Chapter 245: Prey Of The Woods

With a breathy sigh, a cloaked figure slowly walks across the ground, littered with withered, black leaves.

The eerie atmosphere of his surroundings aimed to haunt him, make him become fearful and anxious for his survival. However, after the first hellish days he had spent within the baleful dimness of these woods, he learned many things about the land. Especially these dreadful creatures, the Malibreeds.

Moulin walked carefully, making sure he was calm as he journeyed through the towering, dark trees. The ominous haze in his environment failed to let him be at ease. When he first arrived, there was no sunlight, but it was bright enough to let him see his surroundings faintly. The trees were tens of feet taller than him; they towered over him with their smooth, slender black bodies and their leafless branches. It looked like they were burnt black, but Moulin could feel them growing with life. Even though they looked… dead.

The first day he arrived, he didn't quite understand his circumstances. He strode forward while thinking so hard; he stumbled upon a root and fell head first. When the pain sparked in his head, he felt a cool stream of mana fill his veins.

Opening his eyes, he froze in shock as he was greeted by the sight of the frozen ground stretching up to a ten meter radius. And then the howls and the roars sounded on after the other. Filling the air sinisterly. He recalled the chief of the mermaid clan told him how malibreeds were attracted to the ambiance of mana, so he would be a lot safer if he avoids activating his mana while he travels. Hearing the multiple sounds around him, Moulin had no hesitation as he ran, leaving the frozen area as fast as he could and calming himself all the while.

He had no control of his mana; he had realized this before he left the tribe. And now, he learned that it would also activate automatically, if he was stimulated, be it physically or emotionally. The realization shocked him to the core, and he forced himself to calm down before kicking down some innocent tree in anger. At night, he could not light a fire, for it could attract beasts. Nor could he unconsciously protect himself without using his ability while sleeping under a tree hole he found. He was getting more and more miserable with each passing day.

Darting his eyes around, Moulin raised his vigilance. Not only did he have to restrain his mana, he also needs to keep himself hidden from the beasts lurking in the woods.

Moulin sighed, and he raised his head, trying to get a glimpse of the sun. It's been days and his skin had not touched sunlight even once. Pressing his lips together, he pulled out an old compass that was packed along with the rest of his things. The chief and his people told him to head west if he wanted to reach some of the bases. Perhaps Moulin could ask about his family when he gets there.

With a determined expression, he tucked the compass back into his bag and continued on his journey.

As he warily looked around, his mind was swirling with questions.

What would he say to his family when he sees them again? Would they not believe him and maybe scare the souls out of their bodies? What if Jagra, Ghana and the others see him alive and well? How would they take this? Accept this?

Moulin shuddered. Maybe he should stop thinking about these things…

He knows only one person who would believe him and his revival. Silver eyes lowered slightly. A wistful smile shaped his lips, and his eyes quivered.

Hadrian… How are you?

Sorrow filled his eyes as he exhales.

Where… are you?

Clenching his hands around the rope of his bag, Moulin silently walked forward.

Snap!

Moulin flinched at the sound. He froze in place as the sharp sound echoed throughout his surroundings.

In the next second, dread filled his heart. He brought his gaze down and slowly lifted his foot. A twig snapped into two under his foot, and Moulin held his breath as he darted his eyes around.

Dread filled his soul and his heart pounded hard inside his chest.

…

After a few minutes, he sighed. Fortunately, the sound didn't attract anything. He was lucky this time.

Tilting his head back with eyes closed, he placed a hand over his beating heart and calmed down.

'That was close…' He thought.

Suddenly, he froze. His body not daring to move.

…

He felt a warm breath on his face…

…

The eerie feeling of being watched scalded his body ominously. A chill went up his spine, and he could not help but slowly open his eyes.

"!!!"

Moulin quickly bit the inside of his mouth to restrain a horrified gasp. Although his expression could say it all.

A huge, skinless monster hanged above him.

Eyeless and only a wide cavernous mouth, rowed with freakishly sharp teeth alarmingly gaped before Moulin's horrified eyes. Coiling muscles of red flesh tightened on its six long arms. It had two long legs bent, hanging like a spider. And its torso was frighteningly large. The bones of its ribs poking out of its flesh as it breathes hungrily. It let out a gurgle-like sound while its long tongue snaked towards Moulin's face. Black sticky saliva threatened to drip down the youth's fairly pale cheek.

When the malibreed's mouth open to bite of its prey's head.

A blue light flashed from Moulin's necklace, and the creature drew back, letting out a deafening screech.

Moulin snapped out of his trance and instantly leaped backwards. He glanced at his mother's necklace in surprise before he whipped his head up, seeing that the creature has recovered and growling at him menacingly.

'Malibreeds are eyeless,'

Moulin recalled the chief said this to him. However, he was shocked at the form of the creature he was facing. It described every way of horrifying. Creatures like this roamed all over Corahn?!

SSSHRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH!!!!

The malibreed dropped on the ground heavily, causing the ground to shake. There was no doubt other monsters would be attracted to the noise.

Moulin was doomed.

He opened his palm to activate his powers. However, he recalled he could not activate his mana unless he wanted to draw all malibreeds towards him. With a clenched jaw, Moulin abruptly turned and ran. He huffed, as he was careful to not step on twigs or fallen branches. The creature behind him roared frighteningly. It beat the ground before it chased Moulin with unimaginable speed!

'WhatthehellWhatthehellWhatthehellWhatthehellWhatthehellWhatthehell!'

His mind screamed endlessly, but his expression was serious as he focused to navigate his way through the woods. However, no matter how much he used his maeruthan strength to increase his speed, the creature was closing in on him by meters!!!

The desperate youth skid down a slope, jumping and rolling skillfully before finally bolting. Black leaves fluttered at his movements, and when Moulin felt that he was finally losing the creature, he turned back.

He regretted his actions tremendously.

The creature was still chasing him. It skillfully used its six limbs to swing from tree to tree while screeching loudly.

'Fuck! I'm not even activating mana! why is it still chasing me?!'

Suddenly, the malibreed screeched loudly as it swung itself towards Moulin. It opened its limbs to reach for its small, feisty prey. Mouth sputtering with black goo.

Moulin's eyes widened in shock and in a spilt second, he flung himself away at his side! but although the creature missed him, the sharp black claws scratched Moulin's back making the youth hold back a scream of pain!

"AUGH!" Moulin landed on his side and gritted his teeth as his body throbbed with pain. Blood gushed and splattered on the black leaves. Don't trigger! He used all of his power to suppress his mana, forcibly locking them away. Please, don't activate! He begged internally.

SSSHRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH!!!!

Breaths stuttering, Moulin forcibly picked himself up and backed away from the creature, turning to him and crawling with with its fleshy limbs. Moulin clenched his jaw as he groaned once again. his back hit the surface of a huge boulder.

A dead end.

He was trapped.

Silver eyes slowly lifted. The image of a wide drooling mouth was reflected in his silver eyes. Somehow Moulin pictured Hadrian rescuing him again. And taking Moulin in his arms safely. However, he wasn't here.

Moulin's lips quivered.

The malibreed noised, as if cackling and taking pleasure of its prey's helplessness. At last, it drew back and prepared to devour his meal.

Moulin shut his eyes.

SHHRRRRIIIIII-

SLASH!!!

The sound of liquid splattering in the air entered Moulin's ears. Followed by a piercing howl that made Moulin cover his ears as tight as he could. The sound was so loud, a few trees fell and the ground powerfully quaked!

Then, when the howl gradually diminished, silence engulfed the whole area.

His ears were ringing. Moulin panted heavily.

W-What happened?

As he slowly removed his hands from his bleeding ears, he slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head.

Moulin gasped, and his eyes widened at the sight.

The terrifying creature that had cornered him laid lifeless before Moulin's feet. Its wide mouth faced Moulin and a puddle of black blood pooled outwards beneath the malibreed's body. Moulin looked at it, confused.

A shadow suddenly engulfed over the youth's trembling body.

Moulin stilled, and he lifted his eyes.

"!!!"

Moulin wished he were dead already.

A more gigantic creature, taller than the trees and much larger than the dead malibreed beneath it, towered before the young man. Moulin swore that the trees that he thought were tall enough already only reached half the new malibreed's body. It looked as if wooden branches covered its entire body, coiling and writhing. Its head appeared like the skull of a goat and its wooden horns curled twice.

It looked intimidating and mighty…

And Moulin thought he would look very dead soon.

The creature was crouching like a gorilla. It had a well defined torso as though sculpted like a wooden statue. It was eyeless…

Moulin's body slumped. The blood was gushing out of his body and he swore he could feel the meat of his back turn inside out. When he directly restrained his mana with all his strength, his body could not heal properly, and blood continued to pour out of his body. His mind suddenly became dizzy and his vision slowly blackened.

Before he lost himself to unconsciousness, he heard a faint call from afar.

.................

.................

Rumble!

Rumble!

Rumble!

The noise entered his ears directly waking him from his unconscious state. It sounded like the footsteps giants would make. In every step, the earth would tremble beneath them. With a slight movement, a pained groan escaped his lips. His lashes fluttered as his eyelids slowly cracked open.

Moulin's vision adjusted after a few seconds, but his mind took longer to recover.

A domed ceiling of curling branches welcomed his gaze. There were small sun catchers that were hanging at the center and swaying due to the movement of Moulin's surroundings. Their crystals cast colorful lights that dappled over Moulin's fair skin. Truthfully, it was the first time Moulin had seen such healthy branches ever since his revival. The branches even have green leaves.

Moulin blinked.

"…"

Where… am I?

Moulin furrowed his brows, and he attempted to rise, but then realized it wasn't a good idea when the pain pierced through him. He grunted, resisting the urge to cry out in pain. He felt as if he fell in a ditch with spikes.

Stifling a groan, he fell back on the bedding. The fabric he was lying on felt uncomfortable with his injury, but he could feel its softness. There was even a small pillow behind his head.

Rumble!

Rumble!

Eyebrows knitted. Judging from the way his surroundings moved and swayed along with the heavy roaring rumbles, he guessed he was being carried… by something.

Suddenly, the beaded curtains from the opening of the dome-branched dwelling Moulin was currently resting in parted.

Moulin's vigilance returned, and he stiffened with a piercing stare.

"Easy there…" a female voice sounded. It was younger. A teenager.

She revealed herself with a bright smile.

Hair as black as night, finely braided with a green ribbon. A pairs of ebony cat ears and a black tail that swayed behind her back. She was wearing a brown cloak that draped down just above her covered ankles. Green, intricate curls decorated the edges of her cloak. A feline beastman.

Moulin stared at her.

The longer he stared at her, the more his heart tightened. He couldn't bear to be mistaken.

He knew that smile somewhere. Moulin could not forget. A memory came into his mind like a flash. A little charming girl who would always wait for him to visit her room. Awaiting the plate of treats he would bring to her. Her bright smile as she jumped on the bed with excitement.

And a promise. A promise Moulin had broken to both the deceased Elven father and his beastman daughter.

Moulin hoarsely whispered.

…

"Phuna?"