Chapter 8 – Lightning Strikes (3)

Feelings of terror filled Aleen’s body when the flag fell beside him. His body refused to move despite hearing the woman's voice. The fear of seeing someone that just a moment ago was speaking to him dying suddenly after being pierced by a sword was enough to shut all the senses of his body.

Inside his head, the images of John and Amelia dying appeared repeatedly without stopping. The impact was different than when the monster attacked him. This time, two humans were dead.

“Hurry up, boy!” The woman shouted strongly. “This is not the time to be daydreaming. Take the flag and run to the base.”

“B-But… You…”

“Stand up!” She shouted again, finally taking Aleen out of his trance. “Don’t you want to return alive? Then bring the flag to the base! Now!”

Gritting his teeth, Aleen grabbed the flag and began to run, leaving the woman behind. He was not sure if she could survive against them, but he could see that she was strong. Furthermore, he was unable to help her to fight, but if he was fast enough, perhaps he could reach the base before the ice-cold woman dies.

Looking to the scene, the shortsword-wielding man sneered before speaking.

“A level one? Hahaha, what a joke. Will, kill the bug and bring the flag back. Be fast!”

“Understood, teacher!” The dagger-wielding man answered after standing up. Apparently, the ice-cold woman attack was not enough to kill him. But when he tried to go running after Aleen, the woman spoke.

“Do you think that I will allow you!?”

With a shout, the ‘Sword Domain’ extended from her, covering completely the surroundings with sword intent. Then, taking a step forward, she moved at super high speed towards the dagger-wielding man, trying to finish him with one attack.

At that moment, one of the orcs moved to stop her. Wielding its axe, it blocked the woman's attack saving the man. Unfortunately, the pressure of the blow was enough to stop the dagger-wielding man from advancing.

Instantly, the other orc attacked together with the shortsword-wielding man, but the woman made use of the rebound from the axe to avoid the pair's attack. Then, raising her sword high, she used her fourth skill.

“Descend, ‘Calamity Sword’!”

Together with her words, an overwhelming amount of sword intent filled the greatsword. Then, with a furious cry, the sword descended…

… And for an instant, every sound disappeared.

Aleen was running desperately through the streets of the ruined city.

Carrying the enemy flag on a hand and holding his spear with the other, Aleen did his best to remember the path they took before, but his mind continued to bring forth the scenes of John and Amelia dying. Though Aleen did not know them very well, simply the fact of witnessing the death of someone he knows was a blow to him.

Shaking his head, Aleen tried to erase that scene from his mind. He had to concentrate on returning to his base if he wanted to survive.

Aleen knew that his life was hanging from a thread. The attack of a monster was enough to kill him; besides, it was possible for the enemy to send someone to chase after him.

For a moment, the thought of throwing the flag away and searching for a place to hide appeared in his mind. However, it disappeared after remembering the determined face of the ice-cold woman. Besides, the flag only made things a bit more dangerous. For Aleen, someone that did not know anything about this place, the simple idea of finding a safe place to hide was something extravagant.

At that moment, Aleen saw something at a corner of his sight.

It was the figure of a monster moving.

“Shit!”

A feeling of danger and desperation overwhelmed Aleen’s mind. The sight of the monster was like a prophet foreseeing the time of his death.

Gritting his teeth. Aleen continued running, trying to leave the monster behind. Unfortunately, the beast was faster than him. After thirty seconds, the beast was just ten meters from him.

An expression of fear appeared on his face. Aleen could feel the beast’s breath impacting his body. The stench of rotting meat filled his nose.

The beast continued chasing after him, measuring the distance between it and its prey. And finally, it was unable to endure the hunger.

With a leap, it attacked.

Aleen rolled desperately aside to evade the attack. The beast’s claws cut through the place where he was an instant before. But though Aleen survived the attack, the claws of the beast grazed his body, creating a wound on his waist.

Aleen did his best to ignore the pain coming from his wound and stood quickly. Then, throwing the flag aside, he grabbed his spear with both hands and faced the beast.

It, however, was smarter than he thought. Glancing towards him, the furless monstrosity began to circle around him searching for an opportunity to tear apart the prey before it.

Fear of death filled Aleen’s mind and the blood flowing from his wound made it hard for him to concentrate. Aleen did his best to keep his mind focused on the beast, but before long, his vision began to falter.

At that moment, Aleen discovered the beast’s goal.

It was not in a hurry to attack.

The beast was waiting for him to weaken from the blood loss.

A feeling of terror invaded Aleen. Cunning monster!

Aleen knew that his only opportunity was to attack. The beast was fine with the stalemate, but he was not. If he continues waiting, the blood loss will weaken him enough for the beast to kill him easily.

Taking a deep breath, Aleen put strength in the spear on his hands. It's all or nothing.

Then, giving a shout, he charged.

“Ahhhhhh!!!”

Putting all his strength in the charge, Aleen stabbed with the spear towards the beast.

Unfortunately, the beast was prepared for the desperate attack of its dying prey. With a fast jump, it evaded the attack before using a claw to hit Aleen in his chest.

The attack sent Aleen flying to the ground. Thanks to the breastplate, he wasn’t killed, but he was sure that a few of his ribs were broken.

'It's painful...' Aleen cried in his mind.

He wanted used the last bit of his strength to stand up, but his body didn’t answer him.

With his blurry vision, Aleen saw the beast walking slowly towards him. The putrid stench of death filled his nose and his mind was paralyzed from fear. At that moment, a blurry image appeared in his head.

I don’t want to die…

His sister, worried at home about his whereabouts. Asking if someone knows where he is.

I don’t want to die…

The image of her in a bed, dying slowly from an unknown sickness, without someone around to support her.

I don’t want to die…

Her radiant smile, trying to hide her bitterness due to being a burden to his brother.

“I DON’T WANT TO DIE!!!”

Then, the mana inside his body answered.

Images of electricity running through his body appeared in his mind, and lightning flowed through his veins, filling his body with newfound strength.

His hands grabbed the spear lying on the ground, and his body stood up clumsily.

The beast seemed to feel something because its steps paused. Then, with a whimper of fear, it retreated.

But it was too late.

Aleen took a step.

… And his body advanced at terrifying speed.

An instant later, the spear pierced the beast's body.