Lair; Tentacle monster (2)
Celestine froze the river and we crossed on top the ice. The monster surprised us yet again as it climbed up a tree and started swinging from tree to tree like spider man. "Hey this guy's cheating!" Celestine said with a sour expression.
"Then we do too," I answered, mind blitzing the bastard. It stumbled in its swing and Celestine punished it with an ice bomb. The monster appeared like it would fall off the tree at any moment at that but then shrugged off the attack and swung on.
"Hmph!" Celestine said and we continued chasing it. The thing is, no matter how we tried with mind blitz and ice magic, we could not fall the monster. I started growing worried; even though this is the forest at the other side of the village, and not the one we had met the demon, it still was a forest we know nothing about, and I had a small suspicion the monster was leading us somewhere.
At that thought I stopped suddenly and caught Celestine's hand too. The princess wheeled and glared at me. "What are you doing?!" She asked.
"I don't like this," I told her.
"I don't too stupid, but we have to save the girl!!!"
Distantly I could hear the girl still screaming in the monster's stomach. Wait how is she even alive? Damn fantasy setting!!!! At my silence Celestine huffed and turned her back to me. "I'm going Saint, you can either come or leave, but don't try to discourage me!" She said and then started running after the monster again. I frowned then sighed in resignation and followed. What am I to do? Should I try to take her by force? Can I? But this situation is fishy isn't it? Ah, I might as well stay with her to help her if anything happens. Damn it!
We continued following the monster deeper into the forest. From normal places with sounds of animals to a place deathly still and quiet. The whole time we had the monster in sight, and try as we could to bring it down or catch up to it, but we failed each time. It was like it was taunting us, 'hey I'm here, running at a speed you can keep up but you guys can never catch up je je je je'. Just when I was considering just hitting Celestine on the back of the head and taking her away with me, a development happened. A valley appeared in front of us and the creature crawled into it. Here even Celestine stopped.
The valley had two high cliffs at both sides with a narrow entrance that the monster barely fit so we couldn't get a good glimpse of the inside besides the narrow cliff corridor just beyond the entrance. "That creature went in there," Celestine said, "could that be its lair?"
"Could we be fools to rush in?"
"Would you rather we let the girl die?"
"If it'll keep us alive?" I shrugged.
"We're nobles we can't think so selfish, Sainty!"
I sighed drained. "Fine, how do you propose we approach this?"
Celestine placed her hands on her waist and lifted her nose high. "I ask your opinion since you're apparently smarter than me,"
"And I say we leave,"
"Not an option!"
"Ugr!" I groaned holding my forehead. "Princess you'd be the death of me. OK I'll help, but you have to listen to me, deal?"
She frowned and appeared to think about it. Finally she said, "sure, as far it's to save the girl,"
"Crystal! Now wait here while I scout ahead."
"What....?!!"
"You promised,"
Celestine opened her mouth and closed it but couldn't say anything. "Fine," she said sulkily, "but if you do not return in ten minutes I am coming for you,"
"Roger that princess," I did a playful salute; touching the back of my sword held hand to my forehead and lifting my sword to the air. After that I sheathed the katana so it doesn't get in the way, turned around and headed to the valley entrance.
I stayed close to the ground with my right hand on my sword's hilt as snuck into the valley. I could instantly hear the girl's continued scream and fell in thought.
I have read this novel of the world I am currently in, that means I know many things about it. I mean there are lots of things characters in a story don't know but a reader does. That fact does not only apply to future events, it applies to settings and character motivation too. In this context I know the setting of the novel. In the novel intelligent monsters are as smart as people. Some are even more cunning, especially the old ones, and like humans posses magic powers. This monster did not show its power yet, that's why I thought it is hiding its strength and playing with us. But to which end? Or maybe I'm just a paranoid old man overthinking everything since coming to this world. Still, it doesn't hurt to be careful right?
Before the narrow valley corridor, I climbed up a slight rocky rise quietly, before crouching behind a rock and peer into the valley. The valley was wide and dead, with no life in sight, and only bones and rocks scattered around the ground. The monster lay in the centre of the valley glaring at the entrance, its tentacles dancing animatedly in the air. The girl was still screaming in its stomach however, how scary; if not for Celestine I'll be seriously out of here. But that's not the only reason I have not fled. The fact is I'm in this world now and wants to get used to fighting for my life, especially against cunning monsters like this. If half the events in the novel happens then I know the future is dark. The wars I'll have to fight, the battles I'll have to win. So even though I do not like this, this is the thing I need.
I gave the monster one more look, scanning the valley for anymore mind beside its own and found none except the girl's in its stomach then slipped away to call the princess. I saw her just outside the valley and waved her over, motioning for silence. Together we went back to the rock I just hid behind to spy on the monster and peered across the valley together. The monster wasn't there!
In panic I spread my mind scan (let's call it that) in time to spot the damn monster above us. My martial training kicked in, I kicked Celestine away from me then rolled to the side. The next moment the monster landed were we just were. I continued rolling, then rose to my feet in the end and pulled out my sword in one smooth motion. Three tentacles came my way, I mind blitz the creature in reflex and twisted, avoiding the tentacles in a razor thin margin before cutting on the follow up tentacle. An ice bomb landed on its head from the other side and I had a moment of respite from the attacks.
I drew back some and glared at the creature. That was close! This monster is actually strong. Plus I am separated from Celestine. What a disadvantage!!! If I make one error now both me and the princess will die; this is not fun anymore!!!!! But... I can't deny there's a thrill to it, that my next decision can change everything. Should I cower and hope? Or should I snatch my destiny and be ready to pay the price? I chose the second one, because, something tells me it's the only way we'd survive. I caught hold of Celestine's mind, the thing Viktora forbade me, and ordered her to move over the stone rise, further into the valley, and dived that way the next moment myself.
The monster failed to react as we all moved at the same time with no prior signal or call, yet we did it in perfect harmony. Such is the strength of my powers. Celestine turned to me with wide eyes as we regrouped. "Just now...."
"Not now," I interrupted. "let's deal with this bastard first."
She swallowed then nodded a little fearful but with blind trust. That actually melted my heart and I felt like crying suddenly. But not now, not yet; we have a bastard to kill. Me and Celestine readied ourselves as we faced the monster. For round two.
Leave a review please!!!!!