The Soul Keeper Chapter 17: Following Their Tracks

Chapter 17: Following Their Tracks

I caught the feather as the wind blew it past . It was soft, it looked beautiful and elegant. I knew one person who had feathers like this. Had Delthur returned here yesterday? But... why would he do that? And how would he have gotten past the protection of the crystal?

With nurous questions in my mind, I stared at the feather. I took several deep breaths to calm myself down – panicking was the worst thing I could do right now. I glanced at the tracks. I knew for a fact that at least so of them had survived and left. All I had to do was follow the tracks and I'd find them.

Before I set off, I packed what little food was left in the box and placed it in my inventory, along with Delthur's feather. Using Fallen Grace, I ran after them, only stopping ever so often to check their tracks. They had clearly left in the middle of the night; the tracks had already started getting old.

I had to force myself to rember everything grandfather taught about tracking prey. I would have never guessed his teachings would co in handy in a virtual world of all places. I smiled as mories flashed before my eyes; his lessons were always fun. Unlike Mother, he always wanted to have fun. He was always supportive, no matter what.

A loud screech disrupted my thoughts. I quickly turned to face the source of the noise, staff in hand. Sothing passed by . Then, sothing else. Many small rodents, birds, even felines and other creatures passed by in a rush. I froze in place, if these creatures were running, then...

I heard a loud thud. Then, another. I felt sothing in the back of my mind – a tingling sensation. Before I could make any sense of it, a loud and very close roar echoed. It ca from the east, where the tracks lead. I hesitated, if I turned back now, I would lose the tracks. I would lose my only way of finding Erik and the others.

I gulped and gathered my courage. I had been training for as long as I could rember. I had to be able to beat this thing, whatever it was. I couldn't let this chance slip away. Fighting was the only thing I was good at; the only reason I even lead the life I did.

Yet, as I stepped out of the woods telling myself all that, there was still plenty of hesitation in my heart. I passed through the last of the bushes to face the creature blocking my path.

It was large. Huge, even. It had grey fur and the body and head of a lion with a pair of dangerous looking horns and a very fluffy mane. Its bright green eyes focused on as I imdiately regretted my decision.

I was about the size of its paw. It stepped towards . I felt the ground shake as its paw touched the ground. It opened its mouth. The sight of those razor-sharp teeth sent chills down my spine. I stood no chance against this monster. Still, I had to try. I grasped my staff as I used both Fallen Grace and Death's Scythe.

A pale, grey light shone from my staff montarily. I could only hope this ant the skill worked. With hesitant, shaky steps, I inched closer to the monster. It reared its head and roared. I felt my whole body shake with that roar.

Before I could even think of a way to get past it, it pounced on . The sight of a giant, horned lion jumping high up in the air might have been comical if I wasn't its target. Seeing as how I could get crushed like an ant, I leapt to the side and sprinted out of its way. Monts later, it hit the ground behind and the shockwave from that sent flying.

As soon as I hit the ground, I rolled to the side and barely avoided another paw strike. It roared again, it seed slightly annoyed. Or perhaps it was having fun, I wasn't sure, and I didn't have ti to think about it as it tried to bite . As those giant, razor-sharp teeth snapped only inches away from , I threw myself aside.

It was fast, it was strong. It was everything I was not. I couldn't keep up; I could already feel the effects of Fallen Grace wearing off. I could only evade it for so long before I lost the extra speed and strength the skill gave . I had to do sothing before that happened.

I ducked under the next paw strike and ran between its legs. It seed slightly confused as it scrambled to find . Taking care to not get stepped on, I swung my staff to hit the back of its front leg. I didn't expect it to die from sothing like this or anything, but maybe I could hurt it enough to just run past it.

My staff hit the lower part of its right leg and... bounced off. Loosing my balance because of the rebound, I fell on my back. Before I even had the chance to get up or move a little, it finally spotted . I didn't have the ti to evade its paw. I scread as I felt the weight of it crush my body. Its claws dug into the ground as I felt my bones crack.

I grabbed its claws and desperately tried to lift them a little. I could feel by ribs slowly giving in as I slowly got crushed under that enormous power and weight. Was this the end? I felt its claws extend, like a cat's claws would. It slowly lifted off the ground. I tried to reach for my staff, but it was just a little outside my reach.

"Damn it..." I whispered. Even talking hurt. I felt the claws dig into my back. Was I seriously going to die like this? I flailed my arms and legs, hoping to sohow slip through its sharp claws, but all that did was prompt the creature to make its grip tighter. I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

I was right in front of its face. It leaned in closer with its snout and sniffed . "I'm not tasty at all!" I shouted as fear gripped my heart. Of course, my desperate words didn't do much. It opened its mouth and I got to see the very clear view of several rows of sharp teeth. I closed my eyes as my death approached .

Suddenly, it shook and let go of . Unexpectantly finding myself in the air, I fell to the ground with a loud and painful thud. I scread as a sharp pain shot up in my chest. I could feel sothing sharp hurting there.

I glanced at the creature, it seed to have completely forgotten about as it stared at sothing in the woods. A few drops of blood dribbled onto the ground from its side. Sothing had wounded it.

I didn't hesitate. I shot up on my feet and bolted. I didn't stop when I reached the treeline. I ran until I couldn't properly breathe anymore. Until I collapsed from the pain and blood loss. I felt a gentle, cool breeze before darkness completely engulfed .