~Serana⚜

The ear splitting scream of an animal has me jerking awake with bow in hand. It took me a minute to remember that I still didn't have arrows and lower my bow.

I've spent the last few days hanging around the same spot near the river. The chances of someone eventually finding me were high, but at this point they couldn't do anything that would be worse than staying in this damned forest.

Taking in a shaky breath I retie the bow to my bag with deft fingers. Checking the babbo knife still in its sheath on the bag strap I make sure everything is secure and within easy reach.

Rising to my knees I brace my hands against the tree branch I was currently sat on and peer over the side to the ground below.

I didn't see anything but that wasn't saying much in this nightmarish forest. I wasn't sure which direction the scream that had woken came from and that unsettled me. I didn't want to head off in some random direction with something else out there trying to hunt me.

The scream came again, louder this time and that's when I realized how close it was.

It sounded like an angry battle cry of a dying woman. The hairs on my neck stood on end and my feathers were brisling in sharp jagged lines.

Despite the better more sensible part of my brain telling me to fly as far and as fast as I can away from whatever was making that awful noise. The stupider more curious part of my mind had me leaping from tree to tree toward the sound of snarling and crashing.

A blur of green has me stopping cold in my tracks talons digging painfully deep into hard bark.

A huge vyx was leaping back to its feet fur bristling and huge red ears standing tall as it faced an unseen enemy with its long spiked tail thrashing back and forth.

I followed its line of sight into the dark shade of trees. There were huge red flowers growing from vines wrapped snugly around the base of almost every tree and steadily climbing up their trunks. The peddles looked an awful lot like the vyx ears. This must be a hunting ground.

The sound of feet stomping is my only warning before another vyx with noticeably darker pelt and smaller stature comes crashing through the underbrush and lunges at the larger vyx.

The bigger one stands its ground and ducks its head at the last second before throwing it up again in a vicious bash that clamps the other ones jaws shut with a painful crack.

The smaller vyx stumbles back disoriented by the blow. The larger one takes advantage of the opening and lunges for its opponents neck.

Before it can close its deadly fangs the smaller one lashes out with its tail catching the big one in the side of the face.

Jerking back it shakes its head causing a spray of bright scarlett droplets to go flying. Using the bigger ones distraction to its advantage the small one slams the side of its head into the big ones shoulder, the three needle like spines ripping into flesh.

Letting out a blood curdling scream the bigger one darts away just out of reach of the other ones tail.

The small one answers the scream with a nasty snarl. The brilliant white fur of its underbelly was clumped and matted by blood as bright as its ears.

Gashes ran down its sides showing the extent of the fight. Both massive beast were heaving for breath sizing up the other, waiting for an opening to strike.

The small one seemed to be tiered of waiting and lunged at the large one once again.

Facing it head on the big one flattens itself to the ground and swings its tail up over its head using the large blade like bones on either side of its tail to catch the other in the back of the neck causing it to crash in a heap on the ground.

Spinning around to face the downed vyx the larger of the two pounces pinning the small one to the ground. Opening its gaping jaws the light catches its large black fangs and white teeth.

I stood there rooted to the tree in awe as it lunged sinking its teeth into the small vyx neck piercing its spine at the base of its skull.

A strangled cry chokes out of its crushed throat, its last dying scream of pain before loosing life and going limp.

The victor of the battle holds tight to the limp throat of the dead vyx, with on vicious shake that surly broke the already dead creatures neck it drops the dead weight and steps back giving a good shake to the limp heap at its feet.

Satisfied that its opponent is in fact dead the large vyx takes a panting breath before throwing its head back and shaking the trees with an ear splitting roar.

I think I scream in equal parts pain and surprise but I'm not sure. The next few moment passed in a blur. Covering my ears with my hands I lose my footing and slip from my perch on the tree branch.

Falling in mass of flailing limbs I hit the ground with a hard thud that resinates throughout the forest floor.

Rolling onto my front I look up through blackish brown locks to orient myself. A low rumbling growl has me freeze not daring to twitch a single muscle.

Looking out of the corner of my eye I slowly turn my head to see the nine foot tall vyx starring at me, blood oozing from the gashes cut across its face and more dripping from long black fangs.

Drawing its lip back to reveal gleaming white teeth that stood in sharp contrast against its black fangs and dark green muzzle.

Skies help me. Slowly I push myself off the ground keeping my focus on the nine foot angry predator starring me down.

When I managed to get one foot under me something moved stilling my motions. Flicking my gaze down I saw one massive brown paw shifting, long black claws dragging through the dirt.

Not giving it a second thought I take off into a dead sprint. A deafening roar followed by loud crashing follows close behind.

Running for all I was worth I didn't bother to try and fly, even if I could get off the ground before it caught me there was no way I could get out of its reach fast enough with all these trees.

Cutting to the side I narrowly dodge under giant jaws sailing past my head. One of the vyx forelegs catches one of my legs and sends me tumbling. Using the roll to get back on my feet I take off again in the direction of the creek.

The vyx was still chasing me and every crash of footsteps I heard behind me got closer and closer. I had to find the edge of its territory and fast.

Breaking out of the trees I hit the steep slope of the creek bank and my momentum carries me down the muddy slope head over heel until I hit the water.

Scrambling back to my feet in the shallow water I look back up the mud covered slope to see the vyx standing above me.

It lunges at me with open jaws and I'm struck with the fact that this is how I die, filthy, half starved, alone, scarred, eaten by a territorial carnivore.

But in the next moment before its jaws are around me the soft muddy back gives beneath its massive weight. Sliding it slams face first into the water next to me.

Its body following it nearly crushes me but I narrowly manage to scramble out of the way. Taking my chance I make a break for the opposite bank.

Reaching the top I just barely avoid a clawed paw swiping and landing a few inches from where I had just been.

Taking off at a sprint down the bank I don't notice anything other than the path directly in front of me and the now very pissed off predator behind me.

At least that's the excuse I use for not seeing the group of armored people until I literally ran into one.

Tumbling to the ground in mess of limbs I don't bother to look at them and fight my way back to my feet.

Before I can takeoff running again they grab me and make me and pull me back. The other people armored and armed to the teeth point spears and swords at me.

Maybe they didn't notice but I sure as skies heard the tell-tell sign of the vyx about to come crashing through.

Spinning around to face my captor I notice what must have been their spear lying on the ground.

Wrenching my arm out of their grasp I dive for the spear. Before any of them can move I have the spear in hand and am throwing it for all I'm worth at the direction I came from. Where the vyx was coming from.

The moment the spear left my hand I'm tackled to the ground at the exact time the vyx burst from the trees.

My aim wasn't too good in the throw because I only manage to catch the side of its shoulder. But it was enough to make it falter, for the men and women in gold and silver armor to turn and aim their weapons at the vyx instead of me.

Seeing it was sorely out numbered the vyx skidded to a halt before turning tail and running. But not before it caught a few of them with its long spiked tail.

Closing my eyes I'm content to just lay there panting and completely ignore the people in armor now turning their attention and weapons on me.

"So, you must be Serana." A woman's voice speaks up.

Peeling my eyes open I stare through narrow slits at the woman in gold armor with dark brown wings that faded into light brown.

"Yeah, I'm Serana. If you're looking for me it's a good thing you found me when you did. Another few moments and I would have been lunch." I respond with a huff of laughter. I'm not sure what was funny but I guess when you escape from death that closely anything is a good thing.

"Yes well, you've certainly made quite the first impression." The woman answers. I could hear an accent but I couldn't place it.

I knew she was probably part of some alternant branch of the guard, and was either going to kill me or put me in prison, but at the moment I really just didn't give a damn.

"Oh good. I was worried, I'm terrible at making the right impression most of the time." I snark back.

The woman actually cracks a smile and chuckles at me. It caught me off guard because most people didn't like my sense of humor and got offended. I never really care who's feelings I hurt but it was an oddly pleasant surprise to have someone laugh in respond to my sarcasm instead of scoff.

The woman reached down and grabbed my arm pulling me up and pinning my right hand behind me.

"You might want to grab the left one instead." I inform her. "I'm left handed."

Grunting the woman grabs my left wrist and shoves it behind my back as well, effectively pinning both wings between my arms.

Holding a firm grip on both arms she shoves me in the opposite direction of where I came from and towards a solid white prel in silver armor.

Two other men help her keep a hold on me while they chained me to the back of the large beast.

It was only about six foot tall if that with a long snout and large eyes on either side of its head, a long tail of fine white hair and a mane should be hidden beneath the silver plates of armor along its neck, it had four strong legs with round hooves, and large wings each bigger than its body and a light white with bits of gray.

When the woman was satisfied that I was securely chained to the beast she waved off the others and took the long lead herself.

"Your Nani said you would be difficult and try to fight us." The woman comments.

So that's who sent you after me. I wish I could say I was hurt or at least surprised but in all honesty I half expected something like this. Nani was not one to take things lying down and she certainly had the will to find a way to get what she wanted.

"What? No more snarky comebacks." The woman ask leading the prel through the woods in the direction of what I could only assume was a place to take off. The other guard members flanked me on either side in a semi circle keep their eyes on the trees and me at the same time.

"I've been in this forsaken forest for nearly a week with little water and food. I just watched a fight between two vyx then proceeded to run for my life from the victor of the fight. This is in accordance to the fact the only reason I'm alive is because on my why up here with the rebels, who are trying to kill me by the way, a woman from my village snagged on a vine and fell to the forest floor. I stopped about to go down and help her back up when a vyx appeared and ate her which is how I ended up separated from the rebels before they could kill me. Does that answer all you questions?" I ask in a sickly sweet tone.

"Well at least your Nani wasn't wrong about your shining personality." The woman mutters.

~💠~

I still didn't know where exactly they were taking me all I knew was that it had been hours since they found me in the forest running for my life and that my whole body ached.

The number of buildings and villages were steadily increasing until villages turned into towns which eventually fed into huge building larger than I've ever seen before.

We were coming up on one of these places and I thought that was where they were taking me but when they started to angle up toward the lip of a massive land shelf I found myself sitting up as far as my restraints would allow in anticipation for what lay atop the shelf.

When we broke over the horizon my breath caught in my throat and my eyes seemed liable to pop out of my head. I was Algrie, the capital of Skyris, the largest concentration of Angelo in the world. One of the worlds largest cities, it held a forth of the kingdoms population.

The tails my vavi told me paled in comparison to the sight that lay before me. Words could never describe the sheer size, complexity, and beauty of the city below.

Try as I might I could see no ground, the buildings were too tall and their bridges and walkways blocked out what lay beneath. The whole city looked like an intricate web of metal, glass, and even marble.

Surrounding the city was a huge wall that was impossibly long made entirely of black stone. And off to the side in the distance I could just make out the silhouette of huge dragon which likely belonged to a temple made in honer of the Drake. But even that seemed minuscule and dull compared to what lay in front of me, what I was being led toward.

The building was made of spiraling towers and grand buildings with statues of every size adorning the gleaming hull of the royal castle.

It was encircled by a wall of gleaming black stone that look small and insignificant to the grand size of the place it protected. Never in my life had I imagined a building so huge. So painstakingly beautiful that I had to remind myself to breath.

That's when it all clicked into place. The people in gold armor, how Nani got people of the guard to go out and find me, why I was Algrie. My nani had somehow convinced the queen to hunt me down and bring me in. That's where they were taking me.

To stand before the queen while wearing the lost lavaliere that belonged to one of her dead parents.