We were deep in the forest full of monsters and we still had a long way to go.
Moreover, we wasted more time than we should have, this meant that nightfall was bound to meet us in the forest at the pace we were moving.
Which was why we moved even faster than before, running at a pace I knew that Kern and Moey struggled to keep up with.
"A little more and we'll be out of the forest…" I yelled out from behind them, holding ok to the information Kern had given me like a life line, since although I wasn't that tired, see the three people in front of me on the verge of stumbling the ground was heartbreaking.
Only to sigh when the only response I heard was their heaving breaths, one that showed how much they struggled to keep the pace they ran in.
'They obviously need more mana…'
But it wasn't like we could all suddenly stop for me to redistribute it which was why I simply opened my mouth to encourage each of them again.
"We're almost there…Once we make it we'll…" I began to slowly say only to suddenly hear a loud grating roar from behind me about fifty paces away, not far enough for me to feel comfortable about my safety.
From merely the sound the beast made it was obvious that it's size alone, wasn't a joke.
"Definately one of those huge cold beasts…"
Looking ahead it was obvious that Nami,Kern and Moey didn't need any additional words of motivation as the loud roars and subtle shaking of the ground was enough motivation for every one of them to increase their pace.
I too had no intention of remaining behind, shocked to feel that whatever was behind us was slowly but surely catching up.
'one look…' curious enough to turn my head to the back as I ran forward only for my jaw to drop open when I saw the beast running towards us.
It was bigger than any I had ever seen, with a long horizontal body, and four legs that raced faster than the two attached to my body ever could.
"Awuuu…" It growled lifting its face up to the air and brandishing two rows of teeth, and a mouth that could fit me and Nami in at the same time.
Calculations were made in seconds, and the moment I came to the conclusion that at the pace we were going the beast was bound to catch up, I instantly activated the use of more of my mana channelling it to my legs right before I raced forward and grabbed Nami.
After her was Moey whom I grabbed and hostled on my other shoulder before going ahead to pull Kern along.
At that point, I didn't really care if anyone of of them got hurt as all I cared about was ensuring that all four of us safely got the other side.
"GrAAAA…." Louder growls came from behind just as I increased my pace.
'why are you chasing us? I swear…we're not even that tasty,'
For a dark moment, I considerd abandoning one of them to relieve the load I felt, knowing that if it came to it, I had no family related feelings to give.
To justify it, I felt it was better for one person to die than all four of us which I was sure Caen the former owner of my body wouldn't want.
I picked up my pace and finally, I could clearly see the boundary of the forest we had to get too.
Because of that slacking for a second didn't even cross my mind as I bulldozed my entire body right towards it.
But just as I was about to get there, I suddenly felt a stream of hot air across my neck one that sent shivers down my back, as I realized how close I was the boundary of death.
Just when I was sure that a part of me would be chopped up, the next second I heard a loud sound behind, turning around to see the beast come to a sudden stop, right after it collided with a silvery barrier.
It's red beady eyes on me as it continuously snapped it's teeth over and over again like that would make any difference to the barrier, which gleamed blue in such a way that instantly put my mind at ease.
"I actually thought there would be a gate or something…' I said out loud, dropping every burden I held in my hand as I tried to catch my breath.
"There's a gate but since we had to take a different path through the forest, we'll still have to go around," Nami responded, as I watched her fetch water from the bags we had with us and hand it over to Kern and Moey in that order, seeing as how Kern especially looked like he needed it more.
Too Curious for my own good…I walked closer to the huge beast who continued to glare and snap at us in the other side, closing the gap between us until I could almost touch it.
"Be careful…" Moey warning in a voice dripping with concern.
"I wouldn't put too much trust in that barrier…brother Caen," Nami also spoke up, turning around to see her take a single step forward before stopping.
Kern on the other hand simply shook his head even as he continued guzzling the water in his hand, too busy to spare me more than a glance with a look that said "If that barrier breaks, we're all gonna die anyways," on his face.
"What kind of beast is this?" I asked realizing the more I stared at it that it looked too big to actually be a cold beast, especially since the size and speed alone wasn't something I knew I could ever fight against with my current grasp of mana.
"Isn't it obvious? It's a teething Beasts," hearing Moey's voice from behind right before I felt someone grab my hand and pull me back with a slight sense of urgency as she tugged heavily on my robe.
"We should leave. We still have a long way to go,"
Snapping out of it, I nodded in agreement and a few moments later we were all ready to completely leave the edge of the forest and make it into City Raghu: A place where all my dreams of wealth and power was sure go begin.
"I just have to make it into the sect and show them what I'm made of," I thought with the four of us slowly walked forward towards the gate of the city.