“There are more monsters than before… so we will have to make sure we make it to the base camp as soon as possible,” Adon declared.
Kael frowned and rolled his eyes.
“Priest Falren is fine with the others by his side,” Kael muttered.
William’s temple vein grew.
“Commander, Priest is necessary for our survival, too… so don’t treat his presence at our base as a trivial matter,” William warned.
Kael smirked.
“Oh… He is considered a trivial matter…” Kael teased. “Right, Priest Falren?!”
Everyone gasped and darted their gazes behind Kael. A priest appeared in the dark woods. He pushed his glasses closer to his face. His long, light green hair fell elegantly against his white robe. His olive green eyes hollowed.
“Young… I mean, Your Grace, you have finally made it to the Black Forest,” he said.
Kael smiled and turned to him.
“Let’s deal with monsters before we have a talk, eh?” Kael chimed.
Falren shook his head, stepping closer. He tilted his head, glancing over his shoulder. A four-legged monster growled behind him. Kael swiftly cast a Light spear and lunged it toward the monster’s mouth.
Adon raised her hand out, summoning her staff. Then she swished the tip of it as a wave of fire flickered through the dark forests, flashing vision of monsters.
“Priest, let’s guide you back to your base camp after this,” William claimed, posing his defense stance.
“Very well.”
He hurried to their side. Kael glanced at the tent, where Valencia rested.
“Opheli—”
“On it, Your Grace!” Opheli yelled and ran to the tent. Just as she reached the tent—
A monster leaped from a mile away and opened its mouth. Opheli clenched her sword.
“Watch out!” Gusto shouted.
Kael tightened his jaw and ran forward. A few more monsters lunged at the tent.
“Valencia!” he called.
Other monsters charged at Kael and his crew before he could reach the tent. He unleashed another Light spear and defended himself. Opheli grabbed as many monsters’ legs as she could with her—one managed to kick her rib, sending her further away.
“No!” she agonized. Her Grace. She closed her eyes for a second.
Jun instinctively shot an arrow through the tent and pierced the monster’s eye before it could touch the tent. Kael turned to Jun.
“Don’t shoot through it! You could have hurt Valencia!” he snapped.
Just then, a dark void pierced through simultaneously at the other three monsters. No one could have seen Valencia awake with her dark eyes as she raised her hand through the small hole from the arrow.
~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~