Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 59: Fourth Life - A Sacrifice

The creature crawled like a spider on the walls of the cave. I shook each time it moved from place to place. It sent a chilling shiver down my spine to watch it moved so abnormally.

The Young Hero was not at all afraid. He chased the creature up and down the cavern walls, lacerating its huge body with the blade of his sword. Greenish-black blood drew from its flesh. The smell eroding from it was worse than the raw smell inside the cave. I had to stop myself from vomiting.

With one quick slash down the middle of the monster's forehead, the Young Hero took a step back. It took three seconds for the monster's body to cleanly split in half.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," I blurted out before turning to the side and spitting.

The Young Hero returned to my side. His sword's powers cut open the latch on my ankle.

Omg! He used it to cut the monster!

Although grossed out, I was grateful and said, "Thank you."

Struggling to stand, he took my arm, lifting me with his strength.

"Ow..." I yelped.

"What is it?"

"I think I injured my ankle when I tried to run with my foot still chained."

"I'll help you." He placed my right arm over his neck, and wrapped his left arm around my waist. Helping me out of the cave, he kept his hold strong. Instead of feeling intense fear like before, I clammed up, feeling shy from being close to him. He was quite an attractive Young Hero.

We walked a few feet away from the monster's cave until I could no longer smell the disgusting stench. Winded, I softened my hold around his neck and sat down on the ground. Towering over me, he looked down with a blank expression.

"What were you doing in that cave?" He questioned.

"It's not like I was in there on my own free will. They locked me in there."

"Who?"

"The people from my village."

"You're from Pingfan?"

"Yes."

"So it's true that your village practices bride sacrifices."

Confused, I looked up at him and said, "What do you mean bride sacrifices?"

"Do you not know?"

I shook my head.

"Perhaps, they kept you in the dark about such matters. If my investigation is correct, Pingfan started the practice two hundred years ago when a demon cursed their village."

"Demon?"

"That creature I killed was a demon."

"Oh... oh my gosh..." I wanted to vomit again.

"To keep the demon curse at bay, the villagers started offering virgin brides to it every fifty years."

That night... Mother and Father's conversation... it all makes sense now.

"I was sacrificed... I was sent to die. They all lied to me," I whimpered, wallowing in my self pity.

Keeping quiet, the Young Hero didn't say a word.

"What is your name?"

Inattentively I replied, "Li Rong Xin."

"Rong Xin?"

In silence, the Young Hero stood while I brood. My own family and village sent me away to be devoured by a demon. I felt betrayed but the amount of anger building up in my belly made me want to get revenge. They threw me away for their own sake.

"Well, I have to tell the villagers that I've slayed the demon, so they will stop their offerings."

Heartlessly, he walked away, leaving me behind in the forest.

I called out to him, "Wait!"

He turned around as I limped to his side.

"You really going to leave me here?" I asked. He was really going to leave a defenseless girl with a sprained ankle in a demonic forest?

"I saved you. Now you can do whatever you want."

"Then I will go back with you."

"All right."

"..."

"What is it?"

"Not to be troublesome, but I really can't move on my own. It's too painful to put pressure on my foot."

"So?"

"You'll have to carry me!" He was really making me say it! How awkward...

He scoffed. As though I'd asked him to do something outlandish, he eyed me up and down.

"Fine. Just this once since you're obviously not a threat."