Wings of Deceit

Chapter Six

I urged my legs to keep on moving, pleading them to push on through the pain that burned in my thighs. We had been running for what felt like almost an hour, the forest getting darker and darker as we weaved through its trees, and the creature was still close behind us. In the shadows we passed, I swore I saw more azure eyes watching us attempt to escape their friend, but I didn't have the time to look properly.

I needed to keep moving.

The monster growled, the sound much closer than I would have liked. Its teeth snapped as it tried to bite me, but it was still too far away. Even so, it wouldn't be long until it caught up with us.

It was a miracle in itself how I managed to keep running for so long. Though, when my life was on the line, I supposed my body would learn and adapt to the limits of what it could do. It still wasn't fast enough to keep up with Haera and Larc, even though they were carrying our belongings.

My lungs ached as we continued on, begging for a break. I couldn't keep this up. I was no huntress or Dragon-born soldier who was used to exerting themselves. The only stamina I had was when I used my magic — a battle against how long I could heal someone. Never had I intended to be chased by a creature bathed in shadows.

I had no slither of an idea of where we were going to go, or how we were going to shake the monster from our trail, but we didn't have long left to decide. A twisting pain cramped my legs, making me cry out in frustration. This was it — I had to stop. My body couldn't take much more.

As my pace slowed, the sound of the creature's panting grew louder. It was a vile noise filled with snarls and slobber, but it was still an indication of its exhaustion. Perhaps it would tire out before I did? My wish felt futile now that it was becoming difficult to breathe.

The only thing I could do was hope the Goddess heard my pleas for help. She had helped me through my life so far — guiding me on what choices to make and giving me opportunities I was endlessly grateful for — and now I needed her presence more than ever.

Ahead of me, I watched as Larc turned around for a brief moment, his eyes landing on me before returning to the forest so he could barely dodge a tree. "Don't stop now, Zofia!" He yelled, his own breathlessness audible in his voice. "I know you've got the energy to keep going! Don't slow down!"

Did I? I knew I had the motivation to keep my legs moving, the creature chasing after its next meal provided a surplus of that, but the bones in my legs felt like they were crumbling to dust.

"Don't you dare stop running, Zo!" Haera called out too, taking Larc's words of encouragement as a warning one of us was about to go down. "I will drag you back from the afterlife just to kill you again if you even think about it." Despite being ahead of all of us, my sister didn't sound nearly as tired as the Dragon-born and I.

Even though her promise was impossible to accomplish, I pushed on further. For Haera and for Larc, I willed myself to pick the speed I had once had. All I had to do was put one foot in front of the other and not fall over or get caught in the process. It was simple, right?

A sharp pain tugged my chest and twisted around my heart, a sensation that screamed at me to turn away from the direction we ran. It urged me to turn left, the need digging itself so deep into my body that my power flared in reaction, my fingertips glowing with a subtle azure haze.

The Goddess. It had to be her.

Taking one last look at Larc and Haera in front of me, I pulled away from their path and followed the tug. Wherever the Goddess was trying to lead me, it had to be somewhere safe. The creature snarled in confusion as I broke away from the group, but it only took a brief moment for it to decide to continue to follow me.

"Zofia?" Haera called as I ran further away, panic coating her voice. "What are you doing?"

The Dragon-born called after me too, but I ignored them. The Goddess had listened to my prayers and now she was helping us. I would have called back to tell them to follow me, to be wary of the beast still close behind me, but I barely had enough air to run let alone talk.

As my power grew in strength, the magic a soothing touch as it surged through my veins, the forest became brighter around us too. There had to be another clearing nearby. Sparks of cerulean floated around us like snowflakes and dusted the forest floor, glimmering like glitter and sequins. It had to be the Goddess's doing — there was no other explanation for a sight so entrancing.

Was the Lyre here? Had we found it already?

Larc had mentioned I might have been able to locate it like a compass, and the will of the Goddess that wrapped around me certainly felt like I was being led to what we needed.

After I passed through a few more trees, a clearing revealed the ruins of a tower. Half of the structure had crumbled to the hands of time, pieces of stone and debris laid scattered all around it, and the other half had been overrun by vines. They twisted between the shattered windows, through bricks that had become loose, and squeezed into anything else they could.

What was this place?

The power I was all too familiar with rippled around the tower as if welcoming me, letting me know that I would be safe in its presence. Though, with the shadowed monster chasing me, I wasn't too sure that would be the case. It continued to bite at my heels as I ran, eager to tear me down and devour me.

Perhaps I could climb up into the tower and hope it couldn't follow me up? But then where would that leave Haera and Larc?

When I passed through the barrier of power, a cool touch wiped away the sweat that had formed on my forehead. A phantom kiss was placed there too — a promise that everything was okay now. It encouraged me to sit down, to rest to gain my strength back, but I knew I couldn't. The creature was right behind me.

A whine of pain forced me to tear my gaze away from the tower and look over my shoulder. The shadowed beast that had been fervent in the chase now battled against an invisible wall. It growled and clawed at the wall of the Goddess's magic, but it was no use. All its attempts produced was strange-coloured steam when it touched the barrier.

Haera and Larc burst through the trees and into the clearing mere moments later, bewildered by the enchanting blue sparks that fell from the sky.

"Over here!" I called out to them, motioning my hands to get them to join me and praying that the creature didn't notice them. "Come through the barrier, you'll be safe." The beast was so distracted by the power it couldn't cross that they both would be able to join me if they were quick about it.

Without wasting a breath, they rushed towards me. My sister was the first to cross through the barrier, dropping the satchels at her feet as she bent over to catch her breath.

Larc raised his sword as he drew closer to the creature and thrust it into the shadowed mass that made up its body. At least, that's what it should have done. The blade clashed as if colliding with steel and did nothing but annoy the beast, drawing its attention to the Dragon-born. His sword had been coated with a dark, thick goop that bubbled as it settled on the blade.

Before I could reach him and pull him through the barrier for his own safety, Larc stepped through himself. The goop evaporated into steam as he did so, clearing the protected area of the creature. Whatever the monster was, it was now clear it wouldn't be able to withstand the Goddess's power.

I slumped to the ground to catch my breath. My heart pounded in my chest and my lungs burned with every breath I took, but we were safe. Finally, we were safe.