We stepped out onto the quiet streets, waiting for the beast to reveal itself, but the night remained still. Nothing appeared, just the eerie silence.
Agartha glanced at me, her brows furrowed in concern.
"We should go back to the hut. It's too quiet out here."
I shook my head, determined.
"No. I want to see this beast with my own eyes. We need to know what we're up against."
She sighed, but didn't press further. We lingered in the silence for another agonizing minute, the tension thick in the air. Even I began to feel uneasy, the stillness oppressive. Reluctantly, I conceded.
"Alright, let's head back."
As we moved toward the hut, a sense of dread washed over me. Something was wrong. Too wrong. No sounds came from inside.
The moment we stepped through the door, my fears became reality. The room was empty—everyone was gone.
A chill ran down my spine.
"The beast... it outsmarted us." I cursed under my breath, clenching my fists.
Before I could react further, a massive shadow fell over the doorway. Agartha and I turned around, and there it stood—the beast.
It was enormous, towering above us like a nightmare made flesh. Its body was serpentine, covered in iridescent, fish-like scales that shimmered in the moonlight, but its head was draconic, eyes burning with a predatory glow.
The beast roared, a thunderous sound that sent shivers through my bones.
Beneath its monstrous frame were the missing villagers—entranced, their eyes glassy and vacant, standing as if hypnotized by the creature's power.
Without a second thought, I drew my sword.
"Agartha, be ready!"
We charged at the creature, my blade gleaming in the dim light as I slashed at its form. But every strike felt useless—my sword might as well have been cutting through smoke. The beast's scales were impenetrable.
"Agartha, step back!" I shouted, barely dodging a powerful swipe from its massive tail that nearly took my head off.
Agartha, quick on her feet, gathered her energy, forming a glowing ball of icy power between her hands. She hurled it at the creature, and for a moment, its shimmering invisibility flickered, revealing more of its true form. Seizing the opportunity, I swung my sword and managed to slice off one of its fin-like appendages, but it barely flinched.
ROARRRR
The beast let out a deafening roar, the very ground beneath us trembling from the force of its cry.
Agartha, undeterred, summoned a whirlwind of wind and ice, sending it spiraling toward the beast. But it was too powerful, swatting her attack away as if it were nothing more than dust.
"We can't keep this up!" I shouted,
watching as the creature shifted, faster than either of us could keep up. It moved with unnatural speed, closing in on Agartha. Before she could react, the beast's tail whipped through the air and struck her, sending her crashing to the ground.
My heart stopped as she lay there, motionless.
But before the beast could attack again, the first faint glimmer of sunlight broke over the horizon. The creature hesitated, sensing the dawn. With a furious growl, it turned and flew off, disappearing into the fading darkness.
In its retreat, the villagers were released from its grip. As the sun's light touched them, they blinked awake, stumbling and confused but unharmed.
The mother, still dazed, cradled her newborn baby in her arms, falling to her knees in relief. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her child tightly.
"We did it," I whispered, though my body felt numb from the battle. I turned to Agartha, but she was already on the ground, pale and exhausted. She glanced at the villagers one last time, ensuring they were safe, before her eyes fluttered closed and she collapsed completely.
I rushed to her side. "Agartha!" I called, gently lifting her limp form.
♤♤♤
When Agartha finally woke up, she was lying in the women's quarters, wrapped in warm blankets.
As soon as I heard she was awake, I rushed to her side, hugging her tightly.
"Are you alright?" I asked, relief washing over me.
She blinked up at me, still weak but more concerned about others than herself.
"How's the baby? And the mother... Are they okay?"
I nodded. "Yes, they're fine. Both of them. The baby's healthy, and the mother is doing well."
The village lord entered the room just then, his face filled with gratitude. He bowed deeply.
"We owe you both our lives. The entire village does. I can't thank you enough for the sacrifice you've made."
Agartha smiled weakly, but her eyes shone with kindness.
"I'm just glad we could help."
Before we left the village, we made one last stop at the house of the village lord's niece. The woman was sitting up in bed, smiling brightly, her newborn daughter nestled in her arms.
"They asked me to name the child," I told Agartha, scratching my head sheepishly. "I didn't know what to choose... so I named her Agartha."
Agartha's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
I grinned. "Yeah. It just felt right."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she carefully took the tiny baby into her arms.
"She's beautiful."
"Just like her namesake," I said softly, watching as Agartha held the small life she had helped save.
"Your Highness, we need to head to the Palace" Zander called after me.
"Yes yes," I said, feeling sad for breaking up Agartha's emotional moments.