MINDAZA

14. TIKBALANG

"Shack! Zzzziig.."

From behind the massive boulder, a formidable creature emerged, its long, ebony tail swaying with each step. The creature's head, adorned with two menacing horns and a set of razor-sharp teeth, peeked out alongside the tail. Its body was covered in a thick coat of fur, exuding an aura of power and dominance. With its two muscular arms and two sturdy legs, each armed with deadly claws, this colossal beast moved with an effortless grace. As it traversed the rocky terrain, Mindaza realized her initial assumption was incorrect - there were not just one, but multiple of these awe-inspiring creatures. Panic ensued as the other creatures caught sight of Mindaza and her companions, causing them to scatter in fear.

"Run!" Mindaza yelled.

In shock, Sulaya instantly took charge. "Go to that rock!" She pointed to a large, big stone of granite about thirty yards ahead.

"Get behind it and reach the top!"

The entire group of spiral hunters swiftly fled from the scene, leaving behind their belongings temporarily as they focused on the safety of the five rescued children from Dayla village and their own weapons. Positioned at the rear, Mindaza held her sword aloft, prepared to confront any potential threats that may emerge. However, Sulaya intervened, firmly grasping Mindaza's back with her massive hand and swiftly pulling her towards the safety of the rock.

"What are you doing!?"

Sulaya's concerned voice echoed loudly as she questioned her daughter movements. Her face was marked with a deep frown, reflecting her worry and curiosity.

"I'm going to fight it!"

"Foolish girl!" Sulaya pulled her arm.

"Follow me. This is not the sort of enemy you can fight."

"But I can fight with this monster!" Mindaza answered.

"Grrrreeekk, Treekk,"

The sounds of smashing wood in the trees, feet that make them tremble on the ground.
Mindaza turned her gaze and she saw half of the mountainside rushing towards them, smaller rocks bouncing and rolling overhead as the gray and black mass twisted and roared down, taking on momentum in every yard of it. She blinked for a moment, stunned. Now she realizes that it is really a monster in the forest.

"Tikbalang!" Sulaya yelled.

"Everybody, be careful and cling to something solid."

And then there was a snarl like a hundred tigers pounding into the rock, separating into two violent torrents on either side, till the scree built up behind the boulder and overflowed across the top due to pressure from above. It was a terrible sound, a never-ending roar in which every stone's sound faded into the vast ocean of shifting rock.

Mindaza looked around. The Spiral Hunters climbed to the top of the boulders as best they could to save themselves.

Mindaza looked behind her to see another boulder just fifty yards behind her. Some of the Tikbalangs had reached that point and stopped short, as if they could smell something else around them.

Sulaya yelled. "Mindaza, over here!" Upon reaching the elevated level of the rock, she was taken aback by the unexpected absence of Mindaza, who had chosen not to accompany her in her haste. Mindaza let herself be left below the level of rocks on the ground.

Mindaza gave her mother a victorious smile, then she ran to the other side and yelled. "Hey! Monster! I'm here!"

At Mindaza's first words, ten tikbalangs of human size were already threatening to climb the high part of the big rock. It was like hungry tigers who quickly fought to chase Mindaza, who was running to the other side of the mountain. What she did was save the spiral hunters from these monsters.