MANTICORE (1)

I first felt the warmth spreading all throughout my body, invigorating me and giving me strength. And then I heard the yelling and a sweet, melodious song. Melodious, but I felt my hair stand on end. It was a chilling sound.

I willed my eyes to open, and what met me was the handsome young man.

"Cellon, what happened? And what is that thing?" My voice came out croaky like an old woman talking to her grandson.

Cellon's brows furrowed, "What thing?"

"That thing!" I pointed to the unknown animal. "Why does it have a scorpion's tail? There is no such animal as that."

"How could you see that?"

I snapped at him, "Because I have two functioning eyes you dumb twat."

Cellon was about to answer but a flying Ren stopped us both.

"Ren!" Cellon and I said in unison.

Ren crashed near me, crushing my right foot in the process.

"Ow!" I exclaimed.

Ren immediately sat up properly and looked at me apologetically. It was then that I saw how badly-shaped he is.

His head was riddled with many wounds, all bleeding and covering his face. His right arm was a little crooked, probably a dislocated or fractured bone. And his breathing, oh gods, he was breathing raggedly.

He looked at Cellon, "Where are the reinforcements?"

"I called for them already. But I'm not sure when they would arrive."

Ren took a deep breath, "I'm at my limits."

"Couldn't we just run away from that thing?" I interrupted.

Ren looked at me, surprise written all over his face. I interpreted it as a fascination that only I could think of a very probable solution to the problem at hand.

"Realized it too late now huh? Let's get out of here before that thing tries to eat us."

Cellon answered me, "We can't. And even if we can, Ren's out of shape."

I turned silent, thinking of other ways to escape from here. "Okay. Ren, were you trying to kill that thing?"

"Sort of. Or incapacitate it so that we could escape to somewhere safe. But we can't or other people might get - "

"Oh shit. The people. The city would be pulverized if this animal goes on a rampage. What even is this thing? And how do we kill it?" I was getting hysterical of the graveness of the situation that I shook Ren too violently.

"Okay Nina calm down," Cellon took my arms away from Ren. "The only thing that could kill that is through decapitation."

"That is a hard thing to do. That thing's several meters tall. And where are the police? They should be here first at the scene!"

The guys only looked at each other. Okay what the fuck. We're in huge trouble right now.

"So guys, that thing's approaching us. We should start moving," I reminded them.

Ren stood up, ignoring the creaks and the groans of his body. "Go. Look for someplace safe. I'll divert its attention."

"Are you out of your freaking mind?!" I shouted at him. "You are in no shape to fight that thing. Its hair could even flick you out of the oblivion. I'll fight with you."

Cellon and Ren looked at me flabbergasted.

"Yeah, I can. If only I had a weapon."

And then I noticed something shimmered in my right hand. Hmmm I wonder. I asked the guys who were still looking at me like I was a child requesting for food.

"What weapon could dent that neck and cleanly cut it?"

It was Cellon who answered, rather absentmindedly, "An iron broadsword is proven effective against these types of creatures."

I nodded. Picturing in my mind the details of the sword I would want to wield. I then felt them in both of my hands.

I grinned at them, "Its showtime."

"Ren," I called to snap him back to the present, which he actually did.

He looked at me, noticing the badass swords I was holding.

"What can you do? I clearly see that you don't have a weapon but you were still fighting that thing."

"Ice," he said in an instant.

This was all getting weird. Maybe this is just a continuation of my dream or whatever but if this is the only means for survival, I have no rights to question.

I nodded at him and said, "Then help me reach that thing's neck. Could you do that?"

"He could," Cellon answered. "Just let me do this for him."

Cellon put his hands above Ren's head. The hand emitted a yellow, warm glow, enveloping Ren. After some time, the light faded and I saw Ren smiling.

And then he finally said, "Let's go."