The creature's grip on Fergio tightened, his feet kicking wildly in the air as his face turned a shade of blue. His eyes bulged, and a wet, gurgling sound escaped his throat. Ye Shengtao stood frozen, horrified and useless, as the creature's wiry limbs continued to squeeze the life out of him.
Then something snapped inside Ye Shengtao. Maybe it was survival instinct or a sudden surge of adrenaline, but his legs finally obeyed him. Without thinking, he charged toward the creature, hooves pounding against the forest floor.
His body collided with the creature's elongated form with a dull thud. It wasn't much—Ye Shengtao didn't have a weapon, and his physical strength was hardly enough to wrestle with this abomination—but the impact was enough to disrupt the creature's focus. It loosened its grip on Fergio, and the knight collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
The creature turned toward Ye Shengtao, its beady eyes narrowing, its twisted smile slipping into something more dangerous.
It was playing with its prey.
Ye Shengtao's heart hammered in his chest.
What now? His legs were already trembling from the fear coursing through his veins. His breath came in ragged gasps, the scent of rot and blood suffocating his senses. There was no plan, no escape, and certainly no defeating this monster.
But Fergio wasn't dead yet, and if they were going to survive, they needed to move now.
"Fergio!" Ye Shengtao shouted, his voice strained with panic. "Get up! We need to go!"
Fergio, still wheezing and struggling to catch his breath, managed to roll onto his hands and knees. He looked up at Ye Shengtao, dazed, his face pale as death. But his eyes flickered with understanding. He knew they had to flee.
The creature let out a low, guttural growl, its elongated limbs twitching with anger. It was ready to pounce again, its jagged teeth glinting in the faint moonlight.
Ye Shengtao didn't wait for it to make the first move. With every ounce of strength he had, he grabbed Fergio by the arm and hauled him to his feet. The knight swayed unsteadily, still too weak to stand on his own, but Ye Shengtao didn't let go.
They stumbled toward the tree line, limbs heavy, lungs burning, as the creature let out a shrill, ear-piercing screech behind them.
Faster, Ye Shengtao urged himself, though his legs felt like lead, and every step was agony. Just a little further.
The forest seemed to warp around them as they ran, the darkness closing in like a living thing, the trees reaching out with gnarled branches. Ye Shengtao didn't dare look back. He could feel the creature's presence behind them, could hear the rustling of leaves as it moved—swift, silent, and deadly.
Fergio stumbled again, nearly dragging them both to the ground, but Ye Shengtao gritted his teeth and pulled him forward. They couldn't stop. Not now. Not when the village was their only hope of safety.
"We're close!" Ye Shengtao gasped, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure Fergio or himself. The village had to be close. They couldn't have wandered too far from the path, even with Fergio's idiocy.
But doubt gnawed at the back of his mind. What if they were too far? What if the village was lost to them, hidden deep within the maze of the forest? What if the creature caught up to them before they could escape?
Another high-pitched screech ripped through the air, so close now that Ye Shengtao could feel the vibration in his bones. The creature was closing in.
Just a little further!
The forest suddenly parted, revealing the faint outline of buildings through the trees—the village! Relief surged through Ye Shengtao's chest, but he didn't slow down. He pulled Fergio with him, half-dragging the knight as they stumbled toward the safety of the village.
The creature was right behind them, its breath hot on the back of Ye Shengtao's neck. He could feel its rancid stench enveloping him, choking him, as they crossed the threshold of the village.
Just as the first of the wooden houses came into view, Ye Shengtao heard a thundering crash behind him. The creature had stopped. It lingered at the edge of the trees, unwilling—or unable—to step foot into the village.
Its beady eyes glowed with humor, with its mouth upturned in a smile at them, as it retreated back into the shadows.
Ye Shengtao collapsed to the ground, his legs finally giving out beneath him. Fergio crumpled beside him, gasping for air, his face still pale and bloodied.
They had made it. Barely.
For a long time, the only sounds were their ragged breathing and the distant rustling of the trees. The creature was gone, for now, but its presence still lingered, a dark, oppressive weight that hung over the village like a storm cloud.
Ye Shengtao struggled to his feet, his legs shaking beneath him. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to Fergio, who was still lying on the ground, his chest heaving.
"You almost got us both killed," Ye Shengtao spat, his voice hoarse with exhaustion.
Fergio looked up at him, his eyes filled with shame. "I— I didn't—" He coughed, his voice weak. "I thought... I thought I knew the way."
"You never know the way," Ye Shengtao snapped, his frustration boiling over.
Fergio didn't respond. He just stared at the ground, his face pale, his hands shaking.
Ye Shengtao let out a long, exhausted sigh. He didn't have the energy to berate Fergio any further, not after everything that had happened. The creature, the near-death experience... they had to focus on survival.
"Let's get you to the healer," Ye Shengtao said, his tone softer now. "You're lucky to be alive."
Fergio nodded weakly, allowing Ye Shengtao to help him to his feet. Together, they stumbled through the quiet village streets, the warmth of the firelight spilling from the small houses offering a brief respite from the horrors of the forest.
They reached the healer's hut at the edge of the village, and Ye Shengtao knocked on the door. A few moments later, an elderly woman opened it, her eyes widening as she saw the state they were in.
"Come inside, quickly," she urged, stepping aside to let them in.
Ye Shengtao guided Fergio to a small cot in the corner of the room, where the healer immediately began tending to his wounds. The knight winced as she applied a salve to the cuts and bruises on his neck, but he said nothing, his eyes glazed with exhaustion.
Ye Shengtao leaned against the wall, his own body aching from the strain of their escape. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the fire soothe his trembling limbs.
But even as his body relaxed, his mind remained on high alert. The creature was still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for its next opportunity to strike.
And Ye Shengtao knew that this was far from over.