“Stay away from her Humphrey!” George’s commanding voice rang out. “She’s not a possession for you to own.”

  “She is mine.” Humphrey hissed. All the loudness and nobility had been taken out of Humphrey’s voice; now, he sounded like a serpent. “She just hasn’t realised it yet.”

  George took a step toward his brother.

  “What has happened to you?” He asked. “You no longer even feel human.”

  Humphrey’s laugh sent chills down Mat’s spine. Spring’s breathing was ragged.

  “Get off of me.” She whispered.

  “I can’t.” Mat said. “I won’t let him take you.”

  “Mat, sweetness, I need you to trust me here. I know you’re scared. So am I. But we need to fight if we want to get out of this alive. You won’t let him take me? Well, I won’t let him kill you. Now please, let go of me.”

  Reluctantly, Mat loosened his grip on Spring, letting her put herself in danger. It was stupid. If he lost Spring, he didn’t think he could live with the mistake.

  He already almost lost her.

  Mat stood up alongside her, not letting her do this alone.

  Mat could sent Sam sneaking away from them.

  Was he going to leave them behind. Mat supposed he couldn’t blame Sam.

  Sam was now where the broken window was, and Mat wondered if he might jump.

  Sam caught Mat’s eye and pointed to Humphrey, then mimicked people talking.

  Mat caught on quickly.

  Sam wasn’t leaving them.

  He just needed a distraction.

  “Leave us alone Humphrey.” Spring said. “Why can’t you just let me be happy.”

  “I do want you to be happy. Just with me. I need you Spring.”

  Mat hadn’t spoken yet. He was analysing Humphrey. His handsome dark face was gone, now replaced by a husky, lifeless body. Even though he was still alive.

  On his cheeks were blue runes engraved into the skin.

  His wings were now a dark purple colour, and his sword matched that colour.

  Humphrey had gone through whatever that other man had. They could have been working together, but Mat doubted it.

  Sam’s wand was out and he was pointing it at Humphrey.

  “Humphrey!” Mat cried. “What a pleasure to see you again.”

  Humphrey’s eyes swivelled to stare at Mat.

  It felt like his soul was being burnt with each second Humphrey stared at him.

  Mat refused to back down. Instead of curling up into a ball, Mat stood a little taller.

  Mat’s fake excitement vanished.

  “Get out of here.” Mat said coldly.

  “You’re still with this rat?” Humphrey asked Spring.

  “Don’t call him that.” Spring said. “Unless you want to go through the pain of our last fight again.”

  Humphrey cried with laughter; literally.

  “I don’t think you understand Spring.”

  “Oh I understand perfectly.”

  “I gave you a chance. Now I’m going to -”

  A large beam of red light tore through Humphrey’s body from behind, stopping just before George’s face.

  Humphrey roared in pain, turning his body to stare at Sam.

  Sam looked alarmed but didn’t stop his spell.

  Mat idly wondered what Bloodlines Sam had, given how many different things he had done, but didn’t have time to think about it much.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Pulling out his dagger, Mat lunged at Humphrey’s behind, ramming it into the spot between his wings. It slid through his body, blood running out from the wound.

  Humphrey’s wings wacked him, sending Mat flying. Spring leapt into the air and grabbed him, stopping him from flying out of the room.

  Her Sword of Eternal Flame appeared in her hand and she shot into Humphrey, blocking the attack meant for Sam with her sword.

  George glanced back to check on Mat.

  When Mat nodded at him, George focused all his attention on Humphrey.

  He swung his sword down on Humphrey’s head, but he caught it in his hand. Kicking Spring with his foot, Humphrey swung George’s own sword back at him. George leapt into the air, dodging the attack and getting control back over his sword.

  “Leave me brother.” Humphrey said.

  Mat ran up to Humphrey, throwing to the side to avoid another hit from his wings. Mat’s dagger made a shallow cut in Humphrey’s foot, but it didn’t even appear to hurt him.

  Sam had blocked Spring’s flight through the air, using a magical wall to launch her back into the battle.

  Mat rolled away from Humphrey’s foot, dodging the kick that was going to strike him.

  “Spring!” Mat shouted. “Duck!”

  Spring followed without hesitation, avoiding a sword strike from Humphrey.

  Growling, he swung his sword in Sam’s direction, bars of purple shooting out of his sword in horizontal waves.

  Sam looked panicked, but George shot in his direction shoving him out of the window. George flew down after him.

  Mat and Spring were alone with Humphrey.

  Humphrey relaxed, certain that the battle was won.

  “Give up rat. I might let you live.”

  “Spring doesn’t want you Humphrey. You need to understand that.”

  “She is a foolish child. She is yet to realise that I’m perfect for her.”

  Spring’s Sword of Eternal Flame dug deep inside Humphrey.

  She hadn’t been able to merge the jewel into it so the pain was less intense than it could have been but it still hurt.

  Humphrey lashed out at Spring.

  Mat froze time as the first hit was only inches away from cutting into Spring.

  He dragged her out of the way and took her place, blocking with the dagger.

  The sword, despite its great size, was easily stopped by the dagger. Humphrey was shocked, and that gave Spring a free second to attack.

  Mat kicked at Humphrey’s stomach, only sending him back a few inches.

  Humphrey stabbed his sword down, about to smash Spring’s head in, when George shot through the broken window, dropping Sam off. He slammed into Humphrey’s chest, blocking the sword strike aimed at Spring with his wings.

  Humphrey’s large purple wings consumed George, other than his white wings, and all they could hear was the sound of swords clashing.

  “Are you alright Spring?” Mat asked. She have him a thumbs up, trying to get her breath back. “Sam?”

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

  “What do we do?” Spring asked. “How can we attack Humphrey now without risking George.”

  Mat thought about it.

  “We do shallow cuts on the wings. Try to rip them open like a curtain. George needs more space.”

  George could barely move, only able to swing his sword in very small slashes.

  Given the lack of space, Humphrey effortlessly blocked all of his attacks.

  George didn’t want to kill his brother; in some ways he loved his brother. But he wouldn’t let him take or kill any of his friends.

  George found it weird that Humphrey both wanted Spring and also had tried to kill her.

  To be fair, George was sure Humphrey wasn’t thinking rationally.

  “Brother please!” George cried. “I don’t want to kill you.”

  “You are too weak.” Humphrey mocked. “I am superior to all of you, and you need to understand that.”

  “What happened to you?” George asked.

  “I evolved.” Humphrey said. “I am more than a mere human. I might as well be a God.”

  “No, you aren’t.” George cried. “You are a corrupt little man. What have you done to yourself?”

  Humphrey let out a low rumble as his sword pushed against George’s. Blood pattered onto George’s face, dripping from one of Humphrey’s wings.

  “What the hell?” Humphrey growled.

  Light invaded the small enclosed space, and George could see flashes of weapons striking the wings.

  Mat plunged his dagger into Humphrey’s wings, pushing them from the top to the bottom to rip them open as much as he could.

  Sam was shooting bolts of lightning at the wings, weakening them with each hit.

  George became easily visible. Mat ran to the other side, stabbing into the centre of Humphrey’s back.

  A foot kicked back but Mat effortlessly jumped out of the way.

  George finally had a safe moment and used it to escape Humphrey.

  Spring joined Mat, slashing at Humphrey’s back.

  As he was about to twirl around, badly injuring Spring with a sword slash, Mat froze time, getting her out of the way.

  The sword twirled through the air but hit no targets. Spring wasn’t concerned; she trusted that Mat was doing it in her best interest.

  George shot a tornado of wind in Humphrey’s direction, forcing him onto unstable footing.

  Spring’s sword slipped into his back and Mat smashed the dagger into his chest.

  Somehow, Humphrey survived all of this, but he knew he couldn’t keep the fight up forever.

  His damaged wings flapped and he shot out of the broken window. George took off after him, unwilling to let him get away.

  George returned half an hour later, Humphrey long gone.

  “He escaped.” George said bitterly.

  “That’s fine.” Mat said. “Because we learned something from all of this.”

  Mat handed over a few pieces of paper, letting George look at them with great interest.

  “These symbols…”

  “Were on Humphrey’s face.” Mat finished. “Now we have a reference for what the runes do. Sam!” Mat called. “Do you think you can get any information about the runes from Humphrey?”

  Sam was already scribbling away in that notebook of his.

  “On it.” He said.

  “Perfect.” Mat said. “Everything is going to work out fine.” That was a lie, and he knew it.

  Humphrey staggered through the forest, blood seeping from him.

  The rat had done very little, but the scholar had done major damage. If only Spring could see how perfect they would be together.

  He would build her an empire. All she had to do was accept him.

  She would have a comfortable life. She could stay at home, he would bring her cultivation materials and run their empire.

  She would be beautiful and happy.

  Yet she continued to stay with the rat. It made his stomach churn.

  Finally he reached the location of The Order.

  “Heal me.” Humphrey demanded. “Right now.”

  “What did you -”

  “Do it.” A deep voice rumbled.

  “Yes my lord.” The black cloaked figure in front of him said, taking Humphrey away. At least somebody understood his worth.