Chapter 30: Stand and Fight

Still, in the boy's mind, it was rather calm. Seems like everything that has been happening during the last hour has burned his anxiety fuel. He could perceive the situation clearly. His legs were getting weaker, his Qi was running out, the footsteps behind were louder and louder... All in slow motion, as if he a distant observer.

"Hey, Xin, at least die like a man. You can't act like a clueless puppy for all your life, even if it's that short. Wake up!"

What an annoying voice, he's been hearing it a lot recently. Shan has some memorable manner of speech, like a clear mountain stream with occasional needles.

The boy started slowing down. It was hard in such speed, his felt like his toes was burning.

A strange force was trying to hurry him forward, but he resisted it and slowly inhaled. Then he put the girl to the side, and, thinking about something, moved her to the middle of the corridor, and then adjusted a bit to the left. Her eyes illuminated everything before him. Yes, there was no shadow.

Xin clenched his sabre with both hands and started waiting. Or maybe he should try that move while he still has some time? No, here they are. First, he saw a large lizard enter the light, green and sleazy. It was a wonder how its face, so different from that of a human, could portray mocking expression so perfectly.

"Hoshh, I shee, not a rat but a poor mouse. Cornered, trembling, with its meek teeth on display. How tashhhty."

As the lizard was talking a long, red tongue was slowly emerging from its mouth; like a ribbon, it was twisting in the air. Xin wished to grip his sabre tighter but found out that his fingers were already white.

Then he heard more steps, heavy and familiar, and behind the lizard appeared the six-legged monster from before.

"YOU…"

"Big-bee, see, we found…"

The lizard turned to it and started speaking. At that time Xin's entire body tensed. Now, he should do it now. Without a word, the boy lifted his sabre and ran toward the beast.

The lizard, however, wasn't surprised in the slightest. It swiftly jumped back and then, with its body angled hit with its long feet.

"Pha!"

It was as if a hurricane started twisting the boy's chest. Then it reminded him of the moment when he got crashed into the wall just recently. He felt the air leaving his lungs and then he flew back and crashed on the ground just near Maha. Moist substance covered his chest as if a liquid fire. His mouth filled with the taste of iron.

"Shh, brunch. We still talking."

The lizard's tone was still as mocking. Xin slowly crawled to his feet. He tried not to look at his injuries, but the burning sensation on his chest was speaking enough.

He wondered, would he be as beaten if he was at the Third Stage of Qi Gathering? Probably yes, he would, even though the third meridian increases chest and belly defense. This animal was strong, he will probably have to reach the Fifth Stage to defeat it. Or maybe even higher, his fighting experience was too limited to judge.

The boy started squinting. Now Maha's eyes were shining directly at his face. Right, he shouldn't forget about his plan. Xin looked at his enemies. They were talking about something:

"LET… THEM KIll HIM, THEY WANT REVENGE, HE SHALL DIE!"

Roared the eyeless beast with its mouth still and something dripping from it.

"I LET! You beeshh so cute, Big-bee, why not? But you shee, this mouse is awfully smelly, I afraid your beesh will die once they touch him. Maybe we should wash him first, in my stomach perhaps…"

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…He would rather not hear it. However, can't get discouraged. The boy started turning his sabre to different angles, trying to find the ideal position.

Will it work? It was a good question, but asking now was as pointless as asking Maha now.

…

He wasn't sure was that a joke that his half-working mind tried to make or something else entirely, but the beasts have already ended their talk.

Seems like he still was to be eaten first and only then bitten.

"Shho, how should we end the mouse, should I twist its neck or swallow whole, or…"

Before finishing his phrase the lizard jumped forward, and Xin slashed with his sabre to welcome him. Sadly, the boy was much slower; the claw of the beast was an inch away from his neck while the sabre was still so far above. The boy didn't even have time to comprehend the situation. His was going do die unaware, with all his force and concentration in the sabre. But suddenly, the girl's head slightly tilted.

Bright shine reflected from the sabre.

"Ash!" The lizard froze, its eyes stabbed by the light and then pain. The sabre connected with its scaly hand and went halfway in before touching the bone. The vibration was so strong that the boy nearly lost his grip. Then came the second wave, even stronger.

"Agsshs!"

The lizard stepped back ripping its hand from the blade. Green blood filled the floor.

"Rat, you rat…" It displayed its sharp teeth and leaped at Xin. The boy was lost at first, but for a mere second, at then he also jumped back with his sabre pointing at the lizard. However, with that move, they both entered the darkness and Xin lost his target. But enemy should be in the same situation, right? Wait, no, the boy suddenly remembered a peculiar fact: some Spirit Animals, especially cold-blooded, able to see the heat waves. But if it so, how was it blinded by the light reflected from the sabre? Xin had no time to think of it, he felt sharp claws clench around his neck.

The lizard seemed to lose all the sapience it had. Like a wild animal, it opened its large mouth and was going to bite off Xin's head when…

"Stop."

A harsh voice sounded in the air. Maybe because of its abruptness or maybe because of something else the lizard really did stop and turned back. Xin looked there.

A yellow-eyed dark-haired girl surrounded by several confused bees was staring at the beast.

"You… Who are you?" Asked the lizard, its eyes somehow lost.

"THERE IS SECOND? WHO IT IS?"

Maha kept silent.

Suddenly, Xin forgot the pain in his neck and chest; he forgot how hard it was to breathe now, all he could feel was hatred. Hatred for himself.

If it wasn't for him, none of these two could detect Maha. She could run away. But not now, when she stood up to protect him. Why, why was he so pathetic? He didn't even have the power to resist the lizard's grasp. He really was a simple mouse.

Even his lucky hit was because of Maha. The lizard was blinded only because she woke up and channeled her Demonic Light or something. Otherwise, it can't even see light. How laughable.

"One more… you can hide…" Slowly a long tongue emerged from lizard's mouth, growing and twisting toward Maha.

"…but you will also…"

"Stop, Shir."

Abruptly, a new, deep voice came from the darkness behind the six-legged beast. Both it and the lizard froze.