007: Follow the river

A pungent smell mixed with sickening sweetness lingers on my nose. I slowly open my eyes and realize that I'm lying on the muddy ground. My back hurts, probably due to laying on the cold ground outdoor for days. Surrounding me were the rotten corpses of werewolves from the battle a few nights ago.

"Bluerghhhh"

I throw up on the ground next to me. If must have been a few days since that night. I look at myself and couldn't help but feels disgusted with how I look. Dry blood stains covered me from head to toe. I stand up, walk back to the cabin for a while before heading to the river for a bath.

My whole body was full of wounds and bites mark all over.

I head back to the cabin and take a few pairs of clothes from Luisea's closet. I put on a black gown and wear a pair of animal skin boots. I head to the kitchen and prepare myself warm vegetable stews and some bread. I head back to the bed and fall asleep until dawn.

I searched the entire village for anything valuable that I can take along. I found some round, flat silver and gold. I haven't figure out what it is for, but almost every cabin has them. So I just bring it along with me. I also took the flint and steel that Luisea has been using to make fire, Griff's sword, a small kitchen knife, a rope, salt, dry biscuits and dry bread, a blanket, a change of clothes and a bottle of ointment for external wounds. I put them inside a backpack that I found in one of the villager's house. With the sword tied to my waist, as soon as I feel the sun's burning above my head – I set up the whole village on fire.

I have no idea where I'm heading next, but staying at this cursed, haunted village won't do me any good. With a resolute heart, I started walking forward. The Foxy girl who walks away from this village today is no longer the same foolish girl who walks into the predator's den a few days ago.

***

"You're too weak, little Fox."

"…"

"You will not survive in this realm with that little strength of yours."

"Isn't this is your strength? I borrowed it from you."

"I only lend you a portion of my strength. Your current body now is not strong enough to withstand my enormous power."

"What will happen if I forced myself to accept it anyway?"

"You will die. The power within you is currently sealed. Like a dam, I can only provide a little power at a time. If it's too much, the dam will break and destroys everything in its sight. The first time I lend you my power, your body barely can tolerate it. As a result, you almost die and passed out for three days straight."

"Uhh… I don't want to die yet. Next time, do it in moderation."

"…"

"What should I do?"

"Train your physical body, mental strength and spiritual power."

"…Like, do more running and heavy lifting to strengthen my body? More Muay Thai and kickboxing?"

"That's one way to do it."

"Uhh… Where can I register for martial art class here?"

"…"

"How about mental strength and spiritual power?"

"You need to figure things on your own."

"…Fine… Hey, do you know where we are now? Do you know how to go home?"

"…"

"Talk to me, don't leave me alone!"

"I'll wake up when its time. Remember, train yourself and get strong."

'Whatever.'

***

I've been wandering in the forest for few days. I was hoping to meet with the traveling merchants, but I couldn't find their route on the vast forest. I've been walking in the forest for hours, only to realize that I end up at the same place over and over again. I must admit, my sense of direction is getting worse each day.

I walk during the day and sleep on the tree at night. I will tie myself so I won't fall down. It works well so far. I forage wild berries and fruits for survival – Gambling each time as to whether it's poisonous or not. One time, I eat a poisonous berries. My whole mouth went numb and my heart beats irregularly before I start throwing up and fainted. I learn how to set up a trap based on my memory from watching survival channel some time ago, but so far, I couldn't catch anything yet.

On the seventh day of wandering, I give up the idea of waiting for the traveling merchants. At least my survival skills are getting better. I can now spot which berries and fruits can be eaten, and which are poisonous. I even managed to catch a wild duck a few days ago. It was the best meat I ever eat in the fifteen days I was here.

'When you're lost in the woods, follow a river back to the civilization.'

My father's voice resounds in my head, bringing back the memory of that only time he took us to camp when I was seven.

'Follow the river.'

Thus, I decided to follow the river.

***

After spending more than two weeks in the wilderness, I finally master the art of guessing the time. I have been walking for a couple of hours, and nighttime will fall soon. I pick a spot nearby the river, and after carefully hiding my backpack on the branch of a tree, I take my sword and head deeper into the forest.

The inner forest was a lot denser with foliage. If I didn't manage to catch a wild animal, I will have to eat wild berries and fruits again for dinner. I was occupied with the thought of having to eat wild berries and fruits for three days in a row when a rustle coming from the bushes not far from me. I hold the sword in my hand, ready to attack anytime.

Suddenly, a hairy brown bear as tall as two feet leaped in front of me. I dodged to the side and drew my sword, thrusting several jabs at its neck. The brown bear growl in anger as it tries to break the sword on its neck. I hastily pull out the sword and start running as fast as I could before the brown bear realized I was gone.

'I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead! They say never run from a bear. What the hell am I supposed to do now??'

'Divine power inside my body, whoever you are, please lend me your strength. Please, please, please.'

The sound of the footsteps behind me is getting louder and louder as it huffed and puffed loudly in anger, storming towards me.

***

"So you're not selling your soul to the devil this time?"

"Shut up. Lend me your power."

"Huh, learn to be polite when you're asking for a favor."

"Please."

***

On the spur of the moment, that familiar power surge within me. My speed doubles as I ran as fast as possible heading to the riverside. The brown bear was clearly agitated and wanted to kill me, even though I managed to create a distance between the two of us, it still chasing relentlessly behind.

I puffed heavily as I reached the riverbank, waiting for the brown bear to appear. Before I managed to catch my breath, the brown bear appears again. It pounced immediately the moment it saw me, leaping toward my directions. I barely managed to dodge it, creating a distance between us by few feet apart.

Then, it dove towards me again with its sharp claws and fangs, ready to shred me apart. Its left paw lands on my shoulder, cutting deep into my flesh with its sharp claw. Ignoring the excruciating pain, I swing the sword and aim for its vital organ with both of my hands. It falls hard on the ground with a loud thud. Not giving it any chance to retort, I send another blow and aim for its throat.

I was standing within an arm distance from the brown bear when it swung its paw at me. My right arm was severely injured by its claw. I gasped in pain as I took a step backward before falling to my knees.

The brown bear was severely wounded, it howled in pain as it tries to get up. Using my last bit of strength, I stand up and hold the sword with both hands and charge towards the brown bear, sending a fatal blow aiming at its heart.

My eyes blurred and my body was on the verge of collapsing to the ground when I saw a hazy figure coming towards my direction.

My vision was getting darker and darker as the figure approached, and the next thing I know, I fainted on the ground.