The Jeweled Hawk looks at Mei and swoops down. The captain told the other to duck, but the air force of the diving hawk was able to scatter them.
Before anyone can regain their senses, The Hawk swoops down again and takes Mei in its claw and flies faster to escape.
The world became a terrifying blur of rushing wind and receding ground.
The Jeweled Hawk's grip was like iron, its talons pressing firmly but not piercingly into the fabric of her clothes. Mei's heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat of pure panic.
The forest below shrank into a terrifying sea of green, and a wave of dizzying nausea washed over her.
Her fear of heights, a deep-seated phobia from a past life, seized her mind, turning her thoughts to static.
Why is it taking me?! she screamed within the confines of her own mind, her voice lost to the gale.
It's probably my aura! Luminous's voice chime. When you perform and use your soul power, my aura might spill out! To a beast like this, you must look like a walking food!
Why didn't you know this would happen? Ai's tone was sharp, laced with fear for her host.
I've never met a human, let alone a spirit ring with consciousness, before! Luminous wailed. I didn't know this would happen!
Mei understood the words, but they were meaningless against the primal terror of her situation. Her breaths came in short, sharp gasps. She was frozen, utterly helpless.
Mei, you have to think! Ai urged, trying to cut through the panic. We need a plan!
But Mei could only squeeze her eyes shut, her mind blank with fear. The hawk flew on, relentless, carrying her further from any hope of her team finding her.
The character of the forest below began to change. The trees grew older, taller, and the very air grew heavy with a raw, ancient power that prickled against her skin even from this height.
The Star Dou Great Forest
The name surfaced in her memory, a cold stone of dread dropping in her stomach. This is where the truly powerful beasts live.
Despair began to wrap its cold fingers around her heart. Even if she escaped, survival here alone was a fantasy.
Quiet! Ai's voice suddenly commanded, all business. A strange, profound silence fell within Mei's mind as Ai extended her senses.
There! I sense them! A Spirit King and a Spirit Grandmaster, just ahead on the forest's edge!
This is it, Mei! Ai instructed, her voice focused and intense.
Now's the time to put your vocal lessons to good use. Pour your soul power into your voice. Then project it! Make the entire sky hear you! Call for help!
Gathering the shattered pieces of her courage, Mei forced her eyes open. She drew a deep, ragged breath, feeling the familiar flow of her soul power, but channeling it not to her feet or her hands, but to her throat.
When she cried out, it was not a scream of terror, but a clear, resonant call that cut through the wind like a beacon.
"HELP! Please, help me! I've been captured by a hawk! A fifteen-hundred-year Jeweled Hawk! It's flying in the sky!"
Below, on a narrow path that marked the boundary of the Star Dou Great Forest, two figures halted their journey.
The older man, his features sharp and his demeanor calm, raised a hand. The younger boy, dressed in a blue uniform adorned with a coiling dragon, stopped beside him, his head tilting.
"Did you hear that?" the boy asked, his sharp purple eyes scanning the dense canopy.
The man nodded grimly, his gaze already lifting to the heavens. "A distress call."
Then the voice came again, specific and desperate, naming her captor. Both their eyes found the dark speck against the blue, the glint of silver talons, and the small, captured form.
"We have to help her," the boy said, his voice firm with resolve. A spark of anticipation lit his gaze. "And this is a chance to test my new second spirit ring as well as some battle experience."
The man gave a slow, approving nod. "Alright, young master. As commend."
The air suddenly hummed with palpable energy. The man stood straighter, and a long, vicious whip composed of crackling white lightning snapped into existence in his grasp.
Five brilliant spirit rings ascended from his feet—two yellow, two purple, and a final, awe-inspiring black ring that spoke of immense power.
Simultaneously, the boy took a ready stance. With a low, powerful rumble, the illusion of a magnificent Lightning Blue Dragon materialized around him, its aura crackling with barely contained energy.
Two yellow spirit rings rose, the second glowing with fresh, potent light.
"Second Spirit Skill," the boy announced, his focus locked on the diving hawk. "Fifteen Tons of Thunder!"
A barrage of purple-blue lightning arrows, sharp and countless, shot skyward.
The projectiles sizzled through the air around the Jeweled Hawk, startling it with their noise and stinging energy. The beast shrieked in fury and surprise, its flight path faltering as it lost altitude.
It was the only opening the man needed. His fourth spirit ring, a deep and majestic purple, flashed brightly.
"Fourth Spirit Skill, Splitting Waves!"
The lightning whip lashed out. It moved too fast to see, leaving only a tearing sound in its wake. A wave of pure, concentrated lightning force shot upward, striking the Jeweled Hawk with unerring accuracy.
There was a sizzling crack, a brief, choked cry, and then the spirit beast went limp, its life extinguished instantly.
Its talons uncurled.
Mei felt a terrifying lurch as the world spun wildly. The ground was eager to meet her, a green maw ready to swallow her whole.
But the impact never came.
In a blur of motion almost too fast to follow, the boy leaped.
He intercepted her falling trajectory perfectly, his arms sliding securely under her knees and back, catching her in a firm princess carry.
He landed with a soft, cushioned step, his body absorbing the force of the fall with effortless grace.
The sudden stillness was profound. The roaring wind was gone, replaced by the quiet, heavy air of the forest.
Mei's heart hammered against her ribs, her entire body trembling from the aftermath of terror. Slowly, hesitantly, she opened her eyes.
She found herself looking into the face of her rescuer. He was young, certainly, but with a striking handsomeness that was already well-defined.
His blonde hair was bright, and his piercing purple eyes were studying her with a mix of concern and intense curiosity.
A stray, professional thought flickered in her mind: He has the looks of a star… the serious, captivating type.
The boy, for his part, was utterly captivated. The girl in his arms was unlike anyone he had ever seen. Her features were delicately sculpted, her pink eyes wide and mesmerizing, like rare jewels. Her skin was flawless, and her long, silken pink hair flowed over his arm like a waterfall. He felt an unfamiliar, warm heat flood his cheeks, a confusing and entirely new sensation.
The moment held, suspended in silence, until Mei found her voice. It was soft, melodic, and still trembled slightly with the remnants of her fear.
"Thank you."
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