Chapter 18

Isla couldn't let things drag on any longer, she rushed towards the earth bear. Using her remaining dagger she swung ruthlessly. However the earth bear had become vigilant of the human in front of it.

No matter how fiercely Isla attacked, it made sure to protect the wound gouged out near its magic core. The pain of the still embedded dagger reminding it of the scheming human in front of it.

Isla's attacks became more and more violent. Her eyes blurred from the tears. She felt utterly powerless, not knowing how Sila was. Self blame kept distracting her, which gave the earth bear time to retaliate.

The beast saw the humans distraction and swung heavily. Unfortunately because of the pain of the wounds it had suffered, there was a slight pause, which allowed Isla to hastily dodge, but not before a claw managed to graze along her abdomen.

Feeling the sharp pain, Isla looked down to see the light chain mail had actually been sliced opened, with blood pouring out of her stomach.

Luckily the light chain mail still played a part and the claw didn't have the chance to go to deep. Isla didn't care about the wound, she was simply focused on killing this bear.

Knowing that it's only weakness is the magic core it keeps protecting, she already understood that a sacrifice would be needed to get the chance to finish this battle.

Isla readied herself and rushed towards the earth bear. Slashing at the beasts face, she watched as the earth bear raised its arm to swing and stabilised its huge body with the arm that had been protecting the wound.

Isla didn't dodge back as the earth bear expected, but threw the dagger straight at its face and accepted the blow that it had sent out, sending Isla hurtling to the ground near its stabilising arm.

The entire right side of Isla's body had gone numb from the attack, and when she hit the ground at such a speed she heard the bones in her legs crack, but pushing through the pain, while the earth bear had turned its face to dodge the dagger, losing sight of her. She jumped off the ground with as much strength as she had left and put both hands up, pushing the embedded dagger deeper into the earth bear.

This all happened within a few seconds, leaving the earth bear no time to react. It only felt a sharp pain in its chest, then it shook violently and dropped to the ground, no longer breathing.

Isla stood next to the corpse, a dagger hanging limply in her right hand, and the bears magic core in her left.

The core shone a bright luminescent green, showing off its purity of the gold rank. Isla put it and the corpse away and was about to rush to Sila when the pain radiating from her entire body broke out and she collapsed to the ground in embarrassment.

Looking towards the devastated trees, where Sila was sent. The silence bringing her a sense of dread that she'd only felt the day they were attacked by the widower in Olbrand.

Isla gritted her teeth and used her only good left arm to drag her towards the are Sila was. The pain ate at her sanity every time she moved, tears flowing down her increasingly pale face.

If anyone could see the scene at the moment, they'd notice the terrifying blood trail that was being dragged out by the seriously injured girl. But she never stopped moving forward, biting her lips to contain the groans that wanted to escape.

She dragged herself for what seemed like years, until she looked forward and saw a sight that she would never forget in her life.

Sila was laying against a thick, old tree, above her head a blood filled crater had been stamped into the trunk. Sila herself sat like a puppet whose strings had been cut, her head hanging down, blood leaking from her head, as well as many other parts of her, causing the blood to pool around her.

Isla's eyes were filled with madness, "no, no, no, no, No, NO!!" she screamed as she clawed her way towards her sister.

As soon as she got close enough she clasped her arms around Sila, regardless of the pain, hugging her tightly. Isla hung off Sila, her eyes bloodshot and crazy, but gently caressing her sisters face, whispering into her ear.

"Sila wake up"

"Come on honey, wake up for sister"

"I know you're tired. It's okay to rest, but let's go home first".

The more Isla spoke, the more her voice trembled, the speaking mixed with intermittent sobbing.

"Sila, baby please wake up. It's all my fault, I should've been more careful. You have to wake up and scold me"

"Sila... you know I can't live without you, ple..." Isla's voice trailed off, her whispers drowned out by the wind in the forest, her eyes slowly closing. The pain from her body had reached its peak through her excessive movements and she unwillingly lost consciousness.

Isla awoke to find herself in a bed. Only feeling a dull pain in her body, but much more bearable then before. She looked around vigilantly, but saw Sila still unconscious in the bed next to her. Looking at her body covered in bandages she quickly got up from the bed and came to Sila's side.

The residual pain made her brows crease, but she raised her hand to check under Sila's nose. Feeling the weak breath, she let out a few muffled sobs, which had obviously caught the attention of the person outside.

Isla heard the footsteps outside the door and stared at the incoming person with vigilance.

The woman seemed to be aware of Isla's distrust and asked "How are you feeling? Oh by the way, my names Edrii. My companions and I found the two of you when we were collecting herbs and we brought you back to our village".

Isla saw the woman in front of her, but she felt a weird feeling from this woman. Not an unpleasant feeling, but just not like the feeling of anyone she has met before. However seeing as the woman had saved the two of them, and they were in her territory, she could only compromise by saying, " My name's Isla, this is my sister Sila. Thank you for saving us".