135 The Great Wall
Whoosh...
A Black wolf sprinted across the sandy terrain, the massive tornado behind them raged on, its deafening roar filling the air.
Ava and Leo clung tightly to the wolf’s fur, their hearts racing as they tried to outrun the destructive storm. The scorching desert wind whipped around them, stinging their skin and threatening to tear their clothes.
Ava couldn’t help but marvel at the raw strength and endurance of the magnificent creature beneath her. She had known that Fenrir was a formidable wolf, because she was no stranger to its power, but the wolf’s endurance and speed amazed her.
Leo on the other hand was cursing himself for not allowing his pet to kill more monsters. He knew that if they had taken the time to gain more EXP, they might have been able to outrun the disaster coming after them.
Leo knew that it was too late to dwell on his regrets. The important thing now was to focus on reaching the wall and finding shelter.
Leo felt Ava nudge his arm and, upon looking in the direction she was pointing, squinted his eyes as he tried to make out what she was trying to show him. He could see a faint outline of something on the wall, but he couldn’t quite make out what it was. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he realized that Ava was pointing at a small crack in the wall, barely noticeable to the untrained eye.
“We can use it to get inside!”
He heard Ava’s faint voice and gave a subtle nod indicating that he had understood.
.....
As he looked at his pet Fenrir, he noticed that the wolf’s tongue was hanging out of its mouth and its movements were becoming increasingly sluggish.
‘I didn’t want to do this...’
Leo quickly pulled out a Mana potion and handed it to Ava, gesturing for her to give it to Fenrir. As the wolf caught a whiff of the potion’s aroma, Fenrir’s head turned sharply to the side, but fortunately it did not affect his speed.
Leo couldn’t help but grumble as he watched his pet drink the contents of the Mana potion. He knew all too well the dangers of feeding Mana potions to pets – they were highly addictive. That was exactly why he had been hesitant to give one to Fenrir.
Fortunately, the effects of the Mana potion were almost immediate. As soon as it was consumed, Fenrir’s speed increased, allowing the wolf to once again use his ‘Windy Steps’.
Whoosh...
Leo could feel the tornado rapidly gaining on them. Despite being just a few kilometers away from the wall, they would not be able to outrun the tornado and reach safety before it caught up to them.
Shifting his head to the side Leo conjured a Shadow Blast and threw it at the Tornado.
Swish...
His projectile was drawn into the Red Disaster, causing it to explode, but the explosion did not even slow down the Tornado.
‘Shit!’
Leo cursed as he felt himself slowly being pulled towards the massive tornado that loomed behind. Its deafening roar grew louder with each passing moment and the winds whipped fiercely against his skin.
Just as he felt despair creeping in, he saw lightning particles dancing on Ava’s body, rippling in between her wings’ black feathers.
“Hold tight!”
Ava shouted over the howling wind. Without hesitation, Leo quickly reached out and grasped her hand tightly.
In an instant, the world around them seemed to warp and twist, and they were suddenly teleported a dozen meters forward, away from the dangerous tornado.
Fenrir, who had been running at his full speed, managed to stay on his feet during the sudden teleportation and continued running without missing a beat. But Ava collapsed onto his back, her Mana completely depleted from the spell.
Leo could see the exhaustion etched clearly on Ava’s face as she took deep, ragged breaths. He knew that teleporting by herself wouldn’t be a problem, but doing so while also transporting a massive black wolf and another person would have consumed a significant amount of her mana.
He scooped her delicate frame into his arms and urged Fenrir to run faster. The giant wolf responded to his command, increasing its pace, but the blood-red tornado that was chasing after them seemed to be right behind them.
As he held Ava close, Leo couldn’t help but notice the sweet fragrance of rain that emanated from her hair. He tried to control his emotions, luckily it was easy, as the tornado’s deafening roar and the sight of the swirling, destructive mass of red made it hard to focus on Ava.
Swish...
The massive stone wall loomed in the distance, only a kilometer away, but Leo knew that they wouldn’t make it in time. His heart sank as he cursed under his breath.
As he looked ahead, his gaze shifted to the black wolf, Fenrir, who was running at full speed ahead. He reached out and patted his pet’s huge head affectionately, feeling a sense of gratitude for the animal’s loyalty and strength. With a steady hand, he carefully placed Ava, who was still unable to move on her own, onto Fenrir’s back, making sure that she was secure and wouldn’t fall off the wolf.
“Transport Ava through that wall and then run as fast as you can. Don’t come until I tell you to. Don’t even dare to approach me! Keep Ava from me as well...”
He shouted, as he leapt off the wolf’s back, his eyes focused on the approaching mass of red. The tornado was closing in fast and he knew that every second counted. He could only hope that his plan would work and that they would make it to safety before it was too late.
“Tenacious bastard...”
As the blood-red tornado bore down on him, Leo removed his hood, revealing his face to the outside world. In his right hand, he held a black mask with curved horns that pointed backwards. The mask was adorned with intricate designs that seemed to glow in the light of the storm.
Leo’s hand trembled as he reached for the mask, his heart pounding with slight fear and excitement. He knew that this was a desperate gamble, that the odds of survival were slim. But he was determined to do whatever it takes to survive even if it meant losing his sanity temporarily.
As he placed the mask over his face, he couldn’t help but let out a shaky breath. His whole body trembled with anticipation and fear as he felt the cool, smooth surface of the mask press against his skin. He knew that there was no turning back now.
With a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was to come. He would not let his fears control him, and he would not regret his decision.
“If I die I swear I’ll come back to kill you!”
Crack!
***
Ava’s heart raced as she cast the teleportation spell, her eyes locked on the path ahead. She could feel huge amounts of mana seeping from her body, and for a moment, she felt a glimmer of hope. But as soon as the spell was finished, her strength gave out, and she collapsed.
Leo was there in an instant, catching her before she fell to the ground. She felt his strong arms wrap around her, pulling her close and holding her steady. His embrace was comforting, and she felt a sense of security and protection in his arms.
The moment between Ava and Leo could have been romantic, if not for the looming threat of the massive red tornado that loomed behind them. Ava’s heart pounded in her chest, but she thought that it was just from the fear of the massive tornado.
Ava tried to move her body, but she found that she was only able to lift one finger. Her limbs felt heavy, and her body was partially paralyzed. She knew that this was the result of mana depletion, a serious side effect of casting spells. She knew that her MP were severely depleted and she wouldn’t be able to move or cast spells until at least 10% of her MP was recovered.
Suddenly, Ava noticed that Leo was leaning in close to Fenrir’s ear, whispering something that only the wolf could hear. She couldn’t make out the words, but she could tell that Leo was communicating with Fenrir in a calm and reassuring tone.
As she watched, she saw a look of understanding pass between Leo and Fenrir, and she couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong.
A few moments later, she felt Leo’s hands carefully unwrapping from around her body, and she realized that he was placing her on Fenrir’s wide back. She looked up at Leo with a questioning gaze, wondering what he was planning.
Whoosh...
Suddenly Leo jumped off the wolf, disappearing out of her view.
‘What!’
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AN: What a cliffhanger...
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