CHAPTER 3

The next morning, we all gathered up at the dock next to a stiffy yet well-designed boat which was going to be our so-called mode of transportation.

Carla stared at it in disconsolation.

“Why does it have to be boats?” groaned horrified Carla.

“You will be fine. Trust me,” smirked Bruno.

“You know I suffer from motion sickness and still you guys booked a boat!”

“Seriously girl, chill out, this is the only possible way to reach the Forest.”

“Yeah, it’s just a matter of two hours, no need to worry,” I said with a consoling expression.

“Ok if you guys insist.”

It was quite a bumpy journey, the rocks and an unexpected rain shower were to be blamed, and to top it all off, Carla threw up halfway to the destination and passed out on Kaleb who was certainly not happy letting her sleep on his lap.

“Get her off me right this instant!” whimpered Kaleb.

“Dude, letting her sleep on your lap is better than her throwing up on you again.”

“For the first time in my life, we meet on the same lines.”

“You know I am always right.” vaunted Bruno.

“Whatever...”

We finally reached our destination. The Dread Forest. Tying up our boat out of eyesight, we hustled out on our venture carrying an intrepid attitude. Our team of misfits did have a knack for trouble because as soon as we entered the forest, everything went haywire.

A big and vile-looking monster sniffed us up and headed in this direction looking for a full five-course meal for itself. It was red with decayed yellow teeth and smelled like raw fish and rotten eggs, huge and bulky.

“Watch out!” screamed Carla summoning gushes of water from the ocean forming a dragon-like shape smacking the monster repeatedly leaving it with pretty nasty deep scars. The blood oozing out from its arms and legs was a sore sight. Who knew mere water could do that to a monster like that! I and Bruno had our swords ready and lashed out at the monster cutting off all its limbs. The final blow was credited to Kaleb who shot him between his eyes with a pistol.

“Well, that was a good start, '' Kaleb commented with his usual cheekiness. His utterance welcomed shrugs from me.

“Hope we don’t meet anymore Forest hosts..”

We had been prowling around for 50kms and didn’t find anything. Exhaustion and irritation rested on our faces due to no success and we came to a decision: camp out. Along with our drowning energy and fading enthusiasm, the sun was also set by the horizon which made us call it a night and we began searching for a shelter.

After stumbling upon a cave, we decided to lodge there for the night. Bruno sparked fire using tree bark and a lighter. We finally settled for some canned beans and peaches.

***

For the next five hours, Carla and Kaleb were guarding the campsite while Bruno and I slept soundly. The mantle of the group fell upon Carla being the eldest which she accepted gladly. Seeing this leadership in her, Kaleb's conscience urged him to help her out.

“What do you think she will do after she finds the Grimoire?” asked Kaleb.

“Well, she would find her brother Charles’s killer and obliterate them.”

“Oh, she had a brother too?”

“Yes, but she doesn't like talking about that part of her life. She confided in me once long back.”

“But how did he die?”

“Well, it’s not my secret to tell...”

“Now, let’s wake those two idiots up and finally get our turn to sleep,” said Kaleb, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

***

Just after ten minutes of guarding the cave, Bruno and I encountered ten to sixteen hungry-looking wolves. Hurriedly waking the other two up and warning them about the upcoming threat we prepared for yet another battle.

“Two or three wolves would have been fine but we are dealing with about sixteen here.” cried Kaleb.

“If we manage to control four wolves each, I am sure the ball will be in our court!” said Carla.

“Aim at their nape guys!” Being a werewolf myself, I sure knew my weaknesses.

We went out of the cave ready to fight. The cave was surrounded by the wolves in such a way that there was no chance to escape. I threw my dagger which spellbindingly split into four daggers slashing the wolves.

Kaleb ran towards a big rock and took his position behind it to kill the four deadly wolves in five-minute intervals. Bruno and Carla were on a killing spree, eliminating the wolves, assisted by their swords and acid water.

It was dawn by the time all wolves were finally dead leaving some minor scars on the valorous fighters. Tired from the battle, all of us took a small meal and decided to set out ahead; the war still reigned upon us…

Ahead lay, a bed of bushes and wild grass making the path uncomfortably narrow.

“Susine, you’ve got so many cuts on your arms!” shouted Carla.

“I hope those plants were not poisonous,” said Bruno.

“Maybe it will heal after some time, I am a werewolf after all and we heal easily,” I assured them.

While we were trying to find a way through the wild grass, we came across a beautiful river which was illuminated silver by the moonlight. It was truly picturesque.

“Damn, is that holy water! ” I said, with a surprised look on my face.

The other three washed while I was wondering what my mind was missing about this mysterious river. All of Carla and Bruno’s wounds from the previous fight vanished just after coming in contact with the river’s water.

“Oh! I remember this river heals people!”I exclaimed, descending in the water to heal my cuts and bruises.

“Maybe we could take a few drops of this water for the journey ahead,” suggested Carla.

We took three vials of water from the river and continued to find our way.

Walking, walking, and walking all day, our legs gave out. Deciding to rest for a bit we found a clearing with a small lake. While refilling our bottles a sudden gust of wind blew our way increasing its intensity by the second. It was wind magic. Nowhere to hold on to, it threw us off the ground. We were separated.