'So? When do we get started?' said Khalid eagerly.
Well, he was not to blame, after all, he will be getting the strength he vowed to his parents he will earn.
Elena took another bite of the hare's deliciously cooked thigh and sighed, then says in a pitying tone- 'Are you sure you want to do this? I am warning you, my training will take you to hell and further.'
'To hell and further? Come on… It can't be that bad. Also doesn't the saying go "To hell and back"? How bad is it really.'
'You will find out soon enough. Say how long will it take to reach the body of the Giant?'
'Uh, id say 4 hours at the least. Running.'
'And you are saying you can run it?'
'I mean, I can but I wouldn't recommend running the whole way. There still are Lower Servants lurking around the remains of the Giant, I say we run, at most, until half way there.'
'You said it, get ready.' with that she begun to eat the hare much faster than before.
After a short while, both of them finished eating and cleaning the cave they sought shelter in for the night, after all a gentleman takes care of mother nature, although Elena wanted to desperately go now, Khalid didn't feel rushed so he took his time cleaning.
He used this opportunity to test his authority over Elena, and now has made a new hypothesis, well not particularly new but he started to believe in it now due to personal experience, this being the saying 'Knowledge is power'.
After all, he is kind of controlling what Elena can do, this in itself is impressive as his perception of people ability is screaming danger constantly in front of Elena. He deeply understands how much stronger she is, actually, he is even considering if she is awakened or not.
Well besides all of these speculations, everything went smoothly. And they started to sprint towards the corpse.
And in all honesty, Elena was absolutely taken aback at Khalid's Athletic ability. For him being shorter than her and to have such speed impressed her and it lead to her asking
'Yo Lid, how old even are you?'
'Eh? Who's Lid?'
'You.'
'Giving me nicknames already, okay whatever, anyway I am still 15, almost 16. But don't underestimate me, after all I am the never before seen genius of GPA 32.'
'Huh? Oh ok I wont but this is so very interesting, how come are you so, so, how can I say this, a-, ath, -le-, -tic.?'
'Oh~ bit too proud aren't you. Well anyway, it doesn't matter how, I just am.'
Elena stayed quiet but didn't stop running and neither did Khalid.
Throughout the whole time though, Khalid was struggling internally, something weird was happening to him, he could hear the faintest of sounds and softest of steps which all was overwhelming to his brain and inner consciousness, but he tired to not allow Elena to see his weakness because he trusts absolutely no one, after all he did not even return her the wakizashi or knives.
Now that I think about it, he turns to look at Elena and thinks to himself, she would've absolutely thoroughly destroyed me huh.
And it seems he stared for a little longer than Elena was comfortable with, and she complained 'What you looking at? Need something?' Khalid looks away and after a slow sigh, he slows his pace and says 'We need to slow down from now on, we can jog I guess but I would like to keep living.'
'Alright.'
And they slowed their pace and softened their steps to ensure no Lower Slaves found them.
Actually, according to recent research most Lower Slaves in GPA 32 tend to be weaker than the rest which always puzzled Khalid, after all a child like him survived there for quite a while. Well, he was definitely not complaining.
Interestingly, the closer he comes to the corpse, the more deprived of awareness he felt, as if something was blocking his vision, perception, and overall, well, awareness.
He felt increasingly handicapped, although forced to ignore it because it doesn't seem like he can do much about it anyway.
With this feeling getting worse with every step, he decided to ask Elena about the situation they are in.
'Say, is it not weird, something feels of no?'
'Yeah… Its quiet, very quiet and I have picked up on a very eerie smell.'
'Oh… Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit…' Khalid seems to have lost his cool and is now just utterly terrified. And this also reflected on Elena who ever since meeting Lid, has been fully vulnerable to any type of dangerous Terror creature, especially if they came from the…
And she stops herself from thinking further, scared as they might hear her.
Lid, though, is still chanting and his legs have been paralysed, now grabbing his head with both hands, he ran to the nearest corner and tried to fit in a rabbit hole under the tree trunk. Elena had started to breathe faster as she begun to loose her cool. She grabbed Lid by his shirt's neck collar and pulled him back. He fell backwards and hit his head on the mud, not causing any damage though, actually, this seemed to refresh Lid and he calmed down.
'Ok, its fine, I'm older and stronger, I and I have company from the Crimsons. Yeah, I am fine … I'm fine.'
Using each pause to breathe, he now looked calm enough to be questioned and give sensible answers.
'So, what is wrong? What caused you to become so horrified?'
'This eeriness, this atmosphere, this whole forest perhaps, all controlled by a single Terror, and not any Terror…'
The horrified eyes of Lid grew wider and wider and the darkness about them grew deeper and thicker, his mouth would not follow given orders, what ever it was, it has scarred Lid for life.- thought Elena.
Lid whispered something which flew past Elena's ears, and forced her to ask again 'Lid, what is scaring you so much?'
Lid finally said in a shaky yet loud enough voice ' a Great Servant Terror lies close by.'