She sighed and slumped down, her hand spread as she gasped for air.
There was a worry and a decorated soft smile on her face for she has succeeded where countless others have failed.
As the Blind Sanctity Maiden, the other beasts were all hers now; they all faced her so she could feel them.
They were hers to command but it was not over. She wasn't given 287 Beasts that swallowed Blind Sacrifice just for nothing. She has to survive the damned just as speculated by the ancient texts.
She managed to stand, but one of her legs was bitten off by the beast while she was trying to survive.
The beast bowed, and she sat on its flat head before she lay down and coiled; there was healing going on.
She might not regain her leg, but atop the monster, she felt safe.
Zeera didn't survive just like that but because she had insight into what she was going to face.
Even so, it was her talent and ingenuity that propelled her to success.
Eugene has prepared his mind to be bitten, chewed and swallowed by the lion but he never expected his destiny would change to being swallowed whole and then being digested slowly.
At that moment, when he has resigned to his fate as the beast approaches, he decides to use the Forbidden Skill and hopes he will be lucky and preserve his life in the beast.
However, he was now questioning his life choices.
In the advent of his body liquefying, he hated himself for trying to best his brother. Why compete with that anomaly? Why not pursue his own goals?
Many geniuses died just like that, and those who are considered average lived and achieved great things.
But in that great agony, Eugene realized if he hadn't chased after his brother, he wouldn't have lasted this long against the flogging.
More than ten kids died due to sheer pain, and now, if by any miracle he survived, then it was his preparation and mindset that helped him succeed.
Zeera sat again on the flat-headed beast and used one of the abilities she gained.
Open Eye.
All the beasts were blind, they didn't even have eyes but now that they have swallowed sacrifices, they gained the ability to create an eye and see for only one day under the dark sky.
The chosen beast's body trembled as an organ at either side of its flat head bulged, forming a white membrane of eyelid and white substance inside moulding into an eye.
Second later, the new eye opened.
She wanted to be happy to see the sacred location but she frowned.
In her imagination and how the voice came, she pictured the place to be a large castle with white walls, gardens and well-crafted doors.
There should also be white tiles and plants that make the air fresh.
It was a castle, a very large one but it was delipitated, old and crumbling. It was black filled with signs of ruin and decay.
And there was no one there, not even the dignified voice owner.
She felt hollow and lonely; she made the eyed beast look up, and her heart almost burst. She had never seen anything like it and the simplest thing she could think of was Pure Darkness.
There were no stars or moon but pure darkness.
Understanding came to her that looking at this thing with one's eye will lead one into endless loss forever till death.
She quickly stopped looking as she felt the power of the new crafted eye was wanning. Now it will last for less than a day.
She looked at the other beasts and she felt kinship with them. At least they aren't ugly which was a plus.
She already knew the name of the beast, it's called Silent Treaders. They are native to this realm and were hardy beasts that require small sustenance.
Their name was Silent Treader, a Beast type and in the Class of Enigma.
There are only two types of creatures: Beasts and Monsters.
Beasts were creatures that could easily be defined with common sense, and their abilities were mostly straightforward. Their aura and presence either invoke suppression or helplessness.
Monsters, on the other hand, were creatures that were usually defined with less common sense and normalcy. Their body shape mostly appeared strange, and their abilities were strange and hard to figure out. Their aura also may exhibit different characteristics.
While she was figuring things out, Eugene woke up in a strange state, and he rejoiced that he had succeeded; if he had a body, he would jump and dance around.
He felt he could make the beast open its eyes if he wanted to, but then he felt dread. He refrained from that as he accessed himself.
He can last about 120 days.
In a normal First Challenge, the days are long enough to finish it with even an extra time.
'If only I can see the moon I will be able to access my Personal Sightdoor!'
Eugene thought that was why he wanted to open his eyes.
Suddenly, he felt a tug and the beast looked toward Zeera.
Eugene felt her and she appeared warm even though she was distant.
At the same time, he could feel her intention, and there was a bind on him, making him unable to defy her. In fact, he wanted to do what she wanted.
From what she wanted now was for all the Silent Treaders to borrow the sight of the Eyed Lne.
Eugene invoked the beast to do it, but immediately, he felt the same dread.
All Silent Treaders can easily borrow sight and see their surroundings, but because of his unique situation, if the Silent Treader did that, then it would mould its eyes and open them.
He has to remain blind.
But at least the beasts were a group that could aid in guiding themselves around.
They communicated in a way that Eugene couldn't understand.
Zeera decided to move forward and they began to run.
They feel happy, especially now that they can see the surroundings even though it is just dull black.
The herd of beasts left the ruined castle into a dark empty jungle. The trees all appeared the same with large roots the size of man coiled around.
The leaves were eerily black with a hint of grey at the edges. There was a wind that swayed them, but as the beasts passed them, the leaves shifted, following them before they reluctantly returned as their branch required.
Zeera felt uneasy seeing all that before she stopped focusing on them and looked ahead.
They didn't move long before she stopped them. Her body was already tired and as she looked back.
Some of the leaves have become brighter than they were, and from the Silent Treader around her, she found answers she wasn't expecting.
The trees were monsters and they feed on things that move. Silent Traders were able to negate some of those because their movements were very silent.
If she continues, she will be overwhelmed by fatigue.
She immediately searches for a place away from the trees where she can recover. In no time she got a cave. A few beasts entered with her and the others to stay outside.
Eugene had it worse; the Silent Treaders do feel fatigued but were able to endure it much longer than most. Also, they seem to metabolize it.
Eugene refrained from those thoughts as that was tiring. He should be forging a good relationship with the girl.
He carefully influenced the beast to move forward amidst the many of them and came close to the girl.
Being very closed he felt it was safe to open his eyes.
There was an understanding that as long as they weren't under the direct sky, they had minimal danger.
Eugene deliberated before he made the beast open its eyes and stared at the girl; the girl was slumped back, her eyes closed, panting tiredly.
Certainly, those monster trees were dreadful to anyone who was not a Silent Treader.
Eugene stared at her with awe, she was different from them.
Her hair was gold and her veins flowed with a pulsing soft golden light. Even though she was tired and seemed asleep, there was this majesty in her every heaving and down of her chest.
Eugene sensed danger, and he looked beside her; the Silent Treader she made a pact with was staring at him, and because of the connection it had with her, the beast had dim golden eyes, too.
Just looking at it, Eugene knew the beast he was in couldn't even come close to its strength.
The girl stirred up, she didn't seem startled seeing one of the Silent Treaders' head above her body.
"Hey!" She spoke.
Eugene didn't know the language but he felt her intent through the bond she had with them.
Eugene immediately used a bit of one day's worth of life from his 120 days and projected her thoughts.
"I still live in…"
At first, she was confused before her eyes lit up, and she sat properly. Her whole body was smaller than the Silent Treader's head, but she pulled it and hugged it.
"I'm not alone!" She whispered. Tears with a bit of glow came from her eyes and his beasts' minute hairs sucked them in instantly.
She looked at the beast with a smile, "I really want someone to talk to, I hope you can understand me!"