Chapter 5

Alessia's POV

I can't speak anymore. I kept quiet and wondered if I was doing it right. Was it right that I made myself believe too much that we would catch up with Elijah? I knew from the start that there was a good chance we wouldn't catch up with them outside of Eleftheria. But I still hoped, hoped that they would catch up.

But in this situation, there is a greater chance that they are already inside and we will not be able to catch them outside. My mind is arguing. Fear eats me, but my mind also pushes me that I need to give Elijah the medicine. I don't know if I can do it, Dustan and I, but I will try.

Even though I was consumed by fear, if necessary I would let Eleftheria in, just to deliver the medicine to Elijah.

I just keep watching what we are going through. With every meter the horse ran, I felt heavier. Sushi is now looking at me and I can see in his eyes that he is worried about me.

I just smiled at Sushi and looked back at the road. Hopefully, we can catch up with them even at the mouth of Eleftheria. As much as possible I don't want to enter Eleftheria. But if necessary I will do it.

Some time has passed and I feel that it is almost afternoon. I was even more nervous because we were here in a place where immortals don't wander. I don't want to be caught here at night. So hopefully we can catch up with Elijah.

But I was just surprised when the horse suddenly whinnied loudly and raised its two front legs so vertically that Dustan and I almost fell.

"Alas!" Dustan shouted and I quickly held on to Dustan while he tightly held on to the reins of the horse.

I felt scared because I might fall. The horse is tall and it's no joke that I'll fall just in case. So I held onto Dustan tightly and I was shocked when Sushi jumped down as if nothing had happened.

The horse continued to neigh loudly. Dustan was doing everything to calm the horse down. But because of the mischievous movement of the horse, I was losing my balance and my hand was slipping from Dustan's grip.

The horse lost more and more so that I could only gasp when my grip on Dustan completely slipped and I fell from the horse.

I felt myself fall to the ground and winced. I didn't even scream because of the shock and I felt like I couldn't stand up.

"Shake Ales!" Dustan shouted so even though my body hurt, I rolled away from the horse and reached the fine grass that looked like buffalo grass.

I groaned and slowly got up even though I felt pain in my back. I know that my back is going to give out, that's for sure but I can feel that there is no fracture there. I hit hard so it hurts.

I got up completely and patted myself. My clothes are white and you can immediately see whatever dirt is stuck to them so I'm sure it has dirt from the ground. But I don't care about that anymore.

I looked at the horse, which is still disappearing for reasons I don't know. So I looked ahead which I had never seen before.

I stopped in my wonder when I saw in the distance, a thick forest, and even though I am just an ordinary person, I know that this is not an ordinary forest.

It was dark there because of the thick clouds above up to the mountain of Eleftheria.

"Dustan, back off!" I yelled at Dustan and even though he was surprised, he made the disappearing horseback. The horse quickly obeyed and they retreated. After taking a few steps back, the horse calmed down again as if no loss had occurred earlier.

I frowned even more when I noticed the ground with something drawn on it like white ash. It is a line that seems to separate the two areas.

I approached there and knelt. I felt the ground with white ash. I couldn't feel anything strange so I smelled my hand. It smelled like sulfur.

I know that grandpa used to use sulfur and put it around our house so that no evil demons would come near the house. That's what he always says. That is true because even good demons cannot enter our homes. They only go outside and avoid grandpa.

I looked at the forest ahead. I thought it might be the border of Valencia. Beyond this white line is the Eleftheria range. So the horse loses because it senses danger. But what about Elijah?

But it could also happen, it's just not that bad because they are a group and there are many of them. The fear of the horses will be reduced because there are many of them together, while we are only one horse.

I looked at the ground and saw the tracks of the horses. They are already inside the forest. My jaw dropped because we would need to enter the forest of Eleftheria.

"Looks like the dear king has entered the forest," I said to Dustan and I saw him looking at the forest.

"Ales, I don't have a good hunch about the forest. It's not right that we're going in there, especially since there are only two of us." He told me that he meant that we had returned to Valencia.

If I only wanted to follow, I would have returned to Valencia a while ago. But I have to deliver Elijah his medicine. I was the one who presented, I wasn't forced, I was the one who forced. I felt like I had nothing to show Anisto when we came back with nothing done.

I was about to speak but suddenly I heard bones crunching so I turned to Sushi who is now gradually changing form and becoming a giant wolf.

Its body is smoking. His once gentle face has been replaced by a fierce look. The horse neighed loudly again.

Mine own mistress, I shall accompany thee inside in the elefth'ria's forest. Sushi promised me even though he didn't open his mouth. But they might not but wend high-lone. Sendeth yond imm'rtal backeth to the palace.

I frowned because I couldn't understand what he was saying. Sushi's tongue is too crooked.

"Are you saying that he must go back to the palace?" I confirmed with Sushi and he nodded. "And we will go together inside that forest, is that it?" Sushi nodded again.

"No Ales. You can't enter that forest without me." Dustan protested because he was listening to what I was saying.

I looked at Dustan. "But that's what Sushi said. If anyone knows about this forest, it's Sushi."

Dustan's face became more troubled. "Ales, I can't let you go in there alone. I promised Anisto that I can't let you make a decision that will harm you." He said and looked at Sushi. "Just because you're with a necromancer doesn't mean you'll be safe. You're about to enter a sea of ​​monsters, Ales."

I understand what Dustan is getting at. So I turned my attention back to Sushi.

"Can't he come with us?" I asked him.

It's dangerous to travel inside with only two people. The h'rse already fear'd the landeth. Thee cannot walketh by foot in the f'rest without being hath killed. And I can only carry one person. He answered me and I understood it clearly.

Sushi is right. The horse we ride is afraid of the land of Eleftheria. If we insist we will destroy it. It will also be more dangerous if we walk. So one has to be left.

I turned my gaze back to Dustan. "No way, Dustan. The horse cannot be followed into the forest of Eleftheria. We cannot walk there, because death will await us. So I will enter, I will ride with Sushi."

"Ales, I don't care if your pet can carry you inside Eleftheria. My point is that you are putting your life at risk—"

"—I don't have a choice. If I can't do what I have to do, even before the arrival of the king of darkness we fear, we might have been destroyed. It's important that I can give the medicine to the dear king. Even in exchange for that, it's my life. " I answered him gravely.

"Ales..." I could feel his pain because of my decision.

"Come back, Dustan. I'll take care of myself." I finally promised him.

Dustan did not speak. I knew it was against his will and he didn't know what to say.

So I didn't hesitate. Sushi landed on the ground and tilted his head to let me ride on his back.

I gulped because this would be the first time I would ride a balloon.

"Ales," Dustan called me but I didn't listen to his complaint.

I continued to do what I had to do so I climbed onto Sushi's back with no difficulty. Sushi stood up after I got on his back.

I quickly grabbed his neck and was about to hug it when Sushi started running. It is faster than a horse. Just a few seconds later I found myself inside the forest. The surroundings are cold and shady.

But I tried to look at what we were passing by even though I was afraid of what I might see. What I see now is a normal forest, the only difference is that it is shady.

I don't see anything strange around. There are animals there that look at us as we pass by. Sushi just kept running until he suddenly stopped running.

I looked ahead to find out what made him stop. The first thing I saw were large webs on large trees. From what I can tell how big the webs are, a whole person can fit in there.

Het'ropoda Maxima.

"Huh?" I asked suddenly because the word he said was unfamiliar to me.

Giant spid'r.

Are the Heteropoda Maxima he refers to retaliatory spiders? I was suddenly terrified because I don't like spiders. I'm scared of the small, so it's even scarier if it's a giant.

I heard something that seemed like a tight rope and it was moving. My senses became sharp and my eyes became wild and in a corner, I saw spider legs that were bigger than my thighs.

I was filled with fear and wanted to run away from there, but it didn't move.

Thou shalt not step thy foot on the did grind, mine own mistress. F'r thou art safe on mine own backeth.

Even though he said that I was still nervous. Sushi started walking, and all the hair on my body stood up. I also see different sizes of spiders. There are small ones and big ones. Even on the ground, I see small spiders crawling.

I became more and more silent. I feel that if I make any noise the spiders will notice me and eat me. With this size of spiders, it's not possible for them to swallow a person.

I heard the feet crawling on the ground. There were sounds of branches breaking so I hugged Sushi even more. Sushi's steps gradually speed up until it becomes that pace.

I'm very attached to Sushi. My light and long hair are flying. I shined the way even though there was darkness around. But I know it will get darker by dark.

"Sushi, can you smell them?" I asked Sushi weakly. I don't know if this is the right path we are taking, but somehow I have confidence in Sushi.

I can smell those folk, those gents art not yond far from where we art. He answered me.

I felt a little joy because we were about to catch up with them.

"That's good Sushi. We need to reach them before sunset." I said to him and Sushi nodded and I just felt him running faster that I could barely see my surroundings.