I dashed toward the opposite direction of them, going back to the forest. Green lushes of trees soon came to view once more, though it wasn’t much different from before. Still, much wondrous perhaps, if I would like to describe.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw a glimpse of the four red lychantes chasing after me. Everything so far has gone perfectly just like what I’d originally wanted. My promise with her should be done by now, for Elaine’s father should be safe and sound, as well herself. Now, perhaps, it was a good time to fulfill what I’d for mine.
Leading them northwest, toward the deeper of the forest once more, I quickened my steps, but even so my feet weren’t as fast as I was hoping, but still I tried my best. I wasn’t slacking, of course. There was no slight of intention from me that was hoping for them to kill me, I swear, like really believe me.
Also, the hard terrain was an additional factor, as I needed to avoid sticking roots on the ground several times, while taking notes at the pursuers behind me, hoping they didn’t lose interest in me. Or I would’ve been seen as a crazed man, running with nothing, against nor for in the woods, alone. Of course I always thought I was a little crazy in the head, but I didn’t want to raise any reputation. Well, they weren’t but somehow their numbers had reduced to only two.
Had they separated themselves to ambush me somewhere later on? I wondered. Or had they changed their mind, and to attack them instead? Quite possible. It would be the first thing to come to mind, if one weren't familiar with the monsters. However, red lychantes are known for their loyalty to their leader, so it was quite unlikely for such a case to happen. But, it wasn’t really impossible to say.
However, what if they hadn’t changed their target instead, but the auburn haired girl had decided to stick to the plan and decided to stop them somehow. The chance of that happening probably higher than the second option, when looking at how long her father had endured the battle. It should be, but I didn’t know if that was the right choice to take or not.
But, what if the latter was about to happen, you’d ask? Well, there was nothing to consider, I would just embrace myself toward it, no? Besides, as far as my eyes could see, I didn’t see any sign of more of red lychantes besides these two, while of course I could have missed them. But, really what was the harm on me?
In any case whatever the options I had no real way to interrupt the rolling dice no more, except hoping nothing but they were safe, or all of these things would be in naught. Would I still become a bird when I die, I wonder? Certainly I would, right? I was very true to myself.
As I looked back once again, I could see they had been speeding their pace, rapidly reducing their wide gap between themselves and me. Without wasting any time, I sent the compressed water sphere toward the smaller red lychantes, hoping it could break their pace.
But, without even so much as batting an eye, they just stepped aside, dodging it with ease. With so many trees around us, and how agile they were, hitting them like this seemed close to impossible. And, it did more harm than good as the knocking pain in my head seemed to grow louder every time I used magic.
What was I doing? I wonder.
When without anything to obstruct them, they should be within a meter of me already as I felt the breathing noise coming from their snout coming close. It was loud and annoying. Like it was mine. Or wait, perhaps it wasn't them but mine, instead. Perhaps.
Joking aside, I should be ready. Unsheathing the dagger from my belt, and wielded it in my right hand. I came prepared.
At this moment, it should be a fear that I felt right now. And, yet, the thumping on my heart I felt right now, made me feel more alive than ever, even though the after-effect of the health potion should be long gone by now.
Perhaps, it’s what it means to be living according to one's own desire. Tugging on the corner of my mouth, I could feel a tiny bump on my cheek.
Have I been smiling all this long?
Perhaps, so.
“aaaahahahaAHHAHAHHA.” I broke into a big laugh that seemed uncharacteristic of someone such as myself. But, there was no one beside me, so what was the harm? “AAAAHAHAHAHHAAHAAHAHAHHAHAH.”
But soon that laugh wouldn’t last long as out of the corner, I saw the smaller red lychantes suddenly lurched its body forward trying to attack me. The timing of the attack, I would like to believe as it was offended by my sudden burst of laughter. But, of course it wasn’t. Right?
Luckily, I’d anticipated its movement beforehand, the moment they were within the distance, and managed to react in time, safely stepping away from the danger.
“Oops–”
But, before I could finish my word, the bigger red lychantes also pounched, attacking from the right side of mine, its position was perfect as if it was waiting where I would dodge. It leapt toward me with its big menace body, aiming at my neck, but I kicked myself away to the left side to dodge but could barely by a thin margin.
Yet, its sharp claw managed to find a purchase on my right arm. In a hurry, I tried to yank my arm free while also delivering a kick on the side before it could drag me down with it entirely, ripping my sleeve in the process where a small cut formed.
I let out a bit of breath.
Slowly from there a tear of red blood trickled down, where a tingling pain rang through to my brain. Reminded me again how much alive I was.
Not even a moment had passed, out of the corner of my eyes, the smaller red lychantes once again, attacking from the other side. But, with my dagger in hand, I turned toward it, and swiped it horizontal. With such an inhumane reflex, befitted of monsters it stopped only an inch away before jumping back to safety.
And, of course the bigger red lychantes ready to pounce anytime the moment I busied myself with the other one. It leapt against the defenseless, open back of mine. Without any means to defend it, I tried to push it off with my elbow. But, of course without any second thought the bigger red lychantes would gladly sink its sharps fangs on such a generous offer.
A heat wave radiated from its maw coming close trickled against my skin. It was the main trait of red lychantes, each of the variants had a different trait. And, the red lyhantes known, as had a series of fangs that emit a how wave within its teeth that could leave a burn to whatever it sank within. It tasted like a sword dipped in fire for quite a time.
It had slipped in my mind before until I felt it once again. It reminded me of what I tasted on my early adventurers. If I remember correctly, It was also red lychantes, I think. How nostalgic!
The searing hot pain stung as it touched the surface on my skin. But, it was what I aimed for, and immediately with my other hand I sent the water sphere, which I’d conjured seconds ago. The sphere exploded upon touching the target and blasted a spray of water to its vicinity as well to my face.
But of course it wasn’t a compressed one; the impact wasn’t nearly strong enough to send it flying. However, it wasn’t expecting such a thing to happen, as it slightly loosened its grip against my right arm. In that a measly moment, I delivered a punch on the head, and took a step back to safety.
Once more, the smaller red lychantes put another attack on me, leaping its body toward me with its maw, baring full of sharp teeth, with each of them looking particularly scary. But this time without any surprise or hindrance the attack looked dull and obvious.
Chanting the name of the spell once again, I sent the uncompressed sphere toward its full open mouth, as it was several centimeters away from me. A ball of water blasted on its face, almost filling its mouth, and as well scattered a bit to mine.
But, of course something simple like that wouldn't be enough, except as a distraction. Soon, I would need something more impactful, and decisive. Or I would be kept on this loop. Perhaps, not as I eventually would down first, from exhaustion or from an accumulation of little scratch and bite.
Taking a full step back, I retreated back to put more distance from them. Also, to readjust myself, and took a bit of a breather before they continued their relentless onslaught once more. Behind me was a big tree, once again. I felt at ease, but my mind was racing crazy..
It’s hard to breathe while trying to put up with their pace.
But, with only a slight burning pain on my forearm, and a bit of cut and bruise here and there. I think I would say I have been doing quite well so far. I mean, If I look back at how poorly my condition is.
Perhaps, it was such a bad idea to go on them straight like this.
Whose idea is this again?
Oh shit! That was me, no? Right?
Hehehe, exactly right. No wonder he was so useless at that ‘time’. Perhaps it was the perfect time for him to retire?
And you know what? You are right, I've retired.
Then perhaps, it is also the time for him to die, then?
And you know what? You are right, again. Perhaps, it’s time to finalize my dearest wish. Besides, I don’t think I could last any longer than this. In the first place, why am I even resisting this much?
Perhaps, I was afraid. Afraid of what? The life after death? Nay if I would say. I am afraid of those claws, and fangs. I mean look at those, they could puncture my skin so easy. And then look at the state of my arm. It’s only one time, but it still hurts so much.
And, besides, do you know? The lychantes never kill their prey outright, they enjoy their sufferings. They would gutted and eat their insides while they are still breathing alive.
But, how could one endure that suffering?
Besides, how long could one survive from all of that?
A few seconds?
Nay, Several seconds? perhaps.
A half minute?
I doubted it would be less short than that.
Ah! Yes! Yes!
Another perfect reasoning by me once again. In the end I’m just nothing but a coward.
Still, what do you wish for now?
A death, of course. If it’s possible a painless death.
So, how do you accomplish that?
Maybe by reducing their number, first? That’s right I should just reduce their number. So the pain becomes less, and less prominent.
In the end, what I seek is liberation, not a painful one.
When I looked in front of me, they already had backed up to their four feet, and slowly and steadily advancing toward me. They stared low at me with a furious growl leaking from their mouth. For me, they didn’t look like wet puppies with upturned eyes at all.
But a feral beast, hungry, and out for blood. And, so did I, as I was also out for blood myself, quite literally as the throbbing in my head seemed to have grown louder than ever. Someone needed to open that cursed door at this instance, what even with all these knocking in my head.
Next fight would be the last, I could feel it.
At this moment, I felt so cold right now as a cold sweat trickled down from my forehead to my jaw. I could feel the looming dark shadow of the grim rea—
No, that wasn’t quite right. Let me retract that back.
At this moment, I felt so overwhelmingly happy right now, as I felt once again the tugging bump on the corner of my mouth. I could feel the warmth of the grim reaper coming close as he was about to make his grand entrance from that dazzling, bright corridor, with his glamorous robe of his, plain dark yet strike me as charming, and mesmerizing. Not lavish to blind one's eyes, but enough to etch a deep impression on oneself.
The loud thumping in my head and the skipped beat in my heart relentlessly jumping and out as if they were also overjoyed, trying to celebrate with me.
To rejoice with me, and to give one final cheer on me.
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For I could finally be liberated.
And at last, they would give me a final push, and send me off with that huge smiley.
They said, “Go for It!”
I relaxed myself, and took one final deep breath, and I shouted.
“Come!!”
They were coming, whether it was because they were provoked by my voice or not, I had no idea. But, they were coming. Without wasting any time they sprinted forward like an angry feral and the small distance between them and me from before had gone instantly.
And, once again they were coming, but this time I was ready.
Ready to embrace my death.
From the right side of mine, the smaller red lychantes attacked first, lurched its body forward, but instead of dodging or anything I would just face it straight head and punch it on the head.
My right arm was still hurt, but I could move it just fine. Its sharp fangs grazed against mine, trickling a sizzle of burning as my hand pushed straight toward its cheek. The punch connected as the red lychantes knocked back to the ground.
From the left side, the bigger red lychantes also prepared to attack. But, with my back against a tree, they couldn't attack my defenseless back anymore. There was no other option but for them to attack from the side or forward. And as expected it took from the side, instead forward.
Smart but not clever enough.
It came with fast lightning speed, hurling its body downward, before it was ready to pounce. I also was ready, brandishing my dagger in my right hand. My dominant hand. It charged, with its maw open, a series of sharp fangs lined up perfectly. Scary and menace. I rolled to the side, dodging the attack.
But, of course, it didn’t finish just yet. As it once again back to attacking. Kicking the dust off the ground, it charged. As I crouched like I had no way to dodge anymore. So, I sent the compressed water sphere which I’d saved for this moment. My left arm stuck forward and sent the sphere. However, surprisingly, the bigger red lychantes titled its body slightly right to dodge, yet it didn’t attack, and pulled back, perhaps sensing another attack.
However, different from the bigger one, the smaller red lychantes attacked from my blindside, bypassing my defense, and bit me on the lower left rib. I gasped in pain. But, quickly with my right arm, I stabbed it with the dagger. Yipping in pain, it retreated back. But, the wound was left. Blood dripping, but not so much. Perhaps, it wasn’t deep. Still, it was burning hot.
There was no time to rest, as I said to myself. I stood up. I could see the bigger red lychantes was ready to deliver another pounce, eyeing me as it circled around. But, it was a time of opportunity for me, as I once again tried to conjure the water sphere. It took two seconds, and would be another two seconds to compress it.
But, it seemed the bigger red lychantes wouldn’t give me that luxury as it charged forward. I could move a bit, or run a little back. But, that wouldn’t be not enough. In the end, I chose to finish compressing the water sphere.
It pounced and leapt. But, it was a little higher than before. Perhaps, the aim was different this time. I could feel it. The neck was the most vulnerable area, a vital point of every creature. But, it was also the hardest to reach. Its aim needed to be perfect. Unlike legs, chest, or arms, where it was the easiest one to attack.
I stood still to see where its body trajectory would go. And, at the last minute, I took a little step and turned my body. As it missed the attack, it would be flying in front of me. So I positioned my left arm to where it would be, and on the surface of my palm was none other than the compressed water sphere.
Without needing to aim, I released. As it launched forward. It hit it at a point blank distance. The sphere touched the target on its side and blasted a little spray of water. But, the impact. The impact would be much greater than the long distance one. And it sent the bigger red lychantes flying.
However, it wasn’t time to relax just yet, for the smaller would be attacking. As it turned my body, what I saw was the maw open of red lychantes. I had no way to dodge it, as I stuck my left arm to defend myself. I braced myself. And the red lychantes took the bite. I was expecting it to be more painful, but it wasn’t. Perhaps, the stab from earlier hurt it a lot.
A sizzling hot burning pain, sunk on through my flesh while the weight of its body tried to push me down. But, I stood. There wouldn’t be any other chance. I pushed my body with it, in a tow. Toward a big tree very close to me.
With a huge Bam. The tree shook upon contact. Leaves, and nuts falling from its branches, while a few flocks of small birds hurriedly left from their nest. I pushed harder, pressing it flat, so it couldn’t leave.
After switching to reverse grip, with my free hand. I stabbed the dagger on its neck. The red lychantes yelped in pain. But, it seemed it wasn’t enough. So, I sunk another one, and another one. It was the least mercy that I could grant, a fast death. Once, twice, thrice, over and over With a thud, it dropped stringless onto the ground.
I took a heavy breather before I scanned my surroundings. Soon, my eyes found the bigger red lychantes, the leader, seemed to have distanced itself away from me.
Shaking its head to right and left, as if it was trying to dispel the dizziness from the attack earlier. Has it grown scared of me? No, those eyes didn’t seem to indicate any sort of that. It was more likely to say it was more eager than ever.
Probably it was waiting for me to finish the other one first. To have head to head with me.
What a good boy!
I couldn’t be more satisfied than this. I didn’t think I could have a more fitting ending than this. An adventurer died at the hand of a monster. What a surprise! It was a common story among many. But, truly there was nothing befit to kill instead the one in front of me.
How many times do I need to blast it away, again and again for it to only come back. Hehehe, maybe, that’s precisely why he would become my sweet grim reaper.
“Now, it’s just you and me, alone,” I said.
It stared back at me with its red glowing bloodthirsty eyes, looking at me as if those eyes alone could devour me alive. A furious growl leaked from its mouth.
Soon, I would face the leader once more.
I could feel the burning pain on my arms, and my lower rib, as well in some more areas. While the headache in my head seemed to become more prominent than ever. I could see my vision had become hazy, somewhat the leader looked like had multiplied. Was it trickery put on by my eyes? Of course it was.
Perhaps, the lack of mana in my body had reached a point of too low. Even to stand on my feet like this, I couldn’t feel anything beneath. Cold sweat poured on my forehead and soaked heavily on me.
And, yet why should I care? None of those were important. In front of me was my nemesis.
An epic battle was about to unfold, between the mighty red lychantes and a puny human. A bard would sing glory over the story; A peasant would shed a tear of joy whenever they heard the story, and a storyteller would record it in their book for eternity, and to never leave the surface once more. And a jester? Well, a jester would always be a jester. They tried to make a joke which no one could understand except himself or maybe even the emperor.
Truly a moment to behold!
I stuck my hand forward. Chanting under my breath, I recited the spell once more.
“O’ The Great Water Spirit King who ruled all over the sunken land, and who is known as the merciful king, please grant me your strength to blast away the enemy in my way.”
“Water sphere.”
Very slowly I could feel the mana concentrated toward the surface of my palm. But it was painfully slow, the thumping in my head grew significantly. But, I still managed to conjure an image in my head. Everything was going perfectly fine as the spell was about to make a shape on my hand.
But, the thumping changed its tone to a deafening ringing. The noise was so much to handle as it blocked all sorts of sound from others. The rustling trees, the chirping birds in the distance as well the close sound of my heavy breathing. They were all gone.
The world around me fell silent. The only sound that I could hear was the ringing that was so deafening it seemed it could make me undergo another level of insanity. Even though I felt I was insane enough. The spell shattered in an instant, as the shock threw my arm back.
But it wasn’t important anymore. At this moment I knew I needed to put this insanity to end. I tried to cup my ears, hoping it could be reduced even if it was slightest, even though I knew it was from inside not outside. But, alas, it didn't have any effect. I could feel my world shaking to and fro like a ship in the middle of a storm.
But, then I saw it, in the midst of the chaos I saw something peculiar in front of me. A black-weird-transparent looking-rectangular had appeared in front of my field of view blocking my view. It came and went in a rapid succession.
$@%ERROR%*&
Insufficient Mana
Attempting to Calibrate:
452325%/100%
Calibrating error &35^%
Activating Emergency!
Proctor is not Found
Failed to activate
$@%ERROR%*&
$@%ERROR%*&
The moment the rectangular thing was gone, the ringing also disappeared. But, soon it was replaced by the face of the red lychantes, as it finally came to me. Even if they were gone, it was all too late. It was too close, as the leader was only several centimeters away from my face.
I had no way to dodge it anymore; I had no more stamina. And more importantly I felt I had enough, I have nothing more to go. Perhaps, it was the time for me to finally embrace my sweet grim reaper that had kindly come without even being invited. I could see it, see it, very clearly the liberation, the salvation coming fast toward me. Finally, I would be free from this world.
Thus, I resigned myself, for I could be finally free.
Its maw was wide open, revealing a series of sharp teeth while a thick saliva poured down, endlessly with the scent of beastly, which made one want to pinch their nose. A heat wave passed, trickled on my skin for a moment, before its teeth finally sunk deep on my flesh.
I could feel the searing hot pain, burning as it dug deep into my shoulder, while the weight of its body pushed me down to the ground. I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“AAAAAaaagcccckkkkkkkk!!!! Wh-wwwwwyyyyyy!!!????”
A word. I tried to vocalize my voice, but the pain had become unbearable for me to handle. I couldn’t do anything but gritted my teeth instead, while desperately clutching hard on the ground to endure the pain. Still, why? A question appeared in my mind. But that question became a torrent of anguish that needed to be voiced.
WHY? WHY? WHHHHHYYYYY!!!????
Even though my neck was left open, my throat was free. There was nothing to hinder about. But, still why did it choose my shoulder? Why? everything could be over in an instant, when its sharp fangs dug in my neck, cut my artery open, and I would ascend to a better life. To a better life. To the better life that I deserved.
Yet, WHY!? WHY? TELL ME WHY!!?
Even though it was so free, I would have instantly dropped dead. Of course no one would have an answer to that question, I could do nothing but beat myself over, and still come up with nothing.
I watched the red lychantes as it slowly ripped a small chunk of my shoulder off.
“AAAaaaaaacccgggggkkKKKKKKKHHHHHHH!!!!!”
At that moment, an answer flashed.
Perhaps, it was afraid of my spell for how many times it had been hit. Or perhaps it was just enjoying its prey suffering. Of course, I had no idea what the reason was. But, whatever they were, it didn’t matter much to me.
As eventually I will die in the end, but much longer, much more suffering, and much more time for me to look back at what had all transpired to this life.
It wasn’t the salvation that I wanted but perhaps in a way it was what I deserved.
The red lychantes was on the top of me with a tick of red blood dripping down from its mouth. Its expression looked triumphant, somewhat I could picture a smirk on its face. Perhaps, it enjoyed its well fought victory. If I were it, I would. But, I couldn’t be sure.
It let out one final snarl, before readied its maw once again to dig into me. To tear apart my flesh, and rend my bones, or perhaps to drag my body away.
I felt it would be a long time, but in the end, the winner decided all, as they were the last one who laughed, while the loser?
Well, they die and suffer.
Simple!
But, before it could, something fast had struck on its side, making it tumbling on the ground. Had the victory left it unguarded. Perhaps. Or rather of something, it looked like someone had kicked it. And the person who was responsible for that now stood near me.
That striking shoulder-length red hair with the shade of brown at the tip fluttering before the wind which I have seen so many times recently. There was no other person beside her that I could think of in this forest. The auburn-haired girl? Elaine?
But, that wasn’t possible. Or perhaps in a way, it was possible?
I thought so too but soon I began to re-question that very thought of mine at the very sight of that lucid white dress she wore. Also her feet were naked, revealing her pale skin, but brown dirty. After kicking the red lychantes away, she looked at me with somewhat frowned brows, as if she was upset about something.
“What in the name of the Great Spirit King, you are doing, You, A Foolish Human!!?”