.Elementals.

-19-

I ran with the princess behind me, a grip on her upper arm.

We turned a corner and stopped running, panting from exertion.

"I think we lost it." She whispered in fear.

"For now, I need to find a way to track the caster of the spell or we'll be running until our death."

"Oh no please don't say that."

I started coughing loudly, wet coughing as I fell to my knees.

"Mystery!" I felt her hand on my shoulder as I kept hacking up violently into my hand.

When I finally caught my breath by hand was dripping with blood.

"Oh my gods!"

"I haven't fully healed from the bolt, the first attack must have already reopened one or more of the wounds." I whispered out, breathing loudly before wiping my face and standing up, her following.

"Wait maybe you should sit a bit to not aggravate it."

"I cannot, there are more urgent matter at play here." This was not go but if we die to this creature of magic it won't matter.

I saw a light circular shadow on the ground and I shoved the princess away with my body as the yeti crashed down from the sky in the place where we were standing a few second prior.

The yeti screeched loudly and I covered my ears, hearing my own screams and those of the princess.

"Highness." I whispered, ears ringing as I turned to her as she slowly uncovered them.

And a charge of wild magic rammed me into the ground, the drier dirt of the maze cracking under the impact.

I coughed loudly to try to get air back in my lungs as I laid on my side, the princess kneeling beside me in worry.

The Yeti grabbed her as I turned on my back and blasted a hole through it with magic.

It hung her, by her corset, on a branch of the hedge before looking back at me, I think its new orders are to take me out because I won't let it kill the princess.

I turned on my front and fought my body on all fours before the branches of the maze the nearest to me lashed out at the monster in fury as I crawled further from it.

It roared as if it could feel pain which wasn't possible, the branches soon wilting as the monster tore them away from the plant and sucked the magic from them.

I was on my knees and hands, one eye closed because of the cut bleeding into it.

I lifted my hands to create a protection against the fists coming to rain down on me, each hit shaking the ground.

It pressed its whole weight on it, palm opened against the shield, until it shattered before and its big hand wrapped around my body, tightly.

I tried to free my limbs as I screamed in the crushing hold it had on me, feeling like it would break me any second now, enjoying the slow death he was giving me.

I screamed louder and the direct magic attack to my soul, mages learn to build up a defense around it because someone could hurt your soul and just end you like that or have control over your doings, it was protected but it was painful.

I coughed up blood all over my face as more dripped from my ears, eyes and nose from the strain all this was putting on my body and magic.

"Let her go!!!" I suddenly felt like a void in the wild magic in the world, a void that sucked all magic into it mine and the wild beast's too.

It dropped me on the ground as it disappeared into the void that was concentrated right in the middle of the now free princess' corset free chest, nothing visible but it could be felt by all those affiliated with magic.

"Mystery!" She ran over, kneeling down next to me as I stared in awe at what I witnessed happen right in front of my eyes.

She passed one of my arms around her shoulder and pulled me up to my feet, her other hand around my waist to help me stand on my weak legs.

"What was that?" She whispered, having felt what happened.

"I don't know." I answered.

"Come on we need to go." She said, starting to walk while half supporting my weight.

"I don't think more will come." I whispered, head hanging as I coughed more.

"What? how are you sure of that?"

"I don't feel nor smell the wild magic anymore, it is as if whatever you did not only destroyed that monster but traced back to whoever was using the magic, also destroying their magical ability as I fell Amalia, telling their monsters have also vanished."

"We'll need to ask mother but let's get you back to the castle first you can barely stay on your own feet."