The First Quest (3)

As we neared the bus stop, an eerie stillness cloaked the surroundings, the monsters still hadn't shown themself to our sight. Their menacing forms, a haunting presence amidst the urban landscape, seemed to have vanished into the depths of the city's shadows. I was starting to think they had given up on chasing us.

Yet, of course, that wasn't possible at all. Their absence was far from reassuring. Instead, it meant they must have widened the distances to conceal their predatory intent.

As we sought a taxi, the gaze of passersby bore into us, our unconventional appearance arousing suspicion and curiosity alike, probably weirding out many people. Finally, spotting a taxi, we hailed its driver. It soon pulled to the side and we got in hastily.

Adriel boldly claimed the coveted spot beside the driver. Meanwhile, the rest of us nestled into the rear seats. I sat by the window to have a view of the outside.

"Head for the east coast of Long Island! Ride as fast as you can, I will pay extra!"

"Okay. Hang on tight then."

As the driver pressed on the gas, the cityscape faded into the distance, the driver's skillful maneuvers guiding us swiftly out of the labyrinthine streets of New York City. Soon, we found ourselves hurtling down the open expanse of the highway, tracing the scenic coastline of Long Island.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting its golden hues upon the glittering sea, a sense of calm descended upon us, contrasting the chaos we had left behind in the city. Yet, despite the serenity enveloping our surroundings, a lingering unease gnawed at my senses. Peeking at Adriel, my doubts were confirmed. His vigilant and restless gaze, scanning the landscape outside, revealed the same uneasiness that tugged at my own instincts.

'Even if my instincts were to deceive me, there is no way the main character's instincts are false as well.'

"Pull over now! We gotta get out!"

Unable to resist the uneasiness, I harshly told to the driver.

"What? We are in the middle of a highway, kid."

"Just listen to him! We need to leave the car now!"

Adriel chimed in, supporting my decision since his instincts were also screaming danger. Others didn't object to our decision, sensing the gravity of our distress.

"Alright, alright. I am pulling over. Tsk... Why do I have to deal with a bunch of kids?"

As the car decelerated, a shiver rippled through my body, goosebumps prickling my skin as an ominous sensation gripped my senses. A foreboding presence loomed behind us, its approach heralded by the thunderous cadence of heavy footfalls growing ever closer and louder. I stole a glance through the side mirror, bracing myself for the sight of the impending threat.

Reflected in the mirror's surface was a monstrous entity, a grotesque amalgamation of slime and humanoid form. Resembling the dog that had attacked us earlier, yet vastly bigger and infinitely more dangerous, it oozed malevolence with every lumbering step, leaving a trail of inky black slime in its wake.

Though its face lacked discernible features or details, there were glowing crimson orbs where its eyes should have been. As if to compound our terror, a horde of black slime masses in the form of dogs trailed behind it, their snarls echoing ominously in the air.

"Everybody! Throw yourself out of th-"

Adriel's warning was abruptly cut short as the colossal monster closed the distance with a terrifying pace, its massive hand descending upon the car with crushing force. upon impact, the vehicle was blown away, hurtling through the air with violent momentum. As the car flipped over a few times, the shrieking sound of twisting metal filled our ears.

When the car stopped rolling, we were upside-down, leaving us suspended in disorientation. I gradually regained my bearings and my gaze was drawn to the view outside through the shattered windshield. The rhythmic ebb and flow of the ocean waves washed over the sandy shoreline. I tried to move but failed to do so as I felt extra weight pressing upon my chest.

It was then that I realized the source of my stiffness. Eleanor lay sprawled atop me half-conscious, her blood seeping from a grievous wound on her head onto my chest. Yet, amidst the encroaching darkness that threatened to claim her consciousness, I could still feel the faint rhythm of her heartbeat against my own. Her eyes were clouded, enduring the agony as muted groans escaped her lips.

My eyes wandered inside the car to see how others were doing. The driver, though unconscious, appeared relatively unscathed. Adriel was almost out of the vehicle. Amelia and Nadia were also about to get out through the shattered remnants of the other window.

With each passing moment, the weight of urgency pressed upon me like a suffocating cloak. I needed more time to get me and Eleanor out of the car.

"Adriel!"

"Yeah?"

"Stall them for a few seconds!"

"Got it!"

With Adriel and the others holding the line against the monsters, I knew time was of the essence. They wouldn't be able to stand against the monsters for too long. I needed to be quick.

Summoning the divine energy within me, I channeled it toward my elbow and struck the window. The glass shattered into a mosaic of shards. With a mixture of grit and desperation, I dragged myself out of the broken window with my legs while carrying Eleanor with me. Despite the searing pain that flared with each movement, I still went ahead regardless. The sharp edges of shattered glass tore at my skin,

Emerging from the wreckage, I cradled Eleanor in my arms as I stood up. As I surveyed the chaotic scene before me, I found Adriel facing the monstrous horde, his every movement a testament to his unwavering courage. With each strike and parry, he engaged the towering giant and its canine minions.

Meanwhile, Amelia's trembling hands faltered as she struggled to shoot her arrows at the advancing horde. Out of fear of accidentally harming Adriel, she couldn't bring herself to release the string. Beside her, Nadia didn't have any weapon so all she could do was to watch the battle that unfolded before her. At that moment, it became painfully clear that Adriel bore the entire burden of battle upon his shoulders, taking on all the monsters by himself.

"Adriel, can you deal with the big one on your own?"

I called out, my voice strained with urgency. Although he didn't look in our direction, his focus remaining fixed on the formidable foe before him, upon hearing my shouting, he was relieved to know we made it out of the car alive.

"I am not sure! Maybe!"

He shouted back while deftly parrying a blow from the imposing humanoid creature. But he wasn't able to react in time to one of the dogs' claws grazing over his shoulder.

"It doesn't seem like we have a choice anyway..."

I muttered to myself, my words lost amidst the din of battle.

"What was that?" 

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and concentrated on my divine energy, channeling the reservoir of divine energy that coursed through my being. Overdriving my divine energy, I began emanating the excess divine energy, allowing it to radiate out of my body. I was trying to appeal to the monster's desire for divine energy. I manifested my divine energy just enough to taunt the dogs while keeping the towering giant at bay. Like moths drawn to a flame, their primal desire for divine energy was piqued by the irresistible allure of my divine energy.

"Hey! Forget about that loser! There are two of the same quality here for you guys to feast on. Come on!"

Understanding what I was trying to do, Adriel's voice rang out, laced with concern.

"Blake! You can't face that many dogs all the while carrying Eleanor!"

"Don't mind me, just try to survive against that massive blob of slime!"

He might have been right, but the dogs were already sprinting towards me, so there was no meaning in arguing over it. Plus, I wasn't stupid enough to try to fight them all on my own.

With the frenzied howls of the pursuing dogs echoing behind me, I sprinted towards the beckoning embrace of the sea, the rhythmic cadence of crashing waves serving as a soothing balm against the chaos that raged around me. The icy tendrils of water gently brushed past my ankles. I waded deeper into the sea until the water reached my waist.

I gently released Eleanor from my arms, allowing the gentle embrace of the sea to envelop her body. As her face was being submerged in the water, our gazes intersected for a split second, her eyes holding a glint of gratitude in them.

'Now all I have to do is avoid getting torn to pieces by these dogs until Eleanor recovers. Easier said than done...'

Surrounded by a pack of hounds cloaked in a sinister black substance, their twisted visages contorted into ghastly facsimiles of smiles, I found myself cornered with no escape in sight. The crimson glow of their eyes intensified as they closed in on me, their menacing growls reverberating through the air like a harbinger of impending doom. With every snarl revealing rows of gleaming white fangs, I braced myself for the inevitable onslaught, the chilling realization of my dire predicament settling like a leaden weight upon my mind.

Fortunately, they seemed hesitant to test out the seawater, so they were refraining from jumping on me. But I knew their timidity wouldn't last long. Soon, they'd realize the seawater posed no threat. With each passing moment, the tension mounted, a silent countdown to the inevitable fight.

*Sigh...*

'Here we go...'