Erlo (3)

Azra looked down at the haggard, mangy bull that seemed like it wanted to get rid of its one remaining horn by ramming it into the tree Azra was clinging to with all the strength he could muster.

The light of lunacy shone brightly in the bull's eyes, and despite its weak and emancipated appearance, the veins covering the bull's neck and shoulders throbbed with each step the bull took toward the tree.

Azra ignored the pain of the occasional thorn piercing into the skin on his chest and arms as he hugged the tree trunk and braced for impact.

The ground trembled as the bull charged. Azra felt the tremors all the way up the tree, but they were nothing compared to how much the tree shook when the bull collided with it. Azra was thankful for the thorns since, despite the pain of them digging and tearing at his skin, they helped him cling to the tree.

However, Azra wasn't sure how much longer he or the tree would be able to last. He had climbed up the thickest tree he could find on such short notice, but it still wasn't enough to withstand the repeated charges of a bull suffering from the effects of the Rage Powder.

The only respite was that the bull's horn got stuck in the trunk, and until it got free again, Azra had time to heal and prepare for the next charge. But there was no way Azra would be able to last as long as a bull that wouldn't stop until it found something else to chase after or until it died.

There wasn't anything Azra could do by himself, so he looked around to try and find Lo. At the same time as the bull freed its horn, Azra caught sight of Lo sneaking around, behind the bull, with a dagger in hand.

Azra didn't know how strong the bull or Lo was, but he was pretty sure that the bull had the advantage in pure physical strength, and if Lo made a mistake, the bull would skewer him with its horn.

At least Lo was smart enough to stand in the opposite direction of the wind so that the bull didn't smell him.

Azra tried to catch Lo's attention to try and signal him the plan he came up with so that they could coordinate their efforts. But Lo was so focused on the bull that he didn't notice Azra's movements until Azra shout-whispered his name.

Azra worried that the bull would notice something was up if he raised his voice, but it seemed like it would be fine, even if Azra talked and explained his plan to Lo. However, he signaled Lo to be silent in case the bull reacted to a sound from anywhere other than its target up in the tree.

Azra was beginning to grow fond of Lo. Despite being about the same age as Kyle, he showed incredible wit as he understood Azra's panicked one-handed signaling. Azra saw some hope about his plan succeeding thanks to that, and he braced himself for the bull's second charge and what he hoped would be the last.

The bull rammed into the tree, and Azra hugged the tree as tightly as he could, despite the thorns once again digging into him through his robes.

When the tree stopped shaking enough for Azra to relax, he looked down, expecting to see the bull stuck in the tree again since that was what his plan hinged on in order to succeed.

However, when he looked down, he only saw a broken horn lodged into the trunk and the bull shaking its head while once again stepping back and preparing another charge.

Azra only had a few seconds to come up with a new plan before the bull charged again. Even if he could last another collision, he wasn't sure that the tree could since it had made an ominous cracking sound during the bull's last charge.

Azra used one second to revise his plan and come up with what he and Lo had to do. Another second to motion Lo to creep closer to the tree. And three seconds to scamper down the tree. Azra stopped less than a meter above the place the bull had already rammed twice. He could only hope that the bull, with its one-track mind, wouldn't notice him and try to jump at him while he waited the last two seconds for the bull to charge.

Azra used the second to last half a second before the bull's impact to confirm Lo's location. He was thankful for Lo's quick thinking and understanding, and he grasped the kitchen knife in his hand tightly while he loosened his other hand's grip on the tree.

Azra faced the trunk while standing on two thorns large enough to hold his weight. When he let go of the branch with his hand, he simultaneously pushed himself away from the tree with his feet. Azra jumped backward a couple of decimeters. He grabbed the knife with both hands in mid-air and held it above his head while he plunged toward the bull that rammed the tree the instant after Azra jumped.

Azra hoped the cracking sound was from the tree and not from his buttocks that landed on the bull's bony shoulders. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to check since he was busy pulling the kitchen knife out of the bull's neck so he could stab it again.

The bull noticed Azra sitting on his shoulders and the pain springing up in its neck, and it immediately began thrashing. When the bull first bucked, it almost instantly threw Azra off it, but Azra reacted quickly, and almost out of instinct due to his tree-hugging, and bent down to hold onto the bull's neck. The bull's trashing and rampaging caused Azra's head to knock against the bull several times.

But despite the dizziness assaulting his head, Azra persevered as he tried to drag his knife against the bull's neck, throbbing with veins. If he could get one good cut in, that was all he would need to bring down the bull.

However, the bull's tossing around made Azra lose his grip on the knife, and it flew away and landed on the ground somewhere among the bushes.

The only solace Azra had were the glimpses of Lo he could see from on top of the bull.

Azra hoped that Lo would find an opening soon. His arms and legs were sore and tired. His head was thumping, and his vision was blurring. Azra felt his grip around the bull's neck slowly begin to loosen.

Running his divine power through his body helped him last a few more seconds, but his body was too tired.

His tired mind came up with one last-ditch attempt to survive.

Azra tried to time the bull's bucking to the moment he released his grip so that he would fly as far away as possible and out of reach for the bull's stomping hooves.

It wasn't as successful as Azra would have liked, but there was nothing he could do about it. Azra watched through his darkening vision how Lo used the bull's momentary surprise to spring forth out of a nearby bush and stab his dagger in its neck.

Azra didn't know how much time had passed since he lost consciousness, but it couldn't have been long since he saw Lo still fighting the bull. Though, calling it a fight would be a little much since Lo was pushing himself just to survive and dodge the bull's attacks.

The pain Azra felt as he rose was far less than he expected. While knocked out cold, his mana automatically healed him. It was an important discovery, but he didn't do more than acknowledge the fact that his divine power had cleared away the bruises on his body and repaired his broken ribs. He still had a Lo to save, after all.

After confirming the state of his body, Azra turned to the ongoing fight just in time to see Lo be one moment too slow while getting out of the way. The bull's head nudged against Lo's outstretched forearm, snapping it.

Lo tumbled to the ground in pain. He tried to scramble away and stand up so he could dodge the bull's attacks. But if he wasn't a match for the bull while on two feet, he wouldn't be able to escape the stomping of its hooves while on his haunches and cradling a broken arm.

Azra dashed forward, aiming for the dagger lodged in the bull's throat. It was both the most effective way to attack the bull, and it would also divert the bull's attention toward Azra.

However, Azra didn't know if he was going to make it before the bull managed to stomp Lo in a place Azra wouldn't be able to heal.

Azra saw the desperation in Lo's eyes and thought that maybe he shouldn't have aimed so far away. If Lo died, Azra wouldn't have a way to bring down the bull. And if Azra couldn't take down the bull, he would die.

Azra ignored the pain of his still-aching limbs as he pushed himself to move faster. He began shouting to distract the bull before it finished Lo. Lo was also in a perfect position to sit up and pull out the dagger if the bull turned its attention toward Azra.

However, the bull was dead set on the scrambling Lo on the ground.