A giant yellow bird descending from the skies was the first thing Cyrus saw as he looked up. Not the towering figures of the surrounding violet trees nor the blinding sun rays that had just illuminated the forest. Everything paled in front of the figure of this beast!
The massive bird that was easily three times the size of a normal eagle opened its iron beak and let out a deafening screech, before its razor-edged talons aimed for the two motionless humans below it in a single, vicious motion.
Cyrus didn't have time to think. He moved almost instinctively. He fell on the ground and rolled to the side, avoiding the slashing claws by just a few centimeters, yet still feeling their cold touch that had just barely missed his back.
Surprisingly, Sylvie did the same. Well… almost the same. The red-haired girl squealed, but she still covered the back of her head with both hands before she dropped down and hugged the bark of the closest tree, dodging the bird's attack by just a hair's breadth!
'What the hell is this thing?' Cyrus wanted to curse out loud, but he only had time to sort out his thoughts before the giant bird recovered from its stupor and realized it had missed both its targets. It only hesitated for a moment before its small, beady eyes locked onto him, like a hunter that had already decided on its prey. With another flap of its wings, it suddenly launched a second strike!
Cyrus knew that he couldn't fight the bird. There was no way he could win against it! He could tell from the bird's speed alone that it was definitely faster than the first guard, while its talons would almost certainly rip him in half. He could still see the sharp marks they had left on the trunk of the violet tree when it'd just missed Sylvie's head. There was no way his body could stand up against them.
And yet… it was those same marks that had a chance to save him!
Without any hesitation, Cyrus bolted towards the nearest violet tree before he dove down next to its trunk. Unlike Sylvie however, he didn't just stop there and take cover. He couldn't just pray that the bird would miss his head the same way it had missed hers. No, if prayers worked, one of them would have rescued him from the Red Arena long ago.
Instead, he just kept running around the outer area of the forest, looking for a spot where the violet trees were more clustered together.
The giant bird screeched and continued to give chase, but despite its speed that was leagues above Cyrus's, it couldn't maneuver itself as freely in the forest. The tiny human seemed to glide between the trees every time it got too close, and take cover behind their trunks just as it was about to land a strike, so their game of cat and mouse that should have ended in just a few seconds continued for almost half a minute.
Cyrus didn't know if he could make it or if his plan would even hold in the first place, but he still kept running. He didn't have any other choice. Not one he could think of, at least, in the situation he was in right now. He could try and circle around one of the trees and dodge the bird's pursuit for a while, but that wouldn't save him. It would have only delayed the inevitable. Sooner or later, he and Sylvie would have to sleep or look for food and water, and there was no guarantee that the bird wouldn't be there waiting for them. At the same time, this was only the first threat they'd encountered in the forest, and if Sylvie's story was true, this place was much more dangerous than that!
Even Bloodsworn warriors had to be careful in this place. So even if he waited until the bird got tired and gave up on its pursuit, who could guarantee that there wouldn't be another one just around the corner, or even worse, something even more dangerous? And all of this was assuming that the guards of the Red Arena hadn't entered the forest yet, something that Cyrus highly doubted.
Besides, it was obvious that this thing was hungry and had already set its sights on him; he had to get rid of it one way or another!
The bird screeched again, but Cyrus didn't stop running. He even increased his speed and gave up on conserving whatever strength he had left! He'd finally found what he'd been looking for.
A dozen meters ahead of him, Cyrus could see five trees in proximity to each other, their branches practically intertwined.
Looking for the narrowest gap between them, he made a run for it, giving it everything he had left!
…And the moment he slipped through the clearance, he heard it– another screech, this one sharper than the rest! The bird had followed him!
A bone-jarring crack followed, accompanied by a pained cry that almost pierced Cyrus's eardrums, sending him staggering for a few steps as he clutched his ears.
But it was there. As he forced himself to turn around, Cyrus saw it.
The branches of the two violet trees trembled briefly, but their enormous trunks remained the same; as sturdy and unmoveable as ever. A few twigs had barely snapped from the impact, but the trees were so big it was barely noticeable!
And between the two trees, Cyrus could see it; the figure of a huge yellow bird was trapped there, its beady black eyes staring at him with madness, hunger, and fury!
Cyrus knew that the bird had tunnel-visioned on him and hadn't factored in the width between the trees. After all, Cyrus had been right in front of it this whole time.
Whether that was a lapse in the bird's judgment blinded by greed or a momentary lack of intelligence, Cyrus didn't know. But he had been banking on this from the start.
He knew that there were some spots in the forest where a giant beast like the bird wouldn't be able to get through. Especially when it was flying at full speed this entire time and barely taking in its surroundings.
Staring at the trapped monster that was desperately trying to escape its self-made prison, Cyrus considered his options for a moment.
He really wanted to kill the damn thing! He had no reason to let it go either, and this was the best chance he'd get. While it was still trapped and defenseless!
As long as he took a rock and started smashing it on its head, beast or not, this thing was bound to die, right?
And yet, Cyrus also knew that he couldn't waste more time here. Putting aside if he even had enough strength remaining to deal with the damn beast, he didn't know what other dangers this forest held right now. What if another bird came by while he tried to finish this thing off? What if the guards of the Red Arena found him instead? He just shivered at the thought of the latter!
So after throwing one final glance at the trapped avian monstrosity, he gritted his teeth and walked around it, as he made his way back toward Sylvie.
..
Unsurprisingly, the young girl had been waiting for him at the same spot he'd had left her. The moment she spotted Cyrus coming back, safe and sound on top of it, Sylvie couldn't help but let out a loud yelp, before she ran towards him and began sobbing and apologizing.
And it was then… that Cyrus finally collapsed!