A Close Escape

BOOM! POP! FIZZ! CRACKLE! BOOM! Humongous bursts of color, sparks, and fire surrounded the fairytale teens from out of nowhere.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Apple screamed.

"дерьмо!" Rotbart yelled.

"What's happening?!" Apple wailed. But Rotbart knew there was no time to contemplate that.

"Hold on!" He shouted. And he gripped Apple tightly and started maneuvering through the explosions as fast as he could.

Apple didn't need to be told twice. She held on for dear life as Rotbart zigzagged through the air.

"To your left!" She shouted. Rotbart swerved to avoid a huge rocket. It exploded the second they were out of its path.

"DUCK!" Apple yelled as she pulled Rotbart's head down by yanking on his shirt collar. Yet another rocket whizzed over their heads and burst into showers of sparks behind them. "Can't we go any faster?!" She asked.

"No, this is as fast as the cloak goes with two people!" Rotbart said.

Apple's eyes widened. "DON'T DROP ME!" She shouted over the din of a nearby explosion.

"I WON'T!" Rotbart shouted back. "Now climb on my back!"

"What?!"

"TRUST ME!" He yelled. ""HURRY!" With surprising speed, Apple managed to do as she was told. Once Apple was safely on his back with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, Rotbart waved both of his arms to create a large, glowing ball of dark blue magic.

"What are you..." Apple began. But before she could finish, Rotbart hurled the ball towards the earth. There was a loud boom and screaming and shouting below. Rotbart took the opportunity to quickly fly away.

"What did you DO?!" Apple exclaimed in horror. "Did you-"

"No! Relax, it was just a poof spell."

"A poof spell? What's a poof spell?!" Apple asked worriedly.

"Just a bunch of colored smoke." Rotbart explained. "Don't fret, princess; nobody got hurt. It's just enough to confuse them and prevent them from shooting any more fireworks."

"Good." Apple sighed in relief. She was glad Rotbart's magic didn't actually harm anyone. "Thank you for saving me." She said sincerely.

"Ugh, I gotta stop doing that." Rotbart groaned. "But thanks for keeping my head from getting blown off."

"You're welcome." Apple replied. "I wonder why those people were setting off fireworks anyway?"

Rotbart shrugged. "Some party, I guess. Oh look," He said as he pointed below to a small clearing. "We're here."