The Unicorn

"Aris and Frey were with me when it attacked. Don't know where it came from, just-" Warrick tried to catch Markus up to speed as they ran towards the forest. He was already winded but was spurred on by the fact that Markus terrified him.

"Frey, she told me to get help while-"

"Yeah," Markus knew how Frey was. But if even she was having trouble...

"Does anyone else know?"

Warrick shook his head, unable to speak.

"Keep it that way."

The younger boy nodded, skidding to a stop near the clearing. He gulped, pointing a shaky finger at the creature.

It had the body of a white horse, albeit with a twisting horn sprouting from its forehead. Aris stood trembling in front of it, sword raised as he tried to lure it away from his fallen comrade.

"Shit," Markus swore as he saw them. "I'll distract it. Get them away from here."

Without hesitation, Markus ran towards the unicorn, waving his sword and yelling, "Hey, over here!"

At his very clever and original words, the creature turned, neighing like a demented horse. Still, it gave Warrick an opening to help drag Frey away from it.

Markus held his sword with both hands, pointing it at the unicorn. He already had a plan, a crazy, Alexis-type plan, forming in his head.

Speaking of, Alexis had shoved Noah behind a rock for cover as soon as she saw the equestrian nightmare. She crouched next to him, pulling out a dagger as she dumped another one into his lap.

'Markus can handle this.' She told herself. 'But on the off chance he can't...'

The unicorn decided to charge at the guard, who was backed into a sturdy elm tree. He waited till the last second, then dropped, rolling to the side (oldest trick in the book).

The unicorn's horn impaled the trunk, giving Markus the few seconds he needed to slice it off near the base before he made a mad dash as far as he could.

Alexis cheered silently, smacking Noah to watch what was happening. He was. But he was more focused on trying to keep her away from it. Even though she was more suited for violence.

Damn chivalry.

"You're not so scary without the horn," Markus taunted, just as it turned back with murder in its eyes.

Ok. I was wrong.

The beast charged again, checking beforehand that he wasn't in front of a tree. Markus's eyes widened as he tried to figure out a strategy in 0.8 seconds.

He didn't have to. Alexis flung her dagger at it, leaping out of cover as she did so.

"You dumbass bitch, over here!" Her words were agitating but her dagger bounced harmlessly off its flank, doing no more damage than a pat.

But it served as a distraction. Markus brought his sword down, Greek-style onto its lovely neck, swearing just as colourfully as it didn't even ruffle its mane.

By now, the unicorn had had enough. It reared up, making him stumble back, forcing him to the ground.

Noah gripped tightly onto whatever he was holding, which happened to be Alexis's dagger. He didn't even notice the blood dripping down his wrist as he watched the horse bring its forelegs up.

"Markus!" Alexis yelled as she tried to close the distance between them.

She didn't make it.

As it brought it's legs down, Noah thrust his hand forward, all logic deserting him.

The whole forest seemed to stand still as they tried to process what happened next.

The unicorn froze in mid-trample, its limbs bound by dark red ribbons, the other end of which was connected to Noah's palm.

Markus's eyes went wide as he struggled to comprehend, even as he scooted away from its hooves.

In a state of shock, Noah closed his fist, retracting it, somehow causing the ribbons to snap the horse's limbs with a sickening crack.

Both boy and creature fainted at that, the ribbons turning liquid as they splashed to the ground.

Alexis looked at the guard, who was struggled to his feet and to a functioning brain.

"That's not good." He commented as he brought his sword down onto its soft underbelly.

"Yeah. He's anemic."