CHAPTER 103: HIDE OR DIE

They froze, unsure of what to do. In front of them was an army spread wide across the forest. Never before had they faced such overwhelming numbers. No matter how strong they were, fighting was the last thought on their minds. Against an army, they would not win.

The only choice left was to run.

They exchanged quick glances, then all three of them bolted, sprinting in the opposite direction from the soldiers.

There was no clear thought guiding them, only the desperate urge not to be caught. They were running fast, but the soldiers behind them rode horses; their speed was faster.

Still, Aeron, Nyella, and Amber ran with everything in them, darting around trees and cutting through corners of the forest.

As they pushed on, Aeron spoke between breaths. "We are going the wrong way!"

Nyella, struggling to keep pace, asked, "What do you mean?"

Aeron gasped out, "We’re running west... but Draco is east."

Amber said under his breath. "That means we are wasting time. We need to find a way to turn back. We must head east."

Aeron glanced behind them. "How? Hundreds are chasing us. We can’t just turn."

Amber’s face was stern. "Then we make them pass us."

They kept running, and suddenly Amber pointed ahead. "There! The thick bushes."

Nyella slowed for a moment, shocked. "You want us to hide in that?"

Amber snapped at her. "It’s either hide or die, princess. And I know you have no wish to die. Now move!"

Reluctantly, Nyella obeyed, following him into the bushes. Together, they went deep into the thicket and quickly covered themselves with branches and leaves, hiding every trace of their bodies.

They lay still, with their hearts racing, and breaths shallow.

Moments later, the thunder of hooves filled the forest. Horses ran past them in large numbers. The ground trembled as wave after wave of soldiers rode by.

After some moments, the noise began to fade.

Aeron let out a heavy breath, thinking they were safe. But he was wrong.

Another sound followed. A sluggish horse, moving slowly. A straggler who had fallen behind the rest. The rider was near, so near that Aeron could hear the creak of the saddle and the soldier’s heavy breathing.

The man began walking closer to the thick bush where Aeron, Nyella, and Amber were hiding. His eyes scanned the trees carefully. He stopped and said aloud, "Someone is here." Then he took another step forward.

Inside the bush, none of them dared to move. They held their breath, looking at each other, hoping the man would leave.

The man came closer, peering into the shadows. He kept looking at the bush again and again, with a suspicious look on his face. For a long moment, he stood there silent, wondering if he had heard wrongly. Finally, he sighed and turned to leave.

But just as he was about to go, Nyella’s eyes widened. Right in front of her face, a snake slithered from a branch, its tongue flicking, ready to strike. She gasped softly and, in a flash, drew her swords and slashed them.

The sound of the cut broke the silence.

The man stopped instantly and spun around.

As he took a step back toward the bush, Amber suddenly jumped out. Pulled out his sword and struck the man before he could shout. The soldier fell silently to the ground, but his horse reared up in fear, neighing loudly.

The sound echoed in the forest and in a short while, from a distance, they heard other horses galloping quickly toward them.

"They are coming," Aeron said.

Without wasting time, the three of them climbed onto the single horse nearby. It was not fast, and carrying three riders slowed it even more, but they urged it forward, riding as quickly as possible toward the east, the direction of Draco.

Branches whipped past as the horse raced through the forest, but soon, behind them, they could hear the thunder of hooves growing louder.

"They are gaining on us," Nyella said.

Within moments, several soldiers caught up with them. One soldier swung his sword toward Aeron, but before it landed, Amber twisted from the back of the horse and blocked the attack with his blade. With another swift spin, he struck the rider and knocked him down.

Amber wasted no time. He jumped from Aeron’s horse onto the fallen soldier’s horse, striking again to make sure the man stayed down. Now they had two horses, and their speed doubled.

"That should help," Amber shouted, as they split their weight.

The soldiers chased after them, but Aeron and the others pressed on. The forest grew thinner until suddenly it opened up to a steep drop. The path ended at a wide valley that cut their way.

Aeron pulled the reins immediately, stopping his horse at the edge.

"Why are we stopping?" Nyella asked, looking behind at the soldiers still chasing them.

Aeron frowned deeply. "Something is wrong. Draco is meant to be here. I can feel him close."

"Are you sure?" Nyella asked with her eyes darting nervously.

"Yes," Aeron said. "I can feel him here, but he is nowhere to be found."

Amber got down from his horse and went closer to the edge. He leaned over and looked down. But after searching with his eyes, he pulled back and shook his head. "Nothing."

"You see anything?" Aeron called.

"No," Amber replied. He leaned forward again, this time much lower, gripping a rock for balance. Then suddenly his body stiffened, his eyes widened, and his voice was filled with disbelief. "Unbelievable... oh my!"

Aeron rushed forward, sliding off his horse to look down beside him. "What is it?" he asked.

Amber did not answer immediately. His eyes remained locked on the sight below.

Aeron leaned forward and looked too. His breath caught in his throat.

Down in the valley, Draco lay on the ground. His massive body was covered in heavy chains. Iron coils wrapped around his wings, his legs, even his mouth.

And around him, the Blacklands soldiers were laughing, shouting, and dancing in mockery.

Aeron’s hands trembled as he gripped the rocks tightly.