" He is completely out of it. I have never seen him this scared." Cyra muttered pulling Bijan aside. Everyone followed her lead getting as far away from the cave as possible.
Noah also woke up from his stupor, he doesn't need to be told twice because he knew what happened to him. When he looked at those glowing red eyes, he was not stricken by fear but it was close to it. It's like he wanted to move but he couldn't even look away.
Jake, Julia, Cody and Milo were lucky. They never saw what frightened Bijan but they were very distressed seeing him shiver like a child. They knew it must be something serious for him to behave like this after all, in their eyes, Bijan was someone they aspired to become. A apprentice to one of the most famous sorcerers on the island, if not for his strength why would he take him as his student?
" Brother! Brother! Say something, are you alright?" Cyra was alarmed seeing him not respond to anything she was saying.
" Move aside." Noah commanded before he got up to Bijan and slapped him hard," Wake up fool! Is this the type of man you are? To cower in fear seeing a monster?"
Bijan clutched his cheek looking at Noah with absent-minded eyes but surely the dull pain made him realise where he was and whom he was with. He looked around to see everyone's weary eyes, Cyra was on the verge of crying.
" I am sorry...it's just.." He was struggling to form words. He didn't know how he should tell them about it. Should they run away just like his master has asked him to do in case he ever met that fabled beast? Or should they fight it headon and hope for the best?
He looked at the cave's entrance and then toward the direction of the village. From the book's description, it wouldn't be long for the beast to ravage the whole mountain to make it a colony of mutated wolves.
These wolves were highly territorial which meant, once they set their sights on their prey it wouldn't be long before they attack them with full force. He didn't know why Alpha Canis didn't chase them, something was keeping it inside the cave for now which was good news but whatever the reason, this place would become inhabited in the future if they didn't deal with it. He wished his master was with them at this moment.
" I am sorry to make everyone worry but I was confused and scared for a second and I am not ashamed to admit it." Bijan kept staring at the cave as he talked more about what was troubling him.
" I think you guys should know something. I don't think even my sister is aware of it." He told them about the secret book of his master. He wasn't worried about them stealing it because he knew they wouldn't be able to defeat his master. Beside he trusted his sister's judgement or else he wouldn't have come here with her.
" These mutated wolves have two evolutions. One is called Canis, it's a fairly powerful monster but I believe we would be able to take it down if we worked together. I have already seen what your little group is capable off so I don't have any doubt about the outcome."
His comment filled the kids heart with pride, Noah always told them they were doing good but not before rectifying some of the mistakes they made during their fights. It was so that he didn't bolster their confidence too much. It would only lead to them taking on unnecessary risk that could jeopardize the whole mission.
He was mindful with his words but getting praise from someone other than Noah did lift up their tired spirits. Cyra also smiled seeing his brother interact with kids like this. She never thought he had it in him to take care of others as he had always been selfish fully focused on furthering his mastery over Earth element but now she believed he was finally beginning to turn around.
" But if we were facing Canis I wouldn't be like this. What we are up against is something I have never seen before. I only read descriptions and some of it came from my master but everything that I have been told urges me to run away not only from this area but even vacat this mountain entirely." His words hit everyone like a freight train.
" The next evolution is called Alpha Canis. It's more faster and ruthless than it's compariots but that's not all. What's truly dangerous about this monster is that it could interfere with people's mind. I can told you what I read in that book but I am afraid you are not going to like it." Bijan gave them a few moments to digest everything he told them.
" It told of the detailed description of the fight that took place many decades ago. There were about two hundred knights and sorcerers working together for this assignment along with peoples of Magic guild to support from the rear. It said that when they first faced it, the whole world seemed to have froze for a second. After that, they only heard cries of pain and despair from front as body part flew in every direction."
" Few of them who survived said that they were able to escape only because some of them weren't affected by the monster's charms because they didn't have time to look into it's eyes. Those that were fortunate to live after that sight were in a state of shock for several days, they said what they saw was the gates of hell, some of their worst nightmare seemed to came to life before them and they could barely say or move to do anything."
" By the time they were let out, they were still in daze reliving the moment in their head. Some of them were shown the scenes of their family's death while others saw their own death. My master said the monster must have a unique ability to control minds and emotions of those that directly gaze into it's eyes."
" You must have seen the same thing right?" Bijan turned to look at Noah who only shrugged. Nightmare? He already had plenty of them if the beast wanted to make them relive those moments he would gladly agree because they never left him to begin with but the part about not being able to move or talk was troubling for him.
" Our master told me run away if I come across it-"
" Don't tell me we are heading back?" Cyra shut him off when he began to mention fleeing. She looked toward Noah for support.
" If what you say is true than I want to try something. I am not going to put everyone in danger so I will be going alone." Noah simply commanded.