I was rushing through the forest, avoiding trees, but sotis running directly into them. Shrugging off the pain with my superhuman constitution. Carrying my unconscious brother on one shoulder, while holding my sword in front of with my other hand. Using it like a cane to feel my way forward.
Kicking myself for not apprehending a torch for myself, having given the rest away and not expecting that I'd need to navigate the forest alone. My mind had been growing increasingly hazy during the confrontation, and whatever was causing the other n to go mad was having so effect on .
Completely shut off from the sense of sight, I could only rely on the [navigation] ability to guide towards the town. Straining my ears for any movent around , and relying on touch to avoid obstacles to the best of my ability. Now regretting that we took a different path back through the forest than the way we entered, my greed exceeding my reason as I now waded through the darkness because of it. Struggling to find my way through an unfamiliar stretch of the forest.
Every ti I ran into a tree I slowed down unconsciously. Even with the desperation I was feeling, running blindly at full speed was an unnerving experience, but the rustling sounds behind us pushed to press forward.
"Any advice?" I begged the system.
"I'm afraid I'm useless here. I'm as blind as you are right now."
Hearing the rustling get nearer to , I felt fear rising up in my chest.
"Why the FUCK are they after ?" I scread at the system in my head.
I had fully expected them to go after the group in the forest.
"Well... whatever creatures these are, I would assu they're going after the group with fewer numbers. You saw how they peeled off your weaker mbers before. Maybe they think you are the easier prey."
My temper flaring again, but anxiety tamping down the flas of emotion.
Again regretting my decision to not steal back a torch before leaving... having already distributed the entire stash from my inventory. If I had, I would be able to invest so attribute points if things got too bad, but in the pitch black of the forest like this, there was no way for to see anything in my mirror. Feeling my way forward roughly, running into another tree, and having to grope around it while scrambling away from whatever was chasing .
I could hear rustling behind , but with how soft the moss-padded forest floor was, I struggled to hear much at all. Tripping on a root that caused to tumble forward, splaying out on the ground and dropping my brother. Trying to feel my way around as I tried to pick up where I was.
High pitched chatter echoed around , with shrill, grating voices. My gut sinking at the realization that I was completely surrounded.
Frozen in fear for a second before I recognized sothing almost human in their calls. They were... laughing?
Tightening my grip around my sword as I rose. Summoning a shield in my now free arm, while I stood guarding the spot where I dropped my brother.
I felt the urge to throw down my weapons, nauseated at the idea of holding onto them any longer. Rembering how the soldiers had acted previously, I suddenly understood why.
Trying to clear my head and ignore the compulsion as I strained my ears, trying to sense what was out there. I didn't know what these things were but it looked like I wasn't entirely at their rcy, seeming to having so sort of resistance as I wasn't offering myself up as a free al.
However I noticed the compulsion to surrender my weapons growing with my flaring emotions, fear especially seed to be bad. Forcibly calming myself to avoid a total collapse. Realizing how close I was getting to death.
The circle of voices chittering away in the dark, hungry and frustrated that their 'al' wasn't bending to their will.
"Still no advice for ?" I asked the System again hopefully.
"They always say knowledge is power... but to be honest I'm not sure that is the case here. I would guess these creatures have soul powers of so variety, and if that's true you're in a pretty tough spot regardless unless you've made so pretty significant investnts into charisma since we last talked... but that's not to say it's completely hopeless."
"Just hurry it up", I thought with annoyance. The system's circuitous nature not doing any favors in a pinch like this.
"Let's start out with the positives. First, soul powers get stronger based on proximity. These creatures are already fairly close by and yet you can still resist their influence, undoubtedly a good thing."
He paused for emphasis, using precious seconds that I didn't have.
"Second. These creatures haven't attacked yet, that indicates to that they aren't very powerful. A single human with armor and weapons is enough to scare them..." Pausing again.
"Now for the bad part. Like I said their powers grow more effective with proximity so they might be intimidated by seeing your resistance so far, but the more likely response for a magical beast would of course be to...
"Attack?" I finished his sentence for him.
As if right on cue, the monsters shrieked and skittered in the darkness towards .
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