The Healer ✔

Chapter Twenty-One

They escorted Monne down to the strongholds, which were quickly filling with people. Soon there wouldn't be any room left and there were still so many people trying to get in. They left the queen in the deepest part of the stronghold, surrounded by her Queen's Guard and General Yura.

Nyal and Elora ran back down through the stone hallways, pushing past the terrified citizens of Maheem. There was still no sign of Ragen or Mikhail, Elora assuming that they must have run off to fight once they escorted their last group. She hoped she would find them out in the midst of the battle.

As they arrived at the entrance to the mountain tunnels, a manticore appeared the air, the body of a guard hanging between its jaws. The people of Maheem screamed, trying to run faster down the cave-like halls. Someone ran into Elora, the sudden impact nearly knocking her to the floor. She struggled to keep herself upright, bracing herself against the wall.

The manticore roared, the guard's body falling whole down its throat. Elora tensed ready for the oncoming fight. Nyal was still next to her, water already gathered in his hands. "Move, people!" he cried, jaw clenched tightly. "Move!"

They didn't hear him in their panic, scrambling to get away from the monster at the entrance. Before the pair could do anything, the manticore snapped up a faun, swallowing them whole with a bellowing laugh that set her teeth on edge. She cursed, moving forward and gathering her own magic in her hands. Darkness pooled around her and the citizens that saw her only screamed more. If only they knew she was on their side.

She slashed at the monster, cutting off its laughter. It screamed in anger, its eyes searching the panicking crowd for her. Nyal threw and icicle at it, impaling it in the leg. The manticore fell to the ground as the icicle melting, allowing blood to pour from the wound.

It caught sight of her then, lashing out at her with its sharp claws and spiked tail. She dodged, watching the tail go slamming into the stone wall behind her and threw her darkness at it. It bared its teeth at her, and the sliver of darkness slammed into its side, showing off the three rows of razor-sharp teeth that could rip her to pieces in one bite.

Nyal was next to her in the blink of an eye, throwing ice cold water into the face of the manticore. It hissed but didn't react as the dragons had. She heard him curse but took the chance he had given her. She shot out her magic, watching as the darkness sliced at the manticore's throat. Blood poured out in an instant, splashing against the stone floor and all over the manticore. It screeched and fell to the ground, claws scraping against the ground.

It stared up at her and she stared down at it, no mercy in her eyes. It squealed again, one clawed paw reaching for her before it fell back to the ground and stopped moving. The creature let out one final pant and lay dead on the stone, blood blooming around it like a flower.

Over the top of its body, Elora finally got a good look at the scene outside the mountain. Wendigos and vampires had swarmed the first courtyards of the city, slashing and screaming at the guards trying to stop them. The people of Maheem were seriously outnumbered, and the biggest of the Zlohiel had even made it into the city yet.

The hydra was still poking over the top of the walls, staring down at the scene in front of it with what looked like amusement. Other dragons and gryphons were flying over the walls to land in the fray, the former raining fire down on anything they could see, friend or foe. Bodies covered the ground, blood splattered everywhere. It was horrific.

"Nyal, we have to go," she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "Are you ready?"

"Of course not, but we only have one chance," he answered, staring at the battle in front of him with dread and fear. She grabbed his hand, gathering her magic in her other. She pulled them out into the fray, ignoring the horrible feeling in her gut. They would have one chance, but they could do it.