Since they decided not to sleep here and to keep going, they did exactly that. Fie and Lux continued walking. It would take about half an hour until they arrived, but… that was about to change!
Lux and Fie could hardly wait to reach the castle and to have truly made it through the long journey. But first, the two of them had to focus on something else. Lux walked beside Fie, who was half asleep. It felt like both of their bodies were already asleep.
"We're almost there, can you still hold on?" Lux asked in a weak and exhausted voice.
Fie looked pale in the moonlight. Maybe she would collapse any second. Fie spoke quietly and weakly,"i-ich can't anymore! I'm thirsty, my legs hurt, and on top of that I can barely see!"
This night was especially dark, because the moonlight no longer shone on them but somehow looked as if it had been drained away. Lux had already noticed it earlier. Around the two of them, everything somehow looked darker.
"Fie..."
Lux stopped speaking and looked frightened. Fie stopped as well, and so did Lux.
"Th-there! It's some kind of dog or wolf group!"
When Lux finished whispering, he pointed behind Fie. She widened her eyes and looked even more frightened than before. The fact that the two of them looked completely exhausted must have attracted the hunters. Of course, weakened prey was the easiest.
Lux slapped his face to stay awake. His legs trembled from energy loss. His lips were dry, and pain plagued his body. Lux tried to concentrate. First, he counted the dogs in the darkness. It was difficult because they were only faintly visible, but when they showed themselves again and again, you could count them all at once.
Lux raised his fingers."1 wait 2 it's 3!"
Three black dogs with yellow glowing eyes. The darkness around them was especially strong, as if it were being drawn toward the dogs. This had to be an ability of theirs. Lux realized it immediately.
"Fie, be careful, the darkness is definitely an ability of theirs!"
Fie slowly moved beside Lux, then she drew her sword. By now, the dogs must have noticed that their prey had discovered them. The darkness practically hissed past them. For a brief moment, it faded. In those seconds, the wide field and the castle came back into view. Indeed, Lux and Fie were so close that they would have arrived in just a few minutes. But they stopped and focused on the upcoming fight. They knew they were at a disadvantage, or maybe they had no chance at all. But they had no choice. They could not run away. The dogs would be much faster. Maybe they had a small chance.
Lux also drew his sword. As the darkness began to creep around them again, their vision closed in once more. This time, the darkness seeped through. Soon, Fie and Lux could barely recognize each other.
"Lux, be careful, they're coming!"
Lux was focused. His head moved from one corner to the next. With his sword held vertically, protectively in front of his body, Lux waited for the attack.
And then! In the darkness, something growled in front of them, and then it jumped. Two dogs leapt at Lux, one at Fie. The dark fur came into view. The yellow glowing eyes were the only source of light in the darkness. That was how you knew where the dogs were when they were close. But that didn't help Lux, because the two dogs jumped straight at him.
It happened far too fast. Lux felt weight on his shoulders and stomach. The dogs hit him and tore him to the ground. One immediately bit into Lux's right shoulder. The leather armor was pierced at once. Blood splattered onto the ground. Lux screamed. He immediately tried to injure the dog on his stomach. Despite the pain, he swung his sword at the dog that was on him. It tried to bite again within seconds, but the sword sliced into the black fur. A painful, crushing sound echoed in the darkness.
Lux immediately forced his body up. Both dogs fell down. With an instant kick, he sent one of the dogs into the darkness. The injured dog immediately jumped at Lux. He reacted instantly and cut a side slash through the air. A direct hit. The dog was badly wounded in the stomach and fell to the ground.
After a few seconds, Lux received a message from the chains.[you have killed a monster of class 5!][essence of night hound obtained! 1/3!]
Lux looked at the black letters. If they didn't also have a white glowing outline, he wouldn't have been able to see them. Luckily, the letters seemed to be specially illuminated.
Lux focused again, but the fact that he had obtained this essence refreshed his memory that he could still create the slime monster. For now, he focused again. The other night hound seemed to have retreated. Lux listened toward Fie. You could hear frightened noises, then a growl, and a clatter. Her sword had fallen.
"w-what happened?"
Lux immediately took steps forward, but suddenly, from the side, the night hound that Lux had injured shot forward and jumped at him. There was too little time to react. Lux was thrown to the ground with tremendous force. His sword clattered to the ground as well. The dog immediately jumped onto Lux.
But Lux had one chance here and now. As the dog leapt into the air for the final strike, Lux drew the knife hanging at his side and deliberately thrust it forward into the night hound's neck. Blood splattered onto his face. A small, pain filled cry from the night hound was all that remained. Then the heavy body of the dog fell to the ground.
Lux stood up dazed. He ignored the letters floating in the air. Full of rage, Lux shouted, "Fie?? Where are you!"
Lux took a few steps forward and looked around in the darkness, thinking that there was still a night hound somewhere. Suddenly, Lux shouted, "Now it's just you and me!"
But then, from behind, the night hound leapt down onto Lux. It immediately tore him down. It slashed his back with its claws. "Arghh!" Lux slammed into the ground with great force and was dazed. Now the knife also fell from his hand.
The night hound tried to bite Lux's neck, but Lux held both hands protectively against the head of the night hound. His strength began to fail, and when his grip loosened... a fast stab from the darkness saved him.
"Fie?" Lux said quietly and hopefully, but he received no answer. Then, there! Several stabs in quick succession caused bright flashes of light, and as the dog succumbed to its wounds, the darkness withdrew and revealed the purple red morning light.
Lux looked up. He saw a young man, slightly older than himself, looking down at him. His blond hair lay in a perfect angle, and his handsome face made Lux slightly angry. But since he had been saved, he did not show his anger and said, "Thank you!"
The handsome face smiled, and the young man said, "The prince of crystal! At your service!" He let a hand descend majestically to help him up.
But then an important thought struck Lux."Fie!"