14 Chapter 14: The Dark Woods

Every day, I would meet with the Princess in her private quarters. We would take walks around the garden, and play games under the gazebo. Then we would have lunch brought to us and I would leave the princess to her lessons. Ying Yue was very mature for her age and would spend alot of her day, studying in her room. I didn't see her during this time, because she said she needed complete solitude in order to focus. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When I was not with the Princess, I would meet up with Lou Fang, Adan, Cael, and Ying Chen. Lou Fang was often doing some kind of work for the palace's medical team. Cael and Ying Chen would go to sword practice and have their own academic lessons throughout the day. Ying Chen was apparently a noble from the Alzec Empire, that had accompanied the princess. He had later become the 'prince's companion'.

Adan...I don't actually know what he does. But honestly, who cares -_-

Yesterday Lou Fang invited me on an expedition. The head herbalist was sending him out on a mission, to restock their supply of various herbs. It wasn't a particularly exciting job, but these specific herbs grew in the outskirts of the Dark Woods! A giant forest, that was just crawling with high-level magic beasts! (≧▽≦)

I was so excited that I immediately told Ying Yue! Then she had said that she wanted to come too!!! While the interior of the forest was only for high-level cultivators, the outskirts were relatively safe, so Lou Fang allowed the Princess to join the team.

Of course, once Adan found out about our adventure, he insisted on tagging along.

I was giddy with happiness. Everything was just so perfect! I had five wonderful friends. I lived in a freaking palace! My job was to basically hang out with a Princess all day. And they had really good food!! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

#Blessed

Now the four of us were packed into a carriage and were about to arrive at our destination. When we stopped, I was the first one out. Adan and Lou Fang quickly followed and I turned around and offered my hand to the Princess. After only a moment of hesitation (probably had a flashback to when I pulled her into the pond ๑•́ ₃ •̀๑) took my hand and gracefully stepped down from the carriage.

For a forest called the "Dark Woods" I had expected a very spooky, haunted, mysterious vibe. However, to my utter disappointment, the "Dark Woods" looked like any old forest.

Who would have guessed that this place was one of the most dangerous environments in all of Sation?

We began to hunt for herbs. Lou Fang was extremely productive and Adan just seemed happy to follow along. I was also doing my part...sort of. Okay, so I got a little distracted every now and then. But Ying Yue was really just exaggerating when she said I- Oooo that flower is SO pretty!!!

Ying Yue: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

Seriously, I had never seen a rose that was such a vibrant royal blue before! Maybe if we could figure out what it was, Ying Yue would plant some in her garden! I bent down and reached out to pick the flower from the ground...then it moved.

"JESUS F*CKING @#$%^&*!@#$%^&!!!!!!!!" I screamed as the ground underneath my feet began to rise. I stumbled back and fell on my butt, facing the monster.

If you've ever seen 'Str*nger Things', think about the Demigorgan and then add a patch of earth on top of its head. Also, add several tentacles protruding from its back and a glowing globe of a shining blue light that was embedded into its chest.

Basically the scariest thing, I'd ever seen in my entire life.

And that thing seemed REALLY mad at me. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

"What's going- F*ck" Adan and Lou Fang had apparently heard my scream and had come looking for us. Only find Ying Yue and I facing off against a monster!

I felt a tug at the back of my collar and looked back to see Ying Yue trying to drag me behind her. Before I could move, the monster let out a roar and charged right at us!

I opened my mouth to scream again, but then Ying Yue rushed forward. Suddenly she had a pair of knives in her hands and was wheeling them around her, slashing at the monster.

Damn...that's hot.

Adan pulled out his sword and joined the fight. Lou Fang seemed to be hastily murmuring something under his breath while staring determinedly at the monster. I shuffled backward until my back hit the trunk of a tree. I wasn't really sure what to do, but I couldn't take my eyes off the Princess. She seemed completely at ease during the fight, like her weapons were just an extension of herself...What the actual F*ck is on my leg!!!

Something very slimy and gross had wound itself around my ankle and I looked down to see one of the monster's tentacles! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

As I tried to pull away the tentacle tightened around my leg and jerked. I yelped and my hands flew out and grabbed the trunk of the tree, clinging on for dear life. Then, I was stuck in this awful game of tug and war. A burning sensation spiked in my ankle and I let out a pitiful whimper. While my legs had been healing very nicely, they were still delicate!

A slashing sound came in from behind me and the tension around my leg went slack. I looked behind me to see Ying Yue! She was looking down at me, her eyes were like ice.

And another f*cking tentacle of was behind her. Lunging at her, while her back was turned! Without thinking I lurched forward, pushing Ying Yue to the ground and the tentacle circled around my waist. Pulling me into the air, and then slamming my body back to the ground, like a used toy.

Pain...a splitting pain in my head...and the darkness.