CRUX ‡ The Secret Light

Chapter 14‡ Sagacious-Tree

Margaux Eurydice Kentra POV

"You okay?"

"I'm trying," I said and groaned in pain. My newly acquired wound from a poisonous vine isn't helping the situation at all.

"Tsk. They're here." Clyde went in front of me and covered me from a crowd of angry crawlers. Kung wala kami sa sitwasyon na balak nila kami gawing hapunan, I would've said that they're quite cute.

They look like little bushy dwarves. Ang nakikita lang sa kanila ay ang mga kamay at paa nila, mata at ang mga ngipin nila na matalas. They're called crawlers because they crawl a lot. It's obvious, I know.

"Ang kulit nila." Kanina pa kami takbo ng takbo mua sa kanila. Pilit nila kaming hinahabol ni Clyde even when we defeated a bunch of them, they kept respawning! This damn jungle is huge at mukhang madami sila talaga.

"I can only seal the area around us." Sabi ni Clyde at tinapat ang kamay sa lupa sa harap niya. I actually found out that his gift isn't about barriers, but in sealing. I'm not too sure, it's too complex.

"Don't. Remember, mabilis tayong mapagod when we use our abilities. I already tried freezing their butts off." I grumbled.

Pinapalibutan na nila kami. That's right, I can use that. Naalala ko na may tinabi ako na nagawa namin sa potion class.

"Clyde, hand me something from the pouch."

"I swear, this is not the time for your clothes." He said as he is busy holding a sword against them.

"Of course it's not! Kunin mo yung sleeping powder sa pouch." Kinuha niya mula sa bulsa ng black robes niya ang pouch. Hindi ito isang normal na pouch, it could store anything inside at madali lang syang dalhin.

"Why do you have that?" Hinagis niya sakin ang pouch at nasalo ko 'to. I didn't bother to answer him.

"Chiye, Takri." I said and the sleeping powder bag appeared before me.

"Clyde!" Hinagis ko 'to sa kanya at pagkasalo nya, he immediately spread the powder to the crawlers. In an instant they fell asleep. I let out the breath I was holding. Muntik na kami maging dinner. Napangiwi ako sa sakit ng kaliwang binti ko at pabagsak na napaupo sa lupa.

"Damn.."

"We need to get out of here." I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Like we have a choice.

"Here." Inabot ni Clyde ang kamay niya at agad ko 'tong tinanggap. We can't afford to rest here out in the open. Inalalayan niya ko tumayo.

"Can you walk?" I nodded my head as I bit my lip.

"Kaya ko pa, but we have to find a safe place. I already drank an antidote anyway." I said and forced a smile on my face. Clyde just narrowed his gaze at me but didn't say anything. Inakbay lang niya ang braso ko sa kanya.

"It's getting dark. The map says there's a safe cave here."  He said. I nodded in agreement at naglakad na kami. Thankfully, there aren't any crawlers left. I swear, they're going to give me nightmares.

††††

We entered the cave cautiously, but just like what Meister Rav's map indicated, walang kung anong beast or kahit sino sa loob. The cave is safe.

"They probably couldn't enter this place. I feel that there's a light energy in this place, it's too much for them to handle." Clyde explained as he scans the whole place.

"It's good to know that we could finally sleep after days of walking and running." I said sighed a breath of relief.

"Fighting them wasn't so bad." I frowned at him. Kahit na training ang purpose namin, could he really be more obvious that he enjoys it? I really can't understand how this guy's mind works.