Cherry who had been watching the men through their entire journey was delighted when they had finally been able to retrieve the cup.
This was something that she had been meaning to get her hands on.
She now finally had it in her hands.
She could not let it go.
The route they followed was protected and for that she had been unable to send her minions after it.
When they finally came to a more exposed road path she was now able to use her powers on them.
But she had to be fast.
They were very close to the crescent pack and once they were in the pack, it would be difficult for her to get her hands on it.
She closed her eyes and said some magic words and then something appeared in her hand it was like a tiny bird.
"I chose you because I know you can deliver your work." She said as she gently touched the head of the tiny bird.
Then she blew it into her mirror that she used to overlook anything.
"Go and you shall only end your mission when you die."
The bird flew into the mirror and disappeared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What is that?" Rowan asked.
The bird screeched in the air.
"Something is wrong creatures like that are not allowed in this territory." Xaden said.
Then they saw it blow fire.
"It blows fire!" Owen screamed and they started running off.
The bird screeched and the men got on their horses and tried to run off into somewhere safe.
Elyon was unlucky as just as he was about to go down under a cave, the bird blew fire from its mouth and instantly burned him.
The smoke and fire was all they could see and once it was gone, they were gazing down at the burned up body of Elyon and his horse.
Instantly it fell into ashy dust, the bones crashed all the floor and nothing was left of Elyon.
"Sweet goddess." Rowan exclaimed in horror.
The birds screeched blowing fire all around looking for them.
Then it landed on the ground and was looking for them.
"What the hell is that?" Xaden asked.
"It is a mythical creature. Should not even exist. What is it doing here?" Erik asked as he looked at it.
"After seeing your immortal home and learning about the people of Lycantnrope, I do not think anything could be mythical to me again." Xaden said with sarcasm.
They were now hiding under trees.
The large bird was walking around screeching and dipping its head through the trees.
It blew flames nad burning the trees into flames.
"Gods that bloody creature is going to be the death of us." Rowan said.
The bird screeched and looked around hoping from the other trees on its left and right.
Erik looked at it closely. "It is what I thought it is. The bloody bird is blind. But it can sense things around."
"Blind!?" Bryn asked as the bird was getting closer to his own side. "Can we just run out? It is getting closer to me."
"Stay put." Erik said
Bryn was hanging at a tree with his horse and the bird was getting closer to him.
It kept on hovering around and Bryn was afraid.
"Stay do not run." Erik mouthed.
The bird got so close and just when it was about to leave, Bryan’s intrusive thoughts won.
"Gods I can not stay this way!"
Then he leaped up and ran away with his horse.
"Shit!" Erik swore.
The bird turned to Bryn who was now running off down the path.
The bird did not use its flames on him to beyond else’s surprise.
Rather it swooped up into the air and then it happened so fast.
The bird flew back down and then grabbed Bryn and horse and swallowed him whole.
They all watched in horror as they heard his screams.
The death was so brutal as his blood spilled and then the bird full swallowed the horse.
He looked around bavkw at them.
"Blood hell." Erik swore.
And that made all hell break loose.
The men lost it.
They began to flee and the bird began to eat and burn them into flames.
Xaden turned to a wolf and snarled at the bird.
Erik then ran off with his sword and climbed Xaden’a back as he eyed the next of the bird.
He pulled out his sword.
The bird screamed out and began to bring out flames.
Xaden dodged on to the other side and then Erik pulled out the his sword and then cut off the neck of the bird.
It dropped dead.
Erik breathed heavily but with relief.
They looked around and saw the other men who were still alive.
All in all, they were only five left.
Erik came off Xaden’s back and then he used Xaden’s fur to clean the sword.
Xaden turned to Erik and gruffed.
Erik laughed. "Sorry mate."
Xaden tried to rub of the blood off his fur but it refused to come.
Then he turned back to his human form.
"Where the hell did that come from?" Rowan asked looking down at the head of the bird.
"I have no idea." Erik said. "But I think we should carry the body on our way back home."
Xaden felt the pain become more intense
"We need to return home. It is getting worse." Xaden said clutching his chest.
They gathered the body of the large creature and saddled it to a horse of one of the men who had died and hurried in with their journey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Cherry saw the bird being beheaded, she screamed and used her nails to destroy the glass of the mirror.
She screamed in fury as she rose to her feet and began breaking things in fury.
All her plans had failed. Jasmine would come back to life, she would not have the cup.
It was all ruined!
She was going to get the cup!
One way or the other.