3 The Spirit Beast of the Swamp

The beast snarled heavily shaking the entire chamber, trickles of dust rained from the cave's ceiling. The beast then crawled forward revealing its form upon the torch light. It was a giant mutt with a wide jaws, its red eyes was tiny and barely visible, its skin was mud brown that resembled a seal's blubber and its paws had sharp gleaming claws.

It laughed menacingly as it glowered upon her. "Hahaha, you? Making a contract with me? That's a good joke."

Celina got taken aback, she looked over her shoulders and stared at her men. "Fourth formation, we can do this for the sake of Sir Herdis."

The men nodded and drew their blades, they dispersed and organized themselves accordingly.

**

Blue's eyelids popped open, he found himself staring upon a starless night sky. There was a piercing dizziness clinging on his head. " Is this the after life?"

However he realized he wasn't when he heard various utters of men. He peered his eyes upon what was above him, he noticed he was inside a dim rocky chamber. There were orange glows revealing the rough, rocky walls. Just close to his foot was a giant tail flailing about. "Where am I?" He said confused.

He then stood back up and appraised his environment. His recent memory flashed upon his mind. "That humans! I'm still alive? The weapon didn't work?" He sneered.

***

Celina took a deepbreath, she then aimed her palms upon the beast. "Light Blast!" She enchanted.

A white glowing sphere emerged on her palms, upon aiming on the beast, she fired it. The white sphere whizzed on the air as it fully illuminated the interior of the cave.

The beast cackled. "Too slow!"

The beast bent its legs then it leaped sidewards like a frog and dodged the incoming attack.

Celina's eyes widened after noticing her attack were heading to a person, it was the pale man from before, but didn't he die? Regardless he was now in danger. "Watch out!" She exclaimed.

The pale man was staring blankly upon his surroundings, he didn't dodge and took the attack directly, after the impact, he got flung and pummelled upon the wall with a hole on his gut.

The beast cackled as though to scoff. "That guy was alive huh? No matter he's dead this time."

The group turned their attention to the rowdy beast. They carefully maneuvered around the beast with their swords hoisted up on their chests.

"Distract him for a minute, I'm gonna cast a spell." Celina said. She closed her eyes tight and then mumbled under her breath.

"I won't let you!" The beast spat.

The beast launched itself and was heading towards Celina, the men charged as well with their swords ready. The mages stood on a safe distance, they aimed their palms and shot out fierce fireballs the size of a melon.

The beast halted its legs and used its front leg as a shield to block the incoming fireballs. The fireballs struck its stout leg, upon impact a smoke were released, however it only inflicted a small burn upon its skin. While the beast was busy defending, the men with swords leaped upon it, and then lunge their blades unto its gut.

However to their dismay only the blade's tip pierced through its skin, they tried to shove it further but they couldn't and now their swords were stuck.

The beast let out a heavy laugh. "Idiots, it takes more than that to kill me.

The beast then whirled and raked the men with his pointed claws, the men were sent flying, upon landing, they rolled on the ground bleeding. The beast then turned its eyes to the man beside it, it swung its claws upon the man's body, and shredded his upper body into pieces of flesh, blood splattered outwards and his other half collapsed helplessly.

The mages continued firing their fire spells, then the beast bounded close to them and trampled them one by one. Their fire balls could only do as much as burn the beast's skin, their blades were proven to be useless as well.

Celina gritted her teeth, upon seeing the men being massacred a heavy weight pressed upon her chest. However she was almost done, this was one of her special spells, the Light Keeper. The only problem was she only learned it recently, so it was still imperfect, but she was left with no choice.

She took a gulp, tightened her arm and aimed upon the beast. "Special Skill, Light Keeper!" She exclaimed.

The beast got taken aback when a white film were swirling around its body, at first it was faint but by the second it thickens. "What's this?!" The beast said confused.

It swung its claw upon the white film, a spark erupted and it caused the beast to get swayed outward. When the beast gazed around itself, it noticed it was inside a giant dome made of light. It was completely trapped, it tried to slammed its claw upon the interior of the dome, however it only pushed him back. "Woman, get me out of here!"

Celina snickered as she maintained her arm in the air. "Now form the contract!" She demanded.

The beast growled as its stare were directed to her, it was obviously reluctant to heed her request.

Celina smiled menacingly. "Mages, continue firing!" She commanded.

The remaining mages nodded, they shot our fire balls upon the creature.

However the beast snorted taking it lightly. "Hey can't you see there's a barrier around me?" The beast said.

To the beast's surprise the fireballs went through the white wall like it wasn't there, it struck his back and left a reddish burn. It roared, "Ahh!"

The light keeper was a powerful skill that will block any forces of darkness. The beast was one, so it won't be able to penetrate its walls no matter how much it struggles. And it will only allow any other elements to pass through the barrier, thus the fire balls can easily move through it.

However it wasn't perfect, it costed her a lot of mana and quickly drained her stamina like a water container with a hole.

Celina tried to maintain her composure, however her legs trembled, her face were frothing with sweat. She gulped hard and took a heavy breath as she was now panting. She slouched a bit and her arms got loosened up.

"Hang in there, miss." Gamiz laid his arm on her shoulder.

Celina nodded and straightened her stance. "Thank you, Teacher." She said with a pant.

The beast snarled in anguish, it panicked as it flailed its body inside the white dome. The fire mages never stopped firing their spells since the beast was an easy target.

"Get me out of here!" The beast yelled.

"Now, form the contract!" Celina demanded.

"Fine, fine, just stop." The beast said.

The fire mages ceased their flames and crouched on the ground to recover their strengths. The men sighed in relief after things have slightly calmed down.

The beast sprawled on the dirt, it calmed itself and lost its will to fight. "Ugh, what was the encantation again?" The beast chuckled.

"Hurry!" Celina said. She realized it was pretty bad since her leg were losing strength. When she almost fell Gamiz held her back, it gave her some support to hold herself in the meantime.

"You can't fall now." Gamiz said.

Celina panted heavy and sweats were dripping on her face, she hoped the beast won't be able to notice her state. And luckily it didn't, since it was starting its encantations.

"I, the spirit of the swamp, will be for eternity one with--" The beast paused. "Who are you again?"

Celina sneered, "It's Celina, geez."

"Okay, I'll start again." The beast said.

"I, the spirit of the swamp, will be for eternity one with Celina, the Light Mage. I will share my outmost ability and betrayal will only cause me death. I for once and for all form a contract with Celina, for my name is Radgo the great beast." The beast said.

Celina gave a heavy exhale. "I confirm."

Celina's body glowed, it turned the entire cave bright. Right now if the beast would be able to speak the same line then the contract will be fulfilled.

Celina's eyes strained as she observed upon the beast intently. "Please, please say confirm." She uttered.

Then the beast started to move its mouth. "I...." It paused for a bit. "Decline. Hahahha." The beast let out a rough laugh.

Celina's eyebrows furrowed. "That bastard, he was messing with us."

"You must be stupid, woman, my eyes can see clearly that you are barely hanging, I can see the mana coursing on your body. And right now you're almost empty." The beast said.

Celina's peripheral vision started to blur, her strength dissipated, and her legs became unsteady, alas she stumbled and finally collapsed.

"Miss Celina." Gamiz said worriedly.

Gamiz heaved her upward and rested her body upon his shoulder. "We should get our of here." He said.

"How about the others." Celina said with frail lips.

Gamiz left the chamber as quickly as he could. When the others noticed them leaving, they let out a scream. "Retreat!"

The swirling glowing dome keeping the monster gradually faded, eventually it turned into a mist and vanished completely. The beast laughed scoffing the men who fleed after they dropped their blades on the ground. "That's right, run hahaha." The beast said.

Moments later when Gamiz left the cave and stepped upon the outside land, he placed Celina's exhausted body gently, she slouched on the ground with a sigh. "I owe you a lot Teacher."

Gamiz held a comforting smile. "No, whatever happens you are our priority."

Celina sluggishly lifted her self, she was unsteady and Gamiz held her arm to help her carry her weight. "The men." She said with concern as she stared at the gloomy entrance of the cave.

They heard pattering steps echoing out through the cave opening, her face lightened up a bit. "They're here."

The men revealed themselves, they sprinted and were almost close to leave the cave.

In a sudden, a giant explosion bursted the cave's wall outwards, wrecking its structure into several pieces, it crumbled and sealed the entrance tight with heavy rubbles. "No!" Her eyes expanded with worry. "What happened?" She said

Gamiz sneered and approached the rubbles. "There's no hope for them." He lent his arm to her. "Come miss, we should get out of here as fast as we can."

Celina's face crumpled since she was almost close to lose her grip, her sullen face were down to the ground. "It was my fault, I wasn't strong enough." She bit her lip.

Gamiz sighed and went closer to her. "Come miss, there's no point in staying here."

She gave a weak nod then gave her hand to Gamiz, they slowly walked away from the cave and went to their horses.

Gamiz then readied their horses. "It seems we're alone, huh?" He said.

Celina's lips were sealed, she couldn't bring herself to talk but to only nod, she was still morose as her eyes got covered by her hairlines.

Until a certain realization struck her.

"It doesn't make any sense why would the cave fall apart in that split second." She said as her eyes were dubious.

Gamiz scratched his head and sighed. He approached her slowly. "Anyway I think we should hurry to Prince Hiro, and as for why it happened, the answer was simple."

Celina stood close on the side of a horse, but she didn't have the strength to surmount it, then Gamiz went close to her as though about to help her to mount the saddle.

However Gamiz coldly whispered on her ear instead. "Because, I did it."

Celina's eyes emptied out after his voice pierced her ear. "Teacher you--"

Celina moaned after a searing pain pulsated on her side, when she gazed at her waist, blood were gushing out of it. And Gamiz' knife was deeply buried into her body.

Gamiz yanked his blade away and pushed Celina to slump on the ground. "This pains me, but I have to do this, because I still have faith on King Dersim's plans."