CRYSTALLUM LOST DREAMS | Fantasy Novel |

Chapter 9 - Part 1

The footsteps sank into the mud, soaking shoes and ankles. In the middle of the forest, the five teenagers ran aimlessly until Elidana pointed to a hill surrounded by a mountain ridge. Aran nodded, fists clenched. "We need to get as far away as possible," he said to the group. They struggled up the hillslide. Marmorel cursed as a branch caught her silk sleeve. Fez went back to help her, pulling hard until the fabric ripped, but at least her arm wasn't hurt.

Cora slowed down, exhausted and out of breath, dragging his legs as if he were walking with weights on his feet. He wanted to orient himself somehow to understand which direction to take. He stopped, put his hands on his knees and his back responded with a sharp pain. "Damn it..." he muttered. His shoulders burned as if he had plunged hot embers into them, a sensation he had carried with him since the moments after the accident, and it was getting worse.

"Where are we going?" Marmorel yelled, panting among the trees. Strands of her red hair moved disheveled.

"I don't know!" Aran quickly replied. "I see some train tracks at the bottom of the valley. I hope by following them we can get to Clodia." He removed a small branch in front of him and let Elidana pass.

"But..." Fez gasped.

"Hey! We have no other options!" Aran retorted.

"We can explain everything. It was a misunderstanding!" exclaimed Fez, leaning on a rock.

"Let's go back home. I don't believe is real," squeaked Marmorel, her voice trembling, still looking around and jumping at every rustle of the wind.

"Do you think I'm stupid? We all want to go back home, but right now I'm interested in saving our lives, including yours! Walking in the forest is the best solution, at least until we are far enough away. We will get to Clodia and talk to the Order of Knights of Lamia." Aran fell silent immediately after. He seemed to want to say more, but just shook his head and took a deep breath. "Let's go," he finally muttered to Elidana.

Cora waited for the others to walk past him and closed the line.

Elidana kept pace with Aran, with Fez and Marmorel following close behind, tracing their footsteps on the ground. They crossed over a horizontal tree trunk covered in mushrooms and filled with worms. Marmorel brushed her leg against a large block of moss and let out a disgusted sound. For once, Fez didn't rush to help her. In fact, he couldn't be seen anywhere.

A dull thud was heard, followed by a groan of pain. Fez had rolled and hit a tree. The others stopped, and Marmorel went back to check on him. She touched the moss again but seemed not to notice it. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked him, as he continued to feel his chest. "Yes, I just stumbled over something soft," Fez replied. The girl froze, turned pale, and let out a scream that echoed through the forest. Fez hurried to cover her mouth and followed her gaze down to her abdomen. "Blood?" A large red stain had stained his shirt and pants.

Cora ran up to him. "Are you injured?" he asked. "No, I'm sure I'm not," Fez replied, his eyes wide. He had no cuts on his face or chest.

Aran and Cora looked at the spot where Fez had fallen. He had sunk his foot into the fresh carcass of a gutted deer. Marmorel shuddered, her breath stuck in her throat.

"It must have been some predator," Aran whispered. He looked around and put a finger to his lips. "Don't make any noise," he whispered.

"Let's get out of here," Cora said, his voice barely audible. Marmorel squeezed Elidana's hand and flattened herself against the bark of a tree.

They exchanged glances of understanding and terror. They hardly dared to move their heads until Elidana motioned to continue on their path. The silence was interrupted by the chirping of birds. A guttural sound, hidden by the underbrush, made its way through the shadows and the greenery of the bushes. Cora's legs trembled.