Cursed by Malignant Magic (Once Upon A Curse)

Chapter 4

Chapter

Four

T he bird was a gargantuan beast, with wings that seemed to stretch for miles and feathers that shimmered in the sunlight.

But what truly caught my attention was the flare of magic emanating from its sharp claws, so bright it was almost blinding. The talons, each as long as my arms, dripped with a dark, sticky liquid that sent a shiver down my spine.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding, like I was staring into the eyes of a powerful and dangerous creature. This thing was enormous, and it was clearly dangerous if that liquid was what I thought it was.

I edged backward, careful to place my feet as carefully as I could so I didn't make a sound. I had no idea how keen its senses were, but anything that large would surely have large ears to hear me shuffling around like a terrified deer. The less sound I made, the better chance I had to slip out of here before it ate me like whatever was currently clutched in its claws.

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. The bird had already seen me. Its massive eyes, with slit pupils like a snake's, narrowed, and whatever was in its claws fell to the ground.

"Please don't," I muttered under my breath as I reached for my magic, talking to myself as much as I was to the bird.

I no longer felt like I was going to puke from the amount of magic in my system, but with so much running through me, there was no way to tell how unpredictable it might be. I was no longer concerned about not being able to use magic at all, but that didn't mean that something wouldn't go terribly wrong if I tried.

The bird screeched, and I cringed back, my shoulders hunching up around my ears.

Thankfully Ehuna hadn't had someone take off my gauntlets when I was asleep, nor when she'd sent me to the barracks to rest, which frankly was an oversight on her part. She knew me well enough to know that there was no way I would stay cooped up in that tiny little room, but if she had taken my gauntlets, there might've been a chance that I would have stayed.

I could use magic without them, but neither she nor anyone else knew that, and I couldn’t risk anyone finding that out.

"Time to go," I decided, hoping that talking to myself might help me get through this.

I whirled on my heel and took off at a full sprint, using my magic to charge my gauntlets just in case I couldn't get back to camp in time. I didn't like turning my back to this thing, and I really didn't like leading it back to camp, but it was either that, or this thing ate me.

I highly doubted that one person, especially that one person being me, could defeat a monster like this.

The deafening sound of massive wings beating the air behind me filled my ears, making it hard to focus on anything else. The force of the gusts threatened to push me forward with every step I took, causing my heart to race.

My lungs burned with each breath, and waves of pain shot up my legs as I frantically ran. My magic churned beneath my skin, a clear sign of my growing panic.

Refusing to look over my shoulder, I could only imagine how close the creature loomed behind me. The mere thought of its presence sent shivers prickling up my scalp, and I knew that if I dared to glance back, my terror would only intensify.

Finally, a half mile from the camp, I realized my mistake. I would not make it back there in time. I hadn't realized how far I'd traveled while following the tug of magic, but it was far enough that I couldn't run it at a full tilt, even with adrenaline giving me a burst of energy.

Even if I could get close enough to the camp for someone to notice, which they certainly would because this thing was the size of a mountain, there was no guarantee anyone would be able to help me.

Flight hadn't helped me, so it was time to try to fight.

With a final, desperate gasp for air, I twisted my body and flung myself towards the ground, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws of the creature as it swooped down upon me. Its massive wings created a gust of wind that stirred the dirt and debris around me.

My gauntlets hummed with energy as I tried to unleash their power, but somehow, the abundance of magic within me hindered my abilities and caused them to fail. Disappointed curses escaped my lips as I watched the stones fade into dullness.

In that brief moment of distraction, the monstrous bird snatched my wrist in its powerful talons and lifted me high into the air with ease, its wings beating against the sky.

Furious curses erupted from my mouth as the majestic bird lifted higher, carrying me along for the ride. My arm, trapped in its powerful grip, felt like it was on the verge of being torn from its socket under the strain of my entire body weight.

Desperately, I reached up with my free hand and grasped at the sharp talons, using them to pull myself closer to the bird's body and relieve some of the pressure on my aching joint. The wind whipped through my hair and stung my eyes as we soared higher and higher.

With no magic, there was a good chance I would be this thing's next meal, unless I came up with something fast. No magic meant that I couldn't call anyone else for help, and we were far too high up for anyone to hear me scream, even if we were still close enough to the camp for that to be a good option.

I clamped my eyes shut, my fear of heights and what I would see so far below forcing me to leave them shut despite the instinct to look at the giant monster currently holding me in its claws.

No one would come to help me, and I had no magic to defend myself. I was on my own, and it looked like it was going to have to be done the old-fashioned way.

I took a deep breath and braced myself for the pain, then lowered myself so that I was only being held by one arm again. I was a little more prepared this time, enough that I was able to focus on something else.

I fumbled the fingers of my free hand for the knife in my boot, the muscles in my stomach aching. It was a tiny knife, and I highly doubted that it would be enough to stop such a massive creature, but it wasn’t like I had much of a choice. Without my magic, it was the tiny knife or hold still and wait for this thing to eat me.

It wouldn’t be a pleasant death—of that I was sure—so I pulled the knife free as soon as I found it.

With every last ounce of strength in my body, I pushed myself up against the weight of the bird's massive claws. Gripping tightly to the hilt of my blade, I thrust downward with all my might. The impact sent a jolt through my arm and nearly caused me to lose hold of my knife as it bounced off the unyielding surface of the hard talon.

But I refused to give up, determined to land a solid blow.

With a panicked yelp, I tightened my grip on the knife and tried slashing instead, but once again, the blade did no damage to the claw or the…paw? Whatever it was that held me.

One last try. I reeled back and slashed the blade as hard as I could upward, catching the bottom of the bird's leg. Whatever nearly indestructible material made up its claws, the same was not true of its leg. My knife slashed through, but the bird didn’t so much as squawk.

Its sharp claws, as long and deadly as daggers, tightened their grip on me once more, in a last desperate attempt to hold its writhing prey. The bird's wings beat furiously against the wind, sending us both soaring higher into the sky.

Panic surged through my veins as I struggled against the powerful creature, trying to break free from its grasp. With every passing moment, my chances of survival seemed slimmer and slimmer.

Had I mentioned that I was an idiot? It took me a terrifyingly short amount of time to realize my mistake. True, being held in the air by a massive bird was a very good way to die, but being let go by said bird while still in the air? Also a good way to die.

I had never given much thought to how exactly I would die, but I spared a moment's thought for Ehuna, who would be furious that I had disobeyed her orders, and now I would die because of it.

If there was an afterlife, she would never let me hear the end of it.

My heart pounded against my chest as I plummeted towards the ground, helpless and at the mercy of gravity.

I frantically searched for my magic, knowing it was my only chance of survival. As I fell, I stretched out my arms and legs in a futile attempt to slow my descent. But the rushing wind tore at my body, whipping strands of hair across my face and stinging my skin like tiny needles.

My left gauntlet, the one specially crafted for shielding, was my only hope as I funneled every last ounce of power into it. A futile attempt to save myself from being shattered upon impact with the unforgiving ground below, like a stomped berry.

Finally, my magic flared to life in a tiny circle before me, but it was too late. The shield trembled and contorted, struggling to protect me, but something had gone terribly wrong with my gift. The explosion of the magical bomb earlier in the day had clearly affected it, leaving it weak and strained.

It would not be enough to save me.

The deafening screech of a massive bird rang in my ears as my body slammed into the earth with a sickening thud. Pain and raw magic coursed through every bone in my body, causing me to cry out in agony.

My body gave out, and everything flashed to the deepest black.