The Craughoul were no longer attacking mindlessly. They moved in unison, their eerie coordination sending a chill down Olivia´s spines.
'There must be a leader in their midst,' realisation dawned on her.
Fear crawled like a spider down her spine, her mind raced, searching for a way out, but there was none.
Panic clawed at her chest. She couldn't outrun them. They were too fast, and too many.
As they closed in, her fingers tightened around her twin blades. But before she could strike, the small white snake slithered out of her pocket. Positioning itself in front of her.
"Little white, come back," she called, her voice slightly alarm.
The snake stared at her, its golden eyes gleaming with an intelligence far beyond a simple creature´s. Suddenly, its body glowed, twisting into a spiral of shimmering energy.
Then, it turned and slithered into the forest. The Craghoul let out a guttural snarl…and followed it.
"What…?" Olivia whispered " What the hell?" she asked, baffled at the unnatural event.
She walked a few steps after them, trying to get the snake back, but the snake turned around, locking eyes with her before giving her a knowing look.
"You want me to run?" she muttered, totally confused. She had no idea how she understood the meaning behind its gaze… but she just did.
Tears welled up in her eyes. It was protecting her.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Please…. be safe."
With the last of her strength, Olivia forced herself to move. Her entire body screamed in agony, each step was a battle against pain. Her body was drenched in the thick, black blood of monsters, mixed with her own.
The stench made her nose twitched in disgust.
Barely, her frail body tried to hold on, her lips chapped. ' you can't give up now… remember you are now living for Anna' she encouraged as she dragged her body towards the large metal gate.
The watch guards saw a figure approaching them, they immediately took their bows out, ready to shoot.
" Wait," the leader's voice halted them.
His eyes squinted, as a dark figure staggered towards them, covered in black blood. Its movements were sluggish, almost unnatural.
"It must be a SSS level beast, they are the only ones that can take a human form," his subordinate warned, his bow targeting the creature.
"Halt! That's an order!"
"Tell Alexa, she is needed here," the leader ordered.
Olivia´s eyes sparkled with hope, she made it. She was finally back to safety.
Whoosh.
An arrow flew towards her. Her eyes widened in surprise, then, she felt a tingle beneath her, a steel like skin forming around her.
But, they can't know of her abilities…not yet, her eyes closed, retrieving the armour back inside.
The arrow pierced through her chest, her breath hitched, blood gushing out of mouth.
The impact knocked her off her feet, the world spinned as she fell to the ground. Blood gushed from her wound, spilling onto the ground beneath her.
She made it back. But they had shot her.
Tears escaped her eyes, as she choked on her blood. The gate to her safety creaked open.
How… ironic. Her safety have turned into her place of death.
Soldiers ran outside towards her, with their weapons pointing at her.
"So this is how I am received?" Disbelief flickered through her eyes.
The betrayal felt like an hot coal under her heart, she was too tired, and she wanted to….sleep.
Her eyes fluttered close.
____________________________
Olivia felt herself floating. Her eyes snapped open, she realised she was floating in the air, with a vast body of water underneath her.
Panicking, she tried to get out, but she lost her balance, tumbling in the air.
"Arrgh!!"
A scream escaped her throat.
"Welcome to the sea of consciousness," a robot-like voice sounded.
The voice made her more startled, she flipped in the different directions, her eyes dizzy from all the swirling.
"Help me!"
"This is your sea of consciousness," the voice stated.
"How disappointing."
A rope-like light wrapped around Olivia´s leg, pulling her to a small land.
She crashed to the ground " Sh*t, that's hurt." she cussed.
She stood up, ready to argue, but she swallowed her words. Her eyes stared at the blindfolded girl, who seemed to be around her age.
Her silver white hair, cascading down her back, her presence was….unsettling. Cold, and powerful.
"Who are you?" Olivia asked, forcing herself to her feet.
The girl's lips curled into a smirk. " I'm just like you," she said.
"Just like me?" Olivia brows furrowed. 'What does that mean?'
" Who… am I ?" Olivia asked, the system didn't say her name, maybe she could find it from this girl.
"The truth will come when you are strong enough to bear it."
"Why are you in the sea of my consciousness?" Olivia asked, a little wary of her.
"Because I'm a part of it," she replied nonchalantly.
"You are too weak for this responsibility," she added, her voice held a hint of disdain.
Olivia rolled her eyes inwardly at her " You mean the useless attribute?" she snapped " Aren't you expecting too much for such a useless power?" she added, before sitting on the ground.
The girl tilted her head slightly " What are you willing to sacrifice?" she asked.
"Sacrifice? Did I just hear it correctly from you?" Olivia jumped back to her feet.
The girl kept her quiet.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Eritrea," she answered, calm and collected.
"Why will I sacrifice anything? And for what?" She asked, curiousity getting the best of her.
"Power demands a price. Always. " Eritrea's expression didn´t change .
Olivia's blood ran cold.
"You sacrificed your eyes, didn't you?" she asked, dread laced in her voice.
Eritrea remained silent for a long moment. Then..
"Wrong."
"I didn't choose, because I thought there was no point, my eyes were taken without my consent," she said.
Olivia felt a pit open in her stomach.
"A spark of the sacred flame is still alive, find it and you will find your purpose," her voice softened, barely above a whisper.
"Wait….what do you mean? Where do I find it?" Olivia felt her body becoming translucent. Worried etched on her face.
"You were born in chaos, follow the path of chaos and you will find the sacred flame," her voice distorted in Olivia's head.
_____________________
Olivia´s eyes snapped open.
she gasped, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Her sweaty hands clenched the bedsheet.
She was…alive.
"Where am I …?" her voice cracked.
Her body ached all over. Bandages wrapped around her torso, and her arms.
Then….
Her eyes caught a movement of something shimmering in the dim light room.
Her heart leaped.
"Little white?"
The small snake glimmered in the dim light.
She tried to move, but pain slammed into her like a tidal wave.
" argh" a sharp cry filled the silent room.
Little White slithered back, its eyes filled with unreadable emotion.
She got scared for a moment, she had saw it disappear along with Craughoul, so how the hell was it here?
Olivia let out a weak chuckle. " Don't tell me…. you're mad at me?" She said nervously, hiding her suspicion.
The snake looked away, its eyes flickering with annoyance " I thought you wanted me to escape? And how are you even here?".
Before she could get an answer…
The door bursts open.