The Fifth Daughter {Fantasy-Romance}

EIGHT

The Algoths

·・✩₊˚.⋆☾ ⋆⁺₊✧・·

"Maerwynn, ride out of the woods!" Rhaenan's urgent voice echoed behind Maerwynn as he swiftly retrieved a tiny glass bottle from his pouch, its contents swirling like a potion of unknown power. With practiced ease, he uncorked it and drained the liquid in one swift gulp, his once-azure eyes now transformed into pools of deepest black. "Head for the hills and don't look back!"

"No... I can't leave you," she protested weakly, but Rhaenan had already spurred his horse into action, charging fearlessly toward the oncoming horde of creatures, their razor-sharp fangs glinting in the dim light like the serrated edges of vampire bats.

Her gaze flitted to the discarded bow lying nearby, and without a moment's hesitation, Maerwynn leaped from the saddle just as one of the creatures lunged at her horse. With a panicked whinny, the horse veered off course, jostling her to the ground as it galloped back the way they came, fleeing from the encroaching threat of the woods.

As she scrambled to her feet, Maerwynn's hands found purchase on the familiar weight of her bow, and she snatched it up with trembling fingers. Fixing an arrow in place, she took aim at one of the creatures, her heart pounding in her chest as she drew back the string. With a silent prayer, she released the arrow, and it found its mark with deadly precision, striking the creature's heart with lethal accuracy. It let out a piercing shriek before crumpling to the forest floor in a heap.

Meanwhile, Rhaenan waged his own battle against the onslaught, his hands crackling with raw energy as he conjured blasts of lightning to fend off the creatures. Some he managed to strike down with pinpoint accuracy, while others required a more hands-on approach, forcing him to engage in close combat with nothing but his wits and his bare hands. With a sense of grim determination, Maerwynn readied herself for another shot, steeling her nerves for the fight ahead.

With each arrow she notched and released, Maerwynn's aim grew steadier, her movements more fluid. The creatures, sensing the threat, swarmed around her, their shrill cries filling the air like a cacophony of doom. But she stood her ground, channeling every ounce of determination into each shot, determined to protect herself and aid Rhaenan in this desperate battle.

Beside her, Rhaenan powers surged forth like a tempest, arcs of lightning dancing across the sky as he unleashed his magic upon the encroaching horde. His eyes blazed with fierce resolve, his every movement filled with unwavering determination to fend off the advancing creatures at any cost.

They were a dynamic duo. Yet, for every creature they felled, two more seemed to take its place, their relentless onslaught threatening to overwhelm them at any moment.

"I told you to run!" Rhaenan's angered voice thundered,  reverberating through the chaos of the fight.

"Leave you to fend for yourself? Not a chance!" Maerwynn retorted, frustration mounting as her arrows failed to find their mark against the relentless onslaught of creatures. Pressed back against her partners solid form, she fought to maintain her balance, desperation clawing at her insides.

"What are these things, anyway?" she demanded, her voice strained with exertion.

"Algoths," Rhaenan grunted between bursts of lightning, his attacks driving back the creatures but never seeming to diminish their numbers. "And if they don't kill you, I might for being so stubborn!"

She winced at his words but knew he spoke from a place of concern. With another failed shot, Maerwynn darted away from Rhaenan, seeking shelter among the dense foliage of the nearby trees.