Bel couldn't have been happier to see her husband was safe. The first following evening went slow and it was quite uncomfortable, too.
"Will she come back?" asked Ane. Her voice was huskier than usual and she was somewhat afraid of asking about Daphne in the presence of their children, but they had to grow up later or sooner.207Please respect copyright.PENANAG3nJc6h2bC
"I hope not," replied Rok. He was staring outside the low, square platform of glass that served as a window. "Losing Korlos is a very big threat to the future. He is one of the four legendary warriors."207Please respect copyright.PENANA0RLMnUWc6x
"Four?" frowned Elliot, who raised his head immediately. "Who are the four legendary heroes?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAa6sCRFEMxc
Jarco gulped. He wanted so strangle Rok now. Never had Jarco spilt a word about the four legendary warriors to Elliot before. Not more than necessary, at least.207Please respect copyright.PENANAusX8ZVn5zT
"Korlos, the brain, Ghordo, the strength, Aris, the heart, and I, the fortune."207Please respect copyright.PENANAdluAAdLaDw
Elliot's heart dropped, along with his jaw. His own mother? A silence passed and Rok casually glared outside the window while a branch in the fireplace snapped.207Please respect copyright.PENANAhWC8k2bK8w
"Aris... Why did she leave?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAdQlI3zecuD
"For you," replied Rok whilst he turned to the young boy. "Your mother shall be heartbroken to hear about Korlos' loss."207Please respect copyright.PENANAzlwJEf0VSt
"I think we should go outside and do something else to keep our minds distracted," said Ane. She couldn't bare to hear more of this and she almost refused it, too. This was something which shouldn't be told by some semi-stranger — who just happened to have a true bond with one of your parents.
"It is too dangerous outside," warned Bel.207Please respect copyright.PENANAUeDqcG5h1n
"Is it not always?" shrugged Ane. She appreciated Bel's caring behaviour, but she did not want to be bemothered right now. After all, a bond with the Queen she did not have.
Ane took the cold knob of the door in her hand and she started to twist it. She yelled when a grating sound of clastic woold was followed by the tip of a blade just against her lips. The princess jolted back immediately, licked her lips and was happy to feel no pain, and then watched as the door opened.207Please respect copyright.PENANAfG8FlkSYkt
"Why?" was the only thing that Ane could utter before she felt her being dragged towards the horned. Daphne's hand around her neck somehow gripped all her veins and Ane felt a lot of struggle suddenly pop right through her body. Elliot, Bethil and the Dwarves all rose to their feet to rescue Ane, but Daphne just walked outside and she threw Ane on the floor there.207Please respect copyright.PENANAOzX7Vpkwnt
Embarrassing, thought Ane as she tried to recover. She looked in Daphne's ice cold eyes. Pure blankness was the only thing notable.207Please respect copyright.PENANAtHquixSshM
"What do you want from me?" muttered Ane.207Please respect copyright.PENANAGIiBR0OLSg
"Don't listen to the Dwarves," hissed Daphne.207Please respect copyright.PENANA5rvzFN1jxM
The horned heard how Elliot and Bethil set steps outside and in what seemed like a split second, she held a blade against Ane's neck and she gripped Ane's wrists behind her back. The princess writhed and she gritted her teeth, trying to stay as quiet as possible as she felt the sharp metal against her skin.
"Don't hurt her!" yelled Elliot.207Please respect copyright.PENANAJThQkq7HML
"So Mr. Brain is going to speak," taunted Daphne.207Please respect copyright.PENANAOPsr2AAduw
"Why would you do this?" frowned Bethil, almost genuinely confused.
"Get away from the Dwarf," ordered Daphne and she nudged her head towards the Dwarf leaving his house.
"Why?" asked Elliot.207Please respect copyright.PENANApxovIEaFTi
Daphne groaned and Elliot and Bethil flew to the side, landing harshly on the bitter ground. Her magic sure was versatile.207Please respect copyright.PENANA05ynUtKkli
"Daffa—"207Please respect copyright.PENANALjqpR8Uyal
"No, little Dwarf," interrupted Daphne. "You spill my secrets, I spill yours."207Please respect copyright.PENANAkbKSWFnIlS
He somehow was completely put checkmate as he was wise enough to shut his mouth. Ane frowned in pure confuse. What was Rok's secret? A wave of hesitation and scepticalness flew through her, but she realised that it was still Daphne who was threatening her life.207Please respect copyright.PENANAmXX55DYbTA
"Let Ane go," said Rok calmly.
"As you wish," smirked the druid. She let Ane go, but that had been a mistake for Rok.
Ane felt clearly how a salty, slicing pain ran through the veins of her wounded shoulder. Her skin popped open and released a pool of blood that dripped down her sleeve. She shrieked once again and fell flat on the ground, clutching her shoulder. Daphne raised her dagger towards Elliot and Bethil.207Please respect copyright.PENANA8Me3jspxr4
"Livi and I will be available for answers at the oak pine tree," she said before she spread her wings and soared through the limitless skies, out of their view.207Please respect copyright.PENANAcTUFcnEGVb
Elliot hurried to Ane's aid. Bethil asked Rok where the oak pine tree was, and he just responded that it was right outside of the city where the woods started again. Rok mentioned that it was a rather dangerous place. Uncanny and mysterious. Any unexpected visitors would just be cursed by bad luck and face the consequences of it.207Please respect copyright.PENANAccNFgJsuT7
"Should we go?" whispered Bethil, aimed towards Elliot who was helping Anevay up.207Please respect copyright.PENANAXp3epqN5Nd
"We shall discuss that later," muttered the young lad. Rok also came to aid.207Please respect copyright.PENANAE7fQMjv66m
"You cannot trust that witch!" hissed Rok.207Please respect copyright.PENANAFIeO1Q8m6s
Bel helped the tall, injured girl on the chair as she was clutching her bleeding shoulder. Bel helped Ane take off her thick coat and revealed her shoulder and bare arm. Thick, crimson liquid streamed out of the wound richly and slowly, tracing its way down her arm. In particularly elegant patterns, the messy redness came out quite pretty.207Please respect copyright.PENANAYFBO68SkOt
"Royal blood really does look better," mumbled Bethil thoughtfully. Ane rolled her eyes.207Please respect copyright.PENANAYl8bXRvZMc
"The pain is not any less, though," she said. Rok handed Elliot a damp cloth and Elliot pressed it against the wound. Bethil helped Rok with the herbal stew and Bel brought the children upstairs.207Please respect copyright.PENANAypzAvo61kw
"I never could have imagined that shoulders hurt this much," uttered Ane whilst she gritted her teeth.207Please respect copyright.PENANAvosRk9LBIP
"Do you consider going the oak pine tree?" asked Elliot quietly.207Please respect copyright.PENANAtD4ylufm2L
"And get my other shoulder stabbed? Rather not," grimaced Ane. Elliot snickered slightly and he looked at the wound. The blood had rubbishly been wiped away and the wound now could clearly be seen as a perfectly straight gash of about two inches. Elliot hoped that the wound wouldn't be too deep.207Please respect copyright.PENANAUUbsQ5PsDn
"Jesus," he began. "This is the cliché story, is it not? The princess needs the help of her best friend."207Please respect copyright.PENANAAITbN8NPjY
Ane smiled softly, blushes slowly growing on her glowing cheeks. Her eyes drifted to Elliot's, who were focused on her shoulder. The princess looked away again and chuckled at her own silliness.207Please respect copyright.PENANAK7kazv0Kp4
"Enough romance," interrupted Bethil. He handed Elliot the bowl filled with a cream-like texture with a brownish colour. Lazily, the shapeshifter pointed at the wound and then he turned back around and helped Rok clean up.207Please respect copyright.PENANAa9EE8ll3OX
Elliot took some of the paste on his fingers and he carefully smudged it over the cut. Ane wanted to jolt back in pain but she clenched her teeth and just experienced the stinging pain of the herbs on her wound. Somehow, though, it was a relieving pain. A refreshing feeling that seemed to cover all the bits of previous hurt.207Please respect copyright.PENANAnzLPeSz7Fx
"Is there something else I could do?" asked Rok.207Please respect copyright.PENANAdWWZz51Ja2
"Fresh water," ordered Ane. "A cup of fresh, clear water."207Please respect copyright.PENANAjgnuwRQIir
"Not so greedy," muttered Elliot.207Please respect copyright.PENANAKuYXQllhrt
"Wait until someone stabs your damn shoulder," hissed Ane. Elliot just chuckled and he sat back on one of the chairs.207Please respect copyright.PENANAaijnfZnHdn
"You should go and ask Daphne for answers," replied Bethil.207Please respect copyright.PENANA8gbld9Buul
"Do you want to push us deeper into danger?" scowled Elliot.207Please respect copyright.PENANAkfGcyjSUnm
"Excuse my rudeness, but we seriously don't know enough," Bethil replied calmly. "We don't know half of the things as to why we are here in the first place. I won't sit around and just travel to the mad oracles just for some answers that we may get halfway."207Please respect copyright.PENANAExbX8HC2OP
The sharpness in his voice betrayed Bethil's impatience. Ane understood him, but she did not show her comprehension. They were on a quest and oblivious or full of knowledge, they had to pursue this mission. For the good of the world. Ane could nearly sense all the evil lurking underneath all the sheerest layers of the world. She knew that Bethil just wanted to figure out for whom they were doing this and why. He wanted to know what caused all this, who chose them. Ane wanted to know all of that too, and more than anyone else. Questions and questions and more questions just began to stack and no one of them could lower the pack of mysteries.207Please respect copyright.PENANAzOHp37BoHz
Ane's mind wandered off in the meanwhile. She wondered what would have happened if she had married a galant prince, his thick, curly hair in the wind. His golden suit decorated with the blue silver, the crown on this perfectly shaped face. An entire family full of beautiful yet pesky children and a wide kingdom with tons of flowers, loads of laughing gardeners and maids rushing to serve cakes and tea. How boring.207Please respect copyright.PENANAIJAtP8Wdi2
"Ane."207Please respect copyright.PENANAEGZUZ2Y45b
Anevay looked up and saw Elliot with the cup of fresh water.207Please respect copyright.PENANA7ao5LPt2c3
"Are you alright?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAx8rWGdmgSR
"Just dozed off," mumbled Ane as she pressed the cup against her lips. She wondered what would make her happier. A boring life were everything was served on golden plates or a life where you barely even knew the names of your enemies. Whilst she contemplated, she couldn't help but let her brain waver to the latter of the options.207Please respect copyright.PENANAqc3KW0GbjM
The night fell. Ane, whose shoulder was tightly wrapped up, sat in the kitchen. Her eyes glared through the sheer surface of glass keeping Ane away from the outside world. Elliot, who had joined her some time ago and who had served both of them a cup of tea looked outside as well. Glistening stars sparked upon the layer of sky and Ane's mind couldn't help but search its own journey inside her head.207Please respect copyright.PENANALeL3t39NNU
"You want to go and visit Daphne, do you not?" asked Elliot. Ane glared at Elliot and she nodded. Of course she did. Her best friend stood up and he went upstairs to go and get Bethil and Jarco. In the midst of the night, the four snook out and travelled to the oak pine tree.207Please respect copyright.PENANAN8ThJx6awx
They tried to keep their voices down as they left Iccarslot. They barely managed, though. They left their horses — stupidly enough — and the southern luxury behind.207Please respect copyright.PENANAlAKUJlHt8f
"So you came," said Livi as soon as the redhead had noticed the company had arrived.207Please respect copyright.PENANAexo4kux4Ed
"I want answers," nodded Ane rather impolitely.207Please respect copyright.PENANAr3j0PyI6CD
"Why else would you have come?" asked Livi with a very blank, obvious expression.207Please respect copyright.PENANAAerhnectLh
The oak pine tree rose dozens of feet in the air and underneath it, six strangers to the country were discussing their matters.207Please respect copyright.PENANAxFTkqpWnwZ
"Why us?" asked Ane.
"Heart, wisdom, fortune and brute," responded Daphne. "Everything the perfect creature needs. A heart for compassion and hope, wisdom for intelligence and wits, fortune for faith and luck, and brute for strength and perseverance. The ideal image, right?"207Please respect copyright.PENANANFkbQnNZyO
A bit lamely, the company agreed.207Please respect copyright.PENANAYSL0gqJZxd
"It seems that the oracle has found the four extremes in the four warriors, I suppose. The previous four warriors took their blessing for granted and fell to the hands of evil."207Please respect copyright.PENANA4D3GWbJJ7h
"Did they die?" Elliot asked.207Please respect copyright.PENANAmaGyvXF9yo
"Not quite."207Please respect copyright.PENANAeOJwLKY2ZZ
"Who is the fourth warrior?" Ane asked impatiently.207Please respect copyright.PENANAXivN32137A
"You know it, Anevay. You can see the colours of the aura. You can see who the fourth one is," Daphne replied calmly.207Please respect copyright.PENANALdggb6Zq6n
Ane sensed how her three friends glared at her, questioning. The princess took a deep breath. Daphne was right. She could see it perfectly. Sharp and clear, like a shard of the purest glass. She had continuously denied it till now, when she had no other option but to admit that she knew.207Please respect copyright.PENANA3r8ghWyFrE
"It is you," she eventually sighed, hating having to utter those words. "The grey brute."207Please respect copyright.PENANAFku7X8SlPU
Daphne's lips merely curled into a somewhat relieved smile.207Please respect copyright.PENANAx0Q1370EaD
Elliot remained speechless while Bethil casually greeted Daphne. Elliot was just plain confused.207Please respect copyright.PENANAUySxBuIZYI
"How did you know that you were the last person we needed?" he asked.207Please respect copyright.PENANAfOGbbbmps4
"I met my ancestor. He was a red brute, though. Lost in anger, fury and passion," Daphne said.207Please respect copyright.PENANAwlIutNKLI8
"I assume you are headed west now, if you want to reach the east as safe as possible," Livi interrupted.207Please respect copyright.PENANAG8ucj8JaEK
"How can we trust you?" asked Jarco.207Please respect copyright.PENANAl9N8PKV1Zv
"They are right," Ane said. "They are trustworthy."207Please respect copyright.PENANARN5Nehwi7o
Once the four northern people had taken their horses and they were proceeding to leave Iccarslot, Bethil decided it'd be a good time to ask about the colour clause.207Please respect copyright.PENANAYaRkFXaZ6m
"You are purple, Bethil," replied Ane. "Creative, mysterious, dignified and noble."207Please respect copyright.PENANAPUJGtwTQZX
"Noble?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAWbonlfki1f
"You are mystic and magical," snickered Ane, followed by a yawn. "Elliot is blue. Smart, empathic and a wave of good things, like reliable and honest."207Please respect copyright.PENANAuaiex3eTlY
Elliot smiled briefly.207Please respect copyright.PENANAqjsW7ZpRTJ
"Daphne is grey. Neutral, elegant and dignified. Cold, though, but she has a trustworthy edge."207Please respect copyright.PENANAC2XdqlOHN5
"And you, princess? What is your aura like?" asked Jarco.207Please respect copyright.PENANADHMw9JzP43
Ane hummed for a second. "It is orange. Adventurous, ambitious and brave, I suppose. Energetic."207Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6AJlddhSq
"A ball of fierceness," added Livi. Ane softly snickered. She liked that. Livi was a gentle green. Except for Jarco, few people were green. Few people were so pure. Harmonic, balanced and eager to learn. Like a tiny, smart plant, ready to become a tall and mighty tree worshipped by many.207Please respect copyright.PENANAhUnZAwJtTl
"How do you know by those colours whether someone is sincere or not?" Elliot asked curiously.207Please respect copyright.PENANAjYh675b14p
"The saturation," said Ane. "The intensity of the colour. The brightness. You see, a sincere and vivid person has deep and lively colours, meanwhile a person who has sunken low has become nothing but a shred of sheer tint. However, someone who's dearly passionated by their goals whether they're good or bad are also very saturated. It's just... instinct, really."207Please respect copyright.PENANACvRqEVILZG
Ane smiled with her explanation. Many people had low, nearly transparant colours. See-through, as if they were phantoms. Ane had to decide to actually see the colour of their flesh in order to be able to actually see them at all. The colour of the skin didn't reveal anything at all, though. It was truly what's inside that mattered. Whether they had porcelain skin that seemed to be so fragile yet beautiful, tanned skin with a hint of glowing amber, or dark skin which reminded you of the mysterious dephts of the woods, who could truly identify their personalities through just that? It was like judging a person's gift from the wrapping paper. Gems could easily get lost that way.207Please respect copyright.PENANAABIJ2bpWzl
Ane subtly looked at the people next to her. Bethil was having a conversation with Daphne, who seemed surprisingly open for that. Livi and Jarco were getting all cosy, often letting out a flirty giggle. And next to her sat Elliot, loyal as always. Not because he was blue, or because Ane was a princess and it would benefit him, but because Ane knew that just like she loved him, he loved her too. Even if it wasn't romantic, she knew that Elliot wouldn't step away from her for anything in the entire world.207Please respect copyright.PENANAN4mNOKJtTV
Elliot caught Ane's glimpse and he managed to gently smile back for a split second. He wondered what was going through her head. His face was pointed back to the front and he saw how very slowly, the trees made space for a stronghold.207Please respect copyright.PENANAM9bvdaJK1S
"We can sleep here," Livi said. "The inn is cheap and people of all races are here, so nobody should feel left out."207Please respect copyright.PENANA47ntSpt6Ud
Elliot awkwardly smiled, but a supportive pat on his shoulder that which came from Anevay sent a confident smile to his mouth.207Please respect copyright.PENANAOWYjoRlGmi
The company entered the stronghold and were almost instantly greeted by the ruling scent of a farm. Livi explained that a local farm was around and the villagers used that as their main source of profit and food. The bunch of six headed to the inn, where a chubby, cute lady sat behind a high counter. The lady was rather small and she had her grey hair up in a bun, revealing her old and wrinkled, pointy ears.207Please respect copyright.PENANAr7zScap42M
"How can I help you, my dear?" asked the lady.207Please respect copyright.PENANAyWYLUlqnZB
"Three rooms, please," Ane said.207Please respect copyright.PENANAgnp3AvFSFr
The lady gave Ane three keys in return for several coins. She glared at the thick horns of Daphne and you could almost hear her mutter "sheep" under her breath.207Please respect copyright.PENANAHwiRepmVVB
Ane decided to share the room with Elliot, Jarco and Bethil also agreed to share a room and Daphne and Livi picked each other as roommates, too.207Please respect copyright.PENANAINKCJSWD4M
"In the back of the building, you can have a drink and some food," informed the lady before the three pairs disappeared.207Please respect copyright.PENANAoDknxFwT62
Breakfast would be their first meal since they had left Iccarslot, and possibly it could have been lunch. Daphne was the first one awake, or so she had thought. She snook outside of the room after she refreshed herself and headed downstairs. She saw Bethil talk with a stranger. A redhead. Long, fiery hair fell down the man's shoulders.207Please respect copyright.PENANAd4vTAYAMkL
"Good morning," said Daphne.207Please respect copyright.PENANAFugKET9KHF
"It's noon," answered Bethil, "but good morning!"207Please respect copyright.PENANA3UA5Qdlsrh
"Nice to meet you," said the redhead. His phrase may have shown a lot of excitement, but his voice lacked every ounce of sympathy. The cold-hearted welcome of the redhead didn't please Daphne, but she realised she was being hypocritical so she just sat down.207Please respect copyright.PENANABfd2NPXWlH
"You should order the steak sandwiches with honey wine," advised Bethil. As soon as the waitress came, Daphne ordered just that.207Please respect copyright.PENANATLWi0jHshF
"So who is the new face?" asked Daphne. The new face was rather handsome too, with indulging, green eyes like Bethil's.207Please respect copyright.PENANAntRUcfaK27
"My name is Lewir. From the west," said Lewir.207Please respect copyright.PENANAWO8FSl2FWy
"Liar," Daphne mumbled. "With that accent there is no way you are from the west."207Please respect copyright.PENANA9xcG4Gr0Rx
Lewir spoke lightly, almost like Jarco. It was as melodious and wavering.207Please respect copyright.PENANAwiT3ryMlmq
He took a glance at the horns and realised that he couldn't really keep on lying. He eventually spilt that he was from the west, but he had been raised since he could talk by eastern foreigners. Bethil and Daphne shared a somewhat suspicious glare.207Please respect copyright.PENANAkDA0k7xVar
"Your friend approached me," replied Lewir. "I absolutely mean no harm nor am I a traitor."207Please respect copyright.PENANAm7qLVn7hK5
"Please refrain from accusing yourself unnecessarily," said Daphne.
Lewir remained in silence, and so did Bethil. Daphne got served her meal and she dashed straight into it.207Please respect copyright.PENANAUhFGbl1Iuo
"Is it good?" asked Bethil.207Please respect copyright.PENANA2SXkPf3yFp
"It's great!" smiled the horned. Bethil hadn't seen her smile before and he was silenced by its prettiness. He avoided eye contact after that and began talking with Lewir again about the Western Bay.207Please respect copyright.PENANAE0MwWpbqlY
"So, what are you guys here for?" Lewir asked.207Please respect copyright.PENANALqnRxuwwUO
"Why are you here?" countered Ane.207Please respect copyright.PENANA4yTguzGFJv
Lewir, who seemed a bit taken aback by Ane's blunt response, awkwardly stared at her for a second before he tried to string a reply together.207Please respect copyright.PENANAqRSUpZoRTR
"Well," he began, "I'm travelling to the east to take revenge on those who took my horns."207Please respect copyright.PENANACSRzW2IiwX
The others were at loss for words because they hadn't expected his brutal honesty.207Please respect copyright.PENANAv5f8o5B7n3
"You should travel along with us," Ane decided. "We are also heading to the east. Not to kill people, but we need to go there for further travelling plans."207Please respect copyright.PENANAkHrbZPGOOw
"Can I know at least a bit of your motives? I won't tag along with any sole creature passing by," answered Lewir.207Please respect copyright.PENANAmHfX90pepn
"It involves reaching the core of the earth," Ane said with a low voice.207Please respect copyright.PENANAGlmEhACQdP
"I shall join you until my destination in the Eastern Bay. I won't go further than that, though. You all should know the core is a very sacred place, but that also means that hell exists there just as much as heaven."207Please respect copyright.PENANAJLcUAhpmYA
"Thank you," Ane said.207Please respect copyright.PENANAAaDbTQCBUw
"You shouldn't thank me," Lewir replied. "I could just be a useless weight to take with you."
"Somebody who needs to take revenge," replied Jarco, "is never a useless addition to a team. Motivation is one thing, perseverance is another."207Please respect copyright.PENANAdYaDKeS3Ay
Lewir's lips curled into a slight smirk. Jarco had an equally cheeky smile on his face. The others ignored the weird chemistry between them and Daphne just finished her food.207Please respect copyright.PENANASNIeykcU6j
"You should all try this meal," she said. "It's quite good."207Please respect copyright.PENANAdu54qkEe5u
And that was how not much later, two of the tables were put together to support all of the seven plates with an abundance of nicely smelling food.207Please respect copyright.PENANAze5p6yt5dr
A sort of group-feel had certainly been made then. They got to know Lewir, Daphne and Livi a bit better, too. They shared a tiny tad of their personal stories. They kept it superficial, of course, but at least they knew now that they were dealing with the real stuff, not just some random strangers you find on the streets.207Please respect copyright.PENANAK1VJW3A86w
Ane watched the others as they were talking. Slowly, she had made peace with it. With her fellowship, her quest, her needed powers in this world. The hours went by rather fast as they finished eating, finished saddling their horses and as they went back on the road. With filled stomachs, the group headed deeper into the west.207Please respect copyright.PENANAKtwROoQ5G6
The second day after they had left the village, it all went down.207Please respect copyright.PENANA3n3zZRdgyd
Ane sat nearby the camp. The sun had painted orange waves through the sky, its tails touching the remaining blue and the cotton clouds. Warmth radiated from the disappearing sun, but it could've been the crackling campfire. Its flames licked the hands of Elliot, whose hands were dangerously close to the fire.207Please respect copyright.PENANA6YdQOdL6tc
"Be careful," Bethil said.207Please respect copyright.PENANAEGc6MuZypE
Elliot shrugged, as if he didn't feel the heat touch his fragile skin. He did, though. And he strangely enjoyed it. It wasn't pain that he felt. He never felt pain with fire.207Please respect copyright.PENANAlnz8ixK1ES
"Needn't worry about that," said Lewir. "Elliot has some deep waters that we don't know about."207Please respect copyright.PENANAkmRUlX61zu
"I hope I can unravel it soon enough," the boy said.207Please respect copyright.PENANAN7awKyW2qO
An empathic smile from Ane was following by a sudden quake. As the earth rumbled and the logs on the fire shook, the company stood up. Something had risen, but none of them knew what exactly.207Please respect copyright.PENANASBki8hHjVy
"What is happening?" asked Bethil, more curious than worried.207Please respect copyright.PENANAIjlhRacCxh
"I think that something unpleasant has awakened," whispered Livi.207Please respect copyright.PENANAS63K2PEja4
And at that point, the earth cracked open as if somebody had cracked open an egg, releasing its insides. Except now, no yolk or egg-white was released. A vicious, large monster rose its paws that had been equipped with a set of five sharp nails that could rip your skin apart. A beak that seemed to be a mixture of a wolf and a bear - two animals that you'd rather not just meet randomly in the woods - and a body that certainly belonged to some type of mythical, feared beast in ancient legends.207Please respect copyright.PENANAllT3fL6Nl7
"What the hell is this?" hissed Ane. She was already about to call her dead slaves, before Livi stopped her.207Please respect copyright.PENANAaKWG01qUs1
"It's something that you only anger more when you fight it. We've intruded his territory, so now we have to leave," she said.207Please respect copyright.PENANArGGSEXJJ6W
"Split up," Ane shouted. She and Elliot ran to the west, Daphne and Bethil rushed to the south and Jarco, Livi and Lewir escaped via the north. A loud growl could still be heard and Ane soon realised that it was chasing exactly them.207Please respect copyright.PENANAvbSHPYakXS
"Raise your dead!" Elliot cried out.
"I cannot do that when I am running," snarled Ane. Her legs could barely keep up with how quick she had wanted to run and it definitely couldn't carry her faster than the bear-monster that was mercilessly chasing them.207Please respect copyright.PENANA4ufkUk2Fgl
"Do you think the others shall be okay?" Elliot asked.207Please respect copyright.PENANATlK4GeDdOV
"I do not give a damn, Elliot!" exclaimed Ane.207Please respect copyright.PENANArzRwK5or1z
The earth underneath their feet suddenly seemed to climb up several feet before it launched the pair in the sky. Their yells spread through the sky before they harshly landed on the ground. Ane looked behind her, the adrenaline interfering with the pain she should've felt. The beast's paws were still on the earth, where he had planted them to send Ane and Elliot into the air. Elliot was writhing in pain, but the princess gave him a slap to send him back to proper consciousness.207Please respect copyright.PENANAtoS4Jx9BVe
"Come on, hurry up," she said.207Please respect copyright.PENANAljQmhUl02m
Elliot groaned before he stood up. As the two ran again, the beast loudly let out a deafening roar.207Please respect copyright.PENANAgY4Utsi32x
Bethil and Daphne heard it too. Out of breath, they stopped nearby a waterfall.
"This isn't a good place to stop," said Bethil. "What if the beast runs our way? We won't survive this fall."207Please respect copyright.PENANACma5TGOW7d
The wild water made a fall from several feet high and it was dangerous enough to kill you when you hit the water in a wrong way.207Please respect copyright.PENANAaik7HlZm4u
"The beast won't come to us," Daphne said firmly. "It's merely chasing us out of his habitat. I didn't know that menrocks lived here, though." She carressed her horns as a gesture to comfort herself. It was a thing she did when she was nervous or when she just felt as if something was wrong. She hadn't done that in a long time, she realised. The raw surface of the horns felt nice in her hands, though.207Please respect copyright.PENANAkbyMUZt5km
"Menrocks?" asked Bethil.207Please respect copyright.PENANAwUebyT8mgY
"The beast that you just saw. That was just a baby menrock," answered Daphne.207Please respect copyright.PENANApK9Li5yFKd
"It was taller than Jarco and I combined," exclaimed Bethil.207Please respect copyright.PENANAppJgmzhvss
Daphne let out a relieved sigh.207Please respect copyright.PENANA6sM0sx81Zf
"You could've just transformed into a menrock," she said.207Please respect copyright.PENANA9VYeJ8H9O1
"I can't transform into things that I've never seen before."207Please respect copyright.PENANAuIGrK6POMQ
"What's your favourite form, then?" Daphnelle asked.207Please respect copyright.PENANA0mKlNG8PPK
"A tiger," Bethil smiled. "I've seen tigers when I was eight. Ever since, they were my favourite animals."207Please respect copyright.PENANA5MqNC0KAaI
"Well," mumbled Daphne, "now you can take the shape of a menrock. Can you take its strength and all of that too?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAak2reg0GNj
Bethil nodded, proud of his ability.207Please respect copyright.PENANAcym0Qywt5h
"I didn't know that shapeshifters were so versatile," said Daphne with a kind smile. Bethil took that as a compliment and he kindly smiled back.207Please respect copyright.PENANAoKWWpeonow
"Enough chitchat," said Daphne. "We should find the others before they reach Sharran's Valley."207Please respect copyright.PENANAldnQq9W11Y
"Sharran's Valley?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAMGtwsgoqT4
"Yes, Bethil. It's where the bad horned resort," nodded the horned207Please respect copyright.PENANALNvLBAVmeO
Jarco and Lewir were trying to catch up with Livi, who ran faster than they had thought initially. They ran deeper into the forests, and that wasn't a good sign at all.207Please respect copyright.PENANAdvFmGOqBbq
"Let's rest," panted Lewir.
Livi abruptly stopped running. "Sorry," she said, "I just like to get away from danger."207Please respect copyright.PENANA3MfQIJAsiD
"Needn't worry," Lewir replied. "What was that, though?"207Please respect copyright.PENANAhrAyXbyP5X
"A menrock," huffed Jarco.
"That's a strange name," frowned the male redhead.207Please respect copyright.PENANAp1Xl8RcFfy
"The beast got its name after we realised that the people it devours turn into stone, adding to its mass. What you just saw was just a baby menrock," Livi said.207Please respect copyright.PENANA3uTRM3vzud
Jarco and Lewir both remained quiet and shared a worried glare.207Please respect copyright.PENANAJwH9C2Jr7R
"Right," muttered Jarco.207Please respect copyright.PENANADrdaB8REp8
"No, we go left," said Livi.207Please respect copyright.PENANAiK3tGtU5oU
Jarco frowned as he was confused for a second, but he just decided to leave it and follow Livi.