59 Ambush

I took careful, measured steps in this now silent forest, my eyes flitting about as I made my way back towards Aoak Mountain.

With the sun slowly going down, long, creeping shadows were cast along the forest floor, and with the occasional swaying of the tree branches making those shadows flutter...

My heart was pounding out of my chest, and my palms had grown sweaty from the tense, quiet atmosphere around me.

The metal spear in my hands was providing some comfort, but some wasn't enough.

I needed to get home, but I had taken too long getting here...

No, this place was just too damn far from home!

Biting my cheek, I narrowed my eyes as I swept my gaze over the forest around me, searching for...

Anything.

Something to move, some animal to peek its head from a bush, for a bird to land on a branch...

And yet...

The forest was deathly silent; like there was no life here besides me and the plant life.

I continued on like that for another few minutes, my muscles starting to ache due to his tense I was as I approached the Mountain.

A few hundred feet away was the base of Aoak Mountain, and I licked my chapped lips as I grew ever closer, hoping that the forest around the Mountain was more lively.

My footsteps were quiet, and I was consciously avoiding any loose branches or piles of leaves, hoping that my silence would keep me safe.

As I was thinking that, I heard something brush past a bush behind me, making me jump in fright.

Raising my spear, I spun around and searched the forest, only to find it empty.

The only sign that I wasn't going insane was the bush that flailed around, its branches bouncing around.

Some were even snapped, like something large had rushed through it at great speeds.

I started taking steps back, towards the Mountain, as I scanned the forest behind me more.

My breathing was heightened as panic flooded my system; the long day, exhaustion, and mental strain was getting to be too much for me, but I needed to push on.

Not finding anything as I searched for another minute, I turned back around and resumed my journey to the Mountain, my pace quickened as the desire to escape this section of the forest grew.

Another few quiet moments later, and I heard a tree on my right side creak, the branches swishing.

One of the branches was bouncing slightly, like something had landed on it and moved away; in fact...

Peering at the branch, I saw a few claw marks on the wide branch, the bark scraped away slightly.

Was there some kind of monster stalking me..?

With that thought fueling my fear and paranoia, I swung around, thinking it might be behind me.

Yet, there was nothing in the forest...

Only shadows, which had grown even more as the sun slowly descended to the horizon.

I was lucky enough that the sun wasn't shrouded behind-

My eyes widened as the shadows rushed forwards, shrouding me in darkness.

The sun was behind the Mountain.

My labored breathing escalated, and I couldn't help it anymore.

Using the tether, and I centered myself and started running, my feet pounding into the soft earth below me.

As I started scrambling away, I heard sharp peals of laughter behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder.

Standing on a tree branch was a figure as tall as me, her dark gray skin letting her blend in with the shadows; the only reason I could see her was the pearly white teeth and glimmering green orbs for her eyes.

More pairs of pale green orbs appeared below her, three sets in total.

They were all laughing, and the one in the tree shouted "Our prey has finally found us girls~! Let's hunt!"

Her voice was tinged with sadistic glee, and I widened my eyes as the three figures below her rushed forwards, their laughs wearing at my mind.

Their speed was too great, so I spun around and readied my spear.

These pale grey women were wielding short swords and daggers, the metallic sheen catching any light that was available.

Draped in sewn together pelts, they rushed forwards with glee, their white fangs shining in the low light.

As they drew closer, I saw their long, pointy ears and crooked noses, while their pale green eyes shone in the darkness.

Their pale gray skin was slightly bumpy, and each one wore an ugly, deranged smile as they spread out.

Biting my cheek again, I swept my gaze over them before focusing on the one that launched herself forwards.

Her sword was raised above her head, and she shouted "Fresh meat!"

However, she seemed to be unaware of the spear in my hands, as I stabbed it forwards and impaled her shoulder, making her shriek in agony.

Withdrawing the now bloodied blade, I stabbed it forwards again, this time...

This time...

Nausea rose in me as my spear shattered her skull, the smaller woman's head exploding as the spear lanced through it.

The other two fell silent, staring, unbelieving, at their now dead comrade.

Stamping down on my disgust and reeling thoughts, I glanced around, seeing that the darker, taller figure was still in that tree.

The other two were on either side of me, and they were now nervously shuffling around, remaining away from me.

"Tch... damn Grika, always told her not to do that..."

Hopping down from the tree, the woman leisurely approached me.

Like the others, she wore basic pelts, but the axe in her hand was made from a black metal.

"Hmm... never seen something like you... might be why you managed to take Grika out~?"

She seemed uncaring of her dead comrade, and she stood a dozen feet away from me.

The pelt did little to hide her muscled body, and from here I could see the various pale scars littering her skin.

Her emerald green eyes flared as she smirked at me, her eyes raking over my body.

"Well girls, we've a different kind of meat available for us now~! After all, we need to replace poor Grika..."

Spinning the axe in her hands, she licked her lips, and I continued to stare warily at her.

Similar features to the other two, yet her skin was smoother and more unblemished besides the scars; on top of that, her nose wasn't as crooked either...

She also had two small nubs on her brow, which looked like horns.

"So, let's make this simple, yeah? Either you surrender and we treat you nicely, or you fight back, and you might end up losing something~!"

I remained silent, gulping as I readied my spear.

Seeing that, she chuckled before raising her free hand, her palm flaring brown.

Feeling something grab at my feet, I tried to step back, only to realize I was rooted to the spot; glancing down quickly, I saw the earth itself crawling over my ankles, rooting me to the spot.

Before I could turn my gaze back up, I felt something slam into the side of my head, and my vision went dark.