Chapter 4
"Ok everything is ready and perfect timing as well." Olaf said standing up and stretching. He later picked up the cloth and tied me up on his chest. "Growl." The beast was ready and was not going to be fooled again. Drool was spewing from his mouth and his claws were digging in the ground out of pure anger. "You ready Hara?" Olaf asked. I nodded, let's kick some ugly beasts ass.
You got this Olaf you got us out the first encounter you can do it again. The beast slowly walked towards, careful to not be tricked again. Me and Olaf both deduced that the creature showed enough intelligence to not be some run-of-the-mill mana beast. It was strategizing. By the look on Olaf's face he could tell but it seemed it didn't make much of a difference to the plan he cooked up.
It got closer and closer until it was 20ft away. Whatever plan Olaf had it was definitely a riskey one. No one should allow that dangerous beast to get this close to them. "1,2,3,…4,5." Looking to my side I saw Olaf muttering numbers. What can this plan be that needs the beast to get this close.
15ft,10ft,5ft,3ft. The beast was so close that I could feel his hot disgusting breath. Come on any second now Olaf. "24,25,26,27,28….29 now." Suddenly Olaf rushed the left of the tree and just as suddenly the beast followed behind. While running Olaf made a sudden stop and ran straight behind the tree. The beast did the same as well, but this time a multitude of sticks appeared from the sky. Where the hell did those come from? But a bunch of sticks is not going to phase that beast. Continuing to run straight Olaf made a turn to the right back to the open field then was situated back in his old position.
All that to come back here, what are you planning? "Should be happening any second now." Olaf muttered. The beast in full rage started running full speed toward us. Then it stopped. "Yes I knew that would work, but it can't hold him for long." It worked, yes. Looking down at the beast paw Sharp icicles attached to a rope were stabbing the beast in its most fragile part. "Because of how cold it is icicles are not fragile here, in fact some have the density of real life swords." Gramps was right, the icicles were sharp enough to pierce the beast. How long could that trick keep the beast stationary?
Olaf was able to grab scraps of clothing and make it into a net to hold sticks while also setting a subtle rope on the ground and tying it on a tree so the beast wouldn't notice. You're good Olaf, a great planner. I'll give you that. But it was struggling and a desperate beast is more dangerous than any calm one. It will not play with its prey any longer when he gets out he'll immediately go in for the kill.
I wasn't paying attention to Olaf but I could tell the third part of his plan was being set. All I could hope for is that it doesn't fail.
The beast eventually got out of the trap, it finally used a spray and ripped the rope with his teeth.
"You ready Hara this is the final part of my plan. If it doesn't work we're dead, sorry I don't have a backup." Olaf said with a sheepish grin. Whatever the plan is it better be good. To encourage him I gave him a bone and said "You got this big bro." "Yeah you're right I don't need to be nervous at all. You are with me. I can't let my little sibling get hurt. What type of brother would I be? So I'm going to kill this beast, save you and also prove that I'm a warrior." Olaf declared with a reassuring smile. I wouldn't get ahead of ourselves here, let's focus on trying to get out of here. After Olaf's declaration of victory he ripped his shirt and tied it around his face to cover his nose and mouth and did the same to me. What's this for? He also picked up some abandoned gloves and put them on.
"Final scene action, let's finish this beast." Olaf said, looking toward the freed creature. Rushing towards us at full speed Olaf picked up a scraped shovel and launched snow in the air which surrounded us so the beast couldn't see our location and neither could we. Running right towards the nearest tree Olaf waited, opting to stay in his spot. Walking out of the snow was the beast angrier than ever. Sparing no growls he went to slash are heads off with his 2ft claws, but missed and hit the tree instead. After Olaf immediately ran left. To the other nearest tree. Tearing his claws out of the tree the beast gave us a menacing glare. "Wow you really have scary eyes you know that?" Olaf asked rhetorically.
"I guess you're not as strong as you look because you can't even kill a few children." Olaf added. What is he doing? The beast can't understand our language. "Come on try to kill us if you can." Olaf remarked.
"Swoosh." The beast moved faster than it ever has leaving a trail of snow behind every push of its four legs. Raising his arm to strike again the beast did a horizontal slash. "You missed but good job this time you took down the whole tree with one strike." Olaf commented under his paw. "Well I have to go, I don't feel like being eaten today." Olaf said running. Slowly the tree fell down separating the open space.
The tree was only five feet wide, bigger than both of us but not the creature and it definitely wasn't large enough to stop the beast from jumping over. While this gave us protection and separation from the beast we couldn't tell where he was positioned he could very well go around the tree. Olaf knew this and decided to stay in the middle of the open space because if he came from the sides he would have room to run. "Well I don't need these anymore and neither do you Hara." Olaf said, taking off the gloves and mask, and doing the same to me. "Hey big guy, did you like my present? I thought you would like snow givin the fact you grew up here. I can guess you already are feeling the effects because you missed two open strikes so far. It should soon wear off, don't worry too bad you won't be alive though to feel the relief." Olaf remarked.
What is he planning? Suddenly we heard an enormous roar from behind us. "Woah buddy don't you know stabbing a man behind the back is rude. Come on, let's have a fair fight, Mono Emano. Me and you big guy." Olaf said calmly, turning to look behind him. The beast looked much weaker and tired. "Woah you okay pal you don't look too hot. If I remember correctly you had much more energy when we first met." Olaf remarked, taunting the beast it seemed like. Though it couldn't understand our language it knew when it was being made fun of. The plan must be working if he is this confident.
"Ok Hara this where we part ways you're holding me back." Olaf vocalized. What you're leaving me to die a child, a two year old child. Even though you're a kid you're a piece of trash. I didn't help much in the planning but I was there for emotional support. What do you expect me to do? I can barely walk. He untied the baby carrier and placed me on the tree along with the gloves and masks. "Well bye now." Olaf said waving me goodbye. "Big brother, where are you going?" I asked him to guilt trip him. It was for not because he continued walking to the exit.
I, I can't believe I'm actually going to die because a child abandoned me. Well I might as well put up some fight. "Gah Rah!!." I shouted trying to intimidate the beast. Instead it kept on walking toward me then into a full sprint until it couldn't. What's going on, why'd he stop? The beast kept on desperately pursuing me; he never showed this much drive towards me, only to Olaf what could make him go insane. Then it hit me the gloves. The gloves had the scent of the poison he's trying to get to the gloves not me. All the anger and animosity focused onto Olaf was transferred towards the gloves. The beast kept on going but couldn't move.
What was stopping him? Looking closer I saw thin wires forcing the beast to delay his pursuit. How could such wires hold that thing. And when did Olaf set these. What, in the first part of the plan he ran through trees and set them up. The sticks were a diversion not so he could run away but so we could have more time to set the wires. He also set these when we first escaped the beast. These wires are everywhere. But what are they made out of?
The beast kept on pushing his nails grinding in the ground. He was salivating so much it looked like a fountain. "Crunch, Crack." What was that, looking to the origin of the sound I saw a tree being uprooted. So that was your plan to bind him but how are you going to kill him?
"Hey big guy, did you like my little trick? I bet you're angry such a strong beast being stopped by mere wires. You are right you shouldn't be held by these wires at all in fact the thing you are being held by isn't even meant to be a wire." Looking up I saw Olaf standing on a nearby tree. "I bet you're starting to feel that you're losing control of your claws and they're becoming stiff isn't that right. Well to answer your question this is the power of sap and maple syrup my friend." Olaf proclaimed with his arms spread wide and jumping down. Say what now. How is sap and maple able to do this? "I bet you Wondering Olaf Maple and Sap can't do that and you're right if this was a normal occasion. Look around you where are we? That's right, in a freezing forest any liquid here turns into a solid and because of that you have been caught by something that shouldn't make you flinch." Olaf explained.
It was a great plan but something didn't add up. How did he reach the sap and maple inside the trees? What, the claws of the beast's claws are almost frozen because he slashed through all those trees and the liquid from the tree has finally started freezing. The reason it took so long was because the claws were always in motion because the beast was always moving. When it finally was trapped the claws couldn't move as much so the liquids had time to freeze. How did he plan this far ahead? I guess I was right about my observation of him when he was sparring with my father. He always has a plan.
"Well it was fun while it lasted but all good things must come to an end right?" Olaf remarked. Picking up a large icicle and holding it above the beast head. "Goodnight." He smiled, swinging down the icicle towards the beast suddenly it was bursting with energy, and tried to lunge at Olaf. Thinking quickly Olaf dodged the beast by moving to the left.
"Woah, it looks like you still have to fight in you after all." Olaf sighed. Placing the icicle down. "Well let's end it shall we. It should be happening around this time." Olaf said looking at his imagined watch. "Boom, Crash,Bang." The last movement of the beast is what finally caused the fall of the trees binding him down; he was for sure not able to move now. Literal tons of force and weight are on him. "Did you really think I didn't have a backup. But your dumb so I thought might as well use the strength and put it against you instead. It should be falling about now." Olaf explained. Suddenly a sword fell from the sky and landed in Olaf's hands. It was the sword that gramps gave him I haven't thought about but he hasn't used his sword at all where was it?
"Hey Hara, did I look pretty cool just now?" Olaf asked, looking back at me. And all respect I had is gone. Who asks if they did something cool when they did something cool? "Oh Hara sorry for fake abandoning you. Even if it was to make the plan work it still wasn't nice. Can you forgive me?" Olaf asked, apologizing. "I forgive you." I said, turning my head. "But only if you get me a new book." If I'm going to accept his apology I might as well get something from it. "Ok sure thing."
Turning back to the beast Olaf said "Now let's actually end this." Lifting his sword up. "Grrrr." The beast was still struggling. "Don't be sad, come on, you're gonna make me feel bad." Olaf said, swinging the sword down going straight through the cranium of the beast.
"Okay Hara let's get out of here we're probably late for lunch and I'm starving. How bout you?" Olaf asked , picking me up not opting to use the baby carrier.
"Say bye to are friend come on Hara." Olaf said. I'm not saying go bye to a corpse. "No." I plainly answered. Walking past the beast we started to head to the exit again. "Wait, I forgot I have to bring the head placing me down by a tree. He ran back to the open space, unsheathed the sword and began cutting. He eventually cut the head off and started dragging it by the head. "Ok now we can leave. Dad is going to be so proud." Olaf claimed.
"What's that smell?" Olaf asked. Turning around we saw the saliva left behind by the beast become dark and gasus. "What the hell." Olaf sweared.
"Doom." That's when we both suddenly felt the same feeling when we first encountered the beast. But this time it was everywhere we were surrounded. How is that possible? We had a clear view of the entrance. Where are they? A calm walk to the entrance turned into a full sprint. Whatever was coming it was not meant to be messed with.
"Crack, Shatter, Rumble." The ground was moving, it wasn't the earth, something was inside it or something. "Bam." Suddenly me and Olaf were thrown into a tree. The cause was a monstrous creature similar to the one Olaf had fought. The only difference there wasn't just one there were hundreds.
Part 2
Bremndal POV
"Shit, shit why are they here? They are upper ranked forest beasts; they shouldn't be in the exterior." These creatures were not feared for their physical strength but if there was one there was always fifty more. These beasts moved in pack's. And if one was killed the others would be notified by the smell of the drool turning into gas. It was a weird phenomenon. It was the innate ability every single one of them could do it, the ability to manipulate air and water. That's why this species was called sadan elama.
If I don't hurry they will definitely die even if they kill the first one.
"Come on move. I know you got more in your old legs. You're more than a mayor right now your grandkids life are in your hands right now so move faster dammit." I said to myself. "Wind resistance." I muttered. It was a wind spell that allowed you to add or decrease wind resistance on a specific target.
"Come on come on I'm almost there I can smell it. Shit I can smell no no no come on." This is my fault I shouldn't have taken such young children into this forest. What will I even say to Frey my little girl. She'll be devastated. "No." I won't have to tell Frey anything because I'm going to save my grandkids no matter what.
Part 3
Harald POV
We were backed in a corner with no place to go. All Olaf could do is try to swing his sword. He barely killed one, how is going to kill any at all even if he did cook up a plan there's too many.
"It's ok don't worry Hara big brothers here don't worry everything is going to be alright yeah I'm going to kill them just like the first one don't be scared." Olaf was in a tough position. He is a child but he was still trying to pretend everything was ok. I can tell he wanted to cry but he won't allow himself to.
The beast lifted its hand up about to crush us but suddenly "Boom." It went flying and the head was completely erased. "I'm sorry I was late, but there's no need to worry now Gramps is here." Gramps declared standing in front of us. "This is my fault. I will take full responsibility. I was naïve to the laws of nature. Things don't go as planned. I knew but still took children to come in one of the scariest places in the world. Again I'm sorry." "Gramps I was scared so scared I thought I was going to die," Olaf cried. He could finally let it out; he must have been holding that in for a while. Kneeling down gramps brought his forehead to Olafs and mine and said "I love guys so much you don't have to take on these scary things on your own anymore. Let gramps handle it." Gramps stood back up and turned around then shouted "Now who dares try to harm the grandkid of the mayor of black stone!"
The once towering beasts looked like ants now compared to the might of are grandfather. Gramps began with the front row jumping in the air and splattering the guts of many of the beasts. He would ripe them apart with his bare hands. One Swing of his foot sliced 10 of their heads. So this was the power of the mayor. The crazy thing is it didn't seem like his full power.
The massacre lasted another five minutes. After it had ended all that was left was debris, blood, guts, and concern from gramps he picked the both of us up and started walking home.
When we got home mother was furious. She was so angry she forbade gramps from ever seeing us worried for are health.
Part 4
Five months have passed since the Skaoi forest incident.
Ever since then I have been constantly watched by my mother. Because of that I haven't had much time to work on my mana body. The only chance I had was when mother was cooking but even then she would check in every five minutes.
In the past five months a lot has happened though. Olaf and I have been interacting much more than usual, because Olaf could not spend his free time with gramps any more. Also Olaf celebrated his birthday; he is now officially ten.
We celebrated by getting him a new sword and shield, and mother made a big feast for us filled with Olaf's favorite. Olaf was smiling wildly but I could tell Olaf rathered the blade gramps gave him.
Gramps was the mayor of black stone and we were residents of black stone so it was impossible to sever all contact with him. But mother sure as hell tried, anytime we got close to the office or to gramps mother would turn the other way or treat him like a stranger.
I didn't show it but I missed gramps as well. He was very kind. It was interesting looking at a leader in this world. He was reckless and was in the wrong for taking us to such a dangerous place. But he had very good intentions. All he wanted was for us to gain real time experience fighting beasts.
And we did. I learned how strong creatures could get in this world, and Olaf Learned how to think on his feet and use his surroundings to his advantage. We both learned something that day and in a way gramps achieved his goal.
Because of how much he taught me I was eager to have him around. But now we are forbidden from even coming in contact with him. Even on special occasions like Olaf's birthday. Me and Olaf knew why he didn't receive a glamorous gift from our grizzly of a grandfather. We were saddened, especially Olaf.
Anyway with the minimal time I had. I improved my meditation even more. I called flux control. Or the motion of imagining a wave or gust of mana in the middle of your chest. Then trying to purify it by keeping it in constant motion like a typhoon or a cyclone. I came up with this randomly when mom was making me and Olaf breakfast. While I was meditating I peeked open my left eyelid and saw the spinning of eggs. It caused me to change the way I was meditating halfway. But immediately I could feel the benefits the mana felt like it was faster, and easier to purify. So I've stuck with it since.
Two months have passed and I was faced with another annoying setback my birthday. It was about two and half weeks away. And it was my least favorite time of the year. Because the whole focus was on me I had no time to work on my mana body. Because I wouldn't be able to train on this day I would put in extra work for the last 19 days.
Since then I've been taking any chance I can to work on the body. Sometimes I would carefully work on it when I was around my parents. I was desperate and I wanted to awaken before my birthday. But I was starting to think it's impossible. I knew my flux control was working but I couldn't feel any improvement at all. Closest I felt was when we were with gramps that day.
Little did I know that the hard training of more than two years would not go to waste.
I was in the little library training. Frey was with Olaf outside demonstrating a SwordPlay. Gavin was out shopping. This was one of the only moments I had. Complete silence. I was in total concentration and almost nothing could take me out of it. I repeated the process of absorbing and purifying over and over again without fail.
I think this is enough for today. I was about to stop my flux control when "Boom!"