping the roots and uprooting the trees.

“It’s bizarre…”

The leader of the mercenaries, I think his name was Roan, watched beside me waiting for another chance.

“Bizarre? How? My magic?”

He chuckled. Every melee fighter assembled, getting ready to deal the final attack.

“You magic is indeed bizarre, like a controlled calamity, but I’m talking about that guy.”

He raised his chin to point at the struggling manticore. The manticore never forgot about its aggressive food and even though it’s tired, and in pain, it continued to attack to keep them at bay.

“It’s not talking.”

Gael stood beside me and casted a couple of wooden walls to stop the spikes from the manticore’s tail.

“Talking? The manticore?”

“It’s not that smart but it loves to talk ya know…”

After a while of struggling from the roots and vines, the manticore huffed in exhaustion. The vanguard continued it’s assault while blood continued to pour out of its wounds.

“So it’s weird because it’s not in a chatty mood?”

“No, silly, manticores don’t live in forests like these. They like to hunt in hindered terrains where it can leap around, making it hard for its prey to fight back, also coupled with its silence and leaving leftovers...”

The manticore was soon tied down and buried with vines. The vanguard took the liberty to kill it swiftly to avoid any more mishaps.

“Yeah, it should’ve at least bargained with us a little bit. The fight was more intense than it should’ve been too. Manticores love to eat, but it could’ve had its fill with the soldiers earlier instead, it came to attack us as well.”

As Roan said so, I scanned the battlefield, and bodies of both soldiers and mercenaries were strewn all across the ground.

I belatedly realised the gravity of what had happened. The smell of blood mixed with the sour smell of purple liquid and with the woody dug earth, a smorgasbord of smells assaulted my nose.

My stomach started to churn, my limbs started to feel weak, and I became light-headed. I held onto Roan’s arm as he’s the nearest and puked my stomach’s contents right in front of me.

*whistle* Roan whistled to mock my sudden rush of regurgitation.

“Ugh... now that I lost all of that adrenaline, I start puking. Great.”

I wiped my mouth with the handkerchief Gael offered.

“Adrena-what?”

“No, it’s nothing. It just means I have a proper hold on reality now.”

Roan laughed loudly hearing my words. He reminds me of that swordmaster NPC from my favorite game. Will he be teaching Lex some sword techniques if I ask?

“You should join my company, your magic is bizarre but impressive.”

“Yeah, sorry, I have a son to raise so I can’t take much of… this.”

Pointing at the manticore, he laughed loudly and ruffled my head. Damn these men and their tall looming existence!

“Too bad. Good work, though.”

He left with his thundering voice ordering everyone to load the corpses of the members of the subjugation troops, including the dead manticore, into the carriages.