Chapter 30: Chapter 30
Arthur's Point of View
The Hollow Forest
"While I am glad you are interested, I must admit that I am a tad concerned." The Druid stated. "The forest has been speaking of a vile creature lurking within the shadows." Scanning the area with a more serious look, she seemed more wary. "It is near even now."
"And yet, you don't seem concerned." I pointed out.
She smiled softly. "A creature such as this is not something I could hope to handle. Life is fleeting for a flower, just as it is for a Druid." The Druid gestured to herself. "An angry beast of some manner would be much more plausible, but this creature is here with purpose." The Druid started walking towards me and put her hand on my chest armor. "It is here for you and you alone."
Taking a more serious look, I eyed the Druid. "How would you know that?"
"The plants have told me of your exploits against those creatures. Demonic creatures that have not been seen in the world of Crevalis for quite some time." Removing her hand, she put a hand on my cheek. "Did you truly believe that killing so many of them would have no consequences?"
Removing her hand, I narrowed my eye at the information. "What else have they told you?"
"Nothing too private, I assure you. They don't tell me what is said, merely what transpires." Thank god for small miracles. "The creatures you killed, or rather, the ones who hunted you down were likely brought here by the creature that hunts you now."
"You say hunt, but it hasn't revealed itself." The chapters is up by N0vEI__bin
At this point, Typhon was looking everywhere. "I am unsure of whether you would want it to. Unfortunately for you, it is likely only a matter of time." Then she caressed my arm in fascination. "But you knew that, didn't you?"
Shaking her caress away, I crossed my arms again. "If Ghouls are demonic creatures, why do they resemble the other races?"
"Ghouls?" The Druid repeated as if just hearing the word.
"The demonic creatures. They appeared to be Elves and Humans."
Her arms fell, and some of the flowers in the area stopped blooming as she looked at me wide-eyed. "They were?" At my nod, she stepped away from me and looked down. "That is very concerning. Keep this information to yourself. The Priestesses likely knew this and did not want others to know."
I nodded again. "I noticed."
Typhon, who backed up against me and was pressed firmly into my side, spoke. "So, back to the creature hunting, Arthur..." He said in a shaky voice. "Is it still out there?"
"It watches us even now. I do not know what it is waiting for." The Druid replied. "However, it has clearly been following you for quite some time. I received several warnings that all of you were getting closer and closer."
"What's your name, Druid?" I inquired.
She gave a small curtsy. "My name is Camoa. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Arthur Pendragon, and you, Typhon Delmaris."
Typhon started to shakily wave as I replied. "I'd like to say the same. Maybe I'll be able to when we actually get the chance to sit down and talk."
Camoa pointed off into the woods. "My dwelling is not too far if you'd like to stay."
Putting my hand on Typhon's head, I wiggled him around slightly. "While I would love to have a long conversation with you, it must wait. If I am being hunted, getting him back will be my priority. If we joined you, I'd have to worry about you too."
"It interests me that you seem so complacent with your current situation. Being hunted by a creature doesn't surprise you and nor do you care that it is likely demonic in nature." She shook her head in amusement. "Not many would hold such an attitude."
"Release Typhon at once!" Elincia ordered as she landed behind me.
"Sure." Letting him go with my gaze fixed solely on Arceana.
Typhon didn't move as he looked around. "Typhon." Arceana held out her hand gently.
Shaking, the Dragon child held onto me as I kept my sword up. "I can't." Was his shaky reply.
"Arthur won't hurt you." Elincia told him from behind me. "We should've never made him our Knight. If you were his goal all this time, then we've thwarted him before he could hurt you!" She declared.
Annoyed, I sighed. "Look, I don't want Ty; I certainly wasn't trying to kidnap him. He followed me into the forest."
Pulling her hand back, Arceana raised her scepter in a threatening manner, which I didn't know was possible. "Typhon would never disobey us. He has always minded our words. If he came in here, it was because you made him.???
The shadows surrounding us were still as if watching us. "Brilliant detective work Priestess, but you failed to realize one thing." Her eyes watched me. "Ty is merely a child. Eventually, he's going to disobey you." Then I looked down at the shaking form of Typhon and rolled my eyes. "For the record, I told you this was going to happen."
"I'm sorry." The child whispered.
Shaking my head in annoyance, I gestured to him. "You can literally take him and leave. I'm kind of in the middle of something here."
Elincia summoned very familiar swords that started to float around the area. "You are going nowhere until you answer for your crimes."
"Oh my god..." I groaned out as my head tilted back. "I don't have time for either of you."
"Do not resist, Arthur. You will be questioned, and so will Typhon to get to the bottom of this but kidnapping a member of the Temple and our kin is a serious crime." Arceana pointed her scepter at me.
Rolling my eyes, I looked away from them. "To the creature that is watching me right now, can you give me like..." I glanced to both Priestesses for a moment and then shrugged. "Ten minutes!? Fifteen tops!?"
Arceana ignited her magic in her hands as she focused on me. "You underestimate us, Arthur Pendragon."
"This will not go like last time, Arthur." Her sister then said from behind me.
"Alright, so this is happening." Grabbing Ty by the back of his shirt, I yanked him off of me and held him off of the ground at eye level. "I blame you for this." Setting him down and pushing him away gently, I continued. "Now, I have to do my job as the Knight of Lestrania."
"And what might that be?" Arceana asked in a dangerous tone as she crouched and spread her wings.
Rolling my shoulders and shaking the limbs loose, I crouched down myself as I took a more combative stance now that I no longer had Ty holding onto me. "Putting two Lestranian Priestesses in their place. I'm willing to deal with some uppity bullshit from now and then, but you two are asking for it."
I could feel the glare on my back. "You dare to-" Elincia started, but I cut her off.
"I didn't want to be your Knight." I said evenly and shrugged. "Don't care for any lands or titles you could give me, and you still haven't figured that out." Gesturing to myself mockingly, I continued sarcastically. "What happened to me being the one from the prophecy!? Look at my eye, Arceana! Is it everything you wanted to see?"
"Your actions starting out as our Knight are horrible and dishonorable." Elincia stated from behind me.
Feeling as though energy was shooting at me from behind, I stepped to the side where a sword planted into the ground at an angle where I just was. Eyeing it for a moment and understanding quickly that this was truly happening, my gaze shifted behind to Elincia. She frowned as she saw me look at her.
"Really, bitch?"
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The new goal for this week is to hit 800 Power Stones again for another extra chapter! We were so close, and I'm positive we should've been able to hit it, so I think it's a fair goal. If we hit 850 as well, I will release an additional bonus chapter for hitting that goal as well! We know we can hit 750 easy, but can we hit 850? Let's find out! Hope you guys are still looking forward to the coming chapters!