Nyra's POV
When I left Kade's castle for the Dreadmoor, what I didn't expect to see was Kade beneath a creepy-looking beast pleading for his dear life. I thoughtlessly swung a surge of magic at the beast, sending it flying to the other end of the room. It most certainly wasn't dead. I'd deal with it later. First, I need to talk to Kade and find out why on Earth he decided to embark on this suicide 1mission.
"Nyra?" Kade asked, unable to hide his disbelief.
"In the flesh," I said, throwing my arms in the air.
"No, no, no, you can't be here. How?" He asked?
"Well, I am."
"But Riven. I told him to…wait, does he know you're here?"
"You should be thanking the gods that I came in here to save your sorry ass."
His face went pale. "You shouldn't be here, Nyra."
"You're welcome. Someone needed to pull you out of this suicide mission."
"You need to leave."
"I'm not going anywhere.
"Nyra, don't test me. Go home and rest! I don't need your help."
The beast lunged at Kade again. We didn't even hear it stir until it jumped across, but I raised my hands and slammed a rush of air into its rib, halting its attack and binding it with magic.
"What was that last thing you said again?" I teased. His lips were pressed against each other.
"I thought so too."
The beast slowly tore through the magic I'd bound him in with claws sliding tirelessly into the air. With a loud cry, the creepy creature ripped free from the holding spell, sending its claws flying into the air.
"This is too dangerous, Nyra. You don't have to put your life on the line for me. You barely even know me."
"You don't know me either, yet you have cared for me every single day since I encountered you. I'm only returning the kind gesture."
I drew out my claws with their glowing obsidian tips and charged at the beast with wolf-speed. Sparks flew across its shoulder, and I dug in brutally, but it didn't budge. In fact, the wound closed in white flames almost faster than it opened. I screamed in disbelief.
"See why you shouldn't be here?" Kade stated pointedly.
"No. That is the exact reason why I need to be here. What the hell is that thing?" I asked, with my hands still glowing in faint silver.
"I don't know either. That's what I was dealing with before you rudely interrupted."
"How does it heal so fast?" I asked.
"I don't know either. I haven't been able to do any significant harm or have any successful attack. It's as if it takes pleasure in frustrating my efforts.
"That's weird." I mused.
"But your powers, I think that's the only thing that seems to have successfully warded him off."
"True." I thought.
Alright, let's not waste any more time. I sounded a soft whistle with my mouth between my fingers to signal the beast, and it responded immediately. It swung on the floor, digging its claws into the ground. Kade attacked from behind, ripping its tendons apart. I expected the beast to release a loud cry of anguish, but remained passive.
"It seems to be enjoying the show. Let's give it something worthy of the spotlight."
I drew in on my inner energy as my magic burst out in a ball of fire, which I threw against its skull. Although it didn't fall back as we would have hoped, it staggered. I noticed. Our spontaneous attack was effective after all. The furnace within me had turned into molten magma, and hope flared in my chest, reckless, but bright.
"Yes!" Kade shouted. "That one hit hard! First, a successful attack so far."
I drew a long breath, allowing a silver pulse to creep up my arms until my palms burned. The mark beneath my skin responded to the furnace in my chest by pulsing like a trampoline.
I stepped to Kade's side, and we launched a more coordinated strike this time. Kade sank his fangs into its shoulder, while I crashed into its flank with a rush of shadow-laced force. Where our efforts met boneless flesh, sparks danced. Dust fell like sleet as the beast stumbled once more and slammed its head on the wall.
We'd barely even started.
It lay on the ground for some time before rising again. Its limbs were twisted in impossible angles; a forelimb uncoiled beneath its feet and knocked me sideways. Then, without a word, it charged after Kade.
"No!" I screamed, slamming a burst of magic into the beast, which sent it flying to the side.
Kade got up to his feet and ordered, "Back to back."
I obliged. We need to do it together if we'd defeat this big bad wolf, "I'll bait, distract, and you'll attack," Kade said with his back against mine. "The wounds might have healed, but focus on the areas I've previously injured."
"Alright, I'll do just that."
It did the trick. Shortly, the beast slowed, its breathing ragged and short. We were making progress. With flaming eyes that seemed to be powered by hell itself, the beast swung around. It charged at me with full force. Kade sliced at its leg, ripping blood that sizzled as it hit the ground, and then sidestepped with a quickness I didn't think was possible.
"Again!" He shouted.
I was a little flustered, so I just sent a wave of magic on reflex.
"The leg, Nyra, that's where I hit."
My palms flashed white-hot as I pushed both hands forward, sending a rush of electricity through my veins right into the beast's leg, hitting the wound he had opened. The creature let out a loud cry.
A smile tugged at my lips as I screamed, "Yes!" I expected the same reaction from Kade, but his face hardened, and he advanced, moving his body like a machine built for war. This time around, he didn't attack; he just quietly dodged and blocked its attacks. With Kade, every motion is deliberate with unnerving precision.
"It feeds on energy, Nyra.
"Errrr…I thought we already established that?"
"It's not just physical energy. It's feeding on your magic too. Every spell, every surge of power only makes it stronger."
"What?"
My brain was spinning wheels. "Oh my God! That's why it heals so damn fast. Why didn't you tell me earlier!"
"I just figured it out, too."
"What are we going to do now?"
"Try to stay alive?"