For The Greater Good-World 1: A Corrupted Cove || World//Zero ||

27. The Children

The air only felt heavier by the time Alec caught up with the others. As he reached the top of the path, he looked over Symphony and Elliot as they stood under a rocky underpass. Further ahead he could see a wooden bridge that crossed over a river running down stream. With help from the moonlight he could see what looked like yet another abandoned house that sat on the other side. 

"Took you long enough," Elliot grimaced as soon as he noticed the smaller boy. 

Alec simply ignored him and turned to Symphony. "Do we go on the bridge?" he asked her. 

Symphony cautiously placed her foot on the first board of the bridge. It didn't creek or press down when she applied pressure on it. "Seems sturdy enough," she remarked. "I'll go first." 

While he was relieved that she volunteered to go first, nervousness continued to ache inside of him. "Please be careful." 

Symphony nodded and took another step forward. Meanwhile her pet owl, Celeste, stayed behind with the boys, watching her with huge golden-glowing eyes. As Symphony was almost at the middle of the bridge, she stopped as a chorus of voices came up from further up the hill. She froze in place and watched as a group of kids were running down the path, swinging their weapons behind them. They were screaming nonsense as they headed toward the bridge. They completely past the mage on the bridge, but Symphony managed to catch one of them by their satchel. 

"What's going on?" she asked urgently. "Why are you running?" 

The boy with blonde hair pointed a shaky finger behind her, and she turned around just as he stammered "G-Giant dog!" 

He wasn't kidding. Storming toward the group a little farther away, just coming down the hill was a giant boarwolf. Alec was flabbergasted. That was the biggest boarwolf he'd ever seen, so much bigger than the ones in the forest. This one made those others look like ants! And it was edging closer to the bridge. 

Elliot yelled at her. "Get off the bridge!" 

Symphony and the other kid sped off, managing to get off just as the massive blue-pelted boarwolf hit the other end. It swung its huge head before slamming its golden tusks into the bridge, completely breaking it. Alec watched as it fell apart and dropped into the river, being swept away down stream. The boarwolf sent a warning growl to the group's way, kicking its front hoof back into the dirt. What startled Alec the most were it's glowing purple eyes. Seconds later, it snorted before turning around and running back up the hill, hiding away. Everyone else just stood there in shock. 

"What the heck are you guys doing?!" Alec and Symphony turned around to see Elliot shouting at the group of kids behind them, quivering in fear. "We aren't supposed to be in here right now! Didn't you even see the sign? Are you guys freaking blind?!" 

"Elliot, don't get after them!" Symphony shouted, pushing him away before walking up to the crowd. "But he's right. Why did you guys come in here? Did one of you break down the boards blocking the dungeon?" 

At first, no one said anything. That was until a tall defender girl stepped forward, along with a slightly shorter one. They lowered their heads, holding their axes close to them. "We did it," the taller one said before balling her fist. "But it just isn't fair! We had to break it down. It was the only way that we could continue our quests!" 

"And how do you think that you will get that quest checked off, hm?" Elliot tested. "Your mentor is supposed to be here to supervise you. That's the only way to get them checked off. I had to learn that the hard way."

A young swordmaster girl raised her voice. "Our mentors are here, genius." 

Symphony widened her eyes. Alec finally noticed them. Their mentors now stuck out like sore thumbs, standing tall and looking confident with their weapons and leveled up pets. Not only that, but their armor kind of gave it away as well.