Bab 19: Throw and run

In the sky, a flock of birds swarmed toward a 10-year-old boy, their wings beating in unison, relentless in their pursuit. The boy, Alex, clutched a girl close, maneuvering her through the air like a lifeline. First, he threw her upward, then yanked her back down, then to the right and left, keeping the birds off-course with each unpredictable move. For a full thirty minutes, he fought to stay ahead, his heart pounding as he darted through the skies. Finally, when the birds veered off, Alex slowed, catching his breath.

With one last throw, he sent the girl northwest, quickly darting behind her, catching her midair before she fell. When no obstacles appeared ahead, he decided to descend, his mana nearly depleted, hoping to recover his magic reserves on solid ground.

Alex touched down softly in a clearing and took in his surroundings. Towering above him was a massive tree, at least 200 meters tall, its trunk thick and gnarled with age. Strange fruits hung from its branches, each marked with unusual patterns. With a slight hover, Alex floated to one of the sturdy branches and carefully positioned the girl, Lyra, in front of him. He leaned her against the trunk, securing her on the branch so she wouldn't slip, and finally allowed himself to rest.

As Alex settled on the branch, he closed his eyes, allowing the night's cool breeze to wash over him. The forest seemed peaceful under the starlit sky, but he knew the calm was deceptive; danger lurked in every shadow. Just fifteen minutes had passed since he'd closed his eyes when a low, menacing growl cut through the stillness, jolting him awake.

Alex's eyes snapped open, scanning his surroundings—left, right, above—before finally looking down. There, at the base of the massive tree, was a large tiger. Its eyes gleamed fiercely as it fixed its gaze on him, pacing and growling in frustration. The beast suddenly lunged forward, slamming its head against the tree trunk, each impact making the branches tremble.

As Alex spotted the massive tiger below, he knew he couldn't stay perched on the tree any longer. Floating back into the air, he decided to head toward the capital city that Maren had mentioned. Maren had given him detailed information about the nearby kingdoms and capitals, along with a map. While he was running to escape near Lyra's village he saw the map and chose to go in the north-east direction for this reason.

Grabbing hold of Lyra, he threw her forward in the direction of the capital, then quickly flew after her, repeating this pattern to keep their pace swift and unpredictable. But as he continued, a new threat appeared: a flock of large eagles, fifteen strong, soaring down toward him. Each eagle flapped its wings with intense force, sending sharp wind blades slicing through the air toward him.

Alex swiftly dodged the incoming wind blades, weaving through the air as each sharp gust sliced past him. He used the floating spell on Lyra which was already cast on her, guiding her with precision, sending her darting in all directions to evade the attacks. As the eagles closed in, Alex moved her in unpredictable patterns—up, down, left, right—dodging the wind blades with split-second timing. The two of them became a blur in the sky, a dance of survival against the relentless assault of the eagles.

Alex dodged each wind blade as it cut through the air, guiding Lyra out of harm's way. With the floating spell keeping her steady, he shifted her position quickly, moving her up, down, and sideways to avoid each strike. The eagles were persistent, their wings beating as they circled and attacked, sending gusts of sharp-edged wind at every angle.

Alex kept his focus, maintaining a steady grip on Lyra's movements, directing her path as they maneuvered through the air. He had to stay sharp; one slip would be costly. The relentless birds continued to press forward.

As Alex maneuvered around the eagles' attacks, he decided it was time to strike back. Dodging another wind blade from the flock, he summoned his own gusts, slicing through the air with blades of wind aimed directly at the pursuing eagles. The birds scattered, deftly dodging his attacks, their sharp instincts kicking in as they twisted and veered out of the way.

Taking advantage of their brief confusion, Alex readied himself. With a final push, he grasped Lyra and threw her forward with as much precision as he could manage, sending her soaring in the direction of the capital. The move took a significant chunk of his remaining mana, but he needed to make her and his distance far so, that he could travel fast.

Using his well-timed counterattack, Alex had managed to disrupt the eagles' formation, scattering them momentarily. With Lyra already propelled ahead toward the capital, he was pulled near her.

As the birds recovered and began to resume their pursuit, Alex stayed low and swift, weaving through the treetops, minimizing his mana output but keeping his speed up. The eagles faltered, unable to match his rapid maneuvers, and gradually fell back, leaving Alex and Lyra clear of the threat.

With the eagles finally out of sight, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. He allowed himself a brief moment of rest, leaning back against the rough bark of the tree, his chest still heaving from the exertion. But peace was fleeting. Within a minute, the soft rustling of leaves caught his attention, followed by a low, menacing growl.

Alex's eyes snapped open, and his heart sank as a massive brown bear emerged from the shadows, its sharp fangs gleaming in the dim light of the forest. The creature lumbered toward the base of the tree, its enormous paws crushing the ground beneath it. Alex's senses flared, knowing he couldn't afford to stay still for long.

Without hesitation, he activated his floating magic again, rising into the air and distancing himself from the bear's reach. Grabbing Lyra, he threw her forward into the direction of the capital, pushing her as far as he could manage. He quickly followed, repeating the process—throwing her, catching up, and sending her further ahead. Each throw drained more of his mana, but he kept moving.

After several more throws, the dense trees began to clear, and in the distance, Alex spotted the glimmering outline of the city. The capital was finally within reach.