The New God's Of Avaricia

Chapter EIGHT: "The Residents, Barley I."

"IIIIAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!"

"BOY!!!"

"...I KNOW..."

"Let's go!"

But Arteus had no more time to ponder this.

Barley had survivors.

And he was going to face them, whether they liked it or not!

-Later-

*Heavy Breathing

"Haaa...Haaaa..."

"Haaa... haaa... survivors?"

"Yeah... probably..."

"I find it hard to believe anyone survived that back there, but there's only one way to find out!"

"Right!"

A short exchange amidst the route to the pleas for help and Art and the group race to the rescue.

"..."

"That voice... could it have been..."

Milie ponders the previous encounter with the mystery creature as her granddaughter races behind the group.

--"IIIIAAAAAAHHHHH HELP!!!!! HELP!!!!"--

"CRAP!!!"

"At this rate we're not going to make it in time!''

"Could this all have been avoided if we didn't run into that thing?"

"No that shouldn't be my concern right now. Let's focus on getting there..."

Full of angst, Arteus laments the current predicament they find themselves in as the group storm the snow.

Through the road they once came, the pleas for help seem to emanate from the opposite intersection.

That would mean they would need the same amount of time to get there as Art did on his way home.

"This won't do..."

The boy pondered as he looked behind him to the family that were just barely keeping up.

At the current pace it would take them at least 30 minutes to get there... and if the group of people there were being attacked by a pack of arctic-wolves or Yeti then they stood no chance.

But that's only 'IF', Arteus' group maintained their current pace.

Travelling with Millie's family has had Arteus on guard duty.

Often having to use half or even less than half his strength to ensure they don't lag behind whilst also keeping his senses on high alert to protect them should anything unexpected happen.

Quite frankly the boy had been operating at less than fifty percent of his abilities.

The longest this journey would take is an hour, as it did when he trekked home... however if he used his full strength, forget thirty minutes, it would be under ten!!!

The only problem would be leaving the family alone.

An old woman with bad injuries and a child no older than 12...

The only upside was having Lilly there.

But at grade 3 elemental prowess and third-class affinity to mana there was only so much she could do.

Most of which, Art concluded, was probably limited to healing and distraction.

The screaming people were doomed.