Chapter 5 - 4. The Red of Scorching Sun
Sharp, predatory eyes. Red fur blazing reflecting the burning sun. And a snarling sneer, as if mocking.
Zen stared at the red sclera and black irises of the beast. It was a wolf, or was it a dog? As big as a horse, and probably twice as heavy. He tried hard to hold into the collapsed roof, as the groaning sound beneath it sent knives stabbing through his soul.
They stared at each other, a beast and a guide. With blazing arrogance and cold fury.
Askan's instinct as an esper was to slay this beast first, but the sound of a weak groan from beneath the rubble tied his hand. If he let go, with the weight of the beast, the collapsing ceiling would definitely crush the twins. But if they did nothing...
And then, the beast moved. In a swift and ferocious movement that didn't give the esper any room for assembling his weapon, the beast swung its front leg to the guide.
Damnit! Askan cursed inwardly. Of course it would—beast would always attack the weaker one.
He couldn't even shout a warning to the guide, just watched in dread as the claw came to swat at Zen.
But it never did.
Askan thought he would either see the guide getting thrown from the impact or getting clawed into a bloody mess.
Instead, Askan watched with widened eyes as Zen caught the beast's claw with his bare hand. And it wasn't just a sudden spurt of strength driven by recklessness. There was a surge of magic power along Zen's arm that was used to grab on the beast's claw.
Both Askan and the beast were shocked. But the shock wasn't as big as when Zen strengthened the grip he had on the beast's leg and pumped magic power into his hand.