Talentless Beast Knight - An Original Novel

Arc 1, Ch. 4 - Run!

Arc 1 – Lost

Ch. 4 – Run!

---

I held the little cub in my hands. His meek little self was pitifully holding onto me, searching for any comfort that he could get.

Holding him was something painful to do. My arms were burnt with the heat that he emanated. The clawing that he did to me wasn't at the level of the lion Beast, but it still made me nearly cry in pain.

However, I kept him in my arms. I would get him out of there – I vowed to myself.

Gathering my wits, I carefully walked through the obscure cavern. The fact that the little wolf was hurt by someone or something put my mind on guard.

I decided to walk a bit faster.

Honestly... Why is all of this happening to me?

I halted and took a look around, searching for anything relevant. After that, I continued on my path to somewhere; anywhere. My mind raced from the lingering dregs of pain and my heart beat faster by the second. Despite that, I kept thinking about my own situation and something that had just came up to my mind.

Why am I not dead from blood loss?

Truly, it was something strange. The fact that I didn't die from those gruesome gashes was something that I couldn't properly grasp. It seemed like my mind had blank slates but I couldn't figure them out. The last thing I remembered after the whole attack was the ominous feeling of weakness.

Those observations suddenly got out of my focus as I noticed something weird. At each step forward, the feeling of being observed intensified. Someone was approaching and observing me... Or it was just another figment of my imagination.

I stopped walking and held the little cub with a tad more strength.

Hurriedly looking around, I sought the source of that weird presence. Shivers ran down my spine as I instinctively glanced behind me. A bulky humanoid creature emerged over me. It was immense, gigantic and terrifying. I was but an ant before it.

Its presence overwhelmed me.

Instead of a normal person's skull, the creature had a Bull's head and two huge, protruding horns. The legs were also like a Bull's: beefy, edgy and strong-looking.

It's a...

"... Minotaur."

GWARRRHHHHHH!!!

My words triggered something in the Beast as it began to kick the ground repeatedly, announcing a furious charge that'd soon follow. The whole place trembled as my whole body was instinctively pierced by a wave of fear.

The little cub in my hands didn't have it better than me, clutching onto my shirt like his life depended on it - It probably did.

I couldn't do anything but to escape.

The enormous shaking magnified as the Minotaur began to charge in our direction with an overwhelming speed. For something so big, its speed was nothing short of a surprise.

"Sorry!"

With one quick decision, I grasped him strongly, gaining a small yelp from him and jumped to the side, avoiding the Beast's charge. I rapidly shifted my position in the air, putting the little wolf in a safe spot while my back rammed the ground. We slid across the floor, and my pants and shirt were ripped open with the pointy rocks in the way.

Before the Beast could switch directions and come in our direction, I ran with the pup in my hands. Sometimes, I'd hit my feet against a rock, other times I would almost trip down by my own clumsiness - I kept on running, however.

But despite my efforts in surviving, the Minotaur kicked the ground once again and shifted his route. I glanced behind with wide and desperate pupils, only to see those two bloodthirsty red eyes. If I stopped running... We'd die.

His speed was crushing my hopes every second. We could not win. We wouldn't win.

THUD!

I could feel his steps getting louder and louder. His presence was something different than the lion Beast. This one also didn't have those purple root-like structures elongated within its body.

THUDDD!

My ears were pounded by its violent steps. The cub clutched his little paws onto me whilst fidgeting in fear.

THUUUDDDD!

I could feel that the Beast was right behind me, reaching out its hand towards us. At that moment, the little cub I held in my arms yelped with a shaky voice. He desperately called out to something, trying to do whatever he could. He repeated, repeated and repeated, desperately searching for something that I couldn't grasp.

Time slowed down for me. I shut my eyes instinctively while feeling that the end was near. I wanted to live more, to taste more of the world. I wanted to follow a realistic dream...

Maybe find someone to love? Huh... That was highly unlikely and farfetched, but dreaming isn't bad for the heart.

Interrupting my grieving, two intimidating roars echoed throughout the whole cavern, halting the Minotaur's charge. Seizing the opportunity, I kept on running to the closest boulder, almost tripping on the way. I clutched the small puppy protectively and observed the Beast's steps. My heart was racing more than a wild leashless horse.

What was that?