Step by step the dried forest carpet crunched as the moist grass slightly clung akin to wet close on a rainy day.
I glanced back at the distance I've traveled hauling along a tattered locust corpse to not attract predators to the scent of blood and rotting flesh.
The smell of wet forestry, along with the foul scent of beast caused my nose to wince as my stomach turned and the shivering cold air brushed against my face.
The moisture in the air created an unpleasant sensation that both cooled the heat and exhaustion from hauling a body across the distance and also reminded me of the perilous situation I was in.
My mind focused as my gaze wandered,
I was consciously searching for something my subconscious didn't want me to find.
I felt a gaze sharp and hungry.
It was obvious that this area of the forest was marked territory, this realization halted my advance.
I was nervous and anxious, I subconsciously knew that whatever sent this locust my way was already aware of my presence in his territory. I could sense the predatory gaze licking at my flesh with anticipation.
I took a moment to take a deep breath as my hand gently caressed the sword hilted at my hips.
Looking up at the towering trees that blocked out the moons that stood proud in the sky. The forest was dark and what little light could pierce the mismatched roof the trees created was way too brittle to illuminate much.
A few thoughts caressed the neurons in my brain triggering my anxiety;
~ What if this beast purposely sent the locust my way to lure me out?
~that would insinuate the beast had a decent level of intelligence that could allow it to plan and create traps.
~ Was I already trapped?
The wet grass stood at knee height providing perfect coverage for the foliage and beasts that lingered within.
From what my eyes could see the trunks that stood before me were nay identical providing little to no distinction between each.
I was nervous but not discouraged I knew that even while handicapped I could take on a beast or two with relative ease.
That did increase my anxiety much, what if I was surrounded and helplessly outnumbered?
I neither had companions like before, granny was nowhere near here as far as I can tell she normally disappeared completely from my detection skill whenever she left at night and my detection wasn't picking up just life form now it was picking up hundreds.
There was no way to know which of the hundreds were targeting me or how many as their distances varied and mana signifiers were of different sizes and intensities.
What worried me the most was my lack of mobility and lack of information on my predator. I knew not what type of beast had their eyes on me or how powerful they were.
A gnarl jolted me to look behind me pulling my sword from its sheath.
A beast my skill couldn't detect.
I broke into cold sweat as a beast more than half my height when on all four before me. Its mouth is hovering over the carcass of the locust. I looked up at me with sharp eyes ones that had very little hostility but had plenty of warnings.
Its fur rustles in the gentle wind as its golden hue glistens with a little touch of moonlight, and its muscles stand proud like those of a tiger.
No
Even with a frame similar to that of a feline, a sabretooth tiger would barely outclass its stature.
This beast's presence and aura would be enough to thwart all confidence and will from those who oppose it. The predator poses a potentially bigger threat to me with the carcass in its reach.
It had fangs similar to a boss tusk that protruded downwards and eyes crimson red and filled with hunger.
It gave me a threatening look that warned against any suspicious actions.
The air stiffened around it suffocating me in the process, this alone made me step back. Not in haste, but in an attempt not to attract its wrath.
Its current behavior began to contradict its dominating presence. Its previous behavior was now veiled behind acts of wary caution, it growled in a low tone then sank its tusk-like fangs into the locust carcass and ran off.
I was confused yet relieved, but deep within i was fearful, not of the beast that ran off but of what with in the area that could scare off such a predator.
My muscles were still tense and my skin shivered even more so than before I couldn't sense any presence
No
I sensed nothing as all it was as if all my senses had been cut off as a thick mist like fog began to cloud my view.
I had fallen into a trap….
—-
At a certain Cathedral
"For a Bishop of your stature to be in a washed-up church like this, did they disapprove of your accession to cardinal?"
A low but condescending voice riddled with the gruff tone of aged masculinity disrupted a cloaked figure kneeling before an altar.
"And a lost lamb without a god to serve wonders into a god's house bothering his servant during his time of worship. What could be of such importance for you to bother a man during a time like this.?"
The man referred to as a bishop didn't move even while disturbed his eyes remained closed and his fingers clasped.
His lips moved slowly in response to the figure who interrupted his solace and his break caused the lone candle standing on a saucer before him to flicker.
"Still quite the astute man huh, I wonder if this is why you were denied cardinal and remained in this washed-up town of paupers?"
The figure sat on a bench that stood at the front of the church and crossed his legs. His eyes stared at the man before him who was still locked in reverence.
"I rejected the promotion, now how can I assist a member of a forgotten race?! Speak now before I lose interest!"
The bishop's tone increased as his patience was being tested and his focus was reduced.
"Oh come on, no need to be so antsy I'm not here to cause trouble, I'm merely a messenger."
The figure stood up and stepped slowly yet intently towards the man kneeling under the dimming light, as the candle fought to remain luminous in the tense atmosphere.
"There's not much difference between you and I you know we are both living beings under the gods' gaze yet our race though forgotten by the masses, those who know of us treat us similarly to beasts."
He released a huge amount of air from his hog mouth in a big sigh as he came to a halt directly behind the bishop.
"Is it because we can no longer make use of gained skills, is the death of our god such a crime?"
He extended his index finger toward the bishop's back as his claw-like nail glistened from the candlelight reflecting on it.
As his nail inched close to the bishop's back it broke and fell to the floor erupting into a golden flame.
The beast-like man instantly jumped back in quick reflex, as if evading a danger or threat to his life.
"Such violence from a man who is supposed to be serving god!"
The floor on which the man stood behind the priest erupted in a golden flame in the very instant the beastly man jumped from that spot.
"If I hadn't moved that would have greatly wounded me you know." His tone was now friendly but teasing pulling at the bishop's patience even more.
The bishop stood up pulling out a rosary on a golden chain.
"Speak your reason for interrupting before I lose my temper beast!" His tone was firm and laced with seriousness.
No leniency was evident from his tone.
"Be el and the other seven are trying to take a trip into this realm, I'm sure that interesting news isn't it."
The room instantly became deafeningly silent as he finished his sentence.
The bishop understood the weight of his words and knew not to question them.
No one spoke of those seven without considering the consequences and yet he just warned about the intervention in this realm.
"Not just your Ethernal buddies now the seven are approaching the battlefield ready to create chaos in this ongoing stalemate. That's the message I got to deliver bishop, or should I say Cardinal… do with it as you see fit."
The next instant the bishop stood alone in the church with the dying flame before him.
He didn't speak
He didn't blink
He knew he had to do something
He had to make a move
Rejecting the position of cardinal now seemed like a horrible decision
He grinder his teeth and increased his grip on the chain that his rosaria hun from as it marked his skin.
"Shit!"