"Hey! Pallnem, stop right there!"
The man instantly jumped at the sudden voice shouted behind him. Nate snuck up to him and yelled out, but had to muff his own voice for the Faden from before would hear him.
Nate went around the man and held up his hands, likening himself to a guard preventing anything or anyone that might get past him. Nate had to calm Pallnem down and convince him that the crystal should be left alone.
The old man's eyes were bloodshot, like deep crimson, far from the normal brown eyes that he used to have. His clothes were tattered and even more worn, possibly from running nonstop through the forest's foliage. Pallnem's hair is frizzled as though electricity had passed through him without interference.
And yet, he still firmly held onto the green crystal like it was his to begin with. Just seeing him with it at all made Nate's heart pulse with desperation, his blood rushing through his veins in case he must do something quick without Pallnem noticing. However, he remained still as a motionless statue, with feelings of caution overwhelming him still. The feeling itself must be from the encounter with that thing in that mound in the middle.
"The hell are you doing here!?" Pallnem shockingly asked the boy. "Yah did see that creature with that stick on top of the ground? The place where the trees are sparse in the middle?"
"Shhhh, keep it down, or else that thing will hear us. I almost got caught when it was just about to wake up, you know."
"Damn it, I told you that this thing is mine, and mine alone..."
He held the crystal yet again to show his apparent possession of it.
"What are you talking about, Pallnem. There must be a reason why these creatures appeared all over the city ever since the green crystal appeared in this forest. If you just leave it alone and find something to prevent the monsters from appearing again, then it would save potential lives from falling prey to them," Nate said desperately.
His words slurred in desperation as his lips became too weak to continue to speak properly. So many things were happening in this chaotic state of the forest right now, and he thought it would be just an easy trip to find the crystal and watch over its green aura.
It was true that Nate wanted to save Pallnem in case he were to be found out by the monster at the mound, hoping that he would give him the crystal out of sheer fear.
The thought of having to exploit this fear to him made Nate uncomfortable, but time was running out, and it won't increase the limit suddenly.
"Pallnem, there's not much time left--we need to go now before that thing catches up to us," he urgently said.
"Who made you the boss? I ain't going anywhere with the likes of you!" Pallnem replied harshly.
"Oh, come on! You saw that thing from back there and how big it was. We will all be toast with a side of butter and jam if it catches up. And if you think your old-looking behind think you can outrun it, then you are dead wrong. The other kids and I at school think otherwise. So hurry up and toss it over there..."
Nate pointed towards a nearby bush next to them. A spot where Pallnem can leave the crystal behind, as it apparently attracted Fadens, as it exhibited power periodically.
The old man, while he listened to the boy, remained firm in his grasp on the green crystal.
"Hey, why are you—why won't you throw it away...?" Nate asked.
Pallnem's face expressed seriousness and solemness, piercing through Nate's soul as he shuddered.
"I won't just abandon a way to success just because some ungrateful high schooler said so... Get out of my way and I'll help myself with this power, oh, how it felt so good to even hold it near my chest."
"Pallnem—!"
"I won't let you ruin my life anymore!"
He veered towards Nate with determination, crushing the ground with his worn-out feet, attempting to shove Nate once more like last time.
Nate threw his fist in the air while closing his eyes.
Just the second before his eyelids were fully shut. He felt something materialize in his hand, a known texture he felt from before, based on its leathery feel.
The sword had automatically formed in his hand. Nate must have thought about having to defend himself from Pallnem's incoming attack, and that was how it led to its almost instant formation.
The fists of Pallnem seem to radiate primarily from his glowing crystal alone, but the shine was incredibly bright, much more than the times when it shone before.
His sword and the fist contacted with one another, and soon, a deafening noise akin to a howl of noise echoed throughout the dense forest of Vivid.
Nate's shouts of fear mixed with Pallnem's terrified screeches, like a harmony of witnessing something horrifying.
"AAAAARRRGGGHHH!" They both shouted together in unison.
But alas, the overwhelming sensation within his eyes and ears now subsided after some time.
Nate's eyes somehow rang, and his ears were a bit blurrier than ever. He soon found himself on the ground yet again, but with his arms sorer than even his legs after getting shoved by Pallnem.
He propped himself up, stumbling a few more times before he could stand up straight again.
Ugh... I don't think I am going to be okay to go to school today, at least not the first period...
Nate glanced towards the direction of Pallnem. It seemed that the overwhelming light had pushed him slightly afar, where there were charred remains within the grassy grounds.
The air became toasted as well, just the scent of it is an annoyance to Nate's nose.
Just how much power do these things have, both the sword and the green crystal, based on the level of power they sometimes exhibit?
"Ghirrgghh... ugh..."
A voice finally came out of Pallnem's mouth; he was more durable than he looked. He started to stand up.
"What was that?" Pallnem said, trying not to tremble in his voice. "God, my back is so sore from that bomb. Wait... where is my--"
He stared at his hands, with neither of them holding any green crystal within the palms.
"No, it can't be, it was right here in my hand! Where is it?!"
Pallnem desperately dropped down to the ground, patting down the dirt around him for the green crystal, desperate for a difference within the charred grounds.
Nate's heart remained throbbed from adrenaline. He tried to approach Pallnem with cautiousness...
"Pallnem... we need to go. We have to leave it before the situation gets any worse than it already is..."
"No! I wron't juzt give up. This crystal is a lifesaver, something that will finally be something of worth to me name!"
Nate sighed in dissatisfaction, with a shaky breath. "Please stop, just not now..."
"Where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz it, where iz--"
"RAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
A roar so intense that it rumbled inside Nate's chest, like a bass instrument doing its thing. Immediately, both Nate and Pallnem turned towards the deafening noise, with fluttering tinkling as it grew louder, as if it was going towards them.
Pallnem breathed rapidly, trying to catch his breath before making a run for it.
"Crap! Screw this, I'll be back fer you my sweet green crystalline love!" He shouted with his tail between his legs. Pallnem disappeared into the puffy green bushes of the dark, still covering Vivid Forest.
"Wait! Don't go, let me catch up," Nate cried out to him. But it was no use, his legs were incredibly sore that even trying to stand up was taking a toll on him. His arms were basically weakened from the energy the sword exhibited when clashing with Pallnem's fist, containing the shining green crystal.
Regardless of the major loss of function of his limbs, Nate attempted to at least move his exhausted body to his limit, because if the monster were to come for him first, he would at least have a fighting chance against it.
Although a sense of dread crept towards the back of his mind like an overwhelming wave. An imminent defeat may breach his fortress of hope.
He didn't want to die right now, since if he just waited until all of this was over and someone else dealt with these creatures attacking the people of Standart, Nate wouldn't be in this predicament.
He could have just turned a blind eye, doing normal fun stuff at high school with his Quad Four. But he guessed that it was his punishment for trying to care at all.
The wails of the Faden grew even more closer than ever, while Nate limped towards the path Pallnem took. Wherever he was, the old man was probably a few kilometers away by then. Nate was seriously lagging behind.
Was it possible Pallnem intended to leave Nate behind in the Faden while he got out alive of Vivid Forest?
It was such a thought to even consider thinking about.
However, Nate realized he still had the sword formed in his hand. The green light emanated through the metallic gleam.
My sword... It is still here with me... why...?
Nate's only hope, a weapon born from an emergency, was maybe a sign.
He refused to discard the hope that the sword may symbolize.
The ground trembled, with Nate darting his eyes at the monstrous entrance of that thing. A monster sprouting creaking limbs capable of killing humans.
As it appeared through the thick foliage. The mark where it presented itself in that empty mound was revealed to rest upon the top of its forehead
Its yellow eyes highlighting it's facial features around it. Additionally, spiked horns around its chin prospered evenly.
It was without legs. Only using its available limbs from a mass of flesh looking like kelp within the deep ocean's water.
A creature unlike any woodland animal around this portion of the forest.
Nate's breath dropped at the sight of this monstrosity. His subconscious was desperately pleading for a painless death internally, but he thought to himself calmly:
You have to relax, Nate, or else you will mess up big time. You do not want to be this Faden's breakfast meal. At least last until the sun rises from the horizon.
Nate stared at the creature, then the Faden in turn snarled at the boy, its tentacles ready to pierce his body into bloody shreds.
It rushed towards Nate, crawling while its limbs plowed forward like an out-of-control vehicle.
Nate steadied his sword, with its tip in front of the raging creature. His foot clenched into the dirt, in preparation against the impact of the pounce.
The Faden drew closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and even more closer than ever.
Until they were both only a few meters apart.
From Nate's perspective, little thin tubes were wildly bouncing in every point of view, and everything seemed to instantly teleport to either direction.
In a split second, Nate chose to dodge the attack by swiping to the left. He yelped in pain as he felt a stinging slice on his ankle, something trickling down his feet.
"Nnnghh!" He grunted while airborne.
His body ached and cried for the chance to shut down because of his instant dodge. Nate threw his hands away from his body towards the hardened ground.
Upon contact, he landed on his elbow. Even more stings were happening through his body, all spots of his body rising in heat with the pain not even subsiding much.
More importantly, his only source of defending himself from the Faden, the sword he had beside him, radiated beautifully within this dark situation.
Knowing he wouldn't have much more time to rest before it was right beside him. He rolled to his side as another smack from its hooked limbs crumbled the ground like paper, the impact itself propelling him towards the tree.
Nate could feel the bark digging into his superficial skin, and as the tree snapped, the Faden screeched once again, but this time Nate landed on his two feet as he had hidden from its view.
The monster threw its assortment of limbs everywhere it saw, a brazen choir of ripped nature spreading everywhere, causing the dust and pollen to shroud everyone's vision.
Nate waited and waited, trying not to even alert one of its limbs, which may very well cause the Faden to track him.
He veered forward in each tree from behind, taking advantage of the chaotic environment overwhelming the senses of the creature.
Nate's sword continued to shine brighter than ever as he went near the creature, causing him to rush more secretly than ever.
From the accumulating cuts and bruises he endured over the course of the night. His heart bumped rhythmically, his hands shaking with sweat, the skin cold and clammy to the touch from the cooling night air's strange embrace.
He carefully sneaked behind the Faden without looking at it. He pointed his sword once again and rushed with the best he could provide with his agility.
No more screwing around, no more complaining about the pain. This time is the time he would ignore if Nate really wanted to survive with all his heart and might.
At that point in time, Nate's instincts roared in delight, aligning with the timing of the rhythmically inducing spread of his sword's green light.
The broken logs caused by the Faden had been erected towards the sky. Nate utilized it to his benefit by jumping periodically on top until he could finally reach eye-to-eye with the monster, a species causing violence and death to Nate's beloved city.
Time seemed to slow down, and he could feel his heartbeat tremble from the stress of pushing his body even further than he had ever been in his entire life.
Perhaps this is what they mean by mere moments before death itself claims a person, they would have a chance to finally realize what is really happening and to pay attention to their surroundings.
Or was Nate confusing this with experiencing the memories of his entire life flashing before his eyes?
This is so strange, with how everything is going on, it seemed comforting by what I am currently feeling despite nearing death's door.
But he was not fooled entirely. Nate's chance at killing the monster was right there, distracted by the dust and pollen it accumulated within a small section of the area they were in.
With a chance provided to him, Nate swung his sword at the Faden, taking that chance at winning.