Sun disappeared behind the horizon, dark night again appeared with beautiful moon dazzling in the sky.
As much a sky seemed beautiful, earth seemed creepy, especially since this was the haunted white forest.
Just like any other forest, it was dangerous. Carnivorous beasts, blood sucking plants and God knows what other horrors resided in this hellhole but The true horror of this place was the white ghost.
Most didn't knew what it exactly was, some said it was actual ghost while others described it as giant snake. Well that was just rumors, truth unknown to them.
A heavenly white fox with eight tails and demonic looking scarlet eyes, it was creature of death and horror even without making it true appearance visible.
The same creature sat with boredom and annoyance, nothing like what rumors stated.
" Strange thing!, I was sure he'd awaken but what went wrong?, well who cares. I also left compensation for all the trouble I caused him so..." white fox gave a 'meh' expression and walked back to its den, the white forest.
******
Eren's hand tied together, Rope went on to Nina who dragged him along the way and he walked with haggering steps.
Not the kind of help eren expected but it was what it was, besides every now and then nina spoke, saying about bump or pit or puddle.
" So what's your name?" Asked Nina.
" Eren salvatore." It took her three hours to ask him this much but situation itself was not normal.
" What's yours?" Surprised Nina looked and smiled, she felt as somehow now it wasn't akward once he spoke up.
" I'm Nina, 16 years old and youngest vampire hunter. You don't know what vampire hunters are?right?
They are people like us who risk their lives to kill vampires and save people, and I'm also one of them, awesome right?" without even asking eren got unnecessary info.
" His village must have been ravaged and burned down by vampires, technically speaking you kinda failed in your job big time awesome vampire hunter, so not awesome at all." Nina flinched, this was one of the time where she hated her blabbermouth personality.
" I'm sorry." She meant to cheer him up but instead touched wrong nerve, she apologised something to which eren laughed mirthlessly.
" Where are we going?"
" To next village, We the vampire hunters are wanderers. No place to call home anymore, so we roam the small world of ours.
Hoping to kill some vampires and receiving good compensation for that, that is how we live." Levy spoke, his voice calm and expression serene.
" no matter how much ass he may seem but he knows his way around so don't worry, atleast till we become capable enough." Nina smiled gently, holding his and leading him step by step.
There conversation were short, to the point and nothing notworthy. And eren feeling grief from losing his family found this strange atmosphere depressing, his thoughts reverted back to his sadness.
" What should I do?" He mumbled to himself.
"Before you start evaluationg your life, analysing your present and eventually reaching the meaning of life as empiness which can only be ended with suicide, stop those thoughts and calm your heart." Eren's heart raced a bit, maybe his expression or his speech may have given him away but sure levy read him like book.
" Death!...Is it not right?"
" It's right and wrong, it's paradoxical."
" What do you mean?" asked Eren not knowing what paradoxical world meant.
" If you look back then yes suicide will seem right but what about future, who knows if you live long enough you'll find so much happiness that you'll hate death.
Your relatives have left you but relation can formed again, despair will vanish in face of love.
And I hope that you walk the path of life enough that love blooms in your empty heart." He spoke as he walked ahead, without ever looking back. If two kids could see his face then they'll see genuine smile on his face.
Atmosphere became tense with consolation speech but levy didn't regret it, he said every word from his heart and meant every single world.
" See he did it again, most of the time I don't know what he means and goes on and on blabbering about blah blah..." Nina intervened with her cute voice, relieving some tension unintentionally. She really didn't understand what he wanted to convey.
" I won't use fancy words like him but I'll say this.
Don't die, Not just me but even your family don't want that, wherever they are."
Eren was smart for his age, he understood what levy meant but he also felt what simple words of Nina conveyed.
" Okay." Heaviness in his heart lessened.
-
-
-
Upon further questioning Eren found out that, they were currently walking inside white forest.
Only outskirts but still within white forest, this was crawling with beast and monstrous plants but levy assured that they were on a shortest route to next village, although somewhat risky but it saved few days of travelling.
Besides since it was only outer area, beasts were weak and their throughout journey was practically smooth sailing.
Eren chatted with two occasionally but Mostly it was Nina cheerfully reading him her every adventurous journey, levy butted several time to clarify her overly exaggerated action in realism manner.
Eren liked both versions, afterall however illogical or realistic they were, it was tale of survival filled with nightmarish trials and enemies to reach upto this present. It was phenomenal in itself, something which eren appreciated. It also gave him motive and courage to move forward.
******
Night came again and they were nowhere near reaching to next village, it was quite far, walking around village would make it even more long.
It was better that levy knew shortcut which would reduce the journey by few days but they still had another four days worth of walking.
"We are camping out again."
" Do you have to complain at every thing?"
Their chat mostly comprised of Nina complaining and levy getting back at her without giving her complains much look.
He set a tent up and nina lit fire to cook the rabit she cought earlier, small rabit couldn't fill three empty stomach but not like they could hunt in dark.
To make it more troublesome, they never carried food with them.
" Troublesome to carry, risk of getting stolen and hampers the movements while fighting." Levy pointed out few reasonable points.
Eren didn't find it odd, afterall they would manage on their own but now they had extra mouth feed, a useless extra.
" Give me work, I don't want to be burden when you're helping me." Time like this when he hated being blind but when he thought that his brother would've lived, he didn't regret much.
Eren felt big hand ruffling his already messy hair, not knowing which one of two was it.
" You'll get fair share of your work too eren." levy chuckled and continued roasting the meat.
" you'll make a blind do the work, how shameless."
" If he's chosen to live then he'll need to anyway, just because I've taken his money doesn't mean I'll babysit him for rest of my life.
I'll make him capable enough to live on his own." practical like always with a gentle smile on face.
" so eren are you proficient into something?"
" Here, it's hot so be careful." Nina handed him stick with small piece of mean on it.
Eren's empty stomach growled in hunger with the smell, he bit stick not getting meat.
Embarrassingly he searched meat on stick and munched on whole with one go, it was little burnt with bland taste, obviously they didn't had any seasoning.
" I can cook, better." Eren was hungry, small piece didn't fill his pit but he was not in position to complain, but he could do something about taste.
" Hahaha.." Nina laughed hard at his unspoken remark, levy struck her head in annoyance.
" Ouch.."
" what're you laughing at?, you're worse than me."
" What, heated up... no no, it seems like eren cooked you hahah..." Nina didn't let go of the one opportunity she got in whole day.
" shhh, monsters nearby." His expression sullen, he wasn't joking anymore. Nina's laugh came to abruptly stop. eren felt chill from serious dark silence when,
" Hoohhh..."
" ghahhh.." Eren screamed scared from levy's sudden outburst in his ear.
" Hahahaha..." Both levy and Nina laughed hard watching him witless, even eren felt stupid and embarrassed from their prank but laughed it off.
Growl..
A distant growl was heard, it wasn't prank anymore.
Feeble steps grew louder, sensing the approaching threat levy took defensive stance with sword in his hand, surrounded by dark forest.
" Eren stay back." Nina stood his side holding knife with both hands. It was obvious that despite her bravado, she was scared.
Eren drowned in despair of his own powerlessness, he couldn't even see the threat much less be help in defeating it.
Leaves rustled as huge figure walked out from darkness, What stood before them was a tiger, not a normal one though.
It's teeth outgrown it's jaw, long and sharp. Fierce tiger with size of an elephant.
Despite his threatening size, levy remained confident. Reason being that this was just an animal.
World had such wonders, tiger even the size of elephant being only animal. Levy could face trouble from it's big size but he was now way inferior to it.
The threat level increased when another one of such beast arrived from behind.
" Nina, It's only an animal so stall for few moments." he could take two head on if not for the two children.
Levy shot ahead, gripping sword tightly as he ran forward.
ROAR..
Tiger in front leaped forward with roar, it's mouth wide open ready to bite the incoming piece of meat.
But bit only air, levy dodged stepping sideways and severed his front limb.
Tiger staggered with painfilled roar, levy wanted to finish it for good but he was in pinch, another tiger was making its move. Hesitantly but he distanced himself from wounded tiger to protect the kids.
Tiger observing nina roared and ran wildly, it's claws ready to shred two kids but levy appeared before tiger with his enhance speed, cutting it's claws with advantage of tiger's own carried out momentum.
Nina was scared, her legs trembled in fear. Similarly eren was even more disturbed with all loud noises.
It was then first tiger attacked Nina, staggeringly but Nina reacted and stabbed tiger's wounded leg.
She wasn't strong enough to overpower a tiger, no she was much weaker and ended up being separated from Eren.
Each time it got close, Nina dodged and slashed. Her attacks were simple and weak but on already wounded leg it showed effect causing tiger more discomfort,
On the other hand, levy plunged his sword in tiger's head ending tiger's life, without any rest he ran to Nina. What he missed was the third tiger in hiding, silently observing it's prey.
Within few breaths, levy stood before the girl, Nina sighed in relief finally escaping the near death experience. Her eyes observed eren reacting to smallest noises with fear.
Here she was almost got chopped into pieces yet the boy remained unaware, she felt little jealous but when possibility of going blind crossed her mind, her thoughts became chaotic. She somewhat realised what terror eren must've felt in this kind of situation, not knowing what was happening and not knowing wether he'll live or die.
Just when she thought everything was settled, third one attacked helpless eren. Eren felt chill just from unknown hungry gaze.
He panicked and tried searching for anything, anything useful as weapon but fell on his butt, not knowing where he lost his balance.
Nina ran towards eren but tiger was faster, in Eren's dark world grey light shone. He thought this was his mind playing tricks or maybe this was death but unlike what he thought reality was different.
Even though desperate, eren focused on that grey light and upon loser inspection he realised what it was, despite in face of death his lips formed a smile.
" KNIFE.." Eren shouted, Nina didn't knew why but without asking anything she she threw knife to his side, eren like he knew the exact position picked it up but little too late.
Tiger pounced on his small body, breaking few ribs but greeting his teeth he endured the pain, tiger's mouth was about bit onto his head when his hand holding the knife shot like a lightning.
Knife directly pierced tiger's eyes but Eren didn't stop there, he mercilessly attacked same wounded eye, over and over again till tiger jumped back.
In desperation even tiger forgot who was the real danger among this three, finishing his former opponent levy arrived just in time to kill wounded eye tiger.
With slight jump and sword over his head, he was already at tiger's head and with all the power he could muster, he plunged his sword deep in tiger's skull, killing it in one blow.
Dead tiger's limp body fell with heavy thud, dust rose only to settle a bit later and levy walked near the camp, His breaths heavy but no wound were present at all.
" Eren." Her eyes trembled with fear, she hurriedly ran to find eren, only to see him unconscious.
What made her shocked was the state he was in, his chest sunken with heavy blow and mouth bloody.
" He'll die." levy spoke beside Nina, despite how pragmatic he was, this scene caused even him to wallow in sadness.
" Eren..Eren...Eren.." her voice shook, her mumbling voice became thinner and tears flowed uncontrollably.
Just then,
" What?" shocked levy muttered as he observed eren, similarly Nina was stunned upon the sight before her.
" what the fuck!!!"