The Inner Odyssey-Chapter 188: Enticing Presence

Celeste rushed through the forest, her breath uneven.

The other captives followed her lead, the noise generated from their collective passing akin to a raucous rustle. Yet, the procession of warriors did not slow down - could not slow down.

Their very lives depended on it, after all.

As she sensed a thick, hair-raising presence slowly converge towards their direction, a cold shiver crawled down Celeste's spine. From the fluctuations of the miasma alone, it was as if the entire Defiled population inside Nature's Grove had gathered to chase them.

Instinctively, Celeste channeled more of her mana. Almost imperceptibly, her speed increased.

On reflex, the younger healer's mind swept through her Dimensional Bracelet, ensuring the wooden trunk which Oakia had entrusted her with remained where it was, safely stored inside. Inhaling deeply, the Chosen of the Divine Sovereign spared the hunters and Guild members a glance, discovering a few beginning to lag behind.

It was not by much.

But, eventually, Celeste knew they'd be left behind.

She wanted to avoid that at all costs.

The young lady also wished to give everyone a break - herself included - but the frenzied mob of approaching abominations prevented her from doing so. Celeste's limbs turned heavier with every passing moment. Her breath escaped her in short, ragged gasps.

They had been running for the past half an hour straight. It was almost a miracle they hadn't slowed down.

…Just then, the Chosen of the Divine Sovereign's expression suddenly changed.

"Watch out!"

Her shrill, almost banshee-like scream thundered through the hunters and Guild members like a palpable wave. Instantly, the warriors snapped awake.

Weapons manifested into existence; the sound of countless blades being drawn drowned the verdant expanse of the forest. In the next moment, a group of Defiled lunged at Celeste and her party from the undergrowth.

The abominations possessed a dark, almost burnt-orange coat flecked with a silver underbelly. Their movements were nimble and lithe, and their ambush would have succeeded if Celeste hadn't warned her fellow warriors of the abrupt danger.

As it was, though, fetid black blood sprayed through the air as several hunters and Guild members shifted, gutting the nearest foxes like fish. Unfortunately, however, even with Celeste's warning, a couple were too late to react.

Their agonised screams resounded within the forest - one lost an arm at the shoulder whilst the other lost a leg at the knee.

Celeste shook off the droplets lining her sword, immediately whirling around to assess the extent of the their injuries. A quick glance revealed the wounds were quite dire; the warriors would still live, but their mobility had been greatly hindered.

"You guys go on ahead."

The warrior with the missing arm - the same older gentleman who had conversed with Celeste inside the cell - struggled to maintain his balance. Intense pain lined his features. Yet, in spite of that, the man suddenly extended his remaining arm out, helping to steady the warrior, Lucy, who had lost her leg.

The Chosen of the Divine Sovereign bit her lips. They did not have much time, but she could not, in good conscience, abandon these two warriors in such a sorry state.

It went against everything she believed in as a healer.

Like lightning, Celeste made a decision.

She nodded to the rest of warriors, urging them to leave.

In the meantime, Celeste quickly rushed up to the older gentleman.

Her hands swiftly glowed with a white light. The most she could do was fashion the man's mangled arm into a stump so it did not become infected, relieving him of a majority of his pain and closing the wound.

Without missing a beat, she repeated the same procedure for the other warrior.

Immediately after, Celeste looped the latter's arm around her neck, supporting her weight. Another Guild member, a young man with fair skin and dark hair, called Ossian, did the same for Lucy's other arm.

Celeste briefly wondered why he had stayed behind, but it wasn't that difficult to deduce - he was doubtless unwilling to leave a Chosen of the Divine Sovereign behind.

Celeste did not know if he had acted out of simple good will or with a more darker, sinister intention in mind - such as infatuation.

In the end, though, it did not matter.

…There was no time to waste.

Together, with the older gentleman, the group of four set off, mana spurring their movements.

Lucy grunted.

"Leave me. I'll only be a burden." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Nonsense. All of us will make out of here alive."

Contrary to her outward optimism, though, the young healer inwardly shared the injured warrior's doubts. But she was not going to go down without a fight - what kind of healer would she be if she did not at least try to get her patient to safety?

Or at least, a semblance of it.

Sweat slid down Celeste's face as she rushed through the forest, her posture awkward from the extra, added weight. With every heartbeat that passed, the miasma trailing them slowly grew thicker.

Celeste's expression turned grave.

Worse still, she sensed she was quickly approaching her limit.

Just when despair began to bloom and the young lady staggered, two cloaked figures suddenly appeared. Celeste never thought she'd be glad see her former captors again.

Noticing their struggle, Gestella and Clara promptly shouldered the responsibility of supporting the injured Lucy, allowing for Celeste and Ossian to receive a much-needed reprieve.

Most importantly, it also granted the two of them the ability to focus on their surroundings and keep an eye out for any other abominations lying in wait.

Suddenly, Celeste's instincts screamed.

An impossibly swift streak streaked past her. The Chosen of the Divine Sovereign barely managed to shift her neck out of the way.

Celeste shuddered at the close call.

A low hum then streamed into her hears, growing louder with each heartbeat.

'…Insects.'

As that realisation dawned on her, a sinking feeling gripped the young lady's stomach.

In the next moment, a veritable colony of winged insects burst into existence, their antennae twitching at the enticing presence of human flesh.