Black And White

Lyrica sets off towards the center of the forest, where the Guardian Snake resides.

She had her guard up as she expected to encounter monsters on the way to the center of the forest. But strangely enough, Lyrica has yet to encounter nor get confronted by a monster.

Not only that, the cries of the monsters that were startled by the Guardian Snake's roar gradually become less audible. Until eventually, only the sound of her breathing and footsteps could be heard.

"I hate how quiet it has become."

"It's probably because the monsters ran far from the center of the forest, where the roar originated."

Rooooooaaarrr!!

Right then, the Guardian Snake let out another roar. This time, it was heard much clearer and louder, indicating that Lyrica is nearing the source.

As a chill ran down her spine, Lyrica halted and worriedly looks around her surroundings.

She hadn't encountered any monster ever since she went further into the forest, but she can't ignore the possibility that one or two may be hiding somewhere she can't see and attack her from a blind spot.

It took a while, but after carefully panning her eyes all around, Lyrica assumed that it is safe to go forward once more.

"The Guardian Snake should be right below the cliff in front of you." Said the voice.

"I know, be quiet!" Lyrica replied angrily in a monotone voice.

"It's not like anyone can hear me other than yo-"

"I said be quiet!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Soon after reprimanding the voice's stubbornness, Lyrica closes in on a rocky, forest cliff. At that moment, the voice of a man reverberates to her ears.

"Tayo na! Pagkakataon na natin para tumakas!" (TL: Let's go! It's our chance to escape!)

"Ha?!"

Lyrica crouched down as her face turned slightly to her left. There, she saw a group of people clad in white armor right below the cliff where she's peering at them.

Some appeared wounded with their armors showing cracks and blood spilling out of them. The others who seemed to have lost their consciousness are being dragged and carried by the rest.

From the looks of it, those people are a group of knights who are trying to retreat after a fierce battle. But, the voice noticed something strange.

"Those wounds... Those cuts, slashes, and the holes on their armors, they are too little."

No way it's the work of a giant reptile. Just who exactly are they trying to get away from? Ultimately, it doesn't matter to Lyrica. Instead, she is more intrigued by what she heard.

"Did I hear that right? That language... It's–"

Roooooaaaaarr!!

"Ack–!"

Before she could finish her sentence, the Guardian Snake has once again let out another cry. It was so loud, Lyrica felt like her ears had been ruptured.

"Lyrica, it's right down below!"

Shifting her gaze from the people on her left, Lyrica tries to crawl at the very edge of the cliff.

"Hindi! Pakiusap! Ayoko pa mamata–!" (TL: No! Please! I don't want to di–!)

"...!"

Lyrica froze in shock as the humongous head of the Guard Snake emerges right in front of her. At the same time, her charcoal eyes witnessed the final moments of a man wearing black armor who's pleading for his life right before he got swallowed alive by the ruler of the forest.

"Ama!!" (TL: Father!!)

"So they are the ones that disturbed the peace of the forest." The voice uttered. "What a pity, if only you all stayed out of the forest, no life would have been wasted. Anyway, Lyrica... Lyrica?"

"..."

"Lyrica? Hey!"

The girl's ears could not pick up the voice's calls. All she could hear was the voice of the man pleading for mercy right before his death.

He sounded more helpless and desperate the more the scene replays in Lyrica's head. But there's nothing the others can do, including his son, but to watch him get eaten by the Guardian Snake.

"Lyrica, you're shaking tremendously and you're sweating buckets! Pull yourself together! You need to calm down and hide!"

From the day her body collapsed due to overworking herself, Lyrica feared stirring up trouble.

But thanks to that experience, Lyrica learned not to do things without properly thinking and formulating the right course of action. Because of her fear, Lyrica learned not to be reckless, as well as keeping a calm mind in times of distress and conflict.

However, at that moment, Lyrica wasn't able to think. She is so nervous and frightened that she's sweating profusely at the same time her body trembles restlessly. She wasn't able to keep herself calm and composed, at all.

"Lyrica! Lyrica!!"

"Ah?!"

Lyrica gasped for air. Thanks to the voice who didn't give up on calling her, the girl is able to return to her senses. Lyrica hurriedly covered her mouth shut with both hands, preventing herself from making any sound that would get the Guardian Snake's attention.

Luckily, the cliff was formed like a ramp, and so she is well hidden from the snake's eye.

Lyrica puts her forehead against the cliff surface.

"Are you okay?" The voice worriedly asked.

"Yeah, kinda... Thank you..."

Though she said that, the voice can tell she's not in a good condition thanks to her heavy breathing. Not to mention, she's completely soaked in sweat and is trembling restlessly.

"That guy... He got eaten alive..."

"Yeah." The voice replied. "This is what happens when you disturb the forest. You will face the wrath of its ruler, the Guardian Snake's wrath."

Lyrica found herself on the verge of death once, but the voice prevented it from happening. And so, she wasn't able to find out what it's like to die. But then, after witnessing the death of the man as he got eaten by the Guardian Snake, Lyrica started wondering how and when she's going to meet the same fate.

No way she'll be able to avoid the inevitable for the second time, and that sends fear down to her core.

"Looks like they are the ones that enraged the Guardian Snake." Said Lyrica after recollecting herself. "That means your prediction is wrong."

"Yeah, luckily for us." The voice replied. "But for them, I don't think they'll be able to get out of this forest alive."

Meanwhile, the knights who are clad in black armor tries to keep the young knight from getting out of their grasp.

The young knight looks at the Guardian Snake who is also staring back at him with beastly, angry eyes.

Lyrica had the same thought as the voice. If only they stayed out of the forest, no lives would've been lost. That poor knight could have lived longer along with his son.

'And I'd be able to grind more EXP without trouble.'

The voice and the girl watch as the young knight manages to squeeze out of the group's hold and make a run for it.

"Ibalik mo ang Ama ko!" (TL: Bring back my Father!!"