Chapter 368 Creatures Of Nightmares
Northern and Mr. Fluffy hurtled across the forest scape, not minding a single monster around. For those that dared to enter their path, they were met with the crude and vicious claw of the White beast, marking their end in a ghastly spray of gore.
A couple of minutes passed, and they eventually came out of the forest. Mr. Fluffy drifted, skidding to a halt for a brief moment, allowing Northern to get his bearings.
Northern's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the landscape before them.
Rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with clusters of trees and crisscrossed by winding paths.
This was a path of Lotheliwan he wasn't used to, but it wasn't so difficult. After all, he could see so far to know that the desert plains of Sloria were just ahead.
All that's left is to just find a path there, or better still, force one out if he has to.
Northern leaned close to Mr. Fluffy's ear. "Alright buddy, let's move… forward."
The wolf's ears twitched in response.
Without hesitation, Mr. Fluffy surged forward again, his powerful legs propelling him across the open terrain.
The grasslands blurred beneath them, the ground a fleeting memory as they raced towards their destination.
The wind whipped through Northern's hair, his eyes slits of determination as he clung to his steed.
As they approached the outskirts of the city, the scenery shifted once more.
The forest reclaimed its dominance, trees arching overhead to form a natural gateway.
Shadows danced along the forest floor, the light filtering through the leaves casting an ethereal glow.
Mr. Fluffy navigated the dense foliage with practiced ease, his movements fluid and precise.
His pace never faltered as they plunged into the woods. Branches whipped past, leaving thin scratches on Northern's arms.
The beast ducked and weaved through the underbrush, following a path only he could sense.
The forest grew denser, the canopy overhead blocking out most of the daystar's light.
An eerie quiet settled over them, broken only by the soft thud of Mr. Fluffy's paws and his rhythmic panting.
Suddenly, the trees parted, revealing a wide, rushing river.
The water frothed and churned, its surface broken by jagged rocks.
On the far bank, a desert path continued, winding its way up a steep hill.
Northern patted Mr. Fluffy's neck, preparing for the leap across. But as the beast gathered himself to spring, a bone-chilling howl split the air.
Northern immediately sensed it and narrowed his eyes.
'Something is coming!'
He turned the beast around to face the forest, cautiously anticipating whatever it was that was coming out of the forest.
And from the shadows of the forest emerged a creature of nightmares.
It stood easily twice Mr. Fluffy's height, casting a long shadow over them.
Its body was a twisted amalgamation of wolf and bear. Matted fur covered its muscular frame, marred by countless scars.
Its eyes glowed with an unnatural yellow light, fixed hungrily on the pair before it.
Mr. Fluffy's eyes narrowed fiercely at the threat, hackles rising as a low growl rumbled from his chest.
Northern's hand instinctively tightened in the wolf's fur, a thousand things running across his mind.
But amidst it all, he couldn't deny the unwavering sense of peace and calmness that sat within his chest.
Like he just knew.
He couldn't lose.
There was this surreal sync between him and Mr. Fluffy that gave him an outright understanding of the monster's capabilities and made his own capabilities very understanding to the monster itself.
Maybe that was why Mr. Fluffy seemed even cockier than he had been when he was facing other monsters.
But something worried Northern still.
'The monsters in this vicinity are all known into four main categories. I have never heard or seen one looking so grotesque and huge before.'
This left an open room for a lot of suspicion for Northern, but then again, he thought about the monster in the depth of the river.
The worm and the crazy monster in the sleeping mountains.
Those were also all accounted for.
But at the very least, this one had not been there a couple of months ago when he and Raven passed.
And he had come in through this route too, although he ran so fast and it wasn't exactly the same path.
'Shouldn't I have felt it at least if he was here…'
Northern's mind went back and forth of what to think but alas, he decided to kill it first before worrying.
As if sensing consent in Northern's cold eyes, the monster charged—with surprising speed for its bulk.
Mr. Fluffy waited until the last moment before darting aside, his claws leaving deep gouges in the earth.
The creature's momentum carried it past them, giving Northern a chance to assess their foe even better.
Wicked claws adorned its massive paws, each easily as long as Northern's forearm.
Yellowed fangs protruded from its elongated snout, dripping with foul-smelling saliva.
But most terrifying were its eyes – intelligent and filled with malevolent hunger.
The monster wheeled around, letting out another ear-splitting howl.
This time, answering cries echoed from the forest. More glowing eyes appeared in the gloom, surrounding Northern and Mr. Fluffy.
Northern's mouth slowly opened.
'There were more… and I didn't even sense them? Okay crap, I think I need to evolve this Soul Eyes.'
He sighed, 'And I thought I could make anything evolving wait after I become a Master. I guess I'll have to make an exception with this one.'
"Looks like we've got a fight on our hands, buddy," Northern murmured, caressing the beast's furs playfully.
He didn't even look bothered about the situation, not even in the slightest manner.
Mr. Fluffy's only response was to bunch his muscles, ready to spring in any direction.
The air crackled with tension as predator and prey sized each other up.
The lead monster made the first move, lunging forward with surprising agility.
Its claws slashed through the air where Mr. Fluffy had been a split second before.
The white beast danced away, retaliating with a quick snap at the creature's flank.
Blood welled from the wound, but the monster seemed unfazed. It pressed its attack, forcing Mr. Fluffy closer to the churning river.
The other monsters closed in, cutting off any chance of escape.
Northern leaned close to Mr. Fluffy's ear. "Hey buddy," he whispered. "Head for the river, I want to see how desperate these bastards are… if not too desperate we can always come back to deal with them."
'I actually want to see if there is a new rift around. If they are still here by the time I come back, then I suppose there's a new rift that no one has noticed. If not… ah well, then this is just suspicious as hell.'
The beast's ear twitched in acknowledgment.
He feinted left, drawing the lead monster's attention, then suddenly spun and leaped towards the river.
Time seemed to slow as they soared over the rushing current.
Northern could see every droplet of water, feel the spray on his face.
Behind them, the monsters roared in fury.
Mr. Fluffy's paws hit the far bank, scrabbling for purchase on the slick rocks.
For a heart-stopping moment, it seemed they might slip back into the churning waters.
Then, with a mighty heave, the beast pulled them to safety.
But their reprieve was short-lived. The monsters, driven by unnatural madness, plunged into the river after them.
Something from within drew two down immediately, their howls of rage turning to gurgles as they disappeared beneath the frothing surface.
The lead monster, however, was not so easily deterred.
Its powerful limbs cut through the water, propelling it towards the far shore with terrifying speed.