The first thing he noticed was the size of the monster. It rose to a height of 3 meters with long, black, coarse hairs. Its face appeared to be made of hollow concave bones, with two small holes for eyes and a large protruding snout. It sniffed as if tasting the air.
"Help!" The beast opened its gaping maw as a heart-wrenching cry rippled out of its hideous mouth.
Arash stood with a deathly pallor, trembling with fear as he incredulously stared at the monstrosity before him. "How can it scream like this?" His mind raced to make sense of things.
Arash turned towards the old man, who stared at the beast holding a small leather bag in his hand. The old man met his stare and at that time both of them knew the gravity of the situation. Arash reached for his pickax; His hands nervously trembled as he felt the familiar wooden grip.
"You have to lure it." The old man quietly whispered, his eyes heavy with weariness.
"I… No" Arash frantically shook his head. He stared back at the monster. "I can't fight that thing. It's too big." He thought.
"Boy! Listen to me… It's our only shot at survival. You can't outrun it, can't fight it. Our only option is to take it by surprise. Listen to me, spread these over there and leave the rest to me" He pointed at the location.
"What is this?" Arash hissed under his breath, eyes still trained at the beast.
"Don't ask questions! Just do as I say. Lay them in a trail, and make sure they don't get covered in dust. Be quick about it and silent like the stones themselves. It can't see, it hunts with its hearing; don't make a sound and you should be fine" He stretched out his hand. "Take it now! It will soon be upon us."
Arash glanced back at the beast. Screaming with a sound of man, searching for its prey. It was getting closer and closer. He had to act; had to act fast. He forcefully exhaled, gathering what little courage he could muster.
"This should better work!" Arash hissed under his breath as he snatched the bag. Moving with utmost caution, he managed to traverse a distance of 50 meters. He furtively glanced at the beast sniffing and growling.
"Don't look. Don't Look" Arash whispered as his right hand dug into the bag. He felt coldness seep into his hand. "Mana stones?" Arash eyes widened in surprise, but the surprise suddenly turned to anger as he stared back at the old man. "What if I wasn't wearing gloves?" He shuddered at the thought.
Arash slipped one of the stones in the small pocket of his glove and carefully placed the rest in a long trail. Just as Arash turned back the old man screamed at the top of his lungs. "Hey! Over here you dumb beast! Come and get me!"
"...What are you" Arash hissed under his breath, but the old man kept screaming.
Arash could feel the ground trembling beneath his feet as he felt the beast rushing towards him. He ran with all his might.
"Bastard! I will kill you, you fucking double crossing snake." He could feel the beast getting closer, feel the death baring his fangs at him. It was futile to run; the beast was too fast. Arash braced himself for a fight. He took a long deep breath as he stopped running and turned towards the beast.
Just as the beast leapt over the stones, sharp spikes of mud shot from the ground gutting the beast in the process. It howled in pain, thrashing around, purple blood oozing out of his body. The beast struggled to get back on his feet.
Arash knew it wasn't enough, the spikes wouldn't hold the beast forever. Arash darted towards the beast, his fingers digging into the grip of his pickax. He raised the pickax at the top of his head, aiming for the beast head. Secretly praying to the souls in the rivers, he struck with all his might. The metal bit into the hard bone with a satisfying crunch. The beast howled in great pain, madly thrashing around. One of its paws took Arash by surprise. He could feel his ribs crack as he was blown away by the mighty blow. He landed on his left shoulder and felt it dislocate on contact. Disoriented, he dazedly looked around. Pain brought him back to his senses.
The furious roars of the beast could be heard in the distance. Arash felt the ground beneath him shake. He propped himself on his right hand. The tremors increased in intensity as threatening rows of teeth flashed before his eyes. Arash cried in fear as he rolled to the side, barely escaping with his life.
"Ah!" He winced in pain as he scrambled to his feet. Tears slipped down his muddied face as he let out low whimpering cries. His ribs were broken while his left shoulder limply hung by his side.
The beast turned back towards him, pickax still stuck in its skull with purple blood trickling down its snout.
Arash felt the stone tucked away in the pocket of his glove, he wiggled it into his hand and felt the shape of the stone. Arman's word rang in his ears. His eyes shone with determination as his whimpers turned into a mighty roar. Louder and louder.
The beast stopped on its advance, suddenly wary of Arash. It glowered at him. "Help!" It screamed with the same unnerving voice of a man.
Suddenly the beast lunged towards him, baring its massive maw. Arash braced himself, waiting for the right moment, nervously shifting the stone in his hand. Just as the beast came for the kill. Arash threw the stone with all his might and rolled to his side. The stone sailed through the air, shining with a deep blue light. It went straight down the beast's mouth.
Arash heard the mighty snap right beside him as the beast closed its jaws. He felt the ground tremble as the beast went hurtling past him.
The beast roared in great pain, rolling around as the mud spikes bore deeper into its gut. Soon, its struggles slowed down to woeful cries. Its lower body shone with a deep sapphire hue while slowly turning into a crystal. "Help!" The beast wearily cried out in pain, but soon the wretched cries died with the beast as it turned into a lifelike crystal sculpture, shining with the same blue hue of the mana stones.
Arash struggled to his feet, his left shoulder hung limply. He groaned in pain as he lifted his shirt to see a deep purple bruise over his right ribs. He felt the tenderness of his bruised ribs and stared at the crystallized beast.
He stood with a vacant expression, eyes glazed with tears. He didn't cry, didn't laugh. Just silently stared at the beast before him, trying to make sense of it all. It all felt like a dream, but the burning pain in his shoulder and tenderness of his ribs made it real. He raised his head towards the sky. Dust had long settled down, he could see the beautiful river branching throughout the sky and saw the purple hue of the hour of the shadows. "Time of Peace" He whispered as tears streamed down his muddied face, forming tiny little rivulets.
"I am alive… I am alive" He whispered to himself as he broke down into a sobbing mess. His fears and anxieties trickled down with his tears. He glanced at the pickax still stuck in the beast's head. Arash scrambled to his feet and trudged towards the crystallized beast.
He pulled at the pickax but it was stuck in the skull. "Come on!" He groaned in frustration as he put his leg on the beast's snout and pulled with all his might. All he managed to do was turn red with exertion and further exacerbate the pain in his ribs. No matter how hard he tried the pickax didn't budge. Arash cursed in anger as the pain in his ribs made it impossible for him to exert force.
"Boy!" Suddenly the voice of the old man pricked his ears. Arash turned around, suddenly aware of the old man. Seething rage burned within him...