17. Mitra


Zael looked around the room as the four entered it. Lines of orange glowed on the walls, but as the lines neared the Outsider rock itself, they slowly turned from orange to blue.

"I guess Zangurak could only control it so much." Asthar noted. "Then again, it is the opposite of his power, so he wouldn't be able to control it entirely."

"Wait, what?" Zael looked towards Asthar, frowning. "The opposite of his power?"

"When the Outsider was split in two," Arganan quickly explained, and Zael looked towards the older man, "There were two guardian beasts for each half – Sentinel Beasts. The beast that guards the Gurak half of the Outsider is Atar. The beast that guards the Lazulis half of the Outsider is called Mitra."

"And that's the being that killed you last time." Zael managed.

Arganan visibly grimaced, but nodded.

"Mitra's likely enraged from being suppressed by Zangurak's power here. I wouldn't' be surprised if, the moment you activate the Outsider, it lashes out at you because you're changing this castle into a fortress."

"If we risk angering it," Therius immediately spoke up, "Wouldn't that be a bad idea to turn this place into a fortress again, then? Especially considering what happened last time?"

"It's the only way we're going to get close enough to Zangurak." Arganan argued. "It's a risk, but what else can we do about it!?"

"Sir Therius has a point." Asthar pleaded. "If we enrage Mitra, it could result in the opposite effect of what we hope for."

"At least Zael didn't directly piss off Mitra last time." The Count pointed out. "It was me. And I'm dead now. Zael and the others managed to defeat it last time and get it under control, mostly, so it should be easier, shouldn't it?"

"I don't think past experience can really speak for our current situation." Zael managed, and Arganan glared at him. "None of the others that were with us, last time we fought Mitra, are here except for you, Count. And even if you're dead, what if it tries to just attack you anyway?"

"Well, we won't find out until we try activating the Outsider half, so…"

Zael sighed. Arganan had a good point about that part. He took a deep breath, and extended his right hand towards the Outsider.

The entire Outsider half glowed blue, before it shot through all the lines leading up to it. All the lines turned from orange to a complete blue, and a loud roar echoed from the rock. Zael took a few steps back as the Outsider sunk down into the ground, only for a large beast to emerge. It rose into the air, beating the air with its massive, multiple wings, before staring down at the group with another roar.

"Mitra," Arganan breathed.

Zael didn't have to look at Mitra to know it was angry; he could tell by its loud cry, piercing through the room, that it was enraged. Its eyes glowed blue, before swooping down towards Zael. Zael himself tried to run out of the way, but it captured him in its large claws, lifting him into the air.

"Zael!" Zael heard Therius cry out, but Zael couldn't stop himself from screaming as Mitra carried him in its claws.

Where was it taking him? Zael tried to struggle against Mitra's grip, but it was cold and tight, with little wiggle room.

"P-please, stop!" Zael yelped, coughing as the rushing air around him got caught in his throat. "We only want to stop Zangurak!"

A roar answered him, and he felt the grip around him tighten.

Was this how things were going to end? Was he going to die, seconds from now?

He heard another roar, this time pained, and the claws around him loosened. Zael found himself plummeting to the ground below as someone shouted his name.