THE PEAK OF OBLIVION - A Cultivation Adventure Novel

Chapter 9 - New Horizons

Chapter 9 - New Horizons

The hellhounds circled the small pond, growling menacingly at the two figures that stood at its center.

At first, the hellhounds had been extremely reluctant to approach the water. But as time passed, they continued to grow bolder, snapping at them viciously. Rin and Nayla were forced to constantly move around the woefully inadequate pool to avoid their attacks.

"Get back!" Rin used one hand to support Nayla while he splashed water at the hellhounds with the other.

The hellhounds jumped back to avoid the spray of muddy water, snarling at Rin. A few droplets hissed as they landed on one, and it yelped in pain. Rin splashed more water at it, and the dark mist that wreathed its body was momentarily displaced, revealing its desiccated appearance They were like undead wolves, their fur patchy and their skin rotting. Their eyes were like red coals embedded in their skull-like heads.

Finally, one of the hellhounds opened its mouth. A dark red glow began to form within and Rin immediately got a bad feeling.

"Uh oh..."

Rin barely had time to duck beneath the water, pulling Nayla down with him. A ball of red flames shot overhead, illuminating the murky depths.

[These things can breathe fire?] Rin cursed.

Rin held his breath for as long as he could before finally peeking above the water. When he saw another ball of flames headed towards them, he immediately dove beneath the surface again.

This game of cat and mouse went on for what felt like days. Finally, the hellhounds seemed to give up and left in search of easier prey. Rin and Nayla waded out of the muddy pond and collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

"We... We actually survived..." Rin let out a choked laugh.

The two of them lay on the muddy ground for quite some time, simply happy to be alive. They decided to make camp at the pond for the night, just in case the hellhounds returned. This also gave Nayla an opportunity to replenish some of her strength from the water elemental energy source.

They slept in shifts, keeping watch throughout the night. But the pack of infernal beasts never returned. When the grey light of dawn broke over the horizon, they continued their journey westward.

Although he was exhausted and starving, Rin maintained his state of heightened vigilance, constantly scanning their surroundings. But the remainder of their trek was uneventful without a hint of any danger, except that posed by the baking sun.

Days passed as they travelled, each blurring into the next. Gradually the terrain became less flat and more hilly. Here and there, bushes and thin, scraggly trees began popping up. It seemed that the flames had not quite reached the western edge of the Endless Forest.

One evening, they happened upon the first structure that they had seen so far on this journey. It was little more than a haphazard pile of stones, seemingly intended to serve as some sort of meagre barricade, stretching about five metres across and one metre high. Some distance behind it, a tiny and dilapidated wooden shack squatted sadly.

Not bothering to conceal their presence, Rin and Nayla walked until they were within a stone's throw of the barricade. As they approached, a face suddenly popped up over the stone wall. A wide-eyed, bearded man gaped at them, rubbing his eyes several times as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Hey! Uh, you there!" The man gestured wildly toward them. "Halt and state your business! Where do you hail from?"

Rin glanced around, then hiked a thumb over his shoulder. The man stared at him, then at the wasteland stretched out beyond, then back at him several times.