Bell's face went pale.
"How do you know?"
"The shadows aren't moving correctly, and do you not feel the sense of cold around us?"
"Now that you mention it, I guess I do. How are we supposed to fight it?"
Clyde stared blankly at Bell, wondering if she had limits to her insanity. Just who was she really? Despite her past, she seemed ready to throw herself back into the fight with no caution for her own well being.
"We don't fight it, after all my previous encounter with it wasn't memorable in the slightest. Plus with you here, the only option we have is to hide and possibly set up an ambush."
Bell looked downward and without another word, Clyde picked her up to carry on his back. They had been moving at a slow pace, in hopes that her injuries wouldn't open up, but they no longer had that luxury.
Clyde once again closed his eyes to focus on his surroundings. Except this time, something was interfering with his ability. Unfortunately, he had to make a decision that would affect his life and another's. Without his senses, Clyde felt uncomfortable.
Trusting his gut, Clyde traversed the forest, almost stumbling over himself. It was as if the roots from trees were trying to take him down intentionally. Despite his senses disappearing at a time like this, he knew the Wendigo was getting closer because its whispers were growing louder in his mind.
'Can I just get a break for one moment!'
As if answering his thoughts, an opening appeared before them that led to a clearing. However, through the clearing was a tall stone wall.
'Dead end!'
Turning around, Clyde looked back at the forest. Silence, never a good sign. As he was getting ready to put Bell down, she noticed something.
"It looks like there's an opening to an abandoned mine."
When he looked over and saw what she was talking about it all became clear. They were being led here by the creature, that's where it wanted them to go. It was the midday, which explains why it wanted them to go into a dark dungeon. This was likely its nesting grounds. Clyde's face twisted into a strange grin.
'Perfect.'
Clyde sat Bell down and unsheathed his silver sword. He had decided this was the best option for the most hopeful outcome.
"What happened to not fighting it?"
"Plans change, stand against the wall and shut up until this is done. If it looks bad, then run and pray that we are close the exit of the forest."
With Bell behind him, Clyde dedicated himself to the only task at hand, survival. Thoughts were racing through his head, but above all else was the need to live at all cost. After all, he wasn't going to break his promise to her in a place like this.
Breaking the silence, the leaves rustled. If it wasn't for the return of his senses just now, Clyde's head would have been torn off. In that moment, Clyde turned his back to the forest with a defensive stance toward the stone wall above him. Coming from the top of the wall, the Wendigo dived toward Clyde. With no time to react at all, Clyde tripped on himself falling back; but out of way of the creature.
'Not good.'
Not exactly as planned, but Clyde managed to survive the surprise attack. Before he could react, the Wendigo leaped to the nearest tree and angling itself for another diving strike. Still on his back, Clyde grabbed his Silver sword and preemptively struck upward to where the creature would be diving to. Despite seeing the weapon, the Wendigo was a creature driven by hunger, willing to risk everything in the moment, and dove straight into Clyde's counterattack.
Clyde's blade did not pierce the Wendigo, but he managed to parry it off, giving himself a chance to stand up. That was strike two, and he knew this needed to end quickly before he made a mistake.
Clyde and the beast stood across from each other on open ground. Bell was visibly distraught at the sight, as she hadn't seen this creature in all of its terror, previously hidden by the nights darkness. Standing at four meters tall, with curved, knife-like fingers, the creature would likely give the average person a heart attack.
It lunged at incredible speed toward Clyde, and in that moment, Clyde sidestepped to the right, but it was too late. A sharp pain seared through his left arm, filling his body with despair. He knew if he looked at the damage now he might faint and taking his eyes off the beast would mean death.
The only thing keeping strength in his left arm was adrenaline, but that wouldn't last long. This time, he would go in for a feint, putting the rest of his strength into a single attack. Hopefully, it would be enough to kill it--or at least severely injure it, giving Bell a chance to escape.
As he turned towards the monstrosity, it was on all fours, and so Clyde raised his sword for an overhead slash. As expected, the creature lunged at him. Before committing to the slash, he redirected the motion of the sword, driving it downward in an attempt to impale the creature. This was easier said than done, but the sword drove into the creature's shoulder, piercing all the way to the dirt.
'Could've been worse.'
Pulling the sword up out of it would be a big risk, but before Clyde could decide what to do next, the Wendigo rose to its full height with the blade still lodged in its body. Clyde knew that it would be in pain, but also understood that the agony of its hunger was far greater. Now, with no weapon within reach and an enraged enemy before him, his options were limited.
It let out a deafening scream that could be heard for miles. Clyde had already decided that he needed to lure it away from Bell, so he sprinted toward the forest. He knew that outrunning the creature was pointless, but perhaps he could use the forest to his advantage. It was times like these that Clyde wished he awakened with a different magic type, but thinking that way would only get him so far. Before either he or the Wendigo got very far into the forest, a cry echoed out, and regrettably, he knew it was that girl.
'Is she trying to get herself killed!? I told her to run, but she didn't listen. Guess I'm not going out with any noble death after all.'
The Wendigo turned around, following the girl's call. Clyde was a little confused that it had the audacity to leave him, but he would repay the favor momentarily. Bell was still standing next to the stone wall, her hands over her face.
"Bell, if you got any tricks now's the time!"
As the Wendigo was in the air lunging at the girl, a bright yellow wall suddenly rose from the ground directly in front of her, causing the monster to slam headfirst into it.
"Yes!"
'She is full of surprises, but judging from her condition, we won't see that again this fight. Still, that was all the time I needed.'
Clyde caught up to fallen Wendigo and, without hesitation, grabbed the hilt of his sword from the creature's back. He swung upward, causing the right shoulder to hang by a thread. Before it could react, he cut the head clean off.
Looking over at Bell, she was unconscious as it seems what she did wasn't intentional and rather a fluke. He would need to ask her later, but he was glad she didn't die. Judging from the color emitted when she casted the wall, Clyde wondered if it was holy magic.
At this point, Clyde felt the full severity of his cut from earlier and realized he might pass out. Reaching into his satchel, he spread some bone dust on the corpse and, placing his finger to it, emitted a small flame that torched the body. With that done, his conscious was clear. Clyde checked the wanted poster in his satchel and saw his name written in a gold light. With a sigh of relief, he fell over and passed out.
***
Clyde awoke to darkness, but before panic got the chance to take over him, Bell addressed him.
"You're alive it seems."
"Thanks to you we were both able to live."
"I don't really know what you're talking about, as when I woke up I saw the corpse burning and you on the ground next to it."
'So she doesn't know, now isn't the time to bring it up as there are more important matters, like our location.'
"Where are we?"
"Well, the sun was setting and instead of being out there, I dragged you with me to the mines."
Clyde's heart skipped a beat.
'I can't blame her, but we are lucky to be alive.'
"Do you know how much time has passed?"
"I couldn't tell you exactly, but it must have been several hours."
Clyde knew that despite it being night, they were far more likely to survive out there than in here. He began to wrap his arm up with the remaining bandages in his satchel, which was pretty much empty since the trip began.
"We are leaving."
"Are you sure that's a good idea, you seem pretty hurt."
"We have no choice, unless you plan to become food to a slumbering titan mouse horde."
She wasn't really sure if what he was talking about was real or not but it was clear he was leaving either way so she took his word.
"I'm ready when you are."