High above the treetops, Mara was nothing more than a dangling ragdoll clutched in the monster's talons.
The ground shrank beneath her, her team swallowed by the forest canopy. The cold wind stung her face, and every flap of its wings sent another jolt of pain through her ribs.
"Gh— damn…" she wheezed, twisting slightly. Each movement she made triggered the creature to tighten around her. It hurt. A lot.
She didn't even try to scream for help— today had officially hit peak catastrophic. She still managed to laugh through groans. Talk about a bad day.
Kidnapped by some mixed-breed monsters. She's got nothing in her hands; her pouch was left on the ground when she was eating.
'Either way, I'll die. But if I survived somehow... that's a miracle'
As if mocking her thoughts, a sudden blaze erupted from below.
A massive fireball roared upward, tearing through the canopy like a comet going straight towards them.
Mara's eyes widened. "OH- HEY-! HEYYYY!!!"
As if screaming like that could stop the fireball, it struck the monster's side.
"EEEEEEKKK!!" the monster shrieked, its entire body jolting violently. Its flight pattern was shattered, its wings and its grip around her flailed.
"W–WOAAH—!!" Mara screamed as they started to plunge. The world spun, wind roared past her ears. Every wild shake rattled her bones and sent needles of pain down her spine.
Her clown slipped. Mara felt its weight shift on her head, "Wait—no, no—!" Her hand shot up, fingers brushing the edge of the gold before it tumbled away. "My crown!"
The golden crown flashed brilliantly under the sun as it fell.
It noticed.
Pupils dilated. Its body is going rigid for a millisecond.
It shrieked again, wings tensing on its sides. Like a greedy kid getting a new toy on Christmas, it let go of Mara and went straight for the crown.
"MY CROWNNNNN!!!!"
Screaming, spiralling through open air with the trees rushing up beneath her, wind tearing the scream out of her throat.
Her arms covered her face, as if that would somehow protect her. As she got close to the trees, Mara closed her eyes in fear, bracing herself for the painful impact.
Branches whipped across her arms and face, cracking under her weight, slowing her fall only to hurl her downward again.
"Ow—! OUCH—! AKK—!!"
Another branch snapped across her ribs, knocking the breath out of her. Leaves exploded around her like green confetti.
At last, Mara's heavy body fell straight down with a hard impact onto something soft and fleshy.
"oompfh—!" Air punched from her lungs.
Mara rolled off it and hit the ground quite hard, coughing as dirt filled her mouth. For a moment, she lay there, stunned, chest burning, ears ringing. Despite falling on a soft base, the impact was still painful on some parts of her body.
She looked back at the spot where she fell— a huge carnivorous plant; a flytrap, now flattened into a wilted, oozing mess beneath her weight.
"Ah..."
[The man-eating plant has been killed.]
"Damn... Sorry, dude..."
Mara flinched as the parchment appeared, its sudden presence as welcome as a slap.
"You—!" Annoyance prickled at her.
That thing was infuriatingly irresponsible, showing up only when it pleased.
She pushed herself upright with a grunt, a sharp stab of pain lancing through her ankle, favouring her left leg as she limped toward the collapsed plant.
{The man-eating plant lured monsters into its maw. Their flesh dissolved, leaving behind undigestible crystals.}
Mara's eyes twinkled as she spotted the word "Crystal". These things that his brother called "junk" are now her favourite. Limping faster now, she made for the plant's distended stomach.
{Careful. Gastric juice remains.}
Mara stopped in her halt. At the same time, the plant's belly began to gurgle, a wet, treacherous sound that made the hair on her arms stand up. Before she could step back properly, the stomach gurgled once more and burst.
"Ugh!" Mara threw an arm across her face as the plant's stomach erupted. Splatters of corrosive liquid landed on her exposed skin, instantly raising angry, red welts.
The disgusting, purple goo spread across the forest floor like an oil slick. As it oozed, crystals began to force their way out of the plant's ruptured gut.
They were surprisingly large, each one easily the size of her palm, and perfectly formed. Light caught in their facets, scattering rainbows across the surrounding trees.
Mara activated her telekinesis, a familiar warmth spreading through her as she summoned the crystals to her. They floated free of the fluid, spinning gently in the air before aligning themselves in neat rows.
"I might just have to thank that birdie for dropping me on this overgrown salad," she muttered, a smug grin tugging at her lips. She waved her hand, still using her telekinesis to scoop up a handful of dirt and mud to smother the remaining corrosive liquid, neutralising its threat.
Then, dismay washed over her. She glanced at the crystals; there were far too many and too big. She couldn't possibly hold them all or use her telekinesis to carry them all the way; she'd be worn out quickly.
Frustration bubbled in her chest—until her gaze fell on the shrunken remains of the plant's stomach. The leathery flesh, tough and oddly flexible, gleamed faintly under the light. An idea sparked.
"...I think I can make this work."
She lifted her hand, feeling the faint tingle of energy hum beneath her skin. At the same time, the earth crystal floated and glowed softly. The air rippled slightly as her skill—[Touch of Reality]—flared to life for the first time.
The earth crystal in her hand vibrated, reshaping some of its essence under her will into a slender, pointed needle.
Ripping the lower half of her skirt with a strong tug, she spread the torn fabric beside the leathery plant skin. The two materials looked absurd together—cloth and flesh—but under her trembling hands and her amazing imagination, they began to take shape.
The product was finished in seconds, and a crude yet sturdy sling bag hung from her shoulder. The plant's flesh formed the base, thick enough to withstand the forest's dangers, while her skirt's fabric served as a cover and strap. It wasn't pretty, but it was convenient.
Mara exhaled, her fingers brushing the uneven seams. "Better than nothing," she whispered, a hint of pride in her voice, before she began filling it with the remaining crystals.
~~
Arya's senses were shattered the moment her sister was taken away from her. Rage, terror, guilt, everything blended into one, almost suffocating him.
Blood on his hands, his face, his whole body.
The Buthonago died. But at what cost?
"Mara…" His voice cracked. His hand shook as he reached down and picked up her crown, the gold now covered with monster blood.
"Lord Arya!"
Sari grabbed his shoulder, but he didn't react. His vision tunnelled, breath shortening. The forest around them felt like it was closing in, whispering all the bad possibilities.
"Mara is out there," he muttered, barely aware of the words spilling out. "Alone. In this place. This otherworldly place... Anything could appear. Anything could—"
If he lost her...
If he returned home without her-
His fingers tightened around the crown until the metal dug into his skin.
'Father would kill me... No— I'd kill myse—'
SMACK.
The slap snapped across his cheek, hard enough to burn. His head jerked to the side. For the first time, he finally inhaled properly.
Sari hovered inches from him, eyes wild. "My Lord, have you come to your senses?"
He looked at her. Her hands were still on his shoulders, gripping them hard.
"Her highness will be fine," she said, softer this time. "She's not a helpless child. She's stronger than you think. Faster than most adults here. And she learned from you. If anyone can survive this place, it's her."
The words hit him like a jolt of cold water.
Right.
How could he forget... she was a fierce, stubborn, quick and smart child. She could slip away from danger better than most soldiers could stand upright.
But still…
He stared at the crown in his hand, his thumb brushing over a dent in the golden frame. His chest clenched.
Arya closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly. 'Calm. Think positive. Don't curse her fate with your fear... the forest always hears everything.'
Ryan, the beast summoner, knelt on one knee. A glowing sigil flared beneath his palm, searing the forest floor with shifting runes.
From the light, a massive wolf emerged, its fur like burnished steel and eyes glowing gold. The creature growled low, sensing its summoner's urgency and an eagle shot through the sky from his magic circle, screeching as it made its way above the forest.
The eagle's world streamed into Kael's sight, overlaying his own.
"Your highness, let's go."
Arya jumped on the wolf's back along with Ryan. The wolf surged forward, its claws tearing through moss and dirt.
Wind whipped past Arya's face as they sped beneath the trees, guided by the eagle's cry echoing faintly from above.