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Having to dodge the wall put him right next to one of them who drank a vial of blood and uncurled a whip from her side. She whipped it forward, and it caught around his wrist. Rurik tugged her to pull her forward, but she remained steady on her feet while she continuously chanted.

She has increased her strength so I cannot trip her.

Before he could go to her, the one with the blasted sword came for him again, and the last thing Rurik wanted was poison in his system. He focused on him instead even though one of his front paws was trapped.

Rurik thought his magic must be weak if he was using a weapon.

He flung his body to the side so he could swipe him with his tail. The Witch jumped over it and raised his sword to bring it down into his back leg, but Rurik kicked it and sent him flying once more.

Both of the Witches who had been chanting earlier ran onto his back. They looked like twins, one male and one female.

The female placed her hand against his body, and he felt the vibration of magic before she slid off him. It was a hex; he didn’t know what kind yet. The male threaded something around his neck and pulled, making his head arch back, and his body bow as it cut off his circulation and airways. A strangled, choking noise caught in his throat, and he raised his free paw to scratch at it.

A look from the corner of his eye allowed him to see in his peripheral that he was holding thick tree root vines.Stolen fairy magic.They’d extracted other magical creatures as well.

Living earth magic was stolen from fairies, while hexes and curses were stolen from pixies.

Rurik tried to free himself, clawing at his own throat as the pressure tightened. He was pulled until he was on his hind legs. His other hand was then also trapped in vines, crawling up his forearm and pulling it away from his neck.

The two Witches holding his arms in place ran sideways until his arms were crossed in the air. Soon they would get him onto his belly. He would be in the same position Mahesh had been in and would never be able to get free.

No, I will not be beaten so easily.He forced his head forward, ignoring the fact he couldn’t breathe and tried to pull his arms apart. His wings flapped behind him like he was attempting to harness strength from each whoosh.

The more he pulled his arms, the tighter the one covered in vines felt until he could feel that they deeply cut into him. Rurik struggled, his body shaking while he fought against them. He was winning, but he knew eventually his body would weaken from lack of oxygen.

“He is getting free!” Strolguil yelled before he ran forward and unleashed something Rurik had only ever seen him do.

Red lightning came from his hands, sparking dangerously.

He clenched his eyes shut and waited for it to impact against his body, possibly breaking his bones and cutting his flesh. The strike wouldn’t burn him, but the magic was so potent that even Rurik didn’t have the strength to withstand it.

Strolguil missed, and the Witch on top of him was struck instead. He went flying, slamming against the wall with a satisfying crack and thud. This removed the vines cutting the circulation around his neck.

The male Witch didn’t get back up.

“How could you miss!?” The other male Witch shouted while still trying to pull Rurik’s arms together with the vines.

The twin’s sister screamed about her dead brother.

Strolguil gave him a glare. “Lightning is hard to control.”

But Rurik had seen him wield it many times with accuracy. It seemed odd to him that Strolguil would miss when Rurik was so unmoving, and stationary in their trappings.

They are distracted.

He spewed fire from his mouth while moving his head sideways so he could unleash it towards both the Witches who had trapped his arms. While they chanted and brought those scales up to protect themselves, he quickly jerked his arms, and he was released.

Giving them no time to react to him now being free, Rurik bolted for the tunnel.

They followed after him once more, but Strolguil threw his hand up to stop them. “Let him run. He is too strong for the three of you.”

Rurik couldn’t help noticing the wicked grin he gave him.

Sprinting up the winding tunnel, he didn’t look back. Rurik flapped his wings before he even made it outside and lifted off as soon as he could so he could get himself into the air.

The only one that would be able to follow him was Strolguil, who had long ago stolen his father’s wings. The male who also wore such a necklace totem had been killed by the lightning.

He turned his head to check behind him to find he wasn’t being followed.They will finish with Mahesh before I can get the chance to return with more Dragons.