"IT'S COMING FOR YOU, LISTEN TO ME! YOUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER!" Ash screamed once more, warning them for the fourth time after he sensed the creature's come back.
The disturbance in the water grew significantly, indicating the arising reptile from the depth of the still river.
All hope in Ash's eyes, the glowing sparkles of the fact he could save them, vanished after he saw the arising gigantic hand of the river abomination.
The boat staggered slightly, still the two boys couldn't see the enormous hand slowly emerging behind them.
"BEHIND YOUUUUU!!" Ash still didn't give up in saving them, trying to shout with all the sound of his sound cords could muster.
Only when the shadow of its hand dropped like a massive curtain of darkness upon them could they rotate and see the gargantuan.
What they saw was truly enough to sink their hearts in terror. Watching, frozen in their places as they felt their lives are about to end.
Ash closed his mouth after he was about to shout again. Not because he gave up in saving them, they were bound to be dead anyways, but because he saw their true colors.
They were not the type of people worth saving.
Ash took a seat on the wooden dock, watching the horror of their screams as the gigantic claws was descending upon them. Ash smiled, entertained to see their actions paid off at last.
They writhed in fear, fear of death. The creature never gave their horrified expressions any bit of its attention.
'What you do or say, comes back to you as a gift or at your face like a curse.' Ash thought, smiling mischievously as he saw the creature's hand was about to ripe them apart.
The claws descended on them like a flash with terrifying speed. Sounds of severe pain and smells of blood and flesh filled the air around them along with wooden debris and shattered logs.
They were wiped out from existence. For once, Ash seemed to love that creature for the right judgment it pulled at those arrogant bastards.
And the creature's hand found peace within the river's depth and didn't emerge once more.
After a minute, walking away from the horror yet amusing scene, Ash returned to the old hut and took a seat on his favorite wooden dock.
[Attention!]
[Traveler, Theo Blake, Code: *789#0847, has been slain by... E... Error!]
[Traveler, Caleb Dean, Code: *789#0912, has been slain by... E... Error!]
'Error?! What?! Does that thing so strong that even the system can't identify it?!' Ash was horrified. No one can blame him.
Suddenly...
[Attention to all travelers of *789, The first day has ended!]
[You have two days to reach your destination, one of the three major castles.]
[The travelers program will take place in two days.]
[Those who didn't catch up in time, won't be allowed in any castle!]
[Good luck, Travelers.]
With that, the message reached its end, leaving Ash sitting on the wooden dock completely confused.
'Travelers program? Is it like a teaching phase in those castles? And we just have two days to reach the castle. Hmm, this might be much more interesting than I thought!' Ash thought, trying to calculate the fastest route to reach the castle listed on the map they have.
'We have to move quickly. Otherwise...' Ash didn't have to complete his thought. The travelers program seemed so important and none of them would want to miss any of it.
The door of the old hut suddenly opened, Nyro emerged from the shadows, confusion well written on his face. Aeris emerged too after a second behind Nyro.
"Ash, we need to start moving quickly!" Aeris said, the tone of a leader getting through his words.
"Yea, we can't let the distance stop us from that program." Nyro confirmed, though his voice seemed a bit surprised.
Ash nodded in agreement and stood up before them.
"First, let's take what's remaining of this night to replenish our strengths while planning How should we navigate the forest." Ash said, the terror in him faded away a bit after seeing his teammates.
And also after witnessing the creature's judgment upon the arrogant bastards.
Aeris nodded after thinking for a moment.
"Ash is right. We have to recharge our power and then venture, otherwise we wouldn't reach the castle on time." Aeris said, siding with Ash's plan.
Nyro thought for a moment, considering the state they are in.
"Fine. That's the best plan for now." Nyro said, a bit nervous they wouldn't manage to reach the castle before the program starts.
"We will depart once the sun rises. We take the remaining night resting and thinking about plans if we encounter the higher banes." Aeris said, taking the tone of a leader as always.
Ash and Nyro nodded in agreement.
"You can rest now, Ash. I will take your place." Nyro offered, smiling a calm one behind the scarfs that hides his mouth.
Ash agreed as he entered the old hut and rested inside, stealing the bed for himself before Aeris charges in.
Instantly, Ash swam in the oblivion and slept.
***
Nyro's POV
Just like Ash, Nyro proceeded and took a seat on the wooden dock, watching the twilight with fascination in his violet eyes.
Though a hint of sadness deep inside, emerged as a subtle change in his eyes.
"I hope I will find you soon..." Nyro murmured to himself. touching his face with a hand of his, covering the only part of his face that wasn't hidden, his violet eyes.
"I hope you are okay, Brother..." Nyro said, his voice trailed under the luminescent moon light.
A wooden crack resounded nearby, a sound of a step on fallen wooden branches on the ground. The sound came from inside the forest's territory.
Nyro immediately summoned his daggers and took a stance of the assassin he is.
Unfortunately, he couldn't hide himself. Still, he positioned, waiting for the danger to show itself.
Then he saw it, a dark silhouette was coming closer while raising both its hands in the air.
Nyro waited for the opportunity to present itself to attack stealthily.
But, he didn't need to do so.
The silhouette turned out to be a girl, soaked in water and many algae attached to her. A part of her body railed some blood, indicating a deep injury.
Nyro lowered his weapons and ran to her. The girl saw the sprint and thought he would attack her, compiled on top of it the experience she had a while ago. The girl fainted helplessly... No, Nyro managed to hold her in time.
"Hey, can you hear me?" Nyro said, trying to aid her but he couldn't.
"Aeris... he is the only one who can help her!"
Without wasting a second, Nyro ran toward the old hut.