Chapter 30 Cat and Dog Battle She completely ignored all of that and hugged him tightly…

Although it took Aidan a long time to recover, he appeared more composed than her.

He took something from the pile of medicine bottles on the cabinet, then pushed open the back door and examined the footprints and bloodstains on the floor.

"They went into the forest."

Ashlin stood rooted to the spot, her feet bound tightly by dense roots, rendering her unable to move.

Tara was killed by the monster, and she herself was inextricably linked to it.

The monster was trapped outside, asleep... Somehow her magic awakened it, or opened the door for it.

At that moment, she felt incredibly confident and full of power. But this power broke free from the monster's shackles.

She actually thought she was in control of the whole situation. Could anyone be more arrogant and conceited than her?

Her magic killed a living elf. It was she who awakened the beast, and it was she who tacitly allowed Tara to bring Lucas home to heal him.

Her mistakes snowballed, growing bigger and bigger, from simply mispronouncing words at the beginning to her now self-righteous, wild magic.

She thought she had made progress. Was she?

If she were to raise her hand at this moment, she would surely see that her hands are covered in blood.

Suddenly, another pair of hands landed on her shoulders. She shuddered and almost jumped up.

He gazed at her.

"Don't you want to save Lucas?"

This name finally allowed reason to slowly creep into her mind.

Her responsibility, she thought. The reason she embarked on her journey.

But suddenly these concepts became insignificant, and what brought her back to her senses was not her sense of responsibility. Some other words flashed into her mind.

Partner. Colleague. Friend.

Blue eyes, a gentle voice, soft black fur.

She cannot lose these. She has already caused the death of an innocent elf.

What if it wasn't Tara lying on the ground, but Lucas? She found herself unable to even imagine that scene; vomiting was a little easier in comparison.

No, she forced herself back to reality.

Lucas is certainly still alive; he's just missing a corner of his cloak. He'll be alright.

"Of course, of course."

They followed the paw prints into a dark forest. They could hear nothing but the low hooting of owls.

The glowing mushrooms gradually disappeared, and Ashlin raised her staff, letting the green fluorite illuminate the path.

The branches twisted and intertwined like the claws of a dark witch, and the veins on the trunk reminded her of eyes staring at her intently. She kept her eyes fixed on the roots beneath her feet, knowing she would soon trip over them—a lesson she had learned as a child in the ash forest.

Aidan stopped.

"listen."

Ashlin pricked up her ears.

Not far away, from the south, came the sound of snoring.

They carefully circled around the tree roots, pressed their backs against the trunk, and slowly looked toward the sound of snoring.

She covered her mouth to prevent herself from screaming.

A live, three-headed dog was fast asleep under a pile of stones in a forest clearing, making a deafening noise.

Several swarms of mosquitoes were sucked in by those nostrils and then spat out.

What it held in its arms was none other than the Nocari Magic Flute.

Suddenly, with a snap, a tree branch broke behind her.

Her mind was in chaos. Without thinking, she was about to attack the newcomer with the surrounding plants when she bumped into a pair of tired blue eyes.

"Shh!" Before she could exclaim in surprise, Lucas quickly pressed his finger to his lips.

He looked absolutely terrible.

Covered in mud and fallen leaves, his black hair was disheveled like a bird's nest, mixed with blood and sweat, partially obscuring his eyes. There were several scratches on his nose and chin, and his cloak and shirt were tattered. He smelled of blood and monsters, as if he had just taken a bath in hell.

Ashlin completely ignored all of this and hugged him tightly.

Now they're both just as dirty and smelly.

She doesn't care.

This might not be the most appropriate way to address her in this situation, but given that he called her by her nickname first, she felt she had to retaliate.

Aidan nodded stiffly.

"You hypnotized Cerberus with the Magic Flute."

“It was only temporary, and in the end it still took it away,” Lucas said. “There was nothing I could do.” He repeated the sentence, his voice like shattered glass.

Seeing Lucas alive finally dispelled some of the fog in Ashlinn's mind. She cheered up and tried her best not to think about the dead Tara.

At least it's not the worst of it yet; the Magic Flute is within reach. The elven knights cannot have sacrificed themselves in vain, and Tara certainly hopes the Magic Flute will return to the palace.

"Tara stole it?" Ashlin said in shock. "Well, um... there's one more thing. The Magic Flute is Death's gift. Wait, that's not the most important thing."

She took another breath, trying to clear her jumbled thoughts.

"Dragonbone Bow, yes. The Forest Goddess gave me a hint. The Dragonbone Bow can kill a Chimera."

“Then it can also send Cerberus back to the Spirit Realm. Perhaps not immediately, but it can be done some time after he is wounded by the arrow,” Aidan said. “But Ilovenia’s last dragonbone bow was buried with Lord Cliff.”

Ashlin didn't speak, but instead rummaged through her spatial backpack and pulled out the dragonbone bow that Charlotte from Dragontooth Village had given them.

Aidan asked in surprise, "Where did you get this?"

Ashlin's eyes searched her surroundings; there must be another way.

She picked up the branch that Lucas had just broken off. The branch had a sharp end and green leaves at the top, and it was about the length of an arrow.

“Don’t tell me you want to shoot Cerberus with a stick,” Lucas said skeptically.

Ashlin rolled her eyes.

The two boys immediately understood what she meant.

“A clever move,” Lucas said, “but it’s ultimately a disguise. Can it really kill Cerberus?”

“Then we’ll just have to give it a try.” Ashlin shrugged and dripped one or three drops of the potion onto three arrow-shaped branches.

The effect was immediate. Three arrows with feathered tails appeared before their eyes in an instant.

Lucas took the bow and arrow.

"So, Aidan, do you have your harp with you?"

The musician nodded.

“Very good. Aidan, use your harp to distract the three-headed dog. Ashlyn, you use forest magic to retrieve the magic flute and protect us as needed. I'm the only one of the three who can use a bow and arrow; I'll shoot down those three dog heads,” Lucas said.

“Remember, don’t let your guard down after you kill it,” Aidan warned. “Monsters born of darkness need time to truly die.”

Lucas nodded.

"I'm talking about the worst-case scenario. The best-case scenario is that I kill it immediately before it wakes up."

Of course, things are not that simple.

The moment he nocked the arrow, the magic of the Dragonbone Bow was imbued into it, shaking a vast area of ​​forest.

The pine and cypress trees swayed together, pebbles and fallen leaves leaping and dancing, as if the forest itself were hosting a party. The wind blew by, and Ashlin's large hat obscured her eyes.

The three-headed dog rolled over, and in an instant, six blood-red eyes opened simultaneously. Ashlin remained motionless, suddenly feeling as if she had been struck by those eyes.

“Do as I say!” Lucas shouted.

The three-headed dog quickly got up, shook its head at them, and growled, making it difficult for them to focus their attention.

Aidan picked up his lute, and the lighthearted tune made Cerberus turn around again, momentarily releasing the Magic Flute of Nocali.

Ashlin adjusted her hood, regained her senses, and took the opportunity to rush forward. Just a second before her fingers touched the magic flute, she was simultaneously roared at by three dog mouths.

The stench of decay enveloped her, and she couldn't help but cough repeatedly, wishing she could cough up her internal organs.

The middle head of the three-headed dog picked up the magic flute and pounced on Ashlin.

“Hey, little puppy!” Lucas’s voice came from above the pile of stones. “Look here!”

The three dog heads looked at him in confusion, gazing expectantly at Lucas. All three heads tilted to the side, seemingly anticipating a new game.

Lucas had just confidently drawn his bow, but the arrow hadn't even been released yet.

Just then, a ray of sunlight shone through the woods.

The sunlight at dawn.

Ashlin's heart sank.

"Damn it," Lucas cursed.

His human form faded, and he became that black cat.

The arrow fell from the pile of stones to the ground in front of Cerberus, as if it were a joke. If he had been a second faster, Cerberus might already be dead.

She and Aidan exchanged a glance; one was a witch, the other a musician, and neither of them knew how to shoot an arrow. The cat certainly didn't.

However, she overlooked a more serious problem.

The moment Lucas turned into a cat, Aidan's nose became red and swollen.

Then he sneezed violently, so violently that even the three-headed dog stopped in shock, only to sneeze again as he sneezed and wiped away tears.

Things have come to this point, completely deviating from all their plans.

Lucas retreated hastily, trying to get as far away from Aidan as possible, but the Great Musician's symptoms showed no signs of improvement.

Aidan tried to continue playing despite his discomfort, but the constant sneezing made it impossible for him to continue.

"Plan A has failed; activate Plan B!" Lucas shouted.

"Uh, do we have a Plan B?"

“Aidan, withdraw from the fight,” Lucas ordered. “I’ll distract Cerberus and retrieve the Magic Flute. Ashlyn, you’re in charge of shooting it.”

Ashley thought she had misheard.

“You heard me right,” Lucas said, as if he could hear her thoughts, “Take up your bow and arrow, Ashlin! This is our only chance!”

"I know absolutely nothing about archery!"

"Eight moves?! You really need to redefine the word 'simple'!"

Aidan put down his violin and ran to the stream to find the right angle of sunlight, trying to use the rainbow to summon rescue.

Ashlin picked up the bow and arrows, rolled under the three-headed dog, and returned to the tree trunk. She gasped for breath, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of her chest at any moment.

Calm down, calm down, she told herself.

She's a witch, not an archer, so let's solve the archery problem using witchcraft.

She trembled as she opened the notebook in her backpack again.

"You're still reviewing your notes at a time like this?" Lucas asked sharply, leaping off the three-headed dog.

Ashlin didn't have time to argue with him.

Healing spells, cat-talking spells, illusion spells... are not in this pile.

She vaguely remembered that she had memorized some very similar spells to avoid confusion and even labeled them, but unfortunately the labels had long since fallen to who-knows-where, and she really didn't quite understand them.

She frantically flipped through the pages, then suddenly stopped when she finally saw the "Spiritual Category".

There are many spells related to the mind, soul, and memory, and they are very easy to go wrong with. The Truth-Revealing Spell, the Mantra for Revealing One's True Nature…

Memory-sharing spell. Allows you to objectively see the other person's memories from a third-person perspective.

Although the duration is short, she only needs a few minutes. She's not good at this type of spell, but she has no other choice but to take this gamble.

Ashlin raised her staff, pointed it at Lucas, and chanted rapidly.

"Per Magicae Vinculum, Memorias Nostras Coniunge!"

Nothing happened.

“You’ve definitely missed something,” Lucas yelled as the three-headed dog chased after him. “Take a good look at how the teacher wrote it!”

How is Sanova written?

Ashlin squinted and saw a tiny line of text under the spell, so small that it was barely recognizable as writing: Physical Contact.

“Kitten, come here!” Ashlin turned around. “This spell requires us to touch each other.”

Clearly, Lucas had no time to deal with her.

The three-headed dog gradually approached him, with the Magic Flute still behind it.

The black cat's ears were pressed tightly back, its fur looked like it was exploding, and its thick tail was raised. It hissed at the three-headed dog like a snake and raised a harmless paw.

Ashlin made a snap decision, then made the nearest tree bend down, its branches lifting the black cat and handing it to her. A few dry leaves flew onto his face, and he stuck out his tongue.

"They offer this kind of service?" he complained.

She hugged him, hastily stroked his fur, and chanted the spell again.

"Per Magicae Vinculum, Memorias Nostras Coniunge!"

In an instant, their eyes were filled with green and blue. Green belonged to Ashlin's soul, while blue belonged to Lucas.

But at this moment, they intertwine and gradually merge into one, transforming into the dazzling, bright blue-green of the summer beach.

They temporarily shared memories.

Nine-year-old Lucas climbed out the window to play with the children in the lower town, only to be locked in the dungeon for three whole nights, the marks of the shackles on his wrists burning red. Twelve-year-old Lucas wandered sullenly through his birthday party, casting suspicious glances at all the nobles who came to congratulate and give him gifts, but those glances were fleeting, quickly replaced by ingratiating smiles, just like the other nobles.

She saw Nicholas II leading thirteen-year-old Lucas through a long hall, showing him a glittering crown framed in glass, topped with an extremely red ruby.

Under the sunlight, nothing else in the world matters anymore, as if it carries the meaning of the entire universe.

“This is your future, Lucas,” he said earnestly, “but you need to earn it yourself.”

Fifteen-year-old Lucas crouched at the doorway of his parents' bedroom, eavesdropping on their conversation. Nicholas II's face was grim.

“Our son is playful and lazy. Do you know that he went out riding a horse alone today to look for the ‘unicorn in the forest’?”

"It's not a bad thing to let him go out occasionally."

“If only Elaine and Lucas were to switch genders,” the King said somberly. “Elaine is always so smart and hardworking.”

“Nicholas,” Queen Gracia retorted, “it’s nothing, Elaine can inherit the throne just the same.”

“Enough!” Gracia slammed his hand on the table, and Lucas shuddered. “The Elf Valley and the Orcs are ruled by women. When are you going to put aside your prejudices? If I say Elaine can be queen, then she can be.”

"He won't."

Who's outside?

They turned around at the same time.

In the blink of an eye, the court proceedings ended, and before him lay a jostling crowd. Lucas, about the same age as he was now, wore a navy blue hood and wandered through the downtown market, head down, searching for something. Soon he came to a herbal stall and picked up a bottle of blue potion.

Ashlin leaned closer and realized it was actually white and green. He held it high, and it gleamed with an eerie light in the moonlight.

She shook her head. No. That's Lucas's privacy.

All you need to know is how to use a bow and arrow. That's it. Lock all other doors to memory.

Ashlin blushed.

"Don't look around!"

"I didn't see it; you only saw it because you couldn't help thinking about it!"

"I didn't mean to!"

The black cat darted behind the three-headed dog again.

Ashlin searched her mind with incantations, desperately trying to block out irrelevant memories. The image of Lucas shooting arrows at the range flooded her mind.

She drew three fake arrows from her side, raised her bow, nocked an arrow, drew it fully, and aimed.

However, just as she aimed at the three dogs, a voice struck her.

Does she really want to kill this creature that's just trying to maintain balance?

It's a living being, isn't it? And how is it different from a dragon?

She was able to break free from the obsession with dragon training that her predecessors had with, so why did she continue to kill living beings relentlessly?

Don't all the stories in the book say the same thing? Kindness is the noblest quality.

She suddenly realized that this was the first time she would have to kill a life with her own hands.

Is the three-headed dog considered a life? Actually, it doesn't truly die; it simply returns to the spirit world. And when the boundary between life and death is broken again, it may still cross the veil.

"Ashlin, what are you doing?" the black cat cried urgently. "If you don't kill it soon, I'll die first!"

Tara is dead. Lucas is dying too. What is she struggling with?

Ashlin was determined.

She drew her bow, but the instant she released the arrow, the three-headed dog veered off course and bit Lucas's tail.

The black cat bared its teeth and hissed, and the dog released it, resuming the dog-chasing-cat game.

The arrow pierced the trunk of a pine tree.

"Oh, sorry!" She immediately picked up another branch, took out the illusion potion, but her hand trembled and the potion dripped onto the stone at her feet.

The stone turned into a ball.

"Ashlin!" Lucas was already out of breath.

"Hey, doggy, want to fetch?" Ashlind tossed the ball to the three-headed dog, briefly attracting its attention.

It immediately chased after the ball, its tail wagging incessantly. At this moment, it seemed no different from an ordinary dog, its three heads arguing with each other over who deserved to play with the ball.

She took the opportunity to apply the medicine again and nocked the arrow once more.

The ball's allure to the three-headed dog was fleeting. Before long, its gaze returned to the black cat.

"Spare me," Lucas sighed, and began to climb the tree.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The three whooshing sounds were almost in a single line, as the three arrows struck the three heads of the three-headed dog with perfect accuracy.

The monster let out three screams, startling all the crows in the forest into flight. Its heads seemed to droop limply, its heavy body collapsed to the ground, dust billowing, and the magic flute rolled off its back.

Ashlin breathed a sigh of relief and ran towards the corpse of the three-headed dog, wanting to retrieve the magic flute.

However, it is not entirely a corpse.

By the time she remembered the forest nymph's advice, it was too late; by the time she recalled Aidan's words, "not immediately," it was too late; and by the time she heard Lucas's curses (such as "Idiot, come back!"), it was also too late.

Perhaps her mind and soul became more confused due to the shared memories, and she still couldn't act with all her reason.

The three-headed dog, with an arrow stuck in its head, pounced on her and knocked her to the ground.

She struggled to turn around, only to be met with three gaping, blood-red mouths.

Countless sharp fangs ripped through the air, biting down hard on her body in a final act of revenge before death.

Author's note: All the spells in the story are made up in Latin. I haven't studied Latin, so they might seem quite silly at first glance... but you can find their meanings with a quick search (?).