A New Save File

Chapter 4.7

A few days later

Blades of grass whipped under gales of wind, birds sang to their hearts content as rain slowly grew and land grew dark.
Off in the distance, a family of three huddled by a fire as it flickered and danced with the wind, using a tree as shelter.

They shook and cowered with fear, flinching from the distant screams of bokoblin and moblins.

"What do we do?.."

"I dont know, sweetie.."

"Have you got a signal yet?"

"No.. no bars and my phone is about to die.."

"How much food do we have left?"

"One fish and an apple.."

"Give the fish to Lilith... we'll split the apple."

"Mum, no.. I'm an adult, I'll live... you two need it more."

Just before they could, they all heard a whine and hooves trotting closer and closer.
The parents stood in front of their daughter, petrified but ready to defend her in every way possible.

One called out into the darkness but got no answer as a horse with a dark brown coat and black hair approached cautiously with a limp.
Lilith already knew why and rushed over to help.

"L-lilith, stay back!"

She spotted an arrow lodged in the horse's shoulder so she grabbed the reigns and tried to remove it.

"But it's in pain.."

As she pulled, the horse kicked, forcing the parents to rush over to hold him still.

With a short sigh from one, the two steady him.

"You're a piece of work, you know that right?"

"I get it from you, dad.. ok.. 3.. 2.. 1!"

The arrow slipped out as a pain ridden neigh erupted from the horse.

"I'm sorry.. it's over now."

For the next few hours, Lilith tried to gain his trust with little success until she fell asleep.
The horse joined her, warming up to her company as her parents discussed about what to do.

"Should we head towards that pillar once its bright enough?"

"We may as well.. it's not like we can stick around with those... creatures lurking about.."

"What the hell are they?"

"I have no clue.. I dont plan on finding out either.. just get some sleep okay, I'll wake you up if anything happens."

The next day

Lilith's father yawned long and hard while desperately trying to stifle it.

"Dad, swap and take a nap.. please?"

"And get bucked off like before?
I'm good.. you're lucky I'm letting you ride."

Lilith chuckled and gave the horse a light pat.
"I'm sure he didnt mean anything by it"

The three were making their way towards the pillar, now that it was mid day, they could see walkways spiraling up.
It was a relief to see some sort of civilisation.

What they didnt expect to see was a huge bird flying above them, as they all watched, it swooped down and landed not far from them.

Lilith couldn't believe what she was seeing, looking at her parents, they were just as confused and frightened as she was.

The three raised their arms up as the bird trained a bow on them.

"Friend or foe?"

Lilith answered with shaking nerves.
"Friend! Definitely friend!"

The bird kept the bow trained on them for a moment until letting out a sigh of relief and lowered it.

"I apologise.. we've been attacked more than usual.. we've had to take extra precautions as.. wait a second.."

The bird looked down at the horse for a moment, suddenly his eyes dilated slightly in shock.

"Fortan?!"

"Wait, you know him?!"

She watched as the bird stepped closer to bring a wing up to his neck.

"Yes.. may I ask why he's with you?"

Lilith's mother took over.
"He came to us with an arrow in his shoulder, Lilith removed it."

"Did you see his owner around?!"

"N-no.. it was pitch black.."

The bird stood, deeply distraught until a light rustling in the distance caught his attention.

"I can escort you three if you need protection."

Everyone nods with content.
"We'd like that.."

The walk over was shrouded by an awkward silence as Lilith and her parents kept glancing at their escort..

"First time seeing a rito?"

They all apologised with a bashful tone.

"Dont worry, we are not well known but it is refreshing to see a new face from time to time."

Not far ahead was the final bridge before reaching the pillar

Lilith watched as the rito raised his wing up, bringing everyone to a halt.

"I'm going to distract the talus while you three run past, ok?"

Lilith was about to ask what the rito was on about but it was too late, he had gotten a running start and had took off into the air.

Everyone exchanged confused looks as he swooped up and let an arrow loose at a boulder..

Lilith thought he had lost his mind..
It then sprung to life, hauling its arms out of the dirt and started lunging its fists at the rito.

He evaded them gracefully and continued to distract it, occasionally landing an arrow into its weak spot.

Lilith and her parents didnt waste a single second as they rushed cautiously across the bridge and past the talus, her parents made it but Fortan had reared back suddenly, barely avoiding a boulder being throw into them.

"Lilith!"

She barely held on as the talus raised another boulder, ready to pulverise her and Fortan.