Nantosuelta slowly backed away, eyes locked on the hellhound. Its muscles rippled ominously, like it had just walked out of a "Top 10 Most Horrifying Creatures You'll Probably Die From" list. The fireball in her hand flickered nervously, as if it too wasn't so sure about the whole situation.
The hellhound, clearly a fan of dramatic entrances, lunged at her with all the enthusiasm of a beast that had clearly skipped lunch. Its jaws snapped with the kind of fury only seen in tax collectors. Nantosuelta barely dodged, the smell of its breath making her wonder if hellhounds ever discovered mint.
The fight that followed was the kind of chaos you'd expect when a magical princess goes up against a beast straight out of someone's worst nightmare. The hellhound lunged and clawed, its massive jaws coming within inches of her face, clearly under the impression that her nose was the perfect appetizer. Nantosuelta ducked, dodged, and mentally questioned all her life choices that led to this very moment.
As she fought, she realized that she was being backed into a corner, literally. The hellhound's relentless attacks were pushing her closer and closer to the edge of a very bad idea. The fireball in her hand dimmed, the light barely flickering, as her arm began to tremble with fatigue. She could almost hear the fireball whisper, "I'm out. Good luck."
Summoning what little strength she had left, Nantosuelta dodged yet another attack and, with the finesse of someone who clearly skipped combat training, she lashed out with her makeshift weapon. There was a dull thump, followed by a pained howl from the hellhound. Maybe she wasn't entirely hopeless after all.
Taking advantage of the momentary pause, she darted past the beast and sprinted into the woods, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Behind her, she could hear the hellhound's angry howls, the sound like nails on a chalkboard but with more impending doom.
The hellhound was gaining on her, moving with the kind of speed that made her question why she ever thought this whole "escaping" thing was a good idea. Each step thudded against the damp earth, echoing like the world's worst drum solo. The fireball in her hand was now just a sad little ember, struggling to stay relevant.
With the hellhound practically breathing down her neck, she decided that running wasn't really working out for her. It was time to try something… else. Something possibly less suicidal. Maybe.
She abruptly stopped and turned to face the beast. This was either the bravest or dumbest decision of her life—probably both. Focusing her mind, she visualized the air around her, imagining the molecules floating lazily about, unaware that they were about to be rudely interrupted.
Nantosuelta drew in the energy of the air, feeling it concentrate within her. She directed it toward the hellhound, imagining an invisible orb forming, a little air barrier to keep the monster at bay. It took about three seconds, during which she fully expected to get mauled, but miraculously, it worked. The air around her exploded forward, like nature itself had decided to say, "Not today, hellhound."
The beast stumbled backward, clearly not a fan of surprise air magic. Nantosuelta watched as the hellhound yelped and snarled, trying to regain its footing but failing miserably. It was the kind of scene that would've been hilarious if it wasn't so terrifying.
She knew she couldn't keep this up forever, though. Her makeshift air shield wouldn't last, and the hellhound was getting more agitated by the second, like a toddler denied candy but with more teeth.
She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she knew was a desperate gamble. Focusing her mind again, she drew on the air around her, but this time she didn't bother with a shield. Instead, she pushed the air forward in a concentrated stream, like a magical leaf blower aimed directly at the hellhound.
The blast hit the hellhound square in the chest, sending it flying backward like a particularly aggressive frisbee. It slammed into a tree with a thump that was as satisfying as it was alarming.
The hellhound struggled to get back up, its head shaking like it was reconsidering its career choices. This was her chance. Without a second thought, Nantosuelta turned and ran, adrenaline surging through her veins. The hellhound's pained howls echoed behind her, the sound almost like it was shouting, "Hey, get back here! We're not done yet!"
Finally, she stumbled to a halt, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Before her loomed the line of singularity, the shimmering barrier that separated Ignis from Aquapolis. It was like the universe's way of saying, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
With the amulet around her neck, she stepped forward, crossing over the line of singularity and into Aquapolis. The temperature dropped faster than a poorly performing stock, the cold air biting into her skin like a thousand tiny needles. She shivered, thinking that perhaps she should've packed a coat—or better yet, stayed home.
Summoning her fire magic, she managed to warm herself enough to avoid turning into an icicle. Adjusting to the freezing surroundings, she took a moment to catch her breath. She'd made it. She had actually made it across the line of singularity.
Now, if only she could figure out how to survive in this icy new kingdom… but that was a problem for future Nantosuelta. For now, she was just glad she hadn't been eaten by a hellhound.