Chương 409: The Beast Within

(Vale POV) Vale and the others tore through the forest as fast as they could. Eskar was gone, but there was no time to worry about him. He had said he could handle himself, and Vale trusted him. Right now, their own lives were at risk. They were close to the domain, only a few kilometres away, maybe even less. Vale looked back, and his face grew serious. Korin looked terrible. His steps had slowed, his breathing was rough, and his head hung low. His eyes were barely open, and his body twitched every few seconds.

It looked like something inside him was trying to break free. They had to hurry.

"Come on! We need to go faster!" Vale pushed himself harder. His legs burned, and every breath hurt. Even with all his strength, he could barely keep a speed of fifty kilometres per hour. That was far too fast for a normal person, but right now it felt slow. They were close, yet every second felt like it was taking too long.

"We're close!" Nym shouted ahead.

"Another kilometer! Maybe less!" Vale nodded and kept running.

"Good! We can make it!" The forest drake ran beside them with her young close to her side. Somehow, she had little trouble keeping up. She looked tired, but her pace stayed steady. Vale almost laughed when he saw how well she was doing. Of course she can keep up. He jumped over a fallen branch and ducked under another without slowing down. His breathing was harsh, and his heart pounded in his chest, but he kept moving. They were almost there, and that was all that mattered.

"Are we almost there?!" Nova shouted from the drake's back. She was barely holding on as the beast ran through the trees.

"Yeah!" Vale shouted back.

"Another minute! Just hold on!" He pushed forward again. Then the bushes ahead started to shake. Vale narrowed his eyes as two huge, dog-like beasts burst from the trees.

"Goddamn dogs!" His blades were already in his hands. One of the beasts jumped at him. Vale dropped low and slid under it, bringing his blade up as he passed. The blade cut through its stomach and chest, killing it in an instant. The beast crashed to the ground behind him. At the same time, Nym dealt with the other. Her weapon flashed once and cut the beast in half. Neither of them slowed. Neither put their weapons away. Nym kept watching the forest around them as they ran.

"There will be more," she warned.

"These things don't hunt alone." Vale clicked his tongue.

"Then we'll cut them down as they come. We can't stop now." He looked back at Shade. The shadow was almost carrying Korin now. The giant leaned heavily against him, barely able to keep his feet moving. His eyes were almost closed, and his body looked caught between sleep and something worse. His lips moved as he walked, and Vale could barely hear him. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Still, he knew what Korin was saying.

"I'll tear them apart." Vale's face hardened. Korin was going to break. It could happen at any moment. Then every bush around them suddenly burst apart. More beasts rushed from the trees. Dozens of them poured into the path, snapping their jaws as they surrounded the group. Some charged Vale and Nym, while others went after the drake. Several rushed straight toward Korin.

"Shade!" Vale shouted.

"Protect Korin!" Shade gave a quick nod. His greatsword appeared in his hands, and he swung with all his strength. The blade cut one beast in half, but the others moved around it and kept coming. Shade swung again and again, but the beasts were too quick. They kept slipping past his attacks and getting closer to Korin. Shade finally lost his patience. He threw the greatsword. It spun through the air and crushed one of the beasts beneath it. The creature disappeared under the heavy blow.

Shade couldn't call the sword back yet, though. He had only summoned it moments ago, leaving him without a weapon for a few seconds. Vale had no time to think about it. He rushed into the pack. His blades flashed as he dodged and struck. One beast snapped at him, but he moved aside and cut its throat. Another rushed from the side and lost its head. Vale kept moving, cutting down five beasts before they could surround him. Nym fought just as fast. She cut down four before the pack changed its attack.

The forest drake was even more brutal. Six beasts fell beneath her claws and jaws. Most had made the mistake of getting too close to her young. Vale looked around. The pack was still coming, and several more beasts were chasing Shade and Korin. He made his choice.

"Keep going," Vale said as he stopped.

"I'll handle these." Shade looked back at him. For a moment, he seemed unsure. Then he continued forward with Korin. Vale took a slow breath. For the first time in what felt like hours, he wasn't running. His legs still burned, but the short break felt good. Then three more beasts stepped out from between the trees. Each one was huge, about as tall as a grown man. Their bodies were thick with muscle, and their jaws were large enough to tear a person apart with one bite. Vale tightened his grip.

Their size didn't matter. His blade could still cut them. The first beast charged with its jaws wide open. Vale stepped aside and drove his blade into its mouth. The sword cut through its skull and body in one clean strike. The beast fell behind him as Vale turned toward the next. The second attacked from below. Vale looked down as his metal arm shot forward and caught it by the throat. His fingers tightened around its neck. He grabbed its tongue and ripped it free.

Blood poured from the beast's mouth as it stumbled back and fell. The third beast jumped at him. Vale changed his grip and stepped forward, driving his blade straight through its skull. The beast hit the ground with a heavy thud. Vale pulled his blade free and looked at the bodies for only a moment.

"I need to get back." He turned and ran. His legs were already worn out, but he forced them forward. Something was wrong. He could feel it. The fear that had been in the back of his mind since he left Korin was now getting stronger.

'Please don't.' Vale pushed himself harder. Then he saw them. His pace slowed. They had stopped. They hadn't reached the domain. Vale's heart sank.

"No…" He sprinted toward them, but what he saw made him slow again. Shade hung completely still. Korin was holding him. No. He wasn't holding him. He was gripping him. Vale's eyes flickered.

"Korin?" The giant slowly turned toward him. Something was wrong with his eyes. His face was wrong too. Even the way he stood felt wrong. This wasn't Korin anymore. Whatever had taken control of him was looking straight at Vale, while Shade hung limp from his hand. A twisted smile spread across his face. He lifted Shade's body with a strange, almost childish joy. Then his hand tightened. Crack. Shade's neck snapped. His body went limp. Vale froze.

The creature dropped him to the ground without looking away from Vale. Its smile grew wider, and its voice was full of joy and hunger.

"More meat!" Vale tightened his grip on his blade. The creature suddenly lunged. Its huge body blurred as it rushed toward him.

"Let me taste your blood, friend!"