'This place is far away from the town; you should be safe here. No one knows about this place except for us, Claire.'
Sharon's words echoed back in her mind.
'No … it must've been an animal.' Claire thought, her body shaking violently, she tried to calm herself down even though she knew how futile that hope was.
Claire tried to get up, even though her right leg was badly injured. Her ankle was sprained and now slightly swollen. However, for her, this was not as bad as being in the dungeon at that time.
Every step she took felt like torture, the pain from her sprained ankle getting worse.
At first glance, she regretted leaving the old cottage. Although she did not know the people in the house well, at least she was safe there. Now, she was limping, alone, in the midst of the gripping darkness of the misty forest.
As Claire felt a little calmer, a low growl suddenly was heard behind her. The sound made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The growl was not like the sound of a wolf or bear that she usually heard, but there was a tone of savagery that was more terrifying, more evil.
Claire slowly turned her head, her eyes widened when she saw the terrifying figure that appeared from behind the trees. A creature more than two meters tall, with a thin but strong body. Its skull was clearly visible, without any flesh or skin covering it. The hollow skull's eyes glowed a shimmering blue light, like a blue fire living in its eye sockets. In its bony hands, the creature held a large rusty sword. Faint blue flames enveloped the blade, creating a terrifying gleam.
"Kill…"
A hoarse, hateful voice came from the skull's teeth, like a hiss from the darkness itself.
Claire choked, her body frozen for a moment by the overwhelming fear. Her heart raced, almost bursting from the ever-increasing tension. Without thinking, Claire turned and began to run as fast as she could, despite her injured leg and the pain gripping her more and more.
"Eat…"
The next growl was louder, as if the creature was enjoying the fear it was creating.
Claire ran as fast as she could, though her steps were wobbly, and her vision was blurred by the tears that began to roll down her face. The tall trees that had previously felt like ancient giants were now like a living prison that ensnared her even deeper. Claire's breath was labored, her chest tight, and her legs felt heavier as she ran.
The fear that bit at Claire's heart grew stronger. Every time she looked back, the creature seemed closer and closer, its steps slow but sure, as if it knew Claire would not be able to escape.
"H- help!"
Claire tried to scream, but her voice was drowned out by sobs. No one could hear her, no one could help her.
Her tears continued to flow, while behind her, the monster's footsteps became clearer between the sound of her breathing and the sound of branches snapping beneath her feet.
The pain on her legs were excruciating, especially her sprained right ankle. Spreading throughout her body, but she couldn't stop. The forest seemed to ensnare her, trapping her in a dark, misty, and mysterious wilderness. Her heart was pounding, her breath was ragged, as if the air around her was thinning. She knew she couldn't fight, running was her only option to survive.
The monster was still chasing her. Every step it took created a light sound of the branches snapping, regular, yet terrifying to be heard in the forest, as if the creature never got tired. With each passing second, Claire felt the monstrous figure getting closer.
'Why did I even leave!? Why didn't I follow whatever Sharon and Ethan said!?' her heart was in turmoil, regretting her decision to leave the old house. Although the place felt alien, at least there were no monsters chasing her.
Claire's eyes filled with tears again, her vision blurry. She glanced back, and there, in the darkness of the forest, among the misty trees, she could see a blurry blue light burning chasing her.
The light flickered, reflecting on the great sword held by the skeleton. The monster did not run like a human, but moved with a strange grace, as if floating above the ground.
"Eat ..."
The hoarse and terrifying voice sounded again, this time closer. Claire felt her heart drop for a second. Fear gripped her, cold biting her body.
While running, images of the past flashed through her mind. Claire remembered how Vincent reprimanded her careless habits. She remembered when she was once lost in the forest behind their residence. At that time, Vincent had panickedly sent ten knights to look for her, worried that his beloved little sister would be lost forever.
But now, there was no Vincent who would come to help her. Claire was alone. Her heart was filled with guilt. Why didn't she listen to Vincent's advice? Why was he so stubborn and in such a hurry to leave the old house?
Claire bit her lip, holding back tears. She missed her father, even though they were not close. She missed Vincent's voice that always teased her with a joking tone. Now, Vincent's voice felt very far away, nothing more than a faint shadow in her memory.