Chapter 14: Difference in strength

I ran as fast as I could inside the forest.

There was no way to know where I was going, but I didn’t care at that moment. I just knew that I didn't want to get caught.

Arrows were flying all around me.

If not for the trees densely packed together, I probably would have been hit already. However, even with the cover from the trees, I had to use several times 'Water shield' to divert the arrows.

I knew that I wasn't going to make it if I couldn't lose them.

My child's body wasn’t strong enough to run faster, therefore, I was relying entirely on my wind magic to propel me dozens of feet ahead and widen the gap between us. I was using a huge quantity of mana, but I didn’t have any other choice.

After ten minutes, seeing no more arrow flying toward me, I finally stopped using my wind magic and simply ran without magic to stay hidden.

I couldn't relax yet as I was still inside their forest.

I had to find a way out.

*Fsssssss*

The sound of an arrow flying toward me made me use my magic by reflex.

"Water shield"

A stream of water began to coil around my body at high speed forming a defensive layer of water.

It was the first barrier magic of the water element. The proof that I mastered the speed of my magic and that I became a Scholar water mage.

However, I quickly realized that this wasn’t a normal arrow.

*Bam*

I successfully deflected it, but I fell on the ground because of the impact.

The surprising strength of this arrow made me wonder if the Queen finally found me.

I turned my head just in time to avoid another arrow aimed at my left leg.

It wasn’t the Queen.

It was the female elf who interrogated me. Her long silver hair moved along the wind giving her an indescribable charm, but her green eyes were still furiously glaring at me.

“It’s over. Did you really think you could outrun elves inside a forest?”

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. My hopes of escape were getting slimmer with each second spent with her. I carefully looked around, but I didn't find any other elf.

She was on her own.

A little smile began to form at the corner of my mouth.

I still had a chance.

“In fact, yes. I was pretty proud of my escape.”

The woman elf began to frown. She probably thought that I would immediately surrender.

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“Then it’s a shame that I found you. You will come with me now. Don't worry, no harm will come to you if you don't have any evil intention.”

“I won’t."

“You won’t?”

She frowned harder not understanding why I was still challenging her.

"Of course, I won’t. I don't know any of you so why should I blindly trust you? Moreover, my escape wasn’t a total failure. You are alone after all !!!”

As soon as I finished speaking, I rushed toward her.

She calmly pulled the string of her bow and fired her arrow aiming for my legs.

*Fsssssss*

I avoided it with a sudden movement.

The arrow was fast and accurate. At that distance, it wasn't possible to dodge by reflex alone.

However, I had one advantage over her.

“When you know where your opponent is aiming…”

She knocked another arrow, but I avoided easily despite its speed.

I was coming closer.

“... arrows are...”

I used wind magic to propel myself forward. Her face began to turn serious, but it was too late. I appeared just in front of her surprised face as I clenched my fist covered with hard earth magic.

I was too close already.

“USELESS!”

I punched her in the solar plexus near her stomach with my entire strength.

I was far from being strong with this body, but I knew how to punch and how to put as much strength as possible behind my blows.

She fell on her knees while holding her belly and coughing.

“You little...”

She tried to stand up, but the pain prevented her from moving.

“Sorry about that!”

I was ready to punch her in the temple.

“You will sleep a little. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you.”

I punched her.

*CREEEEEEEEEK*

A creepy noise came from behind her.

I stopped my punch just before her face and looked where the noise was coming.

I saw two little red eyes shining beyond the shadow of the trees.

"Shit"

I lost too much time dealing with her.

If the creepy hamster was here then the Queen couldn't be far.

The situation looked bad. I knew that I had to run away.

I didn't forget how this seemingly harmless animal played with me in the forest. Its speed was clearly way above mine. Even if I tried to flee I wouldn't be able to lose him. Moreover, it would lead the other elves, possibly the Queen toward me.

The whispers began to appear around me once more. The hamster was clearly standing right in front of me, but the whispers were everywhere.

I had to take care of him before I thought about escaping.

I prepared to fight, but I noticed that the whispers were different than before.

I was able to understand them.

“Kill….. Tear him apart… Eat….”

The little hamster was staring at me with anger burning in its red eyes.

I tried to ignore the whispers and gathered mana in my right hand to shoot a waterball.

This thing was fast but I was sure that I would be able to shoot him with many waterballs. One hit should be enough to deal with it.

While I was thinking that the hamster's fur suddenly turned black.

Its body grew longer.

Its little teeth became sharper and longer. Claws as long as swords appeared at the end of its paws. Its little horn became more than three feet long and turned completely white.

I couldn’t move as I looked at the hamster turning into a horrible monster at least fifteen feet high. Its murderous red eyes were glued on me as slobber began to leak from its lips.

The transformation was too sudden and left me baffled. Moreover, the whispers intensified. It was as if someone was whispering directly in my ear. I tried to ignore it, but I quickly noticed that I had trouble concentrating and even gathering my mana.

I shook my head and fired as many waterballs as I could with both hands. However, under the influence of the strange whispers, I wasn't able to gather my usual strength.

After much more effort than usual, I only managed to fire a couple of weak waterballs toward the creature.

The speed of those magic was clearly way inferior to what I was able to do usually. I didn't have any doubt that with this kind of speed, I couldn't hit.

However, the monster didn’t move and simply allowed my attacks to crash against its massive body.

I used other types of magic, but the creature didn’t seem to care and kept staring at me.

While shooting, I gathered mana in my legs to unleash a wind magic powerful enough to help me escape.

However, before I could activate it, the creature finally moved.

Its giant body disappeared.

It was clearly slower in this form, but I was still unable to react in time. The whispers were like shackles, trapping my mind and slowing my movements.

When I finally reacted, the creature was right in front of me. I couldn’t avoid its massive body. I tried to use my wind magic, but I couldn't gather my mana as I wanted. I could only watch horrified as its sharp teeth approached me.

I was easily lifted from the ground.

I didn't feel any pain, it was as if I was in a dream.

However, I knew this was real.

The huge mouth with sharp teeth right in front of me couldn't be a hallucination.

I will die!

This thought crossed my mind as I tried to resist.

However, it was no use.

I was like a baby in front of this monster.

I couldn’t even scream while I was swallowed.