FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦-𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘺. 𝘈 𝘵𝘺𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘈 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳.
Xanthiene Vivenca's life drones on in a cycle of finding her next meal, ensuring...
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Reeca screamed as she drove her sword straight through a leg. The arrows have stopped raining. Nyxis must have succeeded.
Her bleeding arm lay on her side like a fallen log. Useless...and painful.
The Knights were endless For every one Reeca struck down, three seemed to take their place. Just how many humans has the Palace enslaved? Around her, Nadia and her red-cloaked mages barked spell after spell. Viktir, along with a handful of warriors from his and Pikard's regions had made it inside the first wall.
Then, the monster emerged.
Reeca covered her ears, rolling aside to dodge a club swinging for her cheek. She slammed her foot into a chin, gritting her teeth against the ringing in her ears. Ugh. It sounded like...
Her guts sank and churned. Oh, gods. No. Not the graspel.
Matted yellow and black fur edged into view from the eastern corner. It...wasn't a graspel. But close. Somehow. Five Knights struggled against the thin ropes saddling the creature as it bucked and reared in defiance.
Mages and warriors alike froze at the sight of it, edging back with hesitation evident in their stances. Reeca gripped the hilt of her sword tighter.
Adresin's voice floated above the melee. "Yes!" he shrieked like a madman. "Unleash the Sugrarsask!"
To Reeca, the name sounded like Adresin was choking on a pumkess. Her amusement died when one of the Knights drew his sword and slashed it across one of the creature's hind legs. The creature roared once again, the sound drowning out even the war horn that sounded with it.
Reeca's heart thrummed with the noise, her stomach sinking and sinking until she was sure it reached her toes.
Then, the Knights let go of the reins. The creature fixed its glowing red eyes towards the plain and charged. Knights dove out of the way as three-clawed hooves thundered against the grass. The ground shook. The water from the moat rippled. Oh, gods.
Mages formed a brave barricade in the creature's path. As one, they launched a spell that would have been impressive if it hadn't bounced off the creature's hide. If anything, the creature's next roar was louder.
Reeca eyed the scattered swords discarded by defeated Knights. She bent down to pick one up. Her shoulder pulsed.
Nadia screamed at the mages to get away. Reeca should too, right? Why wouldn't her feet move?
"Reeca! What are you doing?" Nadia demanded. The bald woman had pressed herself against the wall, mimicking the Civil Knights.
Yeah, what was she doing?
The creature drew close enough for Reeca to realize that slime covered its fur that it reflected the setting sunlight. She gripped the hilt of her borrowed sword tighter. Oh, her hands hadn't shaken like this for a long time.
