Shit…
The headless corpse took a step back after Manther's body dropped to the ground.
Under the dark starry sky, the forest was quiet and calm, the wind brushing gently on the leaves as they swayed in the air.
Blood splatter dyed the grassy grounds red as the headless corpse stood there, faced at the group.
In all of their faces, drops of sweat raced down their foreheads, muscles tensed up and their thoughts raced.
If I attack now, it might just explode. If we run it might just explode. If we put up a barrier… it might just explode.
Drake's mind raced as he scanned through his options.
No matter what we do, it's too close.
I could survive it's explosion, but without Ms Beatrice I would still just end up dying in these woods.
Drake's eyes darted around trying to find a quick solution to this life threatening situation they found themselves in.
In the seconds he had spent, flipping through ideas, nobody dared to move. Strangely neither did the headless corpse.
It stood there, watching the group, not even moving an inch.
It's divinity is at it's limits…
Yet it won't attack.
This thought crossing through Jacob's mind made him furrow his brows.
He watched the corpse for 5 more seconds, while the rest were frozen in place. Fearing that they might provoke it somehow.
To watch it, Jacob pulled in and focused all of his divinity into the 10 meters that they had been occupying.
This meant he lost perception of everything outside of this distance and 10 meters was as far as he could see or sense.
Once he did this, a spark of realization sparked across his face.
He regained his calm when this happened, turning his head ever so slightly, to allow Drake to see his face.
When Drake could, he gave Drake a slight nod with a confident look in his eyes.
Drake wasted no time seeing this. He spoke loudly, but didn't shout. They were all close to him after all.
"Go"
When they heard this, Simon was the first to react. A strong gale blew past, taking him along with it as he allowed it to do so.
The old man saw this and quickly jumped too, loosening up his body and allowing Simon's wind to carry him with it.
Quickly, Drake saw Jacob reach out his hand to grab onto Beatrice. This allowed him to leave without worrying about her.
Once Jacob got ahold of Beatrice, she snapped out of the long, frightened daze she had been in and regained focus in her eyes.
Although this was the case, her face was pale. It had a horrified expression on it mixed with concern and guilt.
I could've help. I could've reached for him.
Ice… I could've used ice.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as these thoughts flashed through her mind.
But she went along with Jacob. She bit her lip, she shed tears, she looked back, but she knew deep down that there was nothing she could do.
Their escape was swift. It all transpired in a matter of moments, and through their entire desperate maneuver, the corpse stood in place.
It never moved, even an inch. It quietly stood next to the bloody corpse of the deceased Manther.
When she looked back, Beatrice understood why this was the case. She understood why their escape turned out to be a success.
She understood why Drake and Jacob seemed a bit calm compared to the rest of them.
Next to the headless corpse, Manther slowly stood up.
Despite the bloody, gaping hole in his chest, Manther's body stood up straight.
Once he did, he looked up at the fleeing group.
He had a cold and lifeless expression of his face. He was pale and bloody.
With his cold eyes, he watched as the group got further and further. When Manther and the headless corpse were almost out of sight, Beatrice and Tarth looked back.
What they saw made them regret doing so…
Manther lifted his right arm slightly, and waved.
When he did, his head fell from his body. A clean cut appearing on his neck as his head bounced on the ground.
This sight was sure to stay with them for many years to come.
Beatrice calmly turned her head to face forward and continued leaping from tree to tree.
Old man Henry smiled as the sky gradually lost it's dark and starry luster, replaced by a light blue sky with hints of orange slowly creeping up from the east.
"It's finally morning".
…..
After traveling for an hour, The sun had already rose, clearing up the darkness of the forest.
What replaced it, was a beautiful and vibrant green forest. It had giant trees and flowery fields, smelling fresh to the nose.
Smaller creatures hid behind bushes and some walked out in the open. Flying creatures chirped in the air and calm winds whispered through the trees.
It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Of course, this was not the case for the group that walked through this beautiful with expressionless faces.
So only 6 of us left now.
Jacob still had a smile on his face as he thought this. His little smile and his calm expression on his pale white face.
He was being led by Beatrice, who held his hand the entire distance they had traveled. Because of this, his katana hung from his waists, since he didn't need it.
Beatrice finally broke the silence that had accompanied them throughout their hour long travel, with a question.
"Why were you outside the walls on your own?"
Drake, and everyone else shifted their attention when they heard her ask this.
He was alone? They don't know him then?
Simon had these questions, but kept his silence and decided to listen instead.
So did everyone else.
Jacob took a pause, having already realized she was talking to him.
"I'm not from inside the walls."
Not from inside the walls?! What does he mean.
Simon kept his questions to himself, but couldn't help having them nonetheless.
It was a shock, but also confusing to everyone else too.
"What do you mean?"
Jacob tuned his head when he heard this question. It came from old man Henry. He paused for a moment, looking at the old man with a sad look on his face, then he smiled.
"There's an enormous castle deep inside the forest... It's where I grew up."
Drake turned to him, his tone calm.
"I've never heard of any people living outside of the walls. Much less a castle."
After saying this, Drake paused. Revealing a solemn expression.
"You do know of the horrors, wandering, deep into the desolate plains. Don't you?"
"Yes, I d…" before Jacob could finish, Drake cut him off. Speaking again.
"Then you should know, Not even those damn Arch-Angels dare to set foot anywhere near tho…"
SHWING!
A wind blade flew past, quite close to Drake's face before he too, could finish speaking.
"Watch what you say, you heathen."
Simon had an extremely annoyed expression as he spat those words out in disgust.
"Our Deities are the reason we are alive. The reason we have such safe lives!"
His words exuded passion and praise, the words of a truly pious believer of the word of god.
Drake looked at him with cold eyes. Keeping a calm expression on his face.
"If they were really the all powerful Deities you think they are, they would've reclaimed our land from those creature who roam there"
As he said this, Drake turned around, away from Simon and cast his gaze to the distance as they continued to walk through the forest.
"You know nothing! The powers of the Deities were meant to protect us from those who wish us harm!"
"Then who are those who wish us harm? Those Arch-Angel seem af…"
"Stop." Drake was again disrupted mid-speech in his heated argument with Simon.
This time, by the cold voice of a woman. Beatrice looked at the both of them in cold annoyance.
"That's quite enough disrespect to our Deities, Drake."
She was calm as she spoke. "This isn't the time to argue about religion. We need to figure out a way to get rid of those two corpses trailing us."
Tarth knew very little about the religious teachings Drake and Simon spoke of, so he stayed silent through out their debate.
Old man Henry too, remained silent, and only listen to what the young ones went on about with a serious expression on his face.
After a momentary pause of silence, Tarth spoke up.
"We need to set up camp again to rest up. I doubt those two will attack during daytime."
"They won't. We've never experienced attacks during the day. Besides, Jacob will know once they're in his range."
Old man Henry's confirmation put the group at ease on this matter.
Once the group started moving to find a place to set camp, Jacob's eye narrowed and his eyes furrowed. He seemed to be deep in thought.
So, Not a Divine creature then?