While running, Odette was slightly surprised when she saw a gray-haired man standing in front of her. Her eyes could clearly see the man's face. He was a jerk, but, for some reason, she felt very relieved to see the man in that place.
"Aargh! Help me!" she shouted while running, and immediately hid behind Rion, while the chimera immediately jumped to pounce. But Rion also jumped quickly and kicked the creature, so that it was thrown away and hit a tree.
Rion landed and planted his feet on the ground smoothly.
Seeing this, Odette was flabbergasted as she looked at Rion's back.
'He's so strong! No wonder Anwen said that he is scarier than a monster when he's angry,' Odette thought.
The chimera got up again and looked angrily at Rion.
"Get out of here and find a safe place," Rion said without turning around as he raised his sword and mounted a stance.
"Um." Odette immediately nodded and ran to one of the trees. From behind the tree, she watched Rion fight against the chimera. Rion ran to meet the chimera's attack that came from ahead, dodged, and in no time he managed to inflict a fatal wound on the creature's body.
He was fast, very agile, and every swing of his sword seemed to have no hesitation at all and every attack he made was very purposeful. He was a warrior and a true fighter. Seeing Rion like that, Odette suddenly felt impressed.
A commotion rang out in the area as Rion sent the monster's body flying and crashing to the ground. While the monster was still struggling to straighten its body, Rion was already running and lunging with a sword ready to slash.
Instantly, blood spurted out like a shower of water when Rion managed to slash the creature's neck, but the creature still roared and tried to counter attack, even though its neck was almost severed.
That was when Odette felt sorry for the chimera that some time ago wanted to eat her. She could only widen her eyes when Rion kicked the creature's head, so that it was severed and flew far away.
GULP.
Odette swallowed. That man was really cruel.
"Do you want to stay or go home?" Rion asked Odette as he turned around and walked away from the place. Odette immediately came out of hiding and walked towards Rion.
"Rion, have you seen Anwen?" she asked when she had walked next to Rion.
"Yes, I have."
"Is she alright?" Odette asked worriedly.
"No…" Rion's eyes narrowed slightly. "She's badly injured."
His words made Odette freeze. Instantly, she was overcome with guilt. She felt responsible for what happened to Anwen. If Anwen did not survive then she would not forgive herself.
Rion glanced at Odette, who was now walking with her head down.
"My sister is a strong girl, a wound like that won't kill her," said Rion, as if he was reading Odette's mind. It sounded reassuring to Odette that Anwen would be fine, when the truth was that she was trying to convince himself that Anwen would be fine.
Odette was stunned to hear those words. She then turned to look at Rion, who was looking straight ahead. She suddenly remembered Anwen's cry, saying that she missed Rion very much. She also remembered Anwen told her that since Queen Helen's crimes were exposed, Rion had never spoken to Anwen at all.
At that time, Odette thought that the reason Rion didn't talk to Anwen was because Rion was angry or he hated Anwen, because she was the daughter of the woman who had sentenced the woman whom he loved the most and his best friend, to death. But after hearing Rion's words just now, Odette could feel that Rion loved Anwen.
Odette looked up front again.
"I really miss Rion," she said, which made Rion stop suddenly.
A thin line of surprise appeared in his eyes when he heard Odette's words. He turned his head and looked at the brown-haired woman next to him with furrowed brows. "What did you just say?"
For a moment, Odette smiled.
"While staying at Vibes City, Anwen had cried, saying that she missed you very much," she said looking at Rion.
Rion's eyes widened and he held his breath. His chest felt tight.
"A-Anwen said that and she was crying? My sister was crying?" Rion's breath was heavy. His eyes stared at Odette demanding certainty.
Odette nodded.
"Did she really miss me?" Rion asked with a straight face but his eyes seemed to expect Odette to give him a 'yes' or an answer.
Odette just smiled faintly and said, "You should ask that question yourself."
Odette then walked ahead of Rion, but she immediately screamed while turning to hug Rion, because she heard a roar that echoed and felt like it was shaking the forest.
ROAAR!
"AAAGH! WHAT IS THAT?!" she shouted, clutching Rion like a python, but Rion immediately let go of Odette's arms. The man looked displeased.
"You really know how to take advantage of a man amidst a difficult situation," Rion said as he was about to walk. However, he stopped when he noticed that the area around him looked different from the previous path they were on. Even the bloodstains he had previously followed were gone.
"What is it?" Odette looked up at Rion with blinking eyes.
"It looks like we got lost," said Rion as he looked around.
"Huh?" Odette then looked around the area around her too. The surroundings did look unfamiliar, but Odette hesitated, because before, she ran without paying any attention to the area around her. She only knew that she was running towards the west.
"Maybe it's just your feelings. I remember that earlier I just ran straight west and we've been walking to the east, right? We're already on the right path. Let's go," she said, walking past Rion, but Rion immediately hooked and pulled back Odette's collar, which Odette couldn't help but step back forcefully.
"What is your problem?" Odette looked annoyed. She said confidently, "I told you, we've taken the right path."
Rion finally explained that previously he was looking for Odette by following the bloodstains that were splattered on the ground, but now those bloodstains were nowhere to be seen. He also said confidently that the area around them was not the area they had previously passed through.
"Then we choose the right path," said Odette after hearing Rion's explanation.
"Why is that?"
"Because the right is the way of truth."
"Stupid."
"Then do you know where to go? Should we stay here until night?"
"Don't be rash, but if you want to meet the monsters again you can go." Rion walked over then slashed the tree trunk and made a mark there. He also checked the area in the underbrush, looking for the bloodstains he had previously followed, but as far as his eyes could see, he couldn't find what he was looking for.
"Huh?" His eyes widened slightly, as the area around them suddenly misted up, his brain rapidly working.
Rion rushed over to Odette and grabbed the woman's hand and then took her running.
"What is it?!" Odette asked in confusion mixed with fear as Rion continued to carry her running fast without saying anything but not long after she asked that question, the ground beneath them felt shaking, followed by the loud sound of falling trees from behind.
Odette refused to see what's going on but Rion quickly turns a few seconds before the tree behind them falls. Rion brought Odette to hide behind a tree.
Odette, who was still confused, wanted to ask what was wrong but she was immediately wide-eyed when a very large creature flashed in front of them. The creature's size was much larger than the chimeras they had encountered before.
It was a giant snake with purplish-black skin that slithered through all the trees blocking its path like a train without brakes. Odette almost screamed but Rion immediately covered her mouth. Her heart was beating very fast, faster than when she met the chimera.
Her whole body was cold and her bones were shaking as the creature's head flashed in front of her while hissing. Odette could clearly see the creature's long fangs as it opened its mouth and crushed a large tree trunk in one bite.
Her legs felt numb and she almost fell to the ground had Rion not held her back. She was very scared, so she hugged Rion very tightly and buried her face in Rion's chest.
While Rion, who felt Odette's body tremble greatly, returned the woman's hug while continuing to look at the giant snake that was still crossing in front of them.
Thirty seconds had passed but the creature's tail had yet to be seen.
Inside Rion's arms, Odette could hear the man's heart beating very fast.
.
.
.
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From the author:
Pfew... glad Rion is there to save the day! And now they are huggging... XD