AUTHOR'S POV
"Take it slow and steady", Stellan held his staff firmly. As they close the distance with their foe in slow light trots, Stellan hastily sends off vivid blows that startled both the pegasus and the dark healer.
The dark healer turned to them and went completely off the end. Its shrieks destroyed the peace there is in the silence of the forest, that it made the trees quiver… shaking off their dry leaves and weak twigs. In murderous rage, it darted forward mindlessly going after its new prey.
The playful pegasus stemmed its curiosity. Prancing in high springy steps as the dark healer attack savagely, the pegasus gave the ghastly chum a pretty chase. Jac twitched at the pegasus who's trying to bid connection with something so deadly. "This horse has no sense of danger AT ALL!", Jac hissed, thinking that the pegasus, who's wary of him at first glance, is surprisingly trying to get a dark healer's attention.
Stellan and Jac gets their hearts on boost as the pegasus continued to act bizzarely as if it found dancing on the edge of a blade enjoyable. Before they all end as coal, Stellan insisted Jac to go forth. "Go!!", Stellan tapped Jac's back, as the latter clicked his tongue driving the pegasus away. Jac squeezed his legs, cuing the stallion to go faster. The gallant stallion galloped on the uneven forest floor, looking back at the dark healer making sure it catches up.
A fatal pursuit took place in the dense forest, given that it is crowded with too many obstacles. Stellan and Jac bounced up and down on the pegasus' back as they leap over undergrowth trees and overgrown roots. The winged stallion seemed to find pleasure dodging the dark bolts fired at them, running at a gallop for a chase. It slows down when it gets too far, and speeds up when the dark healer nears.
They crashed in between the trees ignoring the branches that whip their arms and chest.
They never mind the bushes that stings. Balancing well on the pegasus' back, Stellan turns her head and sees the hand of the dark healer inching from him. She blasted it with a ball of her aura. It's rather smaller than what she usually make, but it works.
Her magic only made the dark healer get taken aback for a short while, and eventually, it came ravaging after them again. This time, faster and angrier. With her deprived celestial magic, none of her counter attacks were really greatly damaging. However, it was better than nothing. For a clearer view and more precised hits, Stellan turned, and rid the pegasus backwards. Incessantly, she stormed bolts of her magic at the dark healer only to melt at the acrid balls that were fired back.
Shrieking thunderously, the dark healer returned several dark orbs at the pegasus. By instinct, the pegasus dodged every hit while the two men ducked. Swinging its tail freely with a playful nicker, the pegasus was full of frolic despite Stellan and the dark healer continued to exchange blows in background.
The chase in the vast expanse of the forest was almost neverending. Jac, who's almost hit by the dark healer's deadly bolt, started to be consumed with frustration. "Why doesn't it fly?", Jac is stressing already. "Come on, Peggy!", he insisted, making a tight pulling grip on the coat reins. However, the pegasus refused to heed his orders.
The evasion went uphill and then down. And when they reached a raging river, the pegasus suddenly come to a halt. Stellan and Jac wondered why they stopped. "What's going on?", Stellan sputtered feeling the strong sense of urgency running all over her while she look out for the dark healer chasing their tail.
"Heyya!! Come on!!", Jac yelled, kicking his heel at the pegasus brought about by his overwhelming influx of fear and need to rush.
Stellan felt the mounting panic in Jac's voice, and trembling hands. It was then she realized something that snapped out of her. As the dark healer's faint roar draw closer, the pegasus suddenly opened its grandiose feather wings. In just one flap, it set off its hooves above ground and flew away. "Yea!!", Jac cheered, letting out all the tension curling his toes.
Just in time, Stellan slid down the pegasus' dock. Landing on the bed of clay and gravel, Stellan lowered her head with her arm covering her face. She looked back and watched the winged stallion taking off. Somehow, her fears were lifted seeing Jacomus finally secured in a safer place.
Jacomus gasped realizing the pegasus flew without Stellan. "Helena! No!!", Jac felt his heart sink seeing Stellan getting smaller as the pegasus ascend substantially from each flap. It was too late to give in to his attempts to jump off.
"Go, I got this", Stellan nodded at the wrinkled face of Jac.
The cold burst of the wind that's screaming past Jac's face didn't even hurt. Even the height wasn't dizzying anymore. "Go back down!", he yelled. Posing in the air, the pegasus flap its wings in place refusing to descend… With the pegasus circling above, Jac watched Stellan await by the riverbank to face her invincible foe on her own. He clenched his teeth as the dark healer creep through the forest, trailing its way to Stellan. "May the good fortune do not forsake you, Helena".
Head on, Stellan's chest drummed so hard, pumping adrenaline into her veins as she defy her opponent. It wasn't fear that fuels it. It's more of the resolution of facing the danger alone without worrying for anyone else. This time, no more running away. No more beating around the bush.
It's about time to lose darkness, as the first light of the day started to pierce through the clouds. The cold mist began to disperse, giving off a fresh crisp scent of wooden cupboard of old tea leaves. Stellan boldly awaited in front of the tall trees that slowly gets its vibrant color. As the light slowly spread, she caught a glimpse of her faint shadow in the figure of Stellan. Biting her lower lip, she exhaled sharply with the paladin knight's image flashing in her mind. "I can do this, Stellan", she whispered the name that gives her more courage, tightening her grip on her staff.