The Zenos: Corruption

Trouble Comes At Nightfall

Several Days Later | October 25th, Year 110

Remaining Distance to Kysora: 1000KM

The Crescent Forest

01:22

The trip to Nightfall Village had been relatively calm since departing from the Crescent River Bridge. We ventured through the dreary cold forests and came across others who walked the roads. Getting to know the unusual trio quickly became an enjoyable part of the trip. I didn't usually encounter many people outside my hometown, so learning about their lives was exciting to me.

We were walking through the dead of night to disguise our group from unwanted attention. It was unfortunate to know that the group was being hunted by bounty hunters and guards during their day-to-day lives, and all because they were members of enslaved races. It was hard wrapping my head around the cruel treatment of Kryos, but I needed to focus on the objective ahead of me. The problem of their treatment was too big for me to handle; I was not powerful enough to change what was set in stone.

The forests left a silence that unsettled me. I knew we were nearing Nightfall Village, but the area remained desolate. These forests were known as the Crescent Forest. According to Macau, these forests are filled with unsightly beasts and people, and much criminal activity is run through this region. The group had done a few jobs in this area, although I didn't know what they did specifically.

The silence would continue until Macau had come to a stop, and Koba and Sulkir followed suit. We had stopped in a clearing that the dark forests surrounded. I looked around the area, not spotting anything. The sudden stop confused me.

"Why did we stop?" I whispered, mindful of the potential dangers.

Macau placed a finger over his mouth, gesturing to me to be silent. He slowly lifted his right foot, moving it slightly forward before subtly placing it down. He continued this pattern until he was about ten steps away. Macau turned to face us, motioning us to do the same.

I looked at Sulkir and Koba, both of which had an unsettled appearance, and they diligently took Macau's exact steps. I didn't understand what was happening, but I made sure to do as they did before I ended up in a potentially dangerous situation. A sour fragrance filled the area. I tried to ignore it and continue following the path, but Macau's eyes widened.

"RUN!" He shouted.

I felt an intense sharpness coming behind me as if something or someone wanted to kill me. Before it could make contact with me, I jumped into the air, dodging its attack. I glanced at what tried to attack me, and I plummeted to the ground.

"Lux!" Sulkir yelled out, "We can't fight that beast. You have to run!"

I stood back up, running toward the group. I understood enough to not question their decisions at a crucial moment. It was apparent that any hesitation would get me killed. I sprinted with the group into the dark forest, taking cover from any open spots. Upon running, I caught a glimpse of the beast, and it was horrifying. We continued until we knew we weren't being chased, stopping near the location of Nightfall Village, only a kilometer out.

Macau stated, "We should be safe for now. The Yelwah doesn't like to hunt outside of its territory, so I doubt it would make its way over here."

"Yelwah?" I asked, panting from exhaustion.

"It's a high-tiered Erudir or manabeast. To put it in simpler terms, it's a super-duper-charged beast capable of wiping out a village in a matter of minutes. Its speed and camouflage make it nearly impossible to detect until you smell a sour odor when it is near you unless you have a heightened sense of smell, as I do. It likes to lurk within trees surrounding clearings or open spots in the forest, waiting until someone steps into its trap," Macau replied.