The light of day brought me back to the world of magic and a tingling sensation filled my arms and legs as the woke from their sleep. I was riding someone’s back, but whose? I opened my heavy eyes and wrapped my arms around the neck of my carrier. “Good morning, Death. Where are we going?” I said stifling a yawn.
“Glad you have some thought in that lazy head of yours. Perhaps you might want to explain to me why I am retreating from a trio of maniacs?” He hissed jumping a fence with the ease of a deer.
“You can handle them.” I murmured resting my head between his shoulders. A hand slid out under me and I clung desperately trying not to fall. “The main one you have to worry about is the one in black with longish hair.” I said already morphing to change to top running form. “I will draw their attention away. Strike at the the tallest one when you get the chance but don’t stay to fight.”
“Wait.. What?” Death asked as I used him to throw myself out of the direction he was going. I hit the ground and jumped to the side as a spear made of ice landed right where I would have been. They had already learned magic, something I could never do.
Jumping to the side again I avoided a diving bird. I turned and ran at an angle away from the two parties and pumped my arms as fast as they could. Building momentum I slowly started changing never dropping stride as the horses chased me down gaining in every step. I had designed them to chase man but I was a step ahead.
Soon my body was a cheetah’s and I was doubling their speed over the farm lands eventually hitting a road. I sprinted full out creating enough distance that I could safely stop and transform myself into something more sturdy. My arms turned together twisting to form a hard shield in front. My feet became roots tethered in the ground. Finally I entered the mind of the horse causing it to run straight at me until the last second when I let it have its own mind.
It reared back to stop and threw off its rider who was quickly on his feet. Leaving the shield I put my feet back to normal so I could change direction as the brother threw his attacks at me. Left, right, up, across, and we continued each countering the other until finally we both threw out all into one last attack. I was deceived. Magic penetrated my shield and I was frozen by ice.
It was Derk. The only one who had slipped away from the attack from Death. “Just give up. The more you struggle, the colder it gets.” A voice of indifference said calmly. He tended to his spooked horse as I pulled the trigger of my last attack.
“Surely you would not kill your own mother, Czech.” I said mimicking my old life perfectly in voice and body. The man froze expression unreadable as he stared into my face. “Let me out will you?” The ice wrapped tighter. “Fine.” I hissed releasing my backup. Great wings sprouted from my back in a glow of red and gold with small feathers flying off with the ice.
“I do miss you though.” I said slowly, taking off into the sky. I was shot in the shoulder by a different kind of magic one that only Death should have. I fell but I was caught by a giant clawed hand. Jerry was a threat when in dragon form but these men were trained to fight dragons. Amanda pulled me up onto Jerry’s back and removed the arrow with a little healing magic.
“How in the world did this happen?” I asked as Jerry flew away in retreat. The men followed at a constant pace but were no longer attacking. They were waiting for us to land. Death appeared behind me sitting crossed-legged with a frown.
“You wouldn’t wake up so we made the decision to continue on our own. We were ambushed as soon as we exited the woods. We were careless but luckily Death showed up just in time.” Amanda said looking a little angry with herself. I rolled my shoulder as my wings disappeared and I regained my regular features.
