The new breed monster lunged at Sara. Its powerful legs pushed it forward in one fast leap. Dust flew up from the ground. Its sharp claws stretched out straight toward her chest. Sara held her wand tight, but the spell was not ready yet. She stepped back quickly, her heart pounding hard in her chest.
Just before the claws reached her, Maya moved from beside her. She almost jumped in from the side. Her knives flashed in the sunlight. The blade hit the side of the monster's head with a loud crack. The force knocked the creature off course. It tumbled to the ground a few feet away from Sara and rolled once before it got back on its feet.
"Stay behind me!" Maya shouted. She planted her feet firmly and raised her sword again. Her body glowed faintly for a second as she activated her strengthening enchantment. The muscles in her arms and legs became more defined all of a sudden. Now she looked ready for a close fight.
Sara nodded once. "Phew, I thought I was a goner just now. Thanks for the support, Maya. I should've gone for short cast magic."
She moved a few steps back to give Maya space while keeping her wand pointed at the monster. "I will support you from here. Don't push too far ahead of me."
The creature shook its head. Its yellow eyes locked on them again. It let out another sharp, loud screech and charged ahead. This time, it went straight for Maya.
Maya, however, did not back down. She met the monster head-on. When it swiped with its claws, she ducked low and slashed upward with her enchanted knife. The blade cut across its feathered chest.
Dark blood sprayed out. The monster screamed in pain and tried to bite her shoulder. Maya twisted her body and kicked it hard in the side. The strengthening enchantment made her kick strong enough to push the creature back several feet.
"Now, Sara!" Maya called out without looking back.
Sara raised her wand higher. She chanted the words that she wanted to at first. Mana flowed through her arm and into the ground. And she said while smiling, "Earth Spike!"
The dirt in front of the monster suddenly pushed upward. Sharp spikes of hardened earth shot out from the ground. Two of them stabbed into the creature's leg. It stumbled and let out a loud cry.
Even though it was hurt, the wound slowed it down, but it was still moving, to Sara's surprise.
Though Sara was surprised that her magic didn't stop the creature, which, as far as she knew, was almost impossible, Maya had already used the moment in between to prepare her next attack, as the more battle-experienced one.
She dashed forward and stabbed her knife deep into the monster's shoulder. The enchanted blade glowed slightly as it cut through feathers and muscle. The creature thrashed and tried to claw at her. Maya pulled the knife free and jumped back just in time. A claw missed her face by only a few inches.
"Keep it pinned!" Maya said, breathing hard. Sweat ran down her face, but her eyes stayed sharply on the hurting creature.
This time, not holding back, Sara cast again. She focused on the ground under the monster's feet.
"Earth Bind!"
The dirt softened and turned into thick mud that grabbed the creature's legs. It sank a little and could not move at all.
The monster struggled hard, pulling one leg free, but Sara cast another spike right after. This one hit its wing joint and made it scream again.
The two women worked together without needing many words. Maya stayed in front, using her speed and strength to keep the monster's attention. She dodged its attacks and cut at its legs and sides with her knives. Every time the creature tried to rush past her toward the people behind them, Maya blocked it. Her enchanted knives left deep cuts that bled steadily.
Sara stayed a safe distance back. She cast one spell after another. Earth spikes rose from the ground to stab the monster. Small walls of dirt rose to block its path and slow it down again and again.
One of her binds trapped its tail for a few seconds, giving Maya the chance to slash across its back.
Sara felt a small sense of relief. They were doing this. Together. Two people who had not fought side by side before were reading each other's moves so naturally, showing how powerful they both were. Maya always left openings for Sara's spells, and Sara always controlled the ground so Maya could attack safely. Each of them was successful in covering each other's blind spots like this throughout the battle with this unknown creature.
And the result of their battle was clear. The monster was getting weaker. Its movements became slower, blood covering its feathers and dripping onto the ground.
Seeing another chance, Maya landed another solid hit on its head. The creature staggered. "We almost have it!" Maya said. She wiped blood from a small cut on her arm and grinned for a second. "One more good hit and …."
But then Maya's eyes widened. She looked past the injured monster.
"Sara! Look over there!" she shouted.
Sara looked. And there it was, another creature, almost the same as this one, but looking strangely more powerful and scary. It was running straight at them from the forest edge.
The big creature was moving much faster than the first. Its claws dug into the ground with every step. Dust flew behind it as it closed the distance fast. The speed it had suggested it would reach both Sara and Maya in a matter of seconds.
Seeing both Sara and Maya distracted by the new monster, the first monster, even though injured, started to move again. It tried to stand and attack once more.
Sara gripped her wand tighter. Maya raised her knives. Both women stood ready, but the new threat was coming too quickly, and they weren't confident they could stop that without dying.