A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 8: My Monster (Part 1.5)

"Isn't it just a rumour?" Taylor asked.

I grit my teeth and answered bluntly, "No."

"Hang on, you sound like you've seen it," Taylor looked at me dubiously. "The rumours say it's a giant fish that swims through the ground that swallows trees whole. That's just not possible." She laughed and Ronalt scoffed.

I remained serious, "It's worse than that."

"You're kidding right?" Taylor's expression began to crumble into surprise.

"Again no. I wish I was," I huffed as the memories entered my mind. My skin paled recalling the Monster crushing the people in front of me and finally myself. There was no need to act.

"Rain please explain," Ardent looked at me curiously.

I began my pre-planned tale, "Three years ago I came through here with one of my foster parents. He's a skilled Hunter and I learnt how to use the bow from him. The game in the forest is good and we were also curious to the rumours so we went deeper across the border than we should have." I paused again as if it was hard to speak about. Honestly it was. "What we saw doesn't make sense but it was real. From atop a small hill we saw a carriage being chased through the forest and behind it trees were being gouged from the earth as if they weighed no more than leaves. The thing was beyond huge." I described the Monster as best I could, from its width and length to its many eyes and gaping mouth. Their attention was plastered to my words. "Worse still the people in the carriage, demons I think, they didn't just run, they tried to fight back. The Monster spewed out some weird fog and their magic stopped working. In the end all we could do was watch them eventually crash and be eaten."

Marley shook nervously, "Th-that's a bit much...." Just from hearing my words she was frightened.

Ronalt looked at me incredulously, "That is some story Rain."

"What you don't believe me?" I replied with more force than I meant to. "Sorry, I don't like recalling it."

"Is that why you've been looking stressed lately?" The Hero- Lara asked me.

I was surprised she noticed, "I had a feeling we would be passing through, so yes."

"Ardent is there any truth to this?" Ronalt asked with a level tone.

"Rain's description sounds too real to be fake however I must say I've never heard of a creature like so. To prevent the formation of mana is rare for a monster. Then again the world is vast and it is not my specialty."

"I see...," Ronalt frowned in thought.

"I have seen such a creature," Earnest spoke shocking us all. "In my home we call them sand whales. They lurk in deserts and swim through the sands preying on unsuspecting victims. The description fits however I have never heard of one so large or able to stop magic."

"Can you kill them?" Ronalt questioned darkly.

"I've killed a small one by myself before," the glint Earnest's eyes became almost challenging.

As much as it was handy to have Earnest back up my story at this rate we'd end up going down that route anyway. The only thing that would lead to would be a painful death.

I hardened my resolve, "We need to take another path. If we can at least head further north or south first."

For a moment Ronalt said nothing. He looked at me, and then everyone else. Please. Please don't do this. My eyes pressured him with sincerity. They believed me. My story as half a lie as it was had worked. I couldn't do much better than this.

Finally Ronalt opened his mouth, "Our plans have not changed."

I stood up and yelled, "You can't be serious!"

Ronalt rose from his seat towering over me, "Know your place Rain. You'll do as I say."

I slammed the table, "Then we're all going to die!" A glass rolled shattering to the floor spilling the wine inside like blood.

He scoffed, "If you're afraid, leave."

I laughed callously, "You think I can? You honestly think I'll make it a week alive if I do? Do you think I accepted this job willingly? If I could, I'd go back home in a heartbeat but no. If I did my home would be burned to the ground."

Silence. Despite his righteousness Ronalt knew just how some of the nobility were. As secret as our mission was, a commoner like me speaking out against them would never end well. He couldn't say anything because it was true. And as the silence continued my beating heart settled and instead became cold. I finally noticed their faces. My outburst, the stress that had been piling within me the past few weeks, the anxiety. I wanted to hide it but now it was in the open and as I looked back at them I didn't know what to think. They were shocked, Marley was even afraid.

My body tightened and I stepped back, "I have things to prepare." Without another word I left.