In the castle, a scream echoed through the halls. It was a young girl’s voice, full of rage and power. Bella held her daughter in her arms, trying to calm her down.
“Vara what is wrong? Talk to mommy.” She whispered, rubbing the girl’s back.
Turning her head, Vara looked at her mother with tearful eyes. She hiccuped and sobbed, her tail swaying behind her. Isabella cooed and kissed her head.
“Papa! Papa is hurt!” She cried.
Isabella froze. Her heart skipped a beat.
What?
“Vara, how do you know that?” She asked, her voice shaking.
The girl pulled away from her and ran to the window, looking towards the direction of the lake. Bella followed her and saw nothing but the top of the trees.
With a shiver, Vara transformed into her Salamander form and tried to climb the window to get outside. Her mother grabbed her tail and pulled her back.
“You can’t go Vara. Papa told us to stay here and that is what we are going to do. I am sure he is okay.” She tried to sound convincing but she failed.
Vara turned back into a girl and threw a tantrum, screaming and crying. Bella hugged her again, her mind racing. Does Vara have a connection with Orias and can she sense if he was in danger?
The sound of footsteps made her turn her head. Teresa entered the room, her expression calm but she was holding Bella’s notepad in her hands.
“What is going on? Why is Vara screaming?”
Looking at her mother, Isabella opened her mouth to speak but Vara got there first.
“Papa is hurt! Poisoned! Help Papa!” She jumped off her mother and transformed into a Salamander again, her tail slamming the floor.
Teresa’s eyes widened at the sight of her granddaughter’s ferocity. She glanced at Bella for answers but her ruby eyes said she already had decided on her actions, so she tossed the notepad to her daughter. Bella caught it and flipped through the pages, looking for the sketches of birds. She needed to fly fast and carry Vara.
“Ori will be okay. Don’t worry, Vara. You’ll see him soon.” Teresa assured the girl, who was still thrashing around.
Finding the page she needed, she focused on the sketch of Esana, a fast and large bird. The mana rushed through her and she transformed, her wings spreading wide, feathers black as night. She screeched and picked up Vara with her claws, flying out of the window.
The wind rushed past her as she soared through the sky, her talons holding her daughter tight. Vara was still crying and shouting in her monster voice but she calmed down after a few minutes.
They flew towards the lake, the green fog covering it and Bella’s heart beat faster.
“Papa’s hurt again! No mana left!” Vara shouted, her tail swaying behind her.
Bella screeched again, her eyes scanning the area below her. There were bodies on the ground, some dead and others still fighting. A man with yellow scales was facing her brother, tens of poison balls floating around him.
Without warning Vara twisted free of her talons and dropped. A fireball formed in her mouth and she shot it at the balls, making them explode on impact. The force made the lieutenant stumble and fall on his back.
Orias blinked and looked up at the sky, seeing the giant bird and the Salamander falling.
What the fuck?
He shook his head and grabbed the fallen lieutenant’s sword, aiming it at the man’s heart. Corvin caught the blade with his hands, the blood seeping out of his cut.
Then Vara landed next to them, her claws ripping through the man’s leg. Her form grew bigger and bigger, smoke and fire coming out of her mouth as she tore the lieutenant apart, limb by limb, fire and teeth.
Blood splattered on the mud and the smell of charred flesh filled the air.
Orias gagged. He dropped the sword and backed away.
Isabella landed next to him in human form and grabbed his arm, checking his wounds.
“Are you okay, brother?” Her voice was full of worry.
Shaking his head, he turned to the rest of the battle. His group was still fighting but their stamina was running low.
Charles.
Urek was about to shoot an arrow at the rat when he was knocked over by a giant tail. Vara was there, her mouth open as she shot a fireball at the archer. He screamed and burned alive.
The rats ran away from the new monster that was wreaking havoc on the camp. Tents were on fire, soldiers running around, and the poison fog was disappearing, revealing the blue sky.
“Sela retreat! Charles get the rats out of there.” Orias shouted, his voice hoarse. “Everyone retreat!”
The fighters looked up at him and then at the monster before fleeing. The salamander girl continued to chase after the enemies, setting them on fire and eating them. She was enjoying herself a little too much.
It was Vara, Bella and Orias left in the burning remains of the camp.
The prince sighed. This was not the battle he imagined but it worked. The lake was theirs again.
Walking to the monster, he called out to her.
“Vara, that’s enough. Transform back.”
The salamander turned her head and looked at her father. With a whine she shrank back to her normal size and human form, her mouth bloody. Bella walked to her and wiped her mouth with her sleeve, a smile on her lips.
“You did great Vara. I am so proud of you.” She hugged her.
The girl smiled, her tail wagging.
Orias felt a tightness in his chest seeing the carnage of what his daughter did. Pride and terror mixed in him.
What did he create?
Suddenly a hug made him stumble, his sister and daughter were holding him tight.
“Papa safe now. We protect you,” Vara murmured.
Isabella kissed his cheek.
“Yes you did, thank you Vara and you too Bella. Let’s go home.” He kissed their foreheads but Vara ran off towards the lake, her small feet splashing in the water. Bella chased after her.
He watched the chase for a bit before he turned to where Corvin had died. The remains of his body were plastered on the red-stained mud, the smell making him nauseous but next to his remain were another three green mana cores. He grabbed them and pocketed them.
Then his eyes landed on William.
His heart clenched.
He walked to the fallen rat, picking up his small body. He was dead. Orias looked at the sky and closed his eyes. A tear slid down his cheek before he wiped it away.
Thank you William.
His family’s footsteps were getting closer, so he quickly composed himself and smiled.
“Come on let’s go home. There will be plenty of time to play in the water later.” He said, his voice cracking.
The three of them headed back to the city, the fog gone and the sun high in the sky.