The Tale of Aeryn Glaze (UNDER MAJOR REVISION)

Chapter 39: Daredevil

I was ready to fight the beasts—no matter how big they are or dangerous they are to be against. Escaping wasn't my option—aware that we have no means of escape here.

I lowered the hood of my cloak and gripped tightly unto the hilt I was holding. I stared at it, not knowing what I do. But then when I lift it, a bright light started to come out of it, slowly making it into a long sword until the light disappears and was replaced by a silver metal blade that has unfamiliar words carved on it. It was magnificent to look at it and I would have even appreciated it more if only we are not in this situation. I cocked a brow. Somehow, the sword may have sensed the danger we are in.

The ground slightly shook beneath us, and the roars continue to echo through the dead forest. They are awake, and probably had an idea that we are here.

"What a fine dinner we are," I mumbled.

I held the sword with both hands and face the direction where I could hear the growls. But unexpectedly, Vandris suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me to run in the opposite direction of where the growls and roars came from.

The sword I'm holding immediately returns to a hilt and I was forced to run with Vandris without hearing his reason why. I didn't dare complain either. Knowing he has already been here, I know that he knows what he was doing. He probably knows what would happen to us if we don't run.

We continue to run until we found a large dead tree that we used so we could temporarily hide. We could barely recover from being breathless and we heard them again. Vandris let out a deep breath and looked at me.

"We cannot fight them yet. Remember that we don't know how long we have to stay here before we'll find the deity," he said, breathless. "We have to save our strength and prioritize finding her."

"Well, how did you manage to find the deity before?"

"I didn't. I was found by her. She granted me a safe way out of her world and gave me the fang of a demon beast herself. But to do that, I have to stay here for a week to serve her."

I arch a brow, tilting my head over to him.
"Does that involve sleeping with her?"

His eyes widen in an instant and quickly shook his head.

"No, that's ridiculous! Why would I do that when—"

His words were cut off shortly when we heard another roar that is coming near to us.

"Give me the compass!"

He gave it to me immediately and I looked at it to see where the mountain is this time—it's in the North.

"Can you teleport or something?"

"No. I can't use it here. The dark magic in this world is preventing me to do that, and no matter how hard I try, it would only let me teleport back to where I came from."

Ah. How convenient! Seems like the deity likes to torture those who have come here.

The beasts are so close to finding us, I'm sure. And yet, we still don't have any idea of what we have to do. Well, to think that they are some kind of animal, I can only assume that they can smell us even from afar. So even if we try to escape, they will find us. Aside from that, they lived and know every corner of this place.

"We can't run anymore, Vandris," I said to him. "We have to do something."

We heard faint heavy footsteps behind us. I don't know what would happen to us here but hiding won't help us to survive.

"Alright, then." He pulled his sword from the scabbard on his back. "I'll fight them and you'll go find the deity."

"What?!"