Riven stepped forward and the Archer stepped forward with him — branches snapping under their weight. He inhaled deeply and then exhaled as pain exploded across his feet with every step he took.
Gritting his teeth, he tilted his head, staring at the towering tree and the dense grass ahead of him as he advanced.
He turned around to the top of the walls.
There was no Vrekhar army..
Then he turned in the direction where he had seen the red aura.
There was no red aura in that direction either.
His jaw tightened. His eyes went flat, fixed on the wall where he'd seen the red aura, and he said quietly.
"They are undoubtedly in the forest."
So he had to get as far from this place as quickly as possible.
However, his steps came to a sudden halt — not because it was his choice but because the Archer who was helping him walk came to a halt.
He stared at the Archer and commanded.
"Keep moving."
But the Archer didn't obey. Instead, it jumped into the tall bushes to his right, dragging him along.
Riven looked at him in surprise, but from its emotionless face, it didn't look like this disobedience was a sign of defiance but simply an act that it believed was for the greater good.
And in the next moment, everything became clear.
He heard a galloping sound similar to that of a horse. The only difference? It was much louder.
Then it came — a four-limbed beast, scales slicked with blood, eyes red, tail half-severed, tearing through the exact path he'd walked moments before
In the next moment, it crashed into the trunk of a tree with a loud thud. Branches and sections of the trunk came crashing down on the beast's back.
The beast howled loudly in response.
Riven's expression hardened. If they'd kept moving, they would have walked straight into the beast's path.
Riven stared back at the emotionless Archer. This simple act made him realize something.
"It proves that my subjects can make some decisions on their own."
But he doesn't see it as a bad thing.
If his Subjects can make certain decisions on their own it means less delay when executing action. Which in turn should raise the combat effectiveness.
Of course, it was all just speculation. He will have to test it out later.
Just then the ground began to tremble slightly as the sound of galloping thundered across the forest.
And before he could react, a four-legged beast similar to that of a wolf — covered in white fur, with sharp claws appeared in front of the injured beast.
And it was no ordinary beast, its body glowed with an aura that couldn't belong to an ordinary beast. It could only belong to a certain type of beast.
Cold sweat dripped from Riven's back as he only uttered a single word.
"It's an Awakened beast…"
Riven saw the Awakened beast circle around the injured beast. The injured beast tried to stand up.
But it was of no use.
The Awakened beast pinned the injured beast down with its claws. It didn't wait, it lowered its head and fed, tearing with its teeth, jerking its neck back to rip sections free.
The sounds were the worst of it — wet tearing, then the hollow knock of bone against the ground as the carcass shifted under the weight.
The smaller beast's kicking slowed and then stopped. The larger one kept eating, indifferent, its muzzle dark to the eyes.
As the Awakened beast ate, the disgusting scent of iron and flesh filled the air. Riven grimaced in disgust as he stared ahead. The Archer just saved him from death.
If he were spotted then he would certainly die and had no way of outrunning it. Suddenly, his expression shifted as a certain thought entered his mind.
"Speed… This beast is very fast."
That is when he got an idea. An idea that if he failed to execute — he would die but he had no other way.
He stared at the Archer and said.
"Fire at the beast within 5 minutes. No more no less."
Riven pushed himself up, one hand braced against a tree, and dragged himself forward — hand to tree, foot to foot, repeating the motion.
When he was at the opposite side of the Archer, he stopped and tried to remember the description of the Cage technique.
His body was severely injured and the pathetic speed at which he was moving wasn't enough to outrun the pursuers.
He was eventually going to get captured by the Vrekhar.
But if he managed to make the beast his subject then he can use it as a mount to escape.
So he was going to do just that.
According to the description of the cage, he just had to channel his mana in a certain way.
And he knew the certain way very well. Not because of training but because he has inherited the cage — the knowledge was in his head.
He channeled his mana — golden aura rising from his body, slowly expanding outward.
Within seconds it threatened to break loose, but he held it down. He was ready to launch The Cage.
But he waited for the Archer to fire.
Silence followed for the next few moments broken by the sound of the string of a bow being released.
Riven saw arrows flying towards the beast.
The Awakened beast turned its head around before the arrows could even touch its skin. It wagged its tail with so much might that it produced powerful gales.
The gales sent the arrow hurling backwards — it uprooted some small trees and bushes in the process. Then the Awakened beast jumped onto the Archer and pinned it to the ground, using its claws to rip the Archer to shreds.
Riven knew now was the time to act so he allowed the golden aura to expand.
Within seconds, the golden aura expanded well beyond the Awakened Beast and chains manifested out of thin air. The chains charged towards it. As it did, the beast turned around and howled loudly.
Then the beast abandoned the Archer and lunged towards him. Some managed to wrap tightly around its body.
But most of the chains spiralling around him were ripped to shreds.
Riven swallowed nervously.
This wasn't going to be easy