The Author's POV

"Haaa… Haa…"

Within the confines of a large forest, the echo of two rough breaths could be heard. They belonged to none other than Hein and Ava, and they had been running for what seemed like an eternity at that point.

Their lungs burned, their legs ached, and their hearts pounded so loudly that it was a wonder the creatures chasing them hadn't heard.

"Over here!"

They found themselves in the middle of a thick forest, with the trees towering high above them and their leaves obscuring the majority of the sunlight. They had a hard time seeing where they were going, but they dared not slow down.

"This wa-no, shit! This way!"

The intense fight that they had only moments before evaded left visible damage on Hein's armor in the form of cracks and dents.

Ava's clothes were torn and bloodied, her hair a tangled mess. They were both exhausted, but they knew they couldn't stop yet.

"Shit... there's too many..."

Hein muttered, his breath coming out in ragged gasps.

"Where the fuck are we?"

Ava cursed under her breath, her legs feeling like they were made of lead.

Rustle! Rustle!

The sound of leaves rustling in the wind froze them in their tracks. They turned to see more than a dozen creatures emerging from the underbrush, their eyes blazing with an insatiable hunger. Ava and Hein's expressions crumbled at that moment.

"Shit, they're already here. Hurry and run; I'll hold back their first attack!"

Hein shouted, his voice laced with desperation.

Clank―! Clank―! Clank―!

In spite of his anxiety, he took a step forward, and as he did so, his shield broke up into nine separate pieces and floated in front of him.

A translucent green field connected each individual section of the shield, and the result was the formation of a rectangular barrier that covered a large portion of the land in front of him.

Boom―! Boom―!

"Urkghh!"

When the creatures first began their assault, the shield shook violently. Hein could taste something sweet at the very back of his throat, but he gritted his teeth and retracted his shield away.

The pieces found their way back to him and pieced themselves together again.

"Let's go."

Hein immediately changed course and made a beeline for the woods without wasting a single second of time. Although Ava was already quite a ways ahead, he was able to catch up to her in no time at all.

"Rooar!"

"Huarrr!"

"Khiek!"

echoing through the forest. It was a relentless pursuit, and despite their best efforts,

haaa... This

running forward with all

for several hours, and despite the fact that they had a number of potions available to them, she found that her strength was waning

able to emerge from the forest alive. The creatures did not show any

feel the

the first wave of attacks, but they

difficult for them was the strange scent that

their breaths become heavier and heavier because

to keep

low so as

we have to get

all over her face. Together, they pushed on through the dense forest, their feet pounding against the ground as they

you not use your

think I'd

sentence, and her feet began to gradually slow down until they came to a

"Uh? Why are yo―"

Hein, who looked ahead and found

dry, he turned

"We're fucked, aren't we?"

and nodded her head as she looked up ahead, where there were at least

"Yeah…"

agreed, her eyes wandering over the beasts that the

large wolves, but unlike them, they looked far more menacing and were a lot larger. They had sharp, long teeth and claws, and their fur was a dark, matted gray or black. Their

exactly the best looking wolves, but… they sure as hell looked menacing to

"…We're totally fucked."

"You're fine."

ears, and the two of them froze on the spot. Upon recognizing to whom the voice belonged,

pale faces, and the

"Angelica!"

"Angelica!"

two of you have

them with a thin smile on her face, Angelica gazed at the two of them. It had been a while since she had last seen them, and the two of them looked stronger than

lot

finally letting his breath out as he did so. He wasn't quite able to sense Angelica's strength,

unquestionably more powerful than the demons that

"Young Matriarch?"

had surrounded them came to an abrupt halt and looked at Angelica with bewildered expressions

"Young Matriarch?"

another after hearing Angelica's title. They had a lot of questions in their minds

were in no condition to

"Stay back, you two."

stopped them in their tracks by stepping forward. She stared at the demons that were in front of her, and a perplexed

"Haa…"

a sigh, she

erupted from her entire body and engulfed the space that

"Young Matriarch?"

are you doing, Young

result of Angelica's actions, and just