by Sarah Noffke
Why don’t you put that down and fight fair? Lunis growled.
The monster opened his cavernous mouth and roared, spit flying.
Worried he’d slam the hammer down again, sending Sophia to her death, Lunis decided it was time to be bold. He hadn’t been able to get an attack in on Percy, struggling to just maintain safety as the beast thundered around like an angry construction worker.
In pure bull fashion, Percy lowered his head down, horns pointed in Lunis’ direction, and charged. There wasn’t much room to avoid the assault, and Lunis didn’t like that style anymore anyways. It was time to fight.
He lowered his own horned head and braced himself for the attack. There was no avoiding what would happen next. Lunis just hoped he survived it.
Chapter Fifty-Six
It felt like Sophia was the one in the battles. Her pulse was racing so fast, and her breath was shallow. She didn’t know what Wilder was doing. It wasn’t like him to run from a fight. Maybe he’d decided there was no defeating the warrior. She wouldn’t blame him. Repeatedly, Sophia was forced to watch as the sword grazed by Wilder, nearly cutting him several times.
A gasp flew from Sophia’s mouth as tears ached in her throat. Seeing the person she loved nearly take a fatal blow was breaking her heart over and over again.
If they retreated now, then maybe the pedestal would lower her to the floor, and they could sprint back up the staircase and abandon the mission. It wasn’t ideal but dying for the cure also wasn’t an option. For as much as she believed in Wilder, right then she really didn’t know how he could defeat this warrior.
The enemy was just too fast, too strong, and full of magical force.
Trying to keep her focus on Wilder fleeing through the maze, Sophia watched, holding her breath. Then her attention was yanked away when she caught sight of the minotaur charging at Lunis. Unlike before, he didn’t dart out of the way. Instead, he lowered his horned head and appeared to brace himself.
Sophia hiccupped on her breath as the two connected. The minotaur’s horns entangled in Lunis’ immediately, making a screeching sound. The pair pressed into each other, trying to force the other one back.
It reminded Sophia of two bucks or moose fighting in the wild, their antlers hooked together.
Lunis jerked his head to the side with a force to impress. However, it didn’t appear to do much to throw the minotaur off his feet. The beast was doing a remarkable job of maintaining his position.
A roar flew from Lunis’ mouth that was full of his anger and pain—making Sophia’s heart break further. She couldn’t take this any longer. Tears streamed down her cheeks, blurring her vision.
She almost didn’t see it when Lunis picked up one of his front feet and threw it into the side of the minotaur, knocking him loose and into an adjacent wall. The hammer was sent sliding in the opposite direction.
Sophia nearly jumped up from excitement but stayed firmly planted on the narrow surface of the pedestal. Her victorious reaction would have been premature, though because the beast immediately recovered from the loss, using magic to increase his size. Before he’d been the same height as Lunis, but after a brief moment, he swelled, and towered over the blue dragon.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Wilder pushed himself to run faster than he ever had without using the chi of the dragon. He knew if Simi was there, she’d tell him to employ strategy over strength. That was the only option he had left facing a prince who was stronger, faster, and all around better than him. Simi appreciated that Sophia always used strategy rather than brute force. Wilder hadn’t yet told Sophia that his dragon adored her, and that was saying a lot because she’d only ever cared for him.
I have to tell Sophia this, he thought.
Wilder sprinted around a corner and then another, following the strips of clothes he’d left behind. Soon he had lost the prince, putting some space between them. It wouldn’t last. He was certain the magical prince knew how to navigate the maze.
Wilder didn’t need much time. Less was more, actually. What he needed was an advantage, and right then, the best one would be the element of surprise.
When he was around a corner, Wilder threw his back up against a wall and held his sword at the ready. He was careful to keep his breathing slow to not give his position away. Straining to listen, he waited until the approaching footsteps grew louder.
He tightened his grip on his sword and let out a breath. When the prince raced around the corner, Wilder swung his sword straight into the warrior’s chest. It clanged first against the swords on either side of the prince, before pushing through and slamming into his armor.
As Wilder suspected, having seen the battles connected with the prince’s swords, his weapon wouldn’t pierce the warrior. The only thing that would was the enemy’s. However, the attack had been successful to a degree, and the prince flew backward, slamming into the stone wall behind him.
One of his swords slipped from his grip and slid across the floor, landing in the far corner. Wilder’s gaze darted to it, and he considered racing after the weapon—his only salvation in this fight. His moment of hesitation cost him greatly, giving the prince the chance to leap forward, thrusting the other sword into Wilder’s ribs, slicing through his bare skin and producing the worst pain Wilder had ever experienced.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
“No!” Sophia tried to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth.
She hadn’t thought it was real, seeing Wilder get stabbed. Then she saw the blood around the warrior’s sword. She witnessed the pain and disbelief on Wilder’s face. There was no disbelieving what had happened.
For a moment, Sophia considered how she could climb down from the pedestal, but the way it was designed, there was no way to do it safely. Rumi had thought of everything.
From her place perched up high, Sophia watched as the warrior added insult to injury, pressing the sword even harder into Wilder’s midsection, forcing a scream from his mouth.
With a satisfied expression, the villain stepped back, narrowing his eyes. Wilder stumbled backward, his hands on the hilt of his enemy’s sword protruding from his side.
Sophia gagged on her tears as she watched the man she loved yank the blade from his body. She couldn’t understand what he was doing. He knew it would cause him to bleed out. The effort and pain it must have caused was unfathomable to her.
More surprising was the triumphant expression on Wilder’s face as he held his adversary’s weapon. Even as blood gushed from his wound, he seemed to have a sweet surrender. A chill ran down Sophia’s back. She didn’t know what was coming next, she knew someone was about to die.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
The fight hadn’t been fair before, and now it was even more uneven, with the minotaur hovering above Lunis.
The blue dragon looked on the bright side. At least he’d gotten the hammer away from Percy. However, that did little to lift Lunis’ spirits as he glared up at the beast. Few creatures were bigger than Lunis. He’d never taken that fact for granted, but right then, he felt sorry for many of the animals he’d battled and squashed easily due to his size.
Before, there hadn’t been a lot of room at the end of the labyrinth for the two large creatures. Now there was even less.
You’re one of those types who hogs the armrest on planes, aren’t you? Lunis dared to ask the beast.
In reply, the minotaur narrowed his beady eyes as if he were offended by being considered a bad neighbor on a plane.
Percy’s hands were huge, easily the size of a car tire. When he reached down for Lunis with his greedy fingers, there was little way of avoiding his grasp. Lunis darted to the side, but the minotaur expected this and slammed his other fist into Lunis’ side, launching him until he connected with the stone wall.
The pain of the assault was all encompassing. It stole the blue dragon’s breath. The adrenaline of the moment wasn’t enough to distract him from the pain as he hit the wall so hard it cracked.
Luni
s needed to get up. That much was clear as the minotaur thundered over to where he was lying in a heap, but his body wasn’t listening to the commands from his brain. He was moving too slowly and soon, the beast was towering over him once more.
Barely able to move his back legs, Lunis realized that something was wrong. He was pinned. His wing was wedged into the crack in the stone. Pulling at it, he growled from the searing pain. The only way to escape the next attack would be to yank it free but doing so haphazardly would result in injury. That much was clear, but Lunis had no other options.
If he stayed pinned, Percy would make quick work of him, and an injured wing would be the least of his problems. Making an impromptu decision, Lunis yanked his wing from the crack in the wall, the sharp stone ripping at his wing, and tearing it in several places.
The minotaur apparently didn’t expect this, though, and Lunis had a moment of surprise as he rolled free from his spot, tumbling on his side until he was on the far side of the area.
The pain was mind-numbing. Looking down, Lunis saw why. His right wing was ripped badly in several places, the bones were broken, and blood gushed from many wounds.
Chapter Sixty
Sophia didn’t know if her heart could break any more. First Wilder and now Lunis. They were both hurt badly. Watching the minotaur toss Lunis around like he was a tiny animal was bizarre and wrong and infuriating. She didn’t think she could take it anymore.
Her dragon was injured. Not that he could fly right then anyway, but he had to be in incredible pain. If they had their connection, she’d feel his agony, and that would be something. She wanted to share in his pain and let him know he wasn’t alone. They weren’t connected, and there was little she could do to reassure Lunis, cowering in the corner.
The minotaur appeared invigorated by the fact he’d gotten a few successful blows on the dragon. His dark eyes sparkled with delight before he lowered his large horns again. This was it. It was the minotaur’s finishing move. He knew Lunis was hurt, and he faced off with him again. This time when their horns locked, he’d have the weight and size advantage, taking control and slamming Lunis into the stone wall. Then he’d be done. With Lunis gone from this world, Sophia wouldn’t survive long either.
She didn’t jump down from her perch, because then she’d kill herself and Lunis in the process. Instead, the dragonrider forced herself to watch as the minotaur charged at the blue dragon.
Sophia held her breath, firmly believing she was about to watch Lunis’ death. She knew that Wilder was hurt on the other side of the maze, but she couldn’t pull her gaze away as the minotaur burst across the space with incredible speed.
Lunis wasn’t lowering himself to challenge the minotaur. Sophia couldn’t understand what he was doing. Was he giving up, she wondered in a panic. Things were desperate. This was the worst possible situation they’d ever been in. She couldn’t understand him surrendering.
He didn’t move from his position against the wall. The minotaur was nearly on him, about to puncture him with his sharp horns. Dragonhide was strong, but it wouldn’t be able to withstand an assault from minotaur horns. Not with the force that was fueling them as the beast charged.
Sophia held her breath, her eyes unblinking. When the minotaur was about to connect with Lunis, the dragon moved. In a flash, like he was fueled by magic once more, Lunis shot to the side, rolling over his broken wing as the minotaur charged.
It all happened so fast the monster didn’t have a chance to slow or change direction. Its horns, meant for Lunis, slammed into the wall, piercing into the stone, and the creature was stuck. The force of the assault made the thick stone buckle down on the beast. As large as it was, it couldn’t withstand the weight and crumpled as the avalanche of stone rained down on it, pounding it flat.
Lunis stepped forward, his eyes narrowed on his enemy’s limp body. His tail swished before he turned, putting his focus on Sophia, a hopeful expression once more on his face.
Chapter Sixty-One
The stab wound was spilling blood. Painful wasn’t the word for it. Never had Wilder experienced anything so burning hot. He staggered back, holding the prince’s sword, willing himself not to pass out.
His enemy wasn’t underestimating him. The prince realized his mistake, stabbing him and leaving the sword for Wilder to retrieve. Now the prince was weaponless, and Wilder held the one thing that could end him.
They both knew it wouldn’t take much to also take Wilder down. He was badly injured, and a well-placed attack to his midsection would take him out.
The evil prince darted forward, throwing a kick at Wilder’s side, aiming for the bloody wound. Instantly, Wilder jumped back, sucking in his chest to keep himself free of the attack. The effort made him scream with pain.
A smile flickered across the prince’s mouth. He was enjoying this.
That filled Wilder with an incredible desire to stamp out this evil. It was unfair to allow such a despicable force to exist when innocent magicians and elves were suffering around the world.
Wilder was going to get that cure. He was going to save his people. He was going to make Sophia proud.
Darting forward, Wilder whipped the sword from side to side, finally taking offensive measures against the prince. For a moment, he thought his connection to Simi, and the chi of the dragon was back. He was moving quickly again, his motions blurring. Then he realized it was his motivation spurring him on, giving him speed, and making him a deadly force.
The fear that sprang to the prince’s eyes was all the encouragement that Wilder needed.
As the prince avoided his own sword slicing through the air, he was being forced back toward a dead end. When his back was up against a wall, Wilder pulled back the blade covered in his own blood and plunged it into the prince’s chest. He wasn’t one to kill an unarmed man, but the stakes had changed.
The prince screamed out as the sword passed through his heart. Blood welled up from the wound as Wilder twisted the blade, ensuring the assault would be deadly, although he knew all that had to happen was for the prince to be stabbed with his own weapon.
Narrowing his eyes, Wilder pulled his hands off the hilt and immediately cradled his side and his own injury. Wilder took a step back and watched as the prince slid down the stone wall, a hollowness in his eyes as his head drifted to the side, and he took his last breath.
Wilder lowered his head, showing his respect at the demise of his enemy. The reign of the evil prince was over. He had been a worthy opponent, but in the end, love won out.
Chapter Sixty-Two
Relief flooded Sophia’s being as she watched Wilder defeat the warrior. She knew he was injured. Lunis too, but they were alive. All she had to do was get them home to the Gullington, and Quiet would heal them. It might take time, but as long as they survived, that was all that mattered.
She was worried for them, having to traverse their way back out of the maze in their injured states, although neither would give up nor complain. She was still stranded at the top of the pedestal.
For a moment, she panicked, thinking there would be more challenges—more enemies to defeat. Lunis and Wilder were strong, but they wouldn’t be able to fight much more.
On the heel of her worries, the stone walls of the labyrinth sank into the floor, disappearing. Lunis and Wilder stood in an open space, a hundred yards dividing them from each other and Sophia; their path was clear.
Both bounded in her direction, moving as fast as their injuries would allow them too.
Sophia expected the pedestal would lower or her magic would return, that she’d be offered some way down. However, her circumstances didn’t change.
She blinked as a tiny light appeared in front of her. It grew larger until a figure sprang from it. A man appeared, wearing beautiful robes, a long white beard, and a turban on his head. The kind look in his eyes was full of unconditional love, and she knew without a doubt who hovered in the air before her.
“Rumi,” Sophia mouthed, no sound comi
ng out. Something catching in her throat. All of the stress and emotion had her on the verge of tears.
He bowed his head, his hands in front of him in prayer position. “Sophia Beaufont. You are very loved and loving. Such has been proven.”
Her eyes watered as her gaze darted to the two on the floor, looking up at her, seeing the figure of Rumi before her. Wilder appeared close to passing out, and Lunis was bleeding badly. She needed to get them home.
Rumi followed her line of sight before saying, “The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
She nodded, believing he was saying they would be okay. After watching what they went through, she wondered if she would be. If possible, she loved them more than ever.
“I’ve come for a cure,” she began, swallowing down the tender pain in her throat.
“And you have earned it,” Rumi stated in a deep voice, holding out his hand. In it, a small round bottle filled with thick red liquid appeared. It didn’t seem large enough to cure all those sick with distortion. “You will know of someone who can replicate this.”
Sophia nodded and held out her own hand. She knew exactly who he was referring to. The potion floated across and landed in her palm.
“The world…” Sophia began, realizing she should maximize her time with Rumi and get as much as possible out of it. “It’s in a bad place. I don’t know if I can fix it.”
He nodded, a smile in his eyes. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
She vaulted these words away. Fatigue was making it hard to think. Her gaze floated back down to the pieces of her heart on the floor, staring up at her. “How do I get to them?” Although she realized she was in the presence of a man thought to be dead for centuries, she needed to be reconnected with those she loved.