"Are you alright?"
One of the men running asked him. He was carrying what appeared to be a shortsword with a really long handle. It looked like a spear cut halfway purposely. The handle was as long as his elbow to his fingertips.
He was covered in sweat which accentuated the rippling muscles under his olive skin. He was missing skin on his body in several places that seem to have just fallen off.
Gwin grimaced as he looked at the exposed flesh of the man.
"I'm fine!"
He managed to bark out through gasps
On his other side was the woman and girl. Despite her lithe frame the woman was keeping pace with the group of warriors, the young girl however seemed to be struggling. The woman was practically dragging her along by her wrist.
Their faces were pictures of fear and dread. Gwin guessed that whatever they were running from must be the thing he had to kill if he wanted to get out of here. Normally a mundane human would be no match even for the weakest of nightmare creatures, however Gwin was in luck. Not only did he have multiple meat shields he could use in this nightmare, they were also warriors who held weapons.
The problem was he didn't have a weapon.
Gwin wasn't confident in his martial skill even despite his training and he would have preferred to never have to exercise it. The other man held a curved sword that didn't have a guard. It looked extremely durable though. His father in the nightmare ran at the head of the group and was holding a long-bladed spear.
Gwin eyed the spear but hoped he wouldn't get the chance to use it. If he did that would mean whatever was chasing the group had killed his meat shields but it was defiantly his preferred weapon.
Gwin had still yet to see his adversary and it was not helping him stay calm. The last thing he wanted to fight was a creature that remained hidden until it was too late.
Fortunately or maybe unfortunately, a loud hiss-like roar shook the world behind him.
Gwin felt dizzy. He had nearly started crying from fear at this point. In fact, he already was. Heavy tears fell to the loose earth as the group ran even harder. His face was burning and his feet were being cut by hidden rocks in the loose ground.
The right side of the path exploded in shredded foliage a moment later as a long and scaly body tore through the forest. A moment later a serpentine head emerged onto the path.
"KKKRRRRRIIIISSSSSSSSSSKKKKKKKK"
Gwin's ears rang from the thunderous hiss but he kept moving, he had to. The serpent barreled towards them like death incarnate. Large jagged blades protruded from the serpent's sides tearing through foliage and trees sending splinters flying. The ground rumbled under the serpent's mighty body and the forest trembled.
"We are almost there! Don't stop!"
The chief's voice rang out giving Gwin hope. He did not know where they were running but even just having a destination made Gwin's burning lungs and bleeding feet feel rejuvenated. He was adamant to make the final stretch.
The serpent continued barreling towards them elegantly gliding and shredding through the forest.
The serpent's orange eyes stared at the group full of frenzy. Its pale white scales were covered in plant matter and dirt from its rampage.
Up ahead Gwin saw an opening. The group emerged into the clearing not even slowing down for a moment despite their exhaustion. Ahead of them was an incredibly large stone temple.
The temple was made completely of giant dull grey stone bricks. It looked formidable and strangely elegant. Gwin did not even realize he had reached the base of the monolithic tree yet. The temple stood at the base of the tree's roots. There was about 200 meters between it and the trunk.
"Get inside!"
Gwin did not need to hear it twice. He was already heading for an opening in the front of the temple he assumed to be the entrance from its design. He must have been right considering everyone else ran in the same direction.
'Please make it!'
The serpent was right behind them now. Gwin glimpsed behind him and almost froze at what he saw.
The serpent's body was long. Very long. Its scales were pale white with fearsome black stripes making a mesmerizing and exotic image. This was not what made him freeze however. The jungle behind them was grey and crumbling. Trees and leaves alike fell to the ground and shattered as clumps of brittle stone