~Elira's Pov~
It doesn't make sense. No. It doesn't.
As I ran into the woods, into the blackroot forest, a place home to many wild magical beasts. I thought about what I had seen on my way here.
"Sarah?"
What was she doing in the crowd? And that smile she had on her face. It wasn't just a smile.
A smirk?
Yes, that was it. It was hurting, as though she had planned the situation.
But that doesn't make any sense. How could she do such a thing? We have been best friends for more than half a decade. It wasn't true.
"Right this way!"
I hear them, their voices and steps. They are still chasing me. I almost forgot they were.
But still, it doesn't add up. We were just talking fine a moment ago, she was even the one who suggested we go to the store.
Wait.
Was it a trap?
Was it her plan all along? I thought it was weird when she showed interest in my project, but was this really her scheme? Was it her plan to get me caught?
But why?
It doesn't add up.
"Urgh!"
While running, I bumped my feet on a tree branch and fell. I had taken an injury, but I knew now wasn't the time to stop and sob. Those bastards are still after me. But running in this forest is so endless, and with the sun going down, I might actually be in serious trouble when it gets dark.
So I get back on my feet and continue to run for my life.
_
"Here. Look at this."
"What is it?"
"It is a broken branch."
"Yeah, so?"
"It means that she went this way."
Looking back, I see them. They aren't so far from me, but not so close either. They seemed to be looking at something.
The ground?
One of them picked up a tree branch.
Damn.
It looks like they have found the branch I stepped on. Such minor information is able to give away my location. And now their gaze, fixed in my direction.
..
"Over there, I see her!"
Yes. Now you know how I ended up being chased by fierce men in green robes.
I don't think I can continue running like this. My body can't take anymore of this. I need a place to rest, my body is so fragile for so much running.
Damn it.
I should have listened to Grand Baby Mama when she told me to eat a lot and do more exercise. But I didn't listen to her, I was always busy in my room working on my so-called project.
Now that I look back, it was all meaningless. What was the point of putting in so much effort when I was going to die early anyways?
I am a witch, and witches don't get themselves stuck working on something they know they can't get to work. And even when they do, they would just use a spell to make it work, which made their work faster.
But that's not my case. I might be a witch, but I am not blessed with enough mana to cast a single spell, no matter how hard I train. Which was why I began doing strange projects.
Strange.
It was what everyone called it. Even Sarah.
I was the only witch among witches who couldn't even cast a simple spell as the candle finger. It was tough and a struggle. I had read all the books, and the history documents on magic, mana, and spells.
Although there wasn't anything that could explain why I was different from the others. Even Grand Baby Mama, the mother of all witches, who had a lot of wisdom couldn't give me an answer whenever I asked her.
Yet, with this I was still snitched on by Sarah.
Was it to get rid of me? I still can't get it off my head.
Was it a scheme to remove the odd one out of the entire group?
Maybe it wasn't only her doing, perhaps the others were in on it too?
They might have not been in the scene, but with the expression she had on her face, it showed how long she had waited to get rid of me.
..
It was already dark, and I am still running in this endless forest. It is called the Blackroot forest for a reason. It was said when it becomes dark, several creatures and mythical beasts emerge from the root of the forest.
I don't know if it is, but one thing I have learnt in my time back at the academy, is to never doubt the legends.
In this realm whenever there is a documented phenomenon in history, it has either happened, or is bound to happen.
I tilted my head to see them. They are still chasing me, and this time with touches. It would seem there was a flame mage among them. Then again creating a fire on the hand is one of the most basic and simple spells for anyone born with mana to cast.
I turned back to face my direction when suddenly I saw strange movements ahead of me. I halted for a moment to check if I was seeing right. But there was no time to wait, those mages were right behind me.
"Grah!"
A wide noise echoed, as it carried with it a cold wind, causing my fragile body to shiver in fear. This wasn't just an ordinary wind, it was something dark, cold, and dangerous.
And that was when I saw it.
Red eyes glowing, lurking behind the little woods.
One.
No two.
Three
Four.
Four red eyes locked on me. And the sound came again.
"Grah!"
Right before my eyes they emerged, as the light of the moon lit on them.
'Dire wolves?'
They stood there, massive and silent like something straight out of a nightmare. I could see their red eyes glowing through the fog of the night, locked on me. Cold, sharp, and unblinking. Saliva dripped from their jaw thick and slowly, sliding down past those long sharp fangs.
Yup, they were hungry, and wouldn't wait for anything in the world to strike.
Are these among the breasts that was spoken of in the legends?
I shook my head.
"No way." I mumbled.
Their ears twitched as though they had picked up on my fragile tone. And their claws, those things are like blades dug into the ground as if they were holding themselves back. One wrong move, and they'd be on me in a heartbeat.
I knew I needed to be careful. I had two choices, either I get bitten by them or caught and killed by the mages behind me. But I refuse this fate. I take a third choice. One where I would escape and live.
"There!"
"There she is!"
A voice proclaimed, and I turned to look. It was the mages, they had already found me, but that wasn't all.
"Grahh! Grahh!! Grahhh!!!"
I heard the growl of the wolves, and instantly turned, however, before I could react they had already leaped towards, only a few inches away from me.
"I'm dead."
I shield myself with my hands, my eyes closed as my life flashed before them. Then of a sudden, it became quiet.
No cricket sound, no growls from the dire wolves, no proclaims from the mages.
'Am I dead?' I thought to myself.
Then I decided to open my eyes.
'No, I am not.'
Before me stood a figure in black cloak, their back facing me, while the wolves laid lifeless on the ground. It was unreal.
I fell to the ground, my eyes slowly closing due to the shock.
I couldn't make out who they were, but one thing was for sure…
They had saved me.