The situation was harsh; Icarius's lifeless body left everyone engulfed in despair. The dark elf who had stabbed him, introducing himself as Eston, approached Astrid with a dark, determined gaze. The unicorn, though fierce and protective, stood his ground, his eyes full of concern for her fallen master.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling roar echoed through the forest, freezing everyone in a panic. It came from the sky—the blood wyvern.
The massive creature descended with a majestic, terrifying grace. Its enormous wings beat the air, sending gusts that made the leaves flutter wildly. The wyvern's gaze was fixed on Icarius's still form, and without a moment's hesitation, it gently lifted him onto its back with a careful but powerful claw. The wyvern then turned to Astrid and, with a commanding tone, said, "Gather the others and follow me. We must leave now."
The dark elves, paralyzed with fear, couldn't move a muscle. They were too terrified to even think about stopping the wyvern. They stood frozen as the wyvern took off, carrying Icarius and the companions. Only when the wyvern was out of sight did the elves snap out of their state of stupefaction. With panicked shouts and frantic movements, they scattered into the forest. But their fleeting sense of safety was an illusion.
The wyvern was relentless. It followed the fleeing dark elves, its roar echoing ominously through the trees. The once serene forest was now a scene of chaos and bloodshed. The wyvern's fury was absolute. Trees were splintered, and the ground was painted with the dark red of the elves' blood. The massacre left no survivors, and the forest stood silent, bearing witness to the devastation.
Back at the wyvern's mountain lair, the scene was somber. The blood wyvern gazed down at Icarius's motionless body with a mixture of concern and sadness. "What happened to him?" it rumbled to Astrid, its voice carrying a note of deep worry. "This is him, but he has no power left… Not even life remains."
Astrid, his eyes full of worry, recounted everything that had happened. "He was attacked by dark elves. They were going to harm these three elves, so he tried to save them. But he got seriously injured and now… now he's just lying here."
The blood wyvern listened intently, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. After a moment, it spoke. "He isn't completely dead. His spirit still clings to his body, but it is very weak. His body is too broken to hold on much longer. There's one last hope."
The wyvern paused, as if remembering something important. "On our way back, I noticed a small wooden house on a nearby mountain. I sensed a strange but potent magic coming from it. Since I cannot heal him myself, we'll go there and see if anyone in that house can help."
The journey to the wooden house was tense. Astrid, still in his unicorn form, moved with urgency. His hooves pounded the ground as he followed closely behind the wyvern, which flew just above the treetops. The forest gradually gave way to rocky paths, and the wind picked up, making it difficult to hear anything but the rustling leaves and the heavy footsteps of Astrid.
The two young elf boys clung to each other, their faces pale with fear. The girl, though trying to be brave, was trembling. "Is… is he going to be okay?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. "What's wrong with him?"
Astrid glanced back at her, trying to offer some reassurance. "He's fighting to stay alive. We're trying to find someone who might be able to help him. Stay calm. Panicking won't do any good."
The girl nodded, though her eyes were still wide with worry. "I don't even know who you are or why you saved us. But please, if you can help him, do whatever it takes."
The wyvern let out a low growl, its eyes glowing a fierce red. "We're doing everything we can. For now, just hold on and stay close."
They continued their journey, the rocky paths growing steeper as they climbed the mountain. The wind howled around them, and the sky darkened with the approaching night. After what felt like hours of arduous travel, they finally spotted the wooden house nestled between jagged cliffs.
The house was small and unassuming, barely more than a cabin. Smoke drifted lazily from the chimney, and there was an eerie stillness around it. The blood wyvern landed gently, its massive wings folding in close to its body. The wyvern turned to Astrid and said, "This is the place. Be cautious. We don't know who or what lives here."
Astrid nodded and carefully guided the elf children to the front of the house. He glanced at the wyvern and then at Icarius, who was still unconscious on its back. The wyvern's scales shimmered in the dim light, reflecting a faint, ominous glow. Astrid felt a surge of hope mixed with apprehension. They had come so far, and now it was up to whatever—or whoever—was inside the cabin to save Icarius.
With a deep breath, Astrid stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door with his hoove. The sound echoed through the stillness, and they waited anxiously for a response.