Chapter 5: Run!

‘So dark, so suffocating,’ Dylan grumbled, trying to adjust his position inside the box. ‘Is it really important to seal an empty box using magic?’

The ride was very smooth. If it wasn’t for the occasional bump and jerk, he would have thought that they were still inside the room.

‘RO, do you have a way to find out where we are?’

‘Of course. The box might be sealed using magic, but it can’t block my probing waves. We have left the mansion and are moving towards the Craywood Forest. Once we reach its depths, you can make a move if you want.’

His grip tightened on the hilt of the dagger he had stolen and prepared himself mentally. There were dozens of guards escorting the carriage of boxes. His only chance was to take them by surprise.

“Buzz…” the chief guard frowned, seeing the flashing red light on his medallion. “There is something wrong with one of the boxes. We should stop and check it once.”

“Come on Brian, don’t you think you are being too much of a paranoid? What can go wrong with an empty box?”

“You are right. I am panicking for no reason. Let’s hurry to the market. If we don’t bring back the ingredients on time, we will be punished.”

Brian ignored the warning and urged his men to walk faster. They chatted about trivial things and he soon forgot about the warning sign.

When they were about to reach the core of the Craywood forest, the warning sign lit up again. This time, the medallion flashed a deeper shade of red symbolising grave danger.

“Damn! It is that spirit fruit box again.” His companion cursed. “Don’t tell me there is something really wrong with that box.”

“Guards! Stop and gather. We need to check something.”

“No, let’s move ahead quickly,” This time Brain stopped his comrade. “We are reaching the core of the forest. It is not safe to linger here for long. Let’s wait till we reach the other side.”

Inside the box, Dylan’s skin had started taking on a bluish tinge due to lack of oxygen. He had tried stabbing the box from the inside twice, hoping that someone would open the box, but nothing happened.

“Damn! What is wrong with these guys? Aren’t they concerned about their goods at all?” Dylan’s lungs were burning so badly that he felt like he would explode at any moment. “Fine, since you don’t want to open the box yourself, I will tear it down.”

Gathering the little energy left in his body, Dylan started stabbing the inside of the box crazily.

This time, the guards finally stopped, and the lid of the box was opened.

Dylan was so delighted that for a moment he forgot that he had to escape. He gasped for fresh air, his lungs desperate for relief.

“Let me see who’s been bothering me again and again.” Brain stepped forward and peeked inside. The sight that greeted him was shocking - a man with bluish skin, gasping for breath.

“You! What are you doing inside the box?”

Brain’s words jolted Dylan back to reality. His grip on the hit of the dagger strengthened, and he wobbled to his feet. “Me? I don’t know.”

“Boy! I am warning you. Don’t….” The rest of the words were muffled by a groan as a punch landed on his face. It was too weak to hurt Brian, but the impact was enough to catch him by surprise.

Using this momentary distraction, he jumped out of the box and started running with everything he had.

As Dylan sprinted through the dense foliage of the Craywood forest, his heart pounded in his chest, matching the rhythm of his frantic footsteps. The adrenaline surged through his veins, overriding the fatigue that had settled in his muscles.

“Guards! Catch him! Set up an inescapable net.” Fear fuelled Dylan’s heart as the chief guard’s words fell in his ears. “No matter who that bastard is, you have to catch him!”

Clenching his teeth, Dylan pushed himself to run faster and faster. Twigs and thorns crashed into him, leaving marks and bruises, but Dyaln couldn’t care less.

There was only one thought in his mind. He had to escape! He couldn’t let those men catch up with him ever again!

***

In another part of the forest.

A girl of about eight was being chased by a large wolf. She was drenched in sweat and looked a bit pale but she managed to keep the lead.

Deep blue eyes, dark brown hair tied up in a braid and crystal like fair skin; she exuded a gentle charm that made everyone feel protective of her.

However, her temperament was completely opposite; lively, stubborn, daring and adventurous. At the young age of eight, she had already mastered the third transformation, making her the youngest fox to have three tails.

Her talent was a blessing to her pack, but her temperament often landed her in trouble. Even so, none of the elders could bear to punish her severely. This made her even more carefree.

“Darn it! Old Wolf!” Allure shouted, jumping down a cliff. “How long are you going to chase me? If you continue like this, my guard will turn you into roasted meat.”

“Whom are you trying to fool, Allure?” The wolf took a giant leap, landing in front of the girl and blocking her way. “If that old hag was here, do you think she would have allowed me to come near you?”

“W… what do you want?” Allure looked around warily, trying to find a way to trick the wolf.

“What do I want?” The wolf’s amber eyes shone brightly. “I want to eat you. If I consume the energy core of a nine-tailed fox, my strength will increase greatly. You never know, even my bloodline might improve.”

“You can’t do that….” Allure’s voice grew hoarse. Though she was bold and brave, she was an eight-year-old girl, after all. It was impossible for her not to panic when trapped by such a huge wolf. “If you kill me, my coven won’t let you go. They will destroy your entire pack.”

“Don’t waste your energy on these threats. They won’t work on me because I don’t belong to any pack.” The wolf’s eyes glowed with a sinister glint. “I am a rogue.”

Allure’s eyes widened in panic. She hadn’t expected the wolf to be a loner. Gnashing her teeth, he turned back suddenly and took off.

“Where are you running to?” The wolf called out, chasing her leisurely. It seemed to be enjoying this chase of cat and mouse. “No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to escape from my clutches today. I have already sent an assassin to keep your beloved guardian company. She won’t be able to come to your help in a short period.”

***

“Damn! Why are they still chasing after me?” Dylan grumbled as he paused to catch his breath. “Don’t they have an important banquet to prepare for?”

‘RO, we can’t keep going like this. Though the guards are low-level magicians, we won’t be able to escape if there are too many of them.’

‘You are right. We can’t keep running forever. There is a cave, three miles to the southwest. It seems to be giving out strange magnetic vibrations. If you can get inside without the guards noticing, they won’t be able to trace you.’

Taking a few deep breaths, Dylan took off at full speed. Three miles. If he managed to cover these three miles before the guards caught up to him, he could regain his freedom.

This thought filled Dylan with hope. A new wave of adrenaline coursed through him, pushing his speeds to his limits.

Dylan had covered half the distance when he suddenly froze. The forest was a bit too silent. Let alone the sound of approaching footsteps, he couldn’t even hear the sound of the wind.

Dylan frowned as he looked around. The landscape seemed to have changed, giving him an ominous feeling.

His heart thumped with trepidation. ‘RO, do you think there is something dangerous ahead?’

Before RO could say anything, Dylan replied to his own question. “Never mind. Even if there is something dangerous, I don’t care. I can’t retreat and give those guards a chance to capture me again.”

Taking in deep breaths to calm himself, he walked forward tentatively.

As Dylan ventured deeper into the forest, the atmosphere grew thick with an eerie silence. The once vibrant chirping of birds had ceased, leaving only a haunting stillness in its wake. The air felt heavy and stagnant, with a faint scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.

Goosebumps prickled his skin, a mix of anticipation and unease coursing through his veins. Every step he took seemed to echo, amplifying the sense of foreboding that lingered in the air.

“Ahhh!!!”

“Ahh!!”

Two screams sounded almost at the same time. One was boyish and hoarse, another was shrill with a feeble undertone.

“You are not a deviant.” The little girl was the first to regain her senses. “Thank God.”

“Deviant?” Dylan frowned. “What is that?”

The girl looked at him as if he were the biggest idiot in this world. “You don’t even know about deviants? No wonder you dared to enter the heart of the Cypruss forest.”

“Aren’t you here too?”

“Do you think I wanted to come here?” The girl rolled her eyes, using this short pause to catch her breath. “If it wasn’t for that stupid wolf….”

She hadn’t even finished speaking when the large wolf jumped out of the thickets. Its eyes turned red and its expression had turned ugly.

“You little wench. You have angered me completely.” Its cold voice pierced through the eerie silence as the wolf walked towards Allure menacingly. “Do you really think that you can escape by coming here? Today, even if the deviant appears himself, he won’t be able to save you.”

Allure’s fingers clenched. She was going to take off again, but then her gaze landed on Dylan. Conflicting emotions crossed her eyes for a moment before they shone with determination.

“Old thing, this is between the two of us.” Her gaze drifted to Dylan. “My friend has nothing to do with this. Let him go.”

“You know us; rogue wolves.” The wolf wasn’t affected by Allure’s words in the least. It took another step towards Allure. “We never do anything meaningless.”

“With your keen sense of smell, you must have realised that he is very ordinary. Swallowing him will bring you no benefits. As long as you let him go, I will submit to you willingly.” When Allure spoke, she didn’t sound like a little girl at all. Her voice was unwavering. You can say that there was even a tinge of indifference in her tone. “You should know that with my ability, it won’t be easy to subdue me unless I am willing.”

The wolf didn’t say anything, but it didn’t attack Dylan either.

“What are you waiting for,” She turned to look at Dylan and shouted. “Run!”