26 The Magic Tower 2

Maris, Artisia and I were walking in the campus grounds. Many of the students were just coming in after having their summer vacations. Because the official school year has not started yet, the students are still in their everyday dresses and clothes.

The academy grounds are big indeed. A day will not suffice to tour all the academy grounds.

'Well I don't mind walking.' I thought to myself. 'Walking is one of my daily exercise.'

I know that Alyssa's body was hailed to be the most beautiful in the novel, with a charming face, long smooth wavy hair, and an hourglass body. But I do not know if the original Alyssa was on a diet to maintain that image. As for me, I eat what I want to eat, especially sweets. And so, I need to have at least a daily routine exercise to manage my wait. Even though I am not getting fat, I cannot tell in the future.

We were walking for quite some time now, looking at the sceneries around the academy. I was happy that I was able to attend such a prestigious school in this life.

"W-Wait…" Maris said while catching her breath. "I am quite tired. Why don't we have a rest there."

Maris pointed at a strange looking tower near our current location.

"But that is…" Artisia was about to say something when Maris cut her off.

"I am tired of all that walking." Maris said with irritation. "Do you want me to continue any further? My feet are killing me!"

Artisia was startled with Maris' sudden outburst. "O-Okay."

'Poor Artisia.' I thought. 'Why does she even try hard to be Maris' friend?'

The three of us walked towards the tower. When we took a break on the shade just beside the tower, I realized that there are no other buildings near here. All I can see around were grasses and trees and it felt odd. There were no other people on sight either and it was very quiet.

"How are your feet?" Artisia asked worriedly.

"I think they are swelling?" Maris replied. "Hmph, if I knew that walking that long will do this to my feet then I would not have come."

"Then you why don't we go back to the dormitory." I advised.

"But my feet hurt! I don't want to go back walking." Maris yelled.

"Then I will go and call for a carriage." Artisia said.

"That is a good idea. But I don't want to be left here with someone I am not close to." Maris said and looked my way.

Her words popped a nerve in my head. She was really getting in my nerves. If I just knew she would be like this to me, then I would have not come to walk with them in the first place.

"Then I will go." I said. 'I wouldn't want to stay with someone like you.' I thought in my head.

"Will you be okay alone Alyssa?" Artisia asked with a worried tone.

"Do not worry about me. I am not like some pampered miss like someone out there." I said and side glanced to Maris.

"I can back track where we came from, don't worry." I said and waved them goodbye.

I backtracked and walked around the tower. When I found the path where we came from, I quickened my pace so that I can get this over with.

"I think that girl is doing this on purpose to get back at me." I grumbled while walking. "Well what can I do that the crown prince became my friend."

While grumbling along the way I heard an ominous sound. There was the sound of rustling bushes just around the corner that sent the hair in my arms stand.

"This place is creepy." I said while rubbing my arms.

*ROAR*

I heard a loud roar near where I was. Judging from the sound, it came from a big animal no doubt.

"A-Are there bears here?" I asked myself and felt my body shiver.

I quickened my pace so that I can get out of this place. By then I heard the rustling of bushes louder and I think I can hear footsteps.

This made me frightened even more. When I was about to run something came out from the bushes in front of me. At first, I saw a huge paw peaking out from the bushes followed by a body. My eyes went wide in shock. What was before me was something only written in myths and legends. What stands before me was a chimera.

The beast had a body of a lion, with huge wings of an eagle and a tail of a serpent. I can hear it snarling in front of me. My body froze still with fear. The beast's eyes were glued on me, and it started circling around me.

'K-Keep calm Alyssa.' I told myself. 'Maybe it would go away if I don't make sudden moves.'

But what I thought was best proves me wrong. The beast launched itself towards me, ready to attack. With the will to want to live, I moved my frozen body to avoid the beast coming for me. I was able to dodge sideways but its paw scraped my arm.

"Ahhh…" I screamed. I saw the scratch marks that was left on my arm and it started to bleed profusely.

The chimera turned around and snarled at me. I saw the big sharp teeth lined up in its mouth. The serpent tails started hissing at me when I saw it sprayed some kind of acid from its mouth. I rolled out from my original spot to dodge the danger once more. When I looked at where I was just a second ago, I saw the acid burning the grass and the ground.

"Oh sh*t!" I said in panic.

I scrambled up and ran away as fast as I can in the opposite direction. I strayed out of the path and was running inside the woods. The branches of the trees were scratching me and tearing up my dress. The only thoughts in my head right now is to run for my life.

I forgot that this novel had such monsters and beasts coming from the demon world. The main antagonist of the story is also the demon king reigning over such beasts and demons.

I was running for my life without any direction. But then I was surprised that I ran into a dead end. A cliff was in front of me, there was no where else to go forward. When I stepped back to find another way, I heard flapping of wings. When I looked up, I saw the chimera diving in to block my escape.

My heart was thumping hard and cold sweat covered my body. I was so afraid, and my situation right now is worse than before. At the front was the beast looking at me hungrily while at my back was a cliff of at least a fifty-foot drop.

"Will I die here?" I asked myself. Either way I am dead.

"JUST BE GOOD AND LET ME EAT YOU…" The chimera said with a chilling voice.

'It can speak?!' I was surprised with this new revelation.

"I HAVE BEEN LOCKED UP FOR A LONG TIME WITH LITTLE TO NO FOOD. I WILL HAVE YOU AS MY FIRST MEAL." The chimera said.

The chimera launched at me once again. I braced myself once more, hoping that I could dodge this attack once last time. But before the chimera was able to reach me, a glowing chain came from the woods and encircled the chimera's neck.

"So, this is where you ran to." A voice of a man said.

I looked at where the voice came from, and a figure of a man wearing a dark purple robe came out of the woods. The man was holding the glowing chain while taking off his hood. I saw a beautiful face of a young man, much more beautiful than any girl I know. He had his long dark gray hair in a ponytail and his eyes were of the same color.

"You be a good boy and come back to your cage." The young man said with a chilling smile, that made his beautiful face look sinister.

Edited by: nalyn