161 Escape Into The Tunnel

CHAPTER 161

"You're not going anywhere."

Avery took her stance and pointed her sword towards Astrid. She was determined not to let this hybrid go no matter what the cause, completely ignoring the seething pain in her veins.

"Little White-Fire can you hear me?" Astrid asked the small white tiger through their mind-communication.

She hadn't had time to test this out since they came out from the forest peak. Right now she could only open and pray it could.

"YES!" A cute voice replied to her.

It was as though it was a small child that spoke. She smiled inwardly at its cuteness.

"Get over yourself Master or I'll feel offended."

It felt a little bit sad at what its master thought of it, a child! Pfff.

Astrid had almost forgotten it could hear her thoughts as well and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, but you are so cute, inside and out."

"Pffft, we need to leave this place soon, master. How do you propose we do that without having them chase after our lives?" Little White-Tiger asked.

"Can you cause a huge flame like before or wind? If you can distract the soldiers with you, I'll handle the annoying princess."

"Yes, I can. The question is how are you going to handle the annoying princess? Don't forget you should stop using your powers. The poison is spreading. You need to be treated soon."

"Do not worry about me. I'm tougher than I look."

"You look pale. Damn it, that was close. This stupid soldier almost had me," Little White-Fire cursed and took some steps backwards.

It glared angrily at the soldier who swung a sword at its head. Astrid couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Who knew it would be this funny when it could talk?

"Stop laughing and focus on the dangerous Princess in front of you."

"Yes, I have got the right thing for her."

At the same time, Avery lounged for Astrid with her sword. Avoiding the strike, Astrid moved to the side as her hands lit up shining with blue light.

She directed the blue light at Avery and the force pushed her away near the other soldiers. 

"Arrgh umm!"

"Astrid, hold on." Little White-Fire mind communicated with Astrid when it heard her groan in pain. 

"Let's go."

Obeying her, it caused a huge flame in front of the soldiers, causing a demarcation between them. The soldiers quickly stepped back when they noticed the little cub flapping its wings. 

A gust of wind blew against the fire, causing it to rise up and strengthening the flames. 

With that settled, it hurried over to Astrid leaving the other soldiers to their fate as another earthen man charged at them. 

Avery tried getting up, but her leg and arm felt numb due to the poison. She fell back down and some soldiers ran to meet her. 

"Jareth! Catch up with us," Astrid yelled at him.

"Go. Let go of your powers now!" He hollered at her.

By now half of the soldiers were already injured and the others still fought, but no fatal casualties. 

"Don't let them escape!" Aelfdene shouted his command at the soldiers. 

Even though they wanted to act, she left no room for them too. There were the flames blocking their path and the earthen men fighting with them. 

Astrid and little White-Fire took the opportunity and ran in the opposite direction. She still didn't stop using her powers and she was growing weaker by the second. She wanted to give Jareth all the help he could get before she was out of energy. 

Little White-Fire turned to look at her. Her face was paler than before and she was falling behind. "Let it go now, Master."

"But Jareth... "

"He can take care of himself. You would die at this rate."

"Fine!" She stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at the battle. 

He fought hard and well against all the men. He sure was skilled. None of the soldiers was any match for even with the combined force.

Raising her hands in the air, she let go of her power. Immediately, all the earthen men and vines started collapsing one after the other. 

Jareth increased his fighting speed knocking the soldiers fighting him out and ran towards Astrid. 

When the soldiers saw their obstacle had crumbled, some of them headed for Astrid. They got to the flames and stopped, looking for a way across because little White-Fire did a good job spreading the flames. 

Astrid noticed the flames had not completely burned out and Jareth would need help. She moved her hands enshrouded with blue light and pushed at the soldiers. The force threw them away from the flames and the flames died out. 

By the time Jareth got there, it was safe for him to pass. Knowing the other soldiers wouldn't sit idly by, he ran with all he had and Astrid did as well. The other soldiers chased after them. 

"Shoot at them. Do not let them escape no matter what," Cleon ordered as they chased after them. 

The soldiers were catching up with them faster than she imagined. She stopped and turned around, hoping to block the incoming arrows. 

Swoosh!! 

Astrid used the blue light to stop the arrows from meeting her and little White-Fire. 

"Ahh!" 

"Stop using your powers."

"How d–do you... Propose I stop... aahh...them?"

She dropped her hands and managed to run forward. 

Soon Astrid and the little white Tiger-Phoenix beast found themselves at the edge of a cliff. They quickly stopped before falling off the edge. 

She looked down and around them but couldn't find any way down. Below was filled with a large number of dense trees. 

No one knew their depth nor what danger awaited down there. 

"Where is the tunnel?" She mentally asked herself, her eyes darting here and there in search but she couldn't see anything. 

"Shoot!" Flynn ordered some of the archers. 

Unfortunately, Jareth was facing off four soldiers as he drew closer to where Astrid was and couldn't do anything about the arrows. 

SWOOSH! 

Astrid turned around, she panicked at the short distance between herself and the arrows. As she tried pushing the arrows with her powers, instead she felt a sharp pain. 

She leaned back to avoid the arrows and missed a step. 

"AAHHHH!" 

The next second she had fallen down. 

"Astrid!" Little White-Fire yelled and quickly jumped after her. 

'Astrid, no.'

One of the soldiers swung his sword at Jareth from behind, while he fought the others. He grabbed the elf's hand and twisted it. As the other soldier came forward, he kicked him in the gut from behind while still holding the other soldier's hand. 

He hit the soldier on the back knocking him out in the process. He did a flip and kicked the second soldier as he rose up.

"What are you waiting for? Drop your arrows and pursue him."

"And you, archer, shoot him in the leg. Do not let him go no matter what," Cleon ordered a soldier close to him. 

Not waiting for another second, he ran towards the edge. 'Astrid, I am coming.'

He took a quick look below and immediately leapt off the edge. The arrow flew past him and he fell down through the trees.

Some of the soldiers rushed to the edged and looked around, but there was no sign of them anywhere.

Aelfdene ran up to meet them together with Cleon and Flynn.

"Where did they go?" Cleon asked.

"General Sir, there is no sign of them anywhere," one of the soldiers answered.

Lieutenant Flynn threw his sword down, but could not hear any crashing or landing sound.

"Don't just stand there, hurry after them!"Aelfdene commanded.

"We do not know the depth Sir or what lies below. For all we know, there may be a number of deadly beasts and poisonous snakes and insects below."

"He is right, General Aelfdene," Lieutenant Flynn sided with the young soldier.

He was right, he had a point there. No one knew how deep or how far below the base was. One could die if he or she crashed into a sharp edge or the ground.

It was also safe to say that they may fall into dangerous zones with wild beasts. I mean this was the forest peak.

"I meant hurry back from where we came. I want soldiers stationed at every exit. Make sure every place out of the forest is blocked. We cannot let them leave the forest. We must catch them at all cost."

"Yes, General. As you wish." The soldier turned to the others and said, "Let us go, "

"General, Her Highness!" Another soldier ran up to where they wear near the edge.

Aelfdene, Cleon and Flynn turned their gaze to each other and back at the soldier. "Her Highness is not looking good," he added.

None of them uttered a word to him but ran toward the battleground where Avery laid.

"Princess!"

"Your Highness!"

"Princess Avery!"

"General Sirs, Lieutenant Sir," Lieutenant Callum said. His expression darkening as he looked down at the Princess.

"The poison is spreading. This is not good," Aelfdene panicked as he spoke, his gaze lingering on the princess' pale face.

"Why hasn't she taken the antidote?" Cleon asked.

"Where is the antidote to the poison?" Flynn asked at the same time.

"The vial broke. There is no other antidote."

"What!"