Running After Defeat

*Wooh!* As the Mage Sword was about to strike him, an enormous figure appeared before Akaban’s eyes in a flash of red flames.

“No!” Akaban watched his beloved mount get torn apart before his eyes, pitiful moans spilling from its gaping jaw. The flaming horse had moved in front of him, laying down its life to take the killing blow.

“Was that Flame Teleportation? I wouldn’t have been able to stop you if you fled… What a pity.” Although he was uttering such words, Leylin still moved to the flaming horse’s side. The demigod seemed to sense its imminent death, and it turned towards Akaban. Its eyes were full of admiration and helplessness, regret that it had to leave its partner behind.

The horse then summoned up the remaining trickles of its divine force, and an enormous sphere of flames enveloped Akaban. He disappeared from sight.

“NO!” The only thing that remained was Akaban’s pained roar, his regret reverberating in the plains.

This noble steed had been his partner in all his fights. He loved and trusted it more than he did his imperial...