I'm Trapped Inside a Prince as the Most Powerful Entity-Chapter 213 - 210

Adam looked down from his mount. The ground was littered with the charred remains of the giant crocodiles. Those that had been in the river had already fled. He patted Alpha’s neck a gesture of approval. "Good work" he said. "Let’s rest here for now."

He dismounted and Alpha immediately began to feast on the roasted crocodile meat. Adam looked around for a comfortable place to rest. He found a large flat rock that was still warm from the residual heat of his fire attack and sat down his mind already turning to his next steps.

He was free he was in a powerful new body and he had a means of transportation. The world was his to explore but first he had a debt to collect. Void Gold and Silver. They would pay for their betrayal.

The scene shifted.

Ricky’s search party was now deep in the jungle. The air was thick and heavy the sounds of the familiar outer forest replaced by the strange unsettling calls of unknown creatures. They had been searching for hours but they had not found a single footprint not a single broken branch to indicate that Adam had passed this way. A sliver of doubt began to creep into Ricky’s mind.

What if he never came this far he thought his hand unconsciously gripping the handle of his axe. What if he’s just hiding somewhere in the village angry and resentful. He had no idea where his son could be and the not knowing was a torment worse than any physical pain.

Suddenly Edward who was walking point several yards ahead froze. He raised both his hands in the air a silent urgent signal that every hunter in the village knew by heart.

Immediately Ricky and all the other men dropped to the ground melting into the undergrowth their bodies becoming one with the shadows of the forest floor. Edward’s signal meant one thing extreme danger ahead.

Anastasia’s face was pale her eyes wide with a fear she had never known before. She was a hunter yes but she had never ventured this deep into the forest. The air itself felt different here charged with a primal predatory energy.

A short time ago she had wanted her brother dead. Now a crushing wave of regret washed over her a guilt so heavy it felt like a physical weight on her chest.

She finally understood.

It had been her fault. All of it. Her jealousy her bitterness her hatred—it had all been a poison of her own making. Now more than anything she wanted to find Adam. She needed to find him. She had to apologize. She had to tell him she was sorry.

Ricky crawled forward moving silently through the dense foliage with the practiced ease of a master hunter. He came to a stop beside Edward and peered through the leaves. He saw what had alerted his brother and his blood ran cold.

A short distance ahead a section of the forest had been completely incinerated. The mighty trees which had stood for centuries were now blackened skeletal husks.

The ground was a carpet of gray ash and the air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt magic. In the center of this clearing the sky was visible a strange and unsettling patch of blue in the otherwise unbroken canopy. Someone or something had unleashed an incredible terrifying power here.

And then they saw them. In the center of the burnt clearing a herd of magnificent winged horses was resting. Their coats were the color of midnight and their powerful wings were folded at their sides. They were unlike any creature Ricky had ever seen or heard of in all his years of hunting this jungle.

A cold dread washed over Ricky. These were clearly magical beasts of an immense power. He looked back at his hunters at the men who had followed him into this dangerous place the men who trusted him with their lives. I can’t find my son he thought his heart heavy with a father’s grief. But I will not risk the lives of all these men for him. His duty as chief as a leader warred with his instincts as a father.

He made the only choice he could. He made the choice of a chief. They would retreat. They would come back tomorrow better prepared with a plan. He turned and gave the silent hand signal to fall back.

Edward saw the signal and understood. He too would have made the same choice. It was common sense. You do not sacrifice the many for the one no matter how painful that choice may be. The other hunters their faces grim and set exchanged knowing glances and began to slowly silently move back their movements as quiet as falling leaves.

But Anastasia standing beside her father was not happy with his decision. She gritted her teeth her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. She watched the hunters begin to retreat and a wave of pure desperate panic washed over her.

She knew that if they left now if they gave up the search for even a day finding Adam in this vast dangerous wilderness would become infinitely more difficult. He would be lost to them forever. So she made a foolish desperate and utterly reckless choice.

She bolted.

She broke from the cover of the trees and ran straight into the clearing towards the herd of winged horses.

"Anastasia!" Ricky’s panicked cry was a choked whisper. He scrambled to his feet and ran after her but it was too late. She had already reached the open ground her red hair a brilliant banner of defiance against the blackened earth. She was running directly at the strange powerful beasts a suicidal charge.

She knew what she was doing. She was forcing their hand. She would reveal their position to the beasts making it impossible for the hunters to retreat.

They would have to fight. They would have to stay. And as long as they stayed there was still a chance they could find Adam.

Ricky saw her reach the clearing and froze a wave of pure unadulterated terror washing over him. Edward’s face was a mask of shock and disbelief.

Ricky whirled around his mind a frantic storm of panicked thoughts. "Edward!" he commanded his voice filled with a desperate urgency. "I’ll distract the beasts! You take Anastasia and the others and get out of here! Now!"

He was about to turn back to charge into the clearing himself to sacrifice his own life for his daughter’s foolishness to buy them the precious seconds they would need to escape.