Insect Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 69: Something wrong with the froes (4)- When death is near
The sound had come from a little too close for Theo's liking. It almost felt like something was within the 10-step distance of them.
He did not know what the plan was, they had two vipers that were bleeding so much that there was no way there was no scent.
'Is hiding really the only option?' Theo asked himself. The tingling in his skin was weird, but it was bearable now, as if he had grown accustomed to it.
Theo felt Clara's grip loosen on his face, and in a moment, she had removed her hand fully in a slow speed.
Theo saw her staring at him, and then the unexpected happened; he saw her make a sign with her two hands.
Theo tried remembering the signs; he had just started learning them, and there were so many that it was difficult for a rookie like him to keep track of all of them.
Yet a second later, it hit him; Clara was telling him that a fight was inevitable. That he had to be ready any moment.
Theo's shoulders tensed, and he gave a light nod to her.
They were like that for a few more seconds when another "RUSTLE" reounded from near.
OOOH OOH
A high-pitched sound came from the front. Theo jerked when he heard that.
'Monkey?' He thought with a frown. The voice sounded more like a monkey from Earth, and it made Theo feel worse about the situation.
'If it's the Ape from the outskirts, why is Clara feeling so scared? It doesn't make sense.'
The rustling became closer and closer, and Clara showed another hand sign. It was to stay silent and be alert.
Theo almost felt the creature sniff a few times, it made him wonder if it had already got the whiff of the dead vipers.
Soon, Theo saw the shadow of something gigantic above their grass; he saw the grasses right in front of him part, and it was then that he made eye contact with the beast.
Theo's first thought was that it was a monkey or, at least, some parts of it resembled one.
It stood on its two legs, its body covered with brown fur, but its proportions seemed all wrong.
Its arms were too long, and its fingers were tipped with sharp claw-like nails.
Its face was twisted; it almost looked human by the face if not for the animalistic cheeks and the snout. Its eyes were glowing yellow, and since Theo had stared into them, he felt this chill all over his skin.
The big monkey-like beast tilted its head, its gaze locked onto Theo and Clara. A low, hoarse growl came out its throat, and its lips parted. It showed a set of big, crooked, yellow set of teeth.
Drool was coming out from the left side of its lips.
The last thing Theo saw on the creature was the big red gnash moving from its neck to the start of the stomach. It felt like a deep wound.
Clara quickly held Theo's hand, making him wonder if it was the last time they were going to fight. She, being scared, meant this creature was not from the outskirts at all. It was one from deep in the forest, one that was out of reach for him.
Yet then a frown formed on Theo's face. Him? Dying? At the hands of just an ape? Just when he had started this adventurous and fun life with such caring people?
He refused it in his heart; his hope and resolve were increasing by the minute. He looked at his mantis whose emotions were right on its face, it wanted to fight.
Suddenly, Clara pulled him back, making Theo become surprised, but just the next second, Theo saw the hoofs and the tusks of the boar glow before it quickly got up and smacked at the big ape beast.
The beast made a guttural scream as it tried latching onto the boar for support with its long arms. Yet, as if realizing that a skill had been used on it, it just let the creature smack him back a long distance.
Theo was surprised, but the next second, he felt Clara picking him up and jumping to sit on the boar, whose seemed to have deactivated its skill. The pup jumped and sat on Clara's lap the next second.
"RUNN!!" Clara shouted, and the boar started speedily moving toward the same location they had been traveling toward before.
The forest blurred around them as the boar charged forward, its hooves pounding against the ground. Theo clung to its back, his heart pounding in his ears. Behind them, he could hear the creature's enraged screeches and the sound of it crashing through the trees in pursuit.
"Faster!" Clara shouted. It felt like she was done with the mental commands now. The danger was already there anyway now.
Theo risked a glance back and immediately regretted it. The creature was gaining on them, its long limbs allowing it to move with terrifying speed. Its eyes glowed with an animalistic hunger, and its claws tore through a tree's tusk like it was nothing.
Yet Theo's gaze fell on the wound going down its neck again, there was blood all around it on its fur as if the bleeding was not stopping.
"Clara! We can't outrun it!" Theo shouted as the air around him pressured him to halfway close his eyes.
"I know! I am just trying to figure something out!" Clara spoke almost instantly, her eyes never left the route as if she was calculating something.
"It's hurt, Clara! It's our only chance!" Theo shouted and looked at the ape again, which was almost near them by now. Its speed was ridiculously high. Theo felt weird that in all this time, he hadn't seen a single creature around them.
It seemed the hierarchy among these beasts was well written by nature, nobody was like the humans who dared fight anything they catch hands on.
"It's too strong! I know a river ahead. If we make it, we might lose it!"
Theo frowned. How could they lose the monkey from just a river?
His gaze was locked in on the monkey whose eyes were crazed. Theo saw the wound again, and a sense of greed formed in his mind. No matter how many times he thought it, he couldn't help but think there was a chance they could defeat it.
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Petrastone Ape
Rare
Level 7
Type- Earth beast
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When Theo looked at its status, his eyes dilated for a second; level 7 was down right too much.
But when Clara saw the back again, her heartbeat skipped too. The ape was now too close. While it had not stopped following them, it had also increased in speed and seemed almost to reach them in a few moments.
"We need to fight back; there is no other option, young master! I am sorry about this!" Clara shouted with a panicked voice.
"Huh?" Theo was confused, but then she grabbed onto him, and the same time, the boar abruptly turned without holding back its speed. It felt impossible for this move to be performed but Theo had a lot of confidence on the boar after being with it for so long.
And the gap between the boar's level and the ape's was only 2 levels.
The ape itself became surprised yet didn't stop increasing its speed, It left out an excited shout in the air before baring all its teeth toward them.
Theo saw the tusks of the boar lighten up, he felt scared that he was there while the boar would use the skill, but it didn't matter.
Just when the Boar had stabilized and was moving right to the ape, an apologetic voice came from Clara, "Keep moving to this side, and you will reach the outskirts!" She stated while showing a finger toward a direction.
Theo nodded but was confused until he felt a sudden push from the side, which was strong enough to make him fell off the boar.
He didn't just fall but managed to tumble away after reaching the ground.
"UGHH!" Theo grunted as he felt as if his shoulder was done for. It all happened so fast that there was little to no time to comprehend the situation.
"I WILL HELP YOU GET SOME TIME! RUN! YOUNG MASTER!!" Clara shouted with another roar, She was going to tackle the ape again anytime soon now.
When Theo heard her say it, it felt like a part of him was getting broken. He never wanted to be in a situation like this.
'She is sacrificing herself for me?' A thought came to his mind as he got up frantically; his shoulder joint was already out of the socket.
BANG!!
A loud sound resounded when the boar and the ape tackled each other.
Theo felt like something was going to happen to the ape this time, just like the first charge.
But to his dismay, the ape had its hands on the Boar's glowing tusks, and all the momentum was gone.
The only thing Theo saw was Clara and the pup flying at the back of the ape from the impact.
