The air around him grew heavy, thick with the encroaching menace of the beasts, but Thorne forced himself to remain calm, his breathing even. He steadied his grip on his blade, taking slow, deliberate breaths. Stay calm. Focus.
The girl's presence grew closer, and Thorne waited, crouched behind the thick trunk of a tree. The leaves rustled softly above him, the only sound in the otherwise eerie silence of the forest. As she passed by, Thorne adjusted his stance, his spiritual senses allowing him a clearer 'look' at her despite his blindness.
It was indeed a woman—bloodied and weak, one hand pressed tightly against the stump where her other hand had once been. She was panting, stumbling, her strength on the verge of collapse.
With a swift, calculated movement, Thorne stepped out from behind the tree. He reached out, grabbing her around the waist with one arm while clamping his other hand firmly over her mouth to stifle any scream.
Her body tensed, panic radiating off her, but Thorne held her steady, pulling her into the shadows behind the thick trunk of the tree just as the beasts crashed through the underbrush.
The masked beasts were massive, their dark forms grotesque and twisted, masked faces glowing faintly in the dim light. They stopped briefly, their heads tilting as they scanned the area, clearly sensing the presence of their prey. Thorne held his breath, pressing the woman closer against the tree. The girl trembled in his grasp, her heart racing so fast he could feel the vibrations through his own body.
One of the beasts let out a low growl, its masked face shifting toward their hiding spot. Thorne's grip tightened on his blade, his spiritual senses flaring, but he knew fighting here would be suicidal. They were too close, too strong. He needed to escape, and fast.
The beasts sniffed the air, their claws digging into the earth as they prowled forward, but after what felt like an eternity, they turned away, slowly padding further down the path.
As he saw them retreat, he released a sigh of relief, Just as I thought
Thorne waited until the creatures were a safe distance away before loosening his grip on the girl. She gasped for breath, her body sagging against him as he let go.
"Who—who are you?" she managed to whisper, her voice hoarse and shaky, eyes wide with a mixture of fear, surprise, and confusion.
"Not important right now," Thorne said quietly, his voice calm but urgent. "We need to move before they come back."
She looked at him, still breathing heavily, her brows furrowed in doubt. Her gaze flicked to his face, taking in his blank eyes, and then to the beasts stalking ahead.
"How did you—?"
"Later," Thorne interrupted, his senses already on high alert. The beasts were circling back, their spiritual energy a looming presence.
"Can you run?"
The woman hesitated, clearly trying to process everything, but then she nodded, her face pale but resolute. "I think so," she whispered, though her body wavered from exhaustion and blood loss.
Thorne didn't waste any more time. He grabbed her arm and pulled her gently forward.
"Stay close. I'll guide us out."
They moved swiftly but quietly, weaving through the thick underbrush, careful to avoid the noisy crunch of fallen leaves or snapping twigs. Thorne's spiritual senses extended outward, scanning for any sign of the beasts as they made their escape. His heightened awareness allowed him to anticipate their movements, guiding them through a maze of dense trees and narrow paths.
Every now and then, he'd feel the woman's breath hitch, a whimper of pain escaping her as she stumbled from fatigue.
Thorne gritted his teeth, pulling her up each time she faltered. Just a little further.
The beasts' growls echoed faintly in the distance, growing softer with each step, but they were far from safe. Thorne's senses caught a flicker of movement to their left—a detour, a ravine.
"This way!" he whispered, pulling the woman along toward the narrow ravine he had sensed earlier. The gap was slim, barely wide enough for both of them to slip through, but the beasts were too large to follow. Thorne glanced back one last time, feeling the creatures' presence drawing closer again, before they squeezed through the tight rock walls.
Once they reached the other side, Thorne let out a slow, relieved breath. He could feel the beasts pacing angrily above, frustrated by their escape but unable to follow.
For the moment, they were safe.
The woman collapsed against the cool stone of the ravine, clutching her bleeding stump, her breaths shallow and labored. Her eyes were still filled with disbelief as she looked at him, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"What... what is happening?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her body trembling from the shock and blood loss.
Thorne crouched beside her, keeping his tone steady.
"You're lucky I found you when I did. Those beasts wouldn't have stopped."
She blinked, shaking her head.
"You... you're blind. How did you—?" her eyes shifting to his blindfolds.
Thorne smiled faintly, though it didn't quite reach his eyes hidden behind his blindfold.
"I see in a different way."
The woman still looked skeptical, doubt clouding her eyes as she glanced at the narrow ravine and back at him. Her lips parted as if to question him further, but she quickly closed her mouth. It was clear that while she didn't fully trust him, she had no other choice.
"Thank you," she finally muttered, her voice soft, eyes dropping to the ground. The gratitude in her voice was thin, masked by exhaustion, but it was there.
Thorne gave a nod, his body still tense. "Don't thank me yet. We're not out yet."
The tension in the air hadn't lifted entirely, and they both knew it. The beasts were still out there, lurking, waiting.