Garrett's question naturally followed as Erik said what he wanted to do.
"What about you?! Are you planning to stay?!" He asked, the words echoing on the battleground.
Erik's body became rigid, and his attention did not wander from the monstrous beast thrashing within its thorny confinement.
The battlefield was laden with every sound, making it difficult for Erik's words to reach his companions.
His reply came out steady and unwavering, carried by the gusts of the cold wind, "No, I'm not planning to stay!"
His jaw tightened as he continued, his tone firm, "I can use my power from afar. We can still get away."
His words kindled a glimmer of hope, a flicker in the growing desperation surrounding them all. They still had a chance of escaping.
Erik's skills proved their only hope for survival during this potentially fatal encounter with the beast. If it weren't for the fact that he was keeping it at bay, they would already be dead. Avoiding the projectiles the Ursus Glacialis hurled at them was something, but also avoiding its massive body was impossible.
The journey to the Lumisgrove had presented them with an unexpected challenge, but they were not about to give up without a fight.
Erik looked at the beast, determination in his eyes. He would exert as much of his power as possible, his energy serving as their only defense against the wrath of the Ursus Glacialis.
The fact that he was so determined gave them some peace of mind even though their situation was precarious and fraught with risk.
His proposed plan was hazardous but was also their only chance of surviving.
Garrett's gaze met Erik's, and a silent understanding passed between them.
Despite their trepidation and uncertainty, they would trust Erik's skills and power.
Ava lifted Marcus, his large frame pressing firmly against her shoulders as she did so.
The environment around them appeared hostile and icy, with each gust of wind bringing a bone-chilling iciness that made its way into every crevice of their bodies.
Alexia and Garrett were the first to bolt away, the sound of their footfalls creating a discordant rhythm as they pounded against the frozen ground.
Erik's eyes were riveted on the monstrous Ursus Glacialis, and his face was a mask that no one could decipher.
When he started channeling an even more significant surge of mana through his neural links, he pushed himself to the absolute maximum.
<Let's show them what I can do!>
Every fiber in his body screamed in protest.
At the same time, the beast let out a low growl as it struggled against the thorny prison Erik had conjured up while at the same time hurling ice shards in the young man's direction. It thrashed and snarled as it fought against the prison.
But Erik didn't budge, and the signs of strain beginning to appear on his face were a glaring indication of the enormous amount of effort he was putting forth.
The group moved quickly into the woods, the sound of their footsteps creating a cacophony in an otherwise quiet environment.
Their breaths were coming out in ragged gasps, like hot clouds of air that quickly dispersed into the biting cold.
Every time their hearts beat, it felt like a countdown, and every moment felt like it brought them one step closer to their possible demise.
When they were far enough, Erik started moving with unshakable composure amid the mayhem and terror surrounding him.
His concentration was unbroken despite the rush of adrenaline going through his veins, and his focus never left the monstrous beast now behind him.
He maintained his grip on the beast by channeling his mana and moving his hands in deliberate, practiced motions.
This allowed him to do so even as he and the others fled from the terrifying beast.
Fear tore apart their very beings, triggering a primal response that compelled them to flee for their lives.
Their bodies moved as if on autopilot, and each step they took carried them further and further away from the monster.
Around them, the forest was a haze, and the towering trees were nothing more than shadows that flashed in and out of their field of vision.
They could not shake the idea that they needed to flee from their minds.
The fake awakener could sense the beast's rage as it struggled—the seething rage that surged with every thrash and roars it let out.
As they traveled further, the tension between them grew steadily worse.
Would the monster manage to get free? Would Erik's strength eventually fail him?
Each passing second was like a ticking time bomb, constantly reminding them how dangerous their current situation was.
As Erik took in the scenery around him, he slowed his sprint to a jog and felt his chest heave as he inhaled deeply.
They had already left the towering monstrosity behind in the dense thicket of the snowy forest. Still, its furious snarls and growls continued to echo, ricocheting off the trunks of the enormous trees and wriggling their way into his ears.
When he turned to look over his shoulder, he saw a blur of shadows and undergrowth, the Ursus Glacialis hidden behind a screen of trees.
Erik had gambled that the dense web of vines he had conjured would hold the creature at bay for a sufficient amount of time for them to escape, and it appeared that his bet had been successful; for the time being, at least.
On the other hand, Erik's ability to concentrate was starting to suffer.
He could feel the tenuous link to his conjured vines fraying with each passing second.
As they moved further away from the trapped Ursus Glacialis, he began to experience a peculiar feeling, like a gradual dulling of his senses.
He had pushed the boundaries of his powers, channeling his mana through complex of neural links in his body, and he could feel the toll it was taking on him.
The connection was severed right at that moment by a jolt that came out of nowhere and caused him to stumble.
The ethereal rope, which had become increasingly tenuous, suddenly snapped as a rubber band stretched beyond its breaking point.
It left a hollow echo in his mind, a sudden emptiness where there had once been the thrum of his power and the feel of living, writhing vines.
His control over the plants trapping the monster was officially over. The knowledge of this was a cold splash of reality that shook him out of his exhausted stupor.
The furious roars of the beast seemed to grow fainter, muffled by the rustling leaves and the distance that now separated them. Would the distance they gained be enough? He didn't know, and there was a heavy sense of uncertainty in the air.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦