Arlin's selfless sacrifice bought Maze the chance to escape Farid's pursuit. Without any other plan, she watched helplessly as Farid's magical fire engulfed Arlin's wall of vines, the crackling sounds echoing her heart's fear. Farid's laugh chilled her to the bone. But Arlin's last words echoed in her head. "Run... Escape... don't let him win."
Grabbing the peculiar packet from the floor, she turned to the window. Over the last few weeks, Maze had been practicing with her Mana, but she was still unsure if it would help her.
Each person in the world of Fallenia had received Mana, but each person only had one element that they could use. In Maze's case, this was wind, but she had no idea if this would work.
Suddenly, the package in her hands started to give off an almost hot warmth. So hot, it almost made Maze drop it as Arlin's smoking and charred body fell to the ground. The fire Farid had used had only burnt the vines and Arlin. This made no sense to Maze, considering that they should have had access to the power for the same amount of time, but it was clear who was more skilled with the new power.
"Come now," Farid said with a smile that did not fit the situation. "I am far from ugly, and I am going to become a ruler of this world! Your father should have given me your hand ages ago, but he is no longer here to deny me. Now it is up to you," He said, pointing at the window behind her. "It is a long drop, and my men are blocking all the exits. What will you choose, princess?"
During this, the package in Maze's hand was assessing the situation that it had found itself in. Reinhart did not like the looks of things, and they were to get a whole lot worse if he didn't do anything. The question was, what could an instant dinner with no limbs actually do?
Just as Maze had mentally steeled herself to attempt an escape using her wind mana, she flinched when she heard a voice in her head - a voice not belonging to her.
"Princess! Eat me!"
She froze for a moment, thinking that fear had gotten the best of her, but then she heard it again, louder and clearer.
"Maze of Fallenia, I ask you to eat me. Trust me!"
Shocked, she looked down at the packet, realizing it was the source of the voice. Panic and confusion danced in her eyes, but Farid was approaching her, his tall, menacing figure dangerously close.
As much as she wanted to believe the voice, getting away from here was the only thing that she could think about. Maze turned, ignoring Reinhart's words, pulling the Mana to her like she had practiced.
"That is more than thirty feet! Just think about this first!" Farid called out, but Maze had heard the stories of the abused women that were put to death after trying to speak up against the kings who seemed to do what he wanted.
"I would sooner die than become your plaything!" Maze screamed and then threw herself out the window to everyone's surprise, Reinhart's the most.
For someone that had just arrived in this world in basically a cardboard box, Reinhart did not like the looks of things. Bocchi's parting world rang in his mind as their forward momentum slowed, and gravity started to take over.
Was this really going to be his end once again?! He had just gotten this body, albeit a box, but there was a promise of a better body and no shaking!
Drawing in more power than she ever had, Maze felt the wind build under her, cushioning her fall. For a moment it worked, and her relieved laugh echoed in the cold, night air. But in her distress and inexperience, she lost control. The wind howled uncontrollably around her, becoming a dangerous gust. It swept her off course and into a tree. Her world spun, pain lancing through her leg, the bone piercing through the skin.
"NO!" Reinhart's voice yelled aloud in Maze's mind.
She managed to grab onto a tree branch, pulling her injured leg close. Farid's guards were quickly gaining on her, their yells becoming louder. Maze grimaced and took a deep breath, trying to push back against the fierce pain flaring in her leg.
"Princess... Maze... I know you can hear me," Reinhart's voice spoke softly now, trying to soothe her panic-stricken mind. "You are in danger. Please... eat me..."
Maze struggled to breathe. The peculiar packet in her hand was still emitting a strange warmth. Nothing made sense, but she was desperate. The guards were closing in.
"It hurts!" She cried out, seeming not to hear his words.
He could understand, but their lives were at stake. Unfortunately, the guards had caught up to them.
The guards walked up to the tree and started to laugh as one of them tried to look up Maze's dress. Reinhart didn't know this girl, but he hated men like this. They made the rest of the men look bad, but what could he do?! Maze was safe for the moment, still out of the guard's reach, but it was only a matter of time before they either climbed up or used some fancy magic to get her down. Reinhart needed Maze to listen to him before it was too late.
"The adorable princess is stuck in a tree? Why don't you lift those skirts and give us a peek? I always wanted to know if the royalty looks different between their legs!" One of the guards said in a leery, mocking tone. The other guards chuckled lasciviously. Reinhart, though immobile, felt a raging fury searing through him.
"Ignore them, Maze. Concentrate!" Reinhart urged, hoping to bring her out of the fear-induced stupor. "You need to eat me right now. That's the only chance we both have!"
Maze felt her eyes watering, not just from the stinging pain but also the degrading words of the guards. Why was everything happening all at once? First the loss of her father, then her kingdom being under Farid's threat, and now this embarrassing predicament.
"Tasty little fruit up a tree, are you?" Another guard sneered. "Let's fetch her, boys."
Time was running out. The guards were starting to climb, the lewd laughter filling the night's air. Reinhart repeated his plea.
"Maze, you have to trust me... Eat me. It's our only escape!"