Its already been 10 days since I last saw Alice.I'm starting to get worried, I want to visit her but I don't know where she lives.For a while forgot about those dreams 

I asked everyone in the village if they know where she lives but it seems that no one knows .I even asked the visiting adventurers if they saw someone who matches her description. It seems that she just disappeared 

 "Looking for your imaginary friend,John? " 

The who asked that in a mocking tone is Edward, he's the arrogant son of a merchant who settled in this village.He's also the richest kid around here and he rubs his privilages on everyones faces 

"She's not imaginary!" 

"Yeah,sure she isn't" 

He replied,grinning from ear to ear.

My blood boiled,I clenched my fist that is shaking with anger.I want to erase that smug look on his face 

"Oh, so you want to fight back? why dont you try hitting me?but I'm sure you know whats going to happen if you do right?"  

Edward said while walking with his hands up in the air as if urging me to do just that 

I want to hit him, but I understood that if I do that then It's not going to turn out well.I know that because I did hit him in the past

What happened?like I said it didn't turned out well.I got beaten up and his father,obviously and understably sided with his son. Since they're rich and I am just the son of a farmer who also hunts sometimes.His father basically rules this little village.

"You're a coward"

I just smiled, because he's right.I am a coward . 

I left him behind and went to where Alice and I often meet.It's outside our village so going there after the sun set is dangerous.I often sneak  out of the village to go this place, but I can only meet her when my father is out hunting

Luckily,today  my father is out and is currently hunting in the nearby woods 

I can almost see the tree which is kind of a landmark.As I approached the tree the usual sight of my friend isn't there 

But that doesnt mean there isnt anything there

A Peryton, a stag with the wings of a giant eagle.Its wings were covered with dark green feathers.Ontop of its head were a giant,extremely sharp jet black set of antlers.

A magnificent beast, probably one of the most majestic creatures  i've ever seen.I would probably keep staring at it if I don't know what a Peryton is

Behind that beautiful facade is  a dagerous blood thirsty beast, a Peryton is monster that hates its own existence.Always looking for the "perfect heart" to ascend to a higher state of existence,it tears the still beating heart of its prey.

A Peryton's shadow doesn't cast the shadow of the beast,instead the shadow shows the outline of the last creature whose heart it has devoured 

I was just about to silently flee until I saw its shadow

The shadow of it shows the outline of a girl that I instantly recognized,the shadow it cast is a shadow that I am very familiar with.It has the shadow of Alice

As if something snapped inside me I did something I would have never done normally 

I picked up a stone and threw it at the beast as hard as I can 

"Give her back!" 

I roared at the beast as If it will change anything, as if I shout harder it will bring my friend back to life

As expected The Peryton seems unfazed and all I did was anger it and attract its attention.It spread its wings open and the gust of air coming from it made me realized what I just did and the first thought that came to my head is that 

I'm dead 

I ran as fast I could,I ran even before the Peryton flew.

The Peryton now circles the sky above me like a hawk and the It skydived in a ramming position,like a flying bull after a mattador holding a capotes 

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I jumped and rolled to the right to avoid the angry beast, I almost bumped into a tree  

The Peryton's antlers only hit air.I quickly stood up but so does the Peryton, it quickly charge towards my direction.

I had no time to evade by jumping sideways so I just ducked.Again, I escaped being skewered by its antlers and instead the antlers dug and got stuck into the tree behind me. This is the advantage of being much smaller than your enemy

Using the chance I ran again, I ran towards the direction of the village.The adventurers are staying there and theyre the only one I can think of  who can take on this beast.I ran so fast that I didnt notice the root of a tree and I tripped, a stupid mistake 

I can hear the Peryton's screeches,roars and it even makes sounds resembling a human screaming in agony

By now the Peryton has already freed one of its antlers and the tree is barely standing.The Perylot was able to free its antlers because of its monstrous strength, its antlers didnt broke because its not a normal antler but rather a material as hard as steel

I heard the tree snaps and falls toward the ground  

I can barely stand up, my whole body hurts 

My body is covered in bruises and wounds 

I'm tired both physically and mentally 

The Peryton approached me carefully, thinking that I cant escape.It is probably restraining itself from killing me immediately so it can consume my heart 

I closed my eyes and gave up, waiting for the death blow , waiting for the beast to tear through my chest and eat my heart 

"Get away from my son!"

Its the voice of my father, my father roared at the beast and unsheathed his sword.He rushed at the Peryton and tries to stab it but instead of blood the only thing that came out is the sound of steel clashing against steel 

The Peryton kicked at the direction of my father but my father evaded quickly jumping sideways and rolling onto the ground 

"John! get out here! call the adventurers staying in the village!"

"B-but,father! you-"

"GO!!"

I ran away again, as fast as I can with every step making my heart feel heavier

I can't do anything

I'm usless and weak all I can do is run away 

I dont want this 

I'm just fooling myself that going with the flow means that I am smart and intelligent.I dont go with the flow, I get swept by it because I'm weak.

Its early so there are still lot of people outside and after searching for a bit I found the two adventurers surrounded by the village kids 

I forced my way through the crowd of kids,Edward was about to say something but I shove him out of the way.The adventurers noticed me and thats when I yelled

" Help! there's a monster outside the village! my father's life is in danger!"

One of the adventurers approached me ,a black haired man that looks like he's in in his mid 20s He's wearing a cuirass and his arms were equipped with vembraces.A  sheathed shortsword hung on his waist 

He's about to ask me but when he saw my eyes,seeing how dead serious I am,he stopped and just nodded  

His companion,a blonde haired woman wearing a breast plate, her arms were covered by gauntlets with a red crystal embedded on each palm  walks closer to me and handed me a small bottle containing a green viscous liquid saying "Its not the purest potion but it should be enough to heal your wounds" 

"Tell me where your father is,we're going to do our best to save him"

"No,I'm coming my father needs me" I said in a resolute voice,so resolute that even I dont recognize it my self.I thought he's going to object but he just replied "Then come, just dont get in our way" 

With me leading the way, we dashed to where the Peryton and my father was fighting.But when we arrived its already too late,the fight is over and my father lies on the ground bleeding 

I rushed to my father's side and checked his pulse.Its weak but its still there, he's still alive   

Yes! there's still a chance!

"Get him out of here! this place is going to be a battlefield soon!"

Alaric, the adventurer ,shouted as he unsheathed the short sword that hung on his waist.Its not a normal sword, the blade is covered with runes 

"Yes!" 

I gently dragged my father to a safe distance away from the site of the imminent battle.I took the potion that Christine,the woman adventurer gave me and slowly poured its content in my unconscious father's mouth.The bruises and small wounds are dissapearing and closing but the hole in his stomach stubbornly refused to close

No, this won't do if this keep up he's definitely going to die

Hope turned into despair  and all I can think is how weak I am

Would anything change if I had stayed? probably nothing because I'm too weak 

 I tried to carry him but since he is a lot bigger than me and by how exhausted and injured I am I didn't even managed to move him by 1 meter before I fell down 

Then I felt it,the weak movement of his chest is gone, I checked his pulse again but they too have already dissapeared

No...

I slumped to the ground in exhaustion and sadness,my vision is becoming more blurry by each second.I'll probably pass out in a few minutes

I heard the hellish screech of the Peryton as it descended from above aiming its sharp antlers at Alaric 

"Protection Magic! [Algis]!"

His sword glowed bright blue and the light turned into particles that got absorbed by his body 

Alaric just stood there not moving an inch, I was expecting him to get impaled by the beast's antlers but contrary to what I expected the Peryton's antlers didn't even penetrated Alarics armor  

Even the monstrous stag and eagle hybrid seems confused 

Seeing this opening Christine pointed her index finger at the Peryton before it can take off 

The red crystal that is embedded in her gauntlet glowed bright red, the light then concentrated in her index finger 

"Concentrated fire spell [Kenaz]!" 

A stream of concentrated fire shot from her finger and it went right through the Peryton's body, instantly killing it

If im only as strong as them then none of this would have happen...

I fell unconscious while cursing my own weakness and uselessness