Attack in the Forest

The night was so quiet. Clare strolled around the park near the base alone enjoying the evening. For these few days, there was no news regarding Vrochis. Her job was just practice and it was tiring. Inside the dorm it was never quiet, there was a constant commotion whether Jules was fighting with Louis or Zoya being nosy at someone else. It's true that Clare sometimes joins in, but she can't keep following along. Just now she received a call from Marine and Clark who were worried about her, hearing Clare's voice they were already relieved.

Clare was walking around the Pine forest in silence, playing with her cellphone idly until a few moments later someone called her. Gavin called him. Clare picked up the phone and immediately heard Gavin's signature voice.

"Clare, how are you?"

"It's good, I always hear my friends chatter every day." Clare once told Gavin that she lived in the dorm with her friends, but didn't say anything about her seniors.

"I'm feeling restless, how about we meet tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Clare's expression turned sour. "Gavin, I've been busy lately. In fact, I can only talk to my parents on the phone. They're so tight, I can't do anything about it."

"You've worked hard."

Clare sighed. He had been tired for the past few days. Living in this dorm is more tiring than the academy. She really wanted to go back to school, unfortunately she could only return next month. At the academy, she could be with Thumbelina. Clare had indeed brought Chasper here, but at this moment Chasper was playing with Zoya and was reluctant to come out. Not even going to the vampire world yet.

"Alright, see you next month."

Clare nods while saying "yeah."

Suddenly Clare felt something. Something that came made her wary considering she was in the forest, anyone could come, monsters were no exception, spontaneously turning back in surprise. Seeing that the figure that came wasn't anything dangerous, Clare heaved a sigh of relief. Apparently there was Luke.

"Clare, what happened?" Gavin was curious. He heard Clare's shock over the phone.

Clare brought the phone back to her ear. "It is nothing." Then Clare thought of Jules who was still in torment until now, she gave a wicked smile before speaking. "I thought it was a tiger or something, but it's just a mouse sneaking around."

"You equate me with a mouse?" Luke objected. Clare laughed quietly.

Luke's voice reached Gavin's ears. Of course he immediately realized that it was Luke's voice, Luke was with Clare. Gavin sighed feeling that his guess all along. "Clare, I have something to take care of. I hung up the phone."

They hung up and Clare gave Luke a demanding look. "Why? You came as silent as a mouse."

"Looks like you're avenging your friend."

"You locked the sentence. I can't bear to see Jules tormented like that for days on end." Clare protested.

"It was because there was something she didn't deserve to say."

"At least don't be too hard on her. Every day Jules always tries, don't make her efforts in vain."

Luke paused for a moment and shook his head slowly. "I can't."

"Why? You don't understand. Jules, Blaire and Zoya are best friends and sisters. You heartless person how could you possibly understand." Her words were exactly like Jules at that time. As if Luke was the worst person in the world.

Luke remained as flat as ever as if untouched by Clare's words. "You're even as heartless." Luke stepped right in front of Clare.

Clare stayed where she was. There is no fear in her dictionary for her fellow humans, unless she encounters a monster. Since finishing refining, her mentality is much stronger and more heartless. Luke noticed it, that's why he said that Clare was heartless too.

If in the past Clare could easily be caught by anyone's gaze, especially a handsome man, now Clare is no longer. Her heart was frozen and solid. She remained calm despite having to face Luke at close range, without her heart having to jump or stutter. Her gaze fixed on Luke's eyes as casually as ever. She's not the Clare she used to be!

Clare smiled lightly. "What are you doing here?" Clare asked.

For a moment Luke just remembered. His expression became more serious then his ears heard a voice. The rustling sound he was chasing. Only Clare didn't hear it.

"Go back to the dorms." His tone was low, not firm which meant it wasn't forced. Luke had recognized Clare's abilities, even her mentality wasn't what it used to be.

Clare frowned. "Why?"

Luke looked to the side, right at the sound. The voice was also heard by Clare, she immediately turned to the same direction. Clare felt something approaching, whether it was Vrochis or not she didn't know. Only, during this training her sensitivity to attacks increased. She felt something approaching.

Just as Clare was about to ask, Luke grabbed Clare's arm and pulled her running. They ran, Clare could clearly sense someone was chasing her. There was no rain, but only the night breeze. Vrochis can freely go out at night and come out during the day if it rains. Having this chase, is that Vrochis? Really Vrochis? How did that creature get to the Neuvrost base area?

The two of them stopped running in a clearing. The reason they ran, they couldn't fight in a place that was crushed by a big tree like earlier. They both put on alert positions with their respective weapons. Luckily Clare brought her sword as she just finished training karena. Their minds were focused on the sound of heavy footsteps rapidly coming their way.

There was nothing Clare could rely on other than her sword. Even Clare can't use her powers, somehow it can happen, her powers seem to be sealed and just relying on the skills she just trained. This is not fair! How did this happen?

Luke saw a panicked Clare standing right next to her. "What is it?"

"My power, I can't use it." Clare's face paled. She could only fight Vrochis well just because of her strength, but her power had been lost somehow.

"Calm down. If you panic, it will only make him happy." Luke suggested in a low tone and Clare just nodded slowly.

Shortly after they spoke, a half-lizard lycan figure emerged from the shady forest. He groaned loudly and looked alternately at Luke and Clare with piercing eyes. His eyes have half recovered and he can see the two creatures though not clearly, but he knows their scent. He looked at the two of them angrily, then his gaze was on Clare, his orange eyes sharpened and full of killing intent. He looks angry for some reason, even Clare doesn't know what happened to him.

Suddenly a faint voice Clare. Just as Clare was about to call her friends, the voice blocking her made her head hurt. The indistinct voice that was a whisper that was the same last time she heard as an illusion, was now so real that Clare's head felt like it was going to explode. Clare groaned in pain holding her head, Luke immediately gripped his arm using his strength to block Vrochis' influence.

It didn't take long, Clare started to calm down again, her head no longer hurt and a warm feeling enveloped her, That warm atmosphere was Luke's power that enveloped her while Luke prepared with Vrochis' attack.

Luke took a few steps forward. Vrochis furiously ran with wide strides, his fat black body letting out a forked web of webs towards them. The net tied Clare and sent her flying while Luke dodged it then shot out with a gun. A long and black sword, he had never pulled out before then slashed at Vrochis, it was so sharp that it cut the net that was released, only Vrochis dodged. Clare fell and Luke's protection was broken by the net. Clare pulled out her sword then darted against Vrochis.

Vrochis' target was only Clare, so he thought Luke was a big obstacle. He remembered Luke had protected Clare before, he had held a grudge against Luke who always thwarted his plans. Now, he didn't want Luke to repeat it and attacked Luke first.

Vrochis dodged Clare's attack and chased after Luke, he already considered Clare as his replacement body, so he wouldn't hurt Clare badly. Feeling that Clare was always getting in his way, he unleashed an attack on Clare. He just kicked Clare away like she was just a weed to get through. Clare didn't fall, she just backed away and jumped wildly, her gaze fixed on Vrochis who was chasing Luke.

Vrochis continues to attack Luke. Luke was able to easily dodge his attacks then with a single blink of an eye, Vrochis' power was reduced. Luke took the opportunity, drew his sword then hit Vrochis so hard it hit a tree and the tree fell. Unfortunately Luke's sword is not enough to make Vrochis disabled, because of the thick skin of Vrochis. That time Clare attacked his eyes, so it was easy and coincidentally hit the mark. As for Luke this time, his target was protected by the thick black skin.

Vrochis groaned in anger then felt there was no point in getting rid of Luke. His gaze turned to Clare and wanted to quickly solve the main problem. He rose to his feet as Luke and Clare met again and stood side by side watching Vrochis who didn't give up. Vrochis' gaze remained on Clare questioningly, even Clare could sense that Vrochis was in confusion. But Clare didn't mind it, she just wanted to survive this attack.

The two of them again attacked Vrochis. So strong, Vrochis threw them both hard to separate. Vrochis targets Clare, Luke immediately blocks it and attacks him. Vrochis' power is getting weaker against Luke who can't be affected by any abilities, only natural attacks. As for Clare, she felt her body shattered after hitting a tree, even the tree almost fell from the force. Her chest ached, as did her bump on her hip.

If only Clare could use her abilities, it's just that for some unknown reason she couldn't. She pressed under the ear where the communication device was and contacted her friends while Luke blocked Vrochis' attack. Clare's breath was panting, her body ached so much that even standing was difficult, her body was still too weak to fight against monsters, let alone lost her controllability.

Communication tools are connected. Currently his friends are in the dorm watching tv leisurely while their three seniors are in their respective rooms.

"1 more episode please." Zoya pleads.

"You've watched 5 episodes, haven't you agreed? Change!" Jules didn't want to lose and grabbed the remote in Zoya's hand.

Instantly their faces became serious when the communication device was connected. They looked at each other and began to worry about Clare's condition out there.

"Clare? What's wrong?" Blaire replied.

Out of breath, Clare explained to them that Vrochis attacked them in the forest. Spontaneously made people in the dormitory surprised and immediately gathered in the living room for a few seconds. Clare's voice sounded sad, it could be concluded that Clare was injured making them all worried. Moreover, Clare is one of the smallest.

"Where is the location? We will come."

"I don't know, we were running aimlessly. You can see where we are on tablet in my bedroom desk drawer." Clare explained.

Zoya immediately darted towards Claire's room and took her tablet. She showed their positions from the tablet screen to friends and seniors at the same time. This is the only hope.

"Clare, hang on. We'll come as soon as possible," said Louis then left with the others after picking up their belongings.

Clare still couldn't stand up. She was just watching the battle between Vrochis and Luke which looked fierce.

Luke's strength is indeed not playful, he managed to block Vrochis' attack, but couldn't kill him directly or injure him. Clare feels helpless, she feels useless when her friends need help. When Vrochis launches an attack, it misses Clare. Clare quickly rolled over, but unfortunately she sprained her leg, causing her to groan in pain and she was hit by a Vrochis attack that caused the tree to collapse. Clare saw the big tree fall right above her, slowly getting closer, Clare couldn't do anything as her body froze plus pain all over her body that didn't recover. Only one thing on Clare's mind right now, the end.