Meanwhile, as the force of the otherworldly beings was happening far away, Allan was hiding and traveling through the mountains. He was still careful about the potential ambush, as he was fleeting on his own. After some time of running, he reached the open view of the mountain cliff, where he saw something he will never forget.
The shocking sight of green streams of energy and fog moving above the distant horizon. They formed hands that pulled rocks from surrounding cliffs or straight-up mountains high above the ground. Slowly, they were forming a web of stones, tossing them down towards the location of fleeing Skoll.
Allan didn't know what was supposed to do apart from staring at this shocking sight of an otherworldly energy user. Right... this was a clear indication that this man who was against them was someone of the legends. He was far away from them. 5 kilometers or so on the cliff which led into the mountain that went to the skies.
He was now witnessing a powerful display of what a person blessed with energy could do and it caused his run to halt.
“Wow, that is absolutely ridiculous. He is playing with nature at his whim.”
Overbearing is a word Allan would describe this sight of a being, who was playing with mountains while dragging everything he wished.
“I wish to be powerful like that. Someday I will protect those who helped me save my life. But mister Thomas ended up dead so I will be forever in his debt.” Allan thought to himself, while his view was in a pitch of changing his view of life.
In a single day, his life changed forever, and not in a good way. He wondered about the possible survivors in the city of Waan. Their fear and anger towards the unknown foe in their eyes must have been filled with madness and helplessness. The force of the North and Nation of the Down slaughtered without any regard, so people died left and right.
If he wanted to live and continued doing so, Allan knew he must find a chance to get far away from this region. There was no time to worry about others, otherwise, only sadness and depressive feelings would wash his heart. The more time he spends wondering about the potential routes and ways to solve the problems of others the more time he would waste.
“Flee. Let’s just run as fast to the tall mountains.” Allan risked it all as a way to save himself.
He ran and ran from the cliff while ignoring the distant display of legends. He wasn't stopping himself even when his breath was haggard, and fear enveloped his mind. It was a sliver of fear, deep within his mind, which was caused by the display of that legendary being. He didn't know if Skoll would find a way from such an enemy.
“That old man was totally livid for Skoll.” Allan thought as he recalled the conversation between those people.
He came to a realization that he wanted Skoll, more than him. The reason was unknown, but facts were more than logical to consider it. That man would rather capture Skoll, then deal with him. There was also a thing that bothered him about the things that man said.
“Why did he say it like he wanted me to capture me as well?” Allan wondered, but continued fleeting.
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Some time passed.
Skoll was still in a wild sprint as he thought about Clayton’s wish. Although it was not exactly a wish, it still limited his free will. It was an ancient request that he personally agreed with a long time ago. Prior to when Clayton was even alive. He couldn't allow it to be forgotten, even if he wished it could be.
Skoll sprinted in a zig-zag pattern and dodged every incoming boulder that came against him from above. The Mountain range and forests were long transformed into a line of destruction. Lord Gao was getting impatient with his fruitless attacks, but he had plenty of time for this. The wolf's figure was becoming clearer and clearer from the sky because the vegetation in the surrounding region was starting to recede. Everything went according to his plan.
Skoll glared backward into the sky as he stopped running. He could see an eagle far above him when the trees were no longer available around him. The eagle was surrounded by flowing green streams of energy, while more boulders and mountains were ready to be thrown at him.
“Now I can see you just fine.” Lord Gao leisurely said and continued his onslaught of attacks without lifting a finger.
Down below, Skoll crouched down. Killing intent in his eyes, his fur shimmered and retracted as they became smaller. He didn't exactly become smaller, since it focused on the small amount of energy focusing within his furred body. Like Lord Gao, Skoll had the way of energy as well, as all beasts of the Heavenly List could.
The outer shell of his fur was gloving in a silver sheen of color. His hind legs burst in volume as his fur spiked around them.
In a flash, Skoll disappeared from his position, while he ignored any of the incoming boulders, which were shattered in the same flash of light.
Swish!
Dust and wind scattered around in a single line from the ground. Green energy made its way out, like a burst of a volcano. Skoll appeared behind leisurely sitting lord Gao, who wasn't expecting this at all. His shocked expression revealed a crevice that ran across the space to his location. A few long lines of destroyed space, or to be precise, the clawed speck of light that hit him around his abdomen. He shrieked in agony upon realizing the wound on his body. Not knowing what happened, he pushed his hands on the wound on his body.
“Bloody hell. What was that?” He glanced behind him to see Skoll floating there in the middle of the sky. His whole body was stripped of silver light, while he looked many times more menacing than ever before. He carried an otherworldly presence of a beast that could be recognizable to be from the Heavenly list.
Skoll struck out intending to kill, just as he was about to be hit. Moments like these were something that decided the outcome of the fights of immortals. Skoll's blow was very effective, but he didn't manage to kill this old man and was unhappy about this. This was a critical moment, who he wasted.
So, with his position in the sky, Skoll's light traveled around his body, which made him float in this space. He leaped forth in a similar way as before. His sharp claws streaked the sky apart as he appeared beyond the eagle, but Lord Gao instructed the eagle to dodge. The attack wasn't successful, but the attack dissipated the flowing green hands and boulders in the sky before they fell down.
“Temporal flight, huh?” Lord Gao said. “You have some pretty dangerous ways to deal with your foes. I want you even more now.” He grinned without politeness, while a thick fog spread from him like a mountain. Enveloping him in veils of green light. A grin of confidence didn't leave his face at all, as he motioned for more power to be manifested from his core.
“It seems to me we both didn't use our full power,” Skoll said solemnly. Lord Gao, without answer, amidst the veil of green energy, spread his arms forth. Like before, the surrounding fog formed into 4 rivers, but this time, into a different thing. Lord Gao decided to use his favorite manifestation and an immortal technique. Dark green twisted javelins appeared from 4 rivers, which folded in a dense forceful way of the Immortal technique. They pointed right at Skoll around Lord Gao's body, who did not expect to see such a force.
“Bring it on...!” Skoll roared as his image blurred once again.
Swoosh!
A collision could be heard from a distance of dozens of kilometers as the sky shook and clouds dissipated around this region. The shocking sight of collision in the sky was able to be seen from far away. Colorful strikes of green-colored energy went head to head against the giant-looking wolf, who was bathed in silver light. Lord Gao defended this time with 4 javelins that rotated around him. #
They were about a dozen meters large. Much bigger than Skoll, but it wouldn't be much of a help. The size wasn't all that mattered in the fight of the Immortals. Both opponents knew about this. Lod Gao pointed out with his hand, and a strike of green penetrated the air as 2 javelins, connected to his senses, pierced forward.
“Damn it. I missed. I will get you next time.” He muttered in confidence, while his serious expression revealed much experience.
Skoll emerged from his attack as he flew around the eagle. He was aware of his own weakness, and it seemed this old man realized it as well. This attack had overwhelming defense and offense in a sense of overbearing forwardness, where he attacked in a straight line. One could either dodge or defend when using it, but it had domineering power, which was hard to defend against when actually being hit. It was his carelessness of not being forceful enough, and not being able to finish this in one hit.
His true weakness was after using this attack. The enemy could sense his direction backward and strike him into his back if they had enough of a reaction speed and equally fast strikes.
Skoll grunted. “Where is your servant?” He shouted out loud since he felt uneasy and forgot to be calm himself after he initiated their first clash. He realized something was wrong after noticing someone was missing. In all this time, Lord Gao was attacking and defending from the back of a bird, but he couldn't kill it no matter how he tried. Skoll tried to cause this old man to fall from the sky, as it seemed he had no way to fly himself. Lord Gao kept defending his bird since he knew it himself.
Perhaps if he attacked the bird from the beginning, the clash would end in a different way, but it was too late to consider the past mistakes.
“Then where is that kid?” Lord Gao said in return, obvious in his words and worry. He motioned the javelins once again from great distances. With how big they were, it was making dodging more and more difficult for Skoll, who couldn't shatter them at all.
So, with this inability to do anything, he chose to get down. Earth was a home ground of his species, and his temporal fight was draining his stamina.
But it was unfortunate. His enemy wasn't that kind to offer some kindness or advantage. Lord Gao continued to strike from afar and didn't give Skoll any chance.
Skoll was pushed to his limits with patience, but he was itching to get this old man to step down. Strikes flew, but few could be effective against the fast and keen senses of Skoll.
The continuous glow of the sun surrounding the mountains gradually changed to a dark night. Skoll was able to strike him a few times in a few ambushes, where he fled a bit further to the mountains. Yet, they came at the price of his own injuries.
“I swear, Clayton... If I will ever have a chance to meet you again, I won't be polite to you. This old man is way more powerful for this insignificant planet.” He wondered and realized long ago that this old man had come here only for him. As for what went behind the scenes of Clayton's problems, Skoll cared a little about them. The worldly efforts of humans were too much for him to understand.
“Clayton… who did you offend for your son’s safety to be so screwed?” Skoll cursed inwardly, but he had an idea of the reason. Not that he offended someone, but someone forced something down on Clayton. This ended up in this situation, where Lord Gao hunted Skoll down or tried to get hold of him of his own accord. Allan was long ago out of the picture, or Lod Gao's mind. All that was left was a beast that would be a great addition to his collection.
“I am speechless by my inability to shake him off. Allan is probably faced with his servant, by now... This is bad.. Allan should have run away somewhere safe, but I dare to hope nothing wrong will come from this.”
Some time ago, in the deep mountains of the night. Allan was strolling through the narrow pathways, but at this point, it was very dark. The paths led to the summit of the mountains, with forests and vegetation which were still everywhere in this part of the region. Barren land with stones, cliffs, and chilly wind were further up he went. Soon enough, it was the main thing that he could be seen. There was no longer much he could do. Moving forward, while hoping for the best, was most of his choice.
“Survival. It is getting late. Should I find a place to stay or risk it at the dangers of the night?” Allan considered if it would be possible for him to rest. He fled away for a long time, with half a day already gone. Skoll never returned, but he could hear the shimmering sounds of attack with his ears and shaking earth. Sometimes, where he was on the open field, he could see faint flashes on the horizon. His higher attitude enhanced his vision, but he couldn't discern anything else that was a long distance away.
“They are quite a few dozens of kilometers away.” Allan looked away but guessed it based on his calculations. He sighed, but still continued to reach further into the mountains. Allan no longer knew where he was. The paths were no longer ones made for human vehicles. He decided to travel through harsh nature, in hopes of being as lonely and hidden as possible.
At last, he reached the end point of his part of the mountain path. Below him was another set of hills and forest trees in the distance. He didn't know exactly where he was. He was only sure that he was, in a way, closer to the capital. Still thousands of kilometers away, so that was about it. According to his knowledge, he still knew the general direction of the capital, so all he had to do was move through the mountains. There was another set of hills and mountains before him. Considering the couple hundred kilometers long mountains, he was still in the first half.
He glanced around and below. Beneath him was a steep cliff. With some difficulty, he could manage to get down, but he would have to discard his bag. “This cliff is too dangerous. Let's go back to look at other routes.” Allan decided since this was what he assumed to be the best choice.
He lost the proper direction, while his path, up until now, need on a dead end. Clayton would scold him if he was with him since Allan still remembered the way out of his teachings.
“First, secure a position, then made some point of interest. Move closer to the roads or pathways. Screw this! Let’s find shelter. I‘ve seen some caves in hard-to-reach places. They should cover me for this night.” Allan decided for his benefit, while he was close to his mental and physical limits. He didn't know if he would manage to move below the earlier cliff. It was his awful choice but safest, considering the circumstances. His own body could betray him, and rest was important.
A cave within a hard-to-reach cliff was the first he found. Bushes were scattered around the entrance, which made it hard to see from a distance.
Allan pushed himself up and reached for its safety. Inside was a narrow den to more underground cave systems. There were some stalagmites below him. Further he went the wider the cave appeared, but soon enough, the dark was too much, so he wasn't going too deep. “This is perfect for tonight.” Allan collapsed to the ground a couple of dozen meters into the cave. Accepting his fate for at least a night of sleep. “It is worth it,” he muttered.
Comforting himself with a blanket within this darkness, he got some water and some sandwiches with ham. With the help of food, he got some energy for himself. Yet, eventually, his eyes fell. In this dark environment, it was very hard to not fell asleep. He didn't choose to start a fire, of course, since it wouldn't be safe.
Enclosed caves were a recipe to get suffocated.
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Thud. Thud. Thud.
Allan was woken up, confused by his surroundings and the eerie sounds of steps in this near pitch-black cave. He got to his feet, grabbing a sword in his hands. Still half asleep, he realized his situation. “Steps? How? Who?” Allan wondered since no living person would spend their time in such mountains, moreso in this dark cave.
Although, Allan didn't realize he was also such a person. Someone who was escaping the war could come here as well.
“By now, there could be some skirmishes to surround cities and villages,” Allan thought to himself, but the steps still remained going in his direction. If the North went their way to reach deeper inside the Grusha Kingdom, they alone would find it hard. But considering the help, such as the Nation of Dawn, they will do so and proceed deeper. Such were politics and warlike conflicts in the past. The present was no different, and the future would perhaps be even worse.
With all wars, there are winners, losers, victims, fugitives, slaves of war, and many more. There will be no peace even after long or quick-paced wars. Nations and kingdoms for thousands of years were usually on top of the food chain, but the status quo can always change. Unbeknown to minor citizens, they had deals and wars for political or monetary reasons.
The rise and death of minor citizens were of no concern to the rulers of the nations. For the most part, with occasional good souls. Forging a war for their benefit was a fact that Allan learned himself through Thomas’s small lessons or displays of what he got from a library.
The hell what he learned about has, unfortunately, gone far and beyond. Right into his own home where he faced it first hand.
Alas, when the time came to that, the steps reached his location, while he was still not seeing properly after some time of sleep.
Allan froze with nervousness upon his quiet waiting game.