Chapter 81 — Distant cries

Chapter 81 — Distant cries

The sky above was dark thanks to all the branches overhead, the air heavy with an unseasonable chill, as if winter had returned even though the first month of spring had already passed. Three figures draped in handmade disguise cloaks moved silently through the underbrush, their movements slow and cautious as they navigated the twisted maze of ancient trees.

Two days ago, they had left the safety of the tree's protection, where they hid from that monster, venturing out once more into the unknown depths of this strange forest, searching for a way out of this place. Maybe it was due to sheer luck, or perhaps because Aster and Silvia had decided not to have any mana inside themselves, but during that time, they hadn't encountered the terrifying clicking creature again. It was hard to say for certain. But both siblings felt utterly defenseless without their mana, making them even more cautious than ever before.

Every rustling leaf and the distant howl of wind set them on edge; the fear of another attack was never far from their minds. Yet they pressed on, knowing their only hope was finding a way out. Their steps were careful and deliberate, and their senses sharp, alert, and ready to flee at the first sign of danger.

Nivalis led the way as usual, her keen blue eyes scanning the dense forest ahead while her children followed closely behind, clutching their wooden spears and each other's hands. The girl shivered from the cold as always, but her grip on his hand remained firm no matter what. Her golden gaze flicked warily around, watching for any hint of danger. The same went for young Aster.

Aster squeezed her hand tightly to draw his sister's attention, locking eyes with the silver-haired girl. "It's raining," he softly whispered, his eyes motioning up.

Silvia looked up at the treetops and then back at her little brother, confusion evident in her golden irises. She silently nodded and shrugged her shoulders. "So?" she mouthed, not understanding why it was a problem.

Pulling down the cloth from his mouth, Aster leaned close to whisper in his sister's ear. "Everything between roots down there will get flooded, dummy. Where will we sleep?" he asked quietly, his voice laced with worry. Her eyes widened at his question, instantly darting towards their mother.

Silvia hurried to catch up to Nivalis, pulling Aster along without answering. But before she could reach their mother, more cold droplets started hitting them, making it obvious it was indeed raining. The sound of water droplets hitting the leaves and branches all around filled the air. "Hmm?" Nivalis hummed, looking up, her blue eyes wide as she, too, realized the danger of the rain right before Silvia tugged at her mother's hand, drawing her attention.

"Where are we going to hide? Won't our usual spots get flooded?" Silvia whispered anxiously, her voice trembling slightly as she clutched her mother's cloak.

Nivalis frowned at her words, her keen blue eyes scanning the surrounding forest for an answer. "Good question," she murmured thoughtfully. "Let's... find some bushes for us to hide in, maybe? Somewhere next to a tree," Nivalis added with an uncertainty in her voice.

They continued walking through the forest as the rain gradually intensified until it became a steady downpour, making it even harder for them to see where they were going. The droplets grew bigger, falling faster and heavier upon their disguise cloaks. The trio's pace quickened as they urgently sought shelter to hide somewhere they could wait for the rain out.

After walking for a few more minutes, a loud thunderclap suddenly echoed through the sky above them, startling everyone. Silvia let out a scared squeal, instinctively clinging onto Aster's arm; her golden eyes darted upward, wide with fear. "Sorry," she mumbled quietly, looking at her little brother with an embarrassed look before letting go of his arm.

Aster said nothing in return, simply squeezing her hand reassuringly as they followed their mother. As the rain grew more intense by the minute, their head turned around in search of anything suitable. Suddenly, Nivalis stopped dead in her tracks, causing the siblings to nearly bump into her back. "Here," she murmured, pointing ahead. Aster barely made out her gesture in the dim light and heavy rain.

A cluster of tall bushes stood beside a large, ancient tree similar to the ones they had been sleeping beneath for the past few days. Its gnarled roots snaked across the forest floor like massive, twisted serpents; the ground was getting muddy and slippery from the heavy rain. They began pushing aside branches until they reached the trunk of the tree.

Nivalis gestured for her children to crouch and sit on one of the wet, mossy roots around her. As the trio huddled together, the rain poured relentlessly from the darkening sky, drenching their disguise cloaks even further, chilling their bodies to the bone.

She then quickly pulled out all their blankets from the backpack, wrapping them tightly around them in one big blanket cocoon. Nivalis hoped it would keep her children as warm as possible despite knowing they would get soaked within minutes. The sound of rain pattering against the cloth was loud, almost deafening to their ears.

Aster's eyes were shut tightly, his breaths coming in short, shallow gasps as he tried to keep himself from screaming out in agony. Considering that the creature might track them by the mana, it was a stupid idea... but Aster began igniting every last drop of raw mana coursing through his underdeveloped body. All of it, every last drop. The pain was so intense that it felt like his insides were being shredded apart.

Aster moved his burning-hot palm and gently pressed it against his mother's soft, muddy cheek, trying to let her know how much mana he had ignited within himself. It must be burning to the touch. Nivalis didn't answer in any way, only kissing his palm tenderly as her trembling lips quivered from the cold.

The clicking sound became louder with each passing moment, echoing through the forest and making them jump in fear. Each sharp click was like a sudden knife stabbing into their ears, drawing closer with every passing second. Then, they heard its heavy footsteps; with each step, the ground shook, sending vibrations through the puddle beneath them.

Aster's heart pounded wildly in his chest as the monster drew near; the clicking noise became so loud that it made his ears ring painfully. At some point, Aster could swear that the creature had stopped beside them, right beside where they were hiding. The sound of its heavy breathing, slow and deliberate, filled the air around them. The foul stench of decay emanating from its body assaulted Aster's senses, making him want to retch.

'I won't let that thing hurt us...' Aster swore to himself firmly, determined to protect his family no matter what. He was ready to sacrifice everything, even his life, to protect his girls. He already died once. At least this one will have some meaning. Instead of waiting for Nivalis to pull down the blanket, Aster did so himself, wiggling outside from between his mother and sister to face the monster.

Nivalis tried desperately to stop and hold him down, but Aster pushed himself away from her grasp, revealing his small form to the creature almost directly above him. Aster barely reached its waist in height; this alone made him curse internally. As soon as he did so, the monster's gaze turned down to him, those ugly yellow, glowing eyes boring into his trembling soul. Its massive jaws opened wide, revealing rows of sharp, glistening fangs that dripped with sap.

Aster met the creature's stare, not daring to blink, even though every fiber of his being screamed at him to cower and flee. They simply stood there, staring at each other for a brief, fleeting moment that felt like an eternity. Time seemed to stand still around them as all that existed was Aster and this monstrous abomination. In its gaze, he saw something primal, ancient, and terrifying. It was as if this forest itself had taken on a malevolent form.

Thunder roared through the sky above them, briefly illuminating the creature's horrifying silhouette before darkness engulfed them again. Then, an even louder, deafening click of its jaw followed, making Aster's half-elven ears ring painfully and almost certainly making them bleed.

At that very moment, the boy unleashed every drop of ignited mana inside his petite, trembling body. He raised both palms toward the monster, and everything happened so fast. A blinding flash of white-hot flame erupted from his hands, engulfing the plant creature in a blazing inferno. The searing heat and blinding light of the flames forced him to squint his eyes, his golden irises glowing brighter than ever.

Aster coughed violently, feeling warm blood trickling down from where the sharp claws dug into his flesh. His vision began to blur at the edges as he gasped desperately for air that wouldn't come. But it didn't stop the fire; his palms kept unleashing torrents of flame against the monster, burning it alive.

The creature's agonizing screams filled the air over the roar of the fire that consumed its body, and the rotting scent was soon replaced by a burning, choking smell. It stumbled back, still holding Aster by the throat as it thrashed around wildly in pure agony.

Aster could barely see through his hazy vision as he struggled for air, feeling like he was on the verge of passing out at any moment from the creature's tight grip around his throat. With the last of his strength, the boy moved his trembling hands to press both palms against its twisted, screaming face and unleashed the last remnants of his mana.

The plant-like skin bubbled and melted under his touch, falling apart onto the muddy ground in sizzling clumps. The monster's yellow eyes popped like balloons, leaving only empty sockets in its skull. "Eat... shit..." Aster managed to gasp out through his coughing and desperate attempts for air.