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Viola
The moon is high, and despite the ground we've covered and the beasts we've encountered, I barely feel closer to our goal.
These woods are swarming with creatures, and none of them are kind. Since we ran into the cockatrices, we've fought three more of the giant bugs with the acid spit. Eventually, we got into a good rhythm, and it became muscle memory on how to take them out.
Most surprisingly, the vines that stretched across the trees turned out to be several different serpent-esque beasts. One wrapped around Plume's waist and attempted to hoist her in the air before Morrow chopped it in half with his axe, and I lowered her gently to the ground with my shadows.
Every part of this jungle is alive and wants to kill us.
My body is tired, my mind is weary, and I know my companions struggle to have enough energy after the level of magic they've extended. But something inside me lights up, and my body aches with the sensation.
"Stop," I croak out, hands rubbing up and down my arms.
Mace and Zeph immediately notice my discomfort and rushto me, clamoring over each other to comfort me. I gently step out of Mace's grasp, patting him on the forearm. "It's a God thing," I say kindly. "I need Zeph's draw right now."
To his credit, Mace doesn't look too upset. He just takes a step back and rests a hand on my lower back from behind me, allowing Zeph to face me head-on. "What do you feel, Shadowweaver?" he says in a clipped tone.
"Something is nearby. My body is aching for it," I force out. "It wasn't like this with the other pieces."
"Perhaps it's because it's your last part. Your magic knows what it is missing this time." Zeph places his hand directly over the sunfire on my chest. When his hand touches me, I feel an overwhelming sense of peace come over me.
"How did you learn to do all of this?" I ask, my shoulders drooping.
He smiles. "Himureal gave me loads of texts on the high priests. And uh… I may have stolen the journals from Morrow's bag and been reading them." He ruffles his auburn hair, looking ashamed.
Morrow laughs. "I would've given them to you if you'd have asked. May not like you much, but you're a damn good high priest, it looks like."
Now that the ache in my body is calmed, I can listen to where the magic within me is yearning to go, and I follow that path.
I freeze.
The magic within my veins roils, but not in the way it was justminutes ago.
No, this is something else.
"Shields, now!" I shout, throwing up my own, just in time for a massive creature to fall out of the sky directly on the shield. It tries to claw into the magic, to hold itself up, but it falls off the barrier. It rises to its feet, and I finally get a look at our attacker.
Plume gasps at the same time Mace swears, "Oh fuck."
A massive furred beast is in front of us, its mouth shaped into a mimicry of a smile, stuffed full of deadly pointed teeth. It walks on four feet, each tipped with a sharp claw. Wide wings stretch from its back, the strength within them evident from the ability to keep its massive body up. Fur grows around its neck and is matted and mangy with blood and gore. A long tail swishes behind it, and at the end is a circular growth covered in sharp spikes. It's like a brutal mace attached to the tail of the beast.
"What is that?" Tulip asks as I start to plan my magical attack in my head.
"A manticore," Plume says, shaking her head. "I thought they were myths."
"I'm starting to think Krillium has no myths," Tulip says, groaning. "Because it seems like we just keep proving them wrong."
The manticore paces in front of the shield, and I've got Shadow and Decay intertwined, creeping out of the forest and wrapping around the creature. It thrashes and manages to break from a shadow, so I have to continuously put effort into keeping it there so the Decay seeps into its body.
"I'mdropping my shield! Zeph, Morrow, get ready!" I shout. The moment my shield falls, I feel the two Summer fae erect their own to cover Plume and Tulip. Mace is surrounded by a yellow mist, and Lightning is striking down next to the manticore.
Despite my hold on it with my shadows, it manages to lunge and swipe at me. Claws rake across my thigh and cut into my flesh. The smell of my blood lights up my bloodlust and I snarl, launching Fire magic directly towards the creature. It wails as the fur around its face lights up.
With a swing of its tail, a few of the spines dislodge and come flying towards us.
I'm too focused on restraining the tail to notice the barbs going right for Mace.
One hits him directly in the shoulder, going straight through. His shout of pain almost pulls my attention from the creature, but I have to keep my eyes on it, trusting my partner to get himself to safety.
