5

Agnes and I were sitting by the stream, trying to catch our breath after running for what seemed like hours. We were both drenched in sweat, and I could see the exhaustion on her face.

Suddenly, I noticed a movement behind a nearby tree. I quickly signaled to Agnes to stay still and be alert. I crept towards the tree and saw a group of men, armed with bows and arrows, hiding behind the bushes.

Before I could react, one of them shot an arrow straight at Agnes. I reacted instinctively and jumped in front of her, using my body as a shield to block the arrow. I howled in pain as the arrow pierced through my skin.

As I turned around to face the attackers, I saw Agnes casting spells, but her magic was weak from exhaustion. The men were closing in on us, their eyes filled with hatred.

I lunged towards the first man, my claws digging into his flesh as I tore him apart. The others hesitated for a moment, but then attacked me with all their might. I could feel their weapons hitting me, but my rage fueled me, making me stronger.

I could see Agnes fighting with all her might, casting spells left and right. But she was outnumbered, and I knew we had to get out of there quickly.

I fought my way towards her, creating a path for us to escape. We ran towards the woods, with the men hot on our heels. But I was faster and stronger than them, and I knew we had a chance.

We kept running, our hearts pounding in our chests, until we were far enough away from the attackers. As we caught our breath, we looked at each other, our eyes filled with fear and determination. We knew that this was just the beginning, and that we had a long and difficult journey ahead of us.

"Cain, are you okay?" Agnes asked worriedly as I staggered back, clutching my side where I had been grazed by an arrow.

"I'm fine," I replied through gritted teeth. "But we have to keep moving. They're going to keep coming after us."

Agnes nodded, her face tense with fear. "What about the baby? We can't keep running forever."

"We'll find a safe place for the baby," I promised. "But for now, we have to focus on staying alive."

As we ran through the woods, I could hear the sound of Freya and her soldiers getting closer. We had to find a place to hide, and fast.

"Over there!" Agnes exclaimed, pointing to a small cave hidden behind a waterfall.

We quickly made our way inside, huddling together in the darkness as we listened for any signs of our pursuers.

"I'm sorry I got you into this mess," Agnes said, tears streaming down her face.

"It's not your fault," I replied, holding her tightly. "We'll get through this together."

Suddenly, we heard the sound of footsteps outside the cave, and I knew we were in trouble. But I was determined to protect Agnes and our unborn child, no matter the cost.

As Freya cast the spell, the cave began to shake and tremble, making it seem like it was about to crumble. Agnes and I had no choice but to come out of hiding. We stepped out of the cave, and standing right before us was Freya, flanked by her soldiers and one of the hideous beasts.

Agnes and I look at each other, realizing that we had been found. Freya stands before us, her eyes cold and determined. She looks at us with a fierce glare and begins to speak, her eyes cold and unfeeling. "You two have caused a great imbalance in the natural order," she said. "This is not a personal fight. It's about the greater good, about maintaining the balance of nature."

I stepped forward, facing her squarely. "We don't believe in your twisted version of balance," I said. "You and Constantine are nothing but murderers, killing anyone who doesn't fit your idea of what's 'natural'."

Freya sneered. "You have no idea what you're talking about," she said. "But it doesn't matter. Your time has come to an end."

Agnes steps forward, her voice shaking with anger. "Our child is not an abomination," she says. "He is a miracle."

Freya scoffs. "Miracle? More like a curse. You're putting the entire world at risk with your selfishness."

I step forward to stand beside Agnes. "We won't let you harm our child," I say, my voice steady.

Freya raises an eyebrow. "And what makes you think you can stop us?" she asks.

I growl, my eyes glowing with fury. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my family," I say.

Agnes stepped forward, her eyes blazing with defiance. "We won't go down without a fight," she said.

Freya chuckled. "I was hoping you'd say that," she said. "It's more fun that way." With a flick of her wrist, she signaled her soldiers and the beast to attack.