Chapter 70 ~Level Up: Eldritch Horrors~
(Fiona's POV)
The fire kept spreading closer and closer, with the walls of the tunnel closing in on us, trapping us.
What got to me the most was that the creature did nothing. It stood staring at me, and I stared at it.
I felt the fire getting close, a few centimeters from my feet. I coughed in rasps.
Was this the way I was going to die?
Helpless, I sank into the ground and curled up in a ball. Not only would I lose this level, I'd lose my life.
I don't know how long I was down, but I felt life slipping away from me. Suddenly, the creature bumped into me, making me jump up, startled.
“Haven't you rrealized, Fiona?” The creature spoke, startling me.
It could talk?
“R..realise what?” I stuttered. “Wait… who are you?”
“I'm you. I represent your fear, Fiona.” The creature said. “But I also represent your strength.”
“What does this mean?” I was confused.
“It means that you're human. You have emotions, one of which is fear. You can use it to fight or you can hide behind it… kind of like you're doing now.”
“Wait… I'm lost.” I muttered. “Why are we closed up and about to be swallowed by fire? What were the weird creatures I saw? They disappeared… I don't understand.”
The creature gave a gentle laugh. “This tunnel is your mind. The creatures you saw are called ‘frights’, shadows… nothingness, if you will. But you see, they vanished. The fears that cloud your mind are just that… illusions.”
I gasped, softly.
The creature nodded. “But sometimes you can find yourself in a dangerous situation. This fire for example. And you're trapped, alone, just you, the danger and your fears.”
“So what do I do, now?” I asked, still choking from the fire.
The creature looked me deep in the eyes this time. “You know what to do Fiona. Trust me, you do.”
I closed my eyes for a while in thought. I actually didn't need to think a lot because, somehow, I did know what to do.
‘This was what character development looked like’, I told myself.
I don't fight my fears, no, I accept them. I love them, I use them… because at the end of the day, they are a part of me. And then, only then will I be truly free.
I turned to the creature.
I don't chase it.
I don't fear it.
I don't see it as separate from me.
“I'm not your enemy.” I told it. “And you're not my enemy. I accept you.”
I could feel the tunnel shaking. This was a revolutionary moment for me.
I stepped towards the creature, and in sync, light flooded from my palm and its forelimbs.
The rattling increased, a strong wind blew, shutting down the fire.
A strong light shone through the dark tunnel.
And then, I was sucked back into the mirror realm. The image of the moon goddess’ messenger appeared once more.
“Trial one: The Human Test. Passed.”
I wore a small smile. Small, because I knew I still had two more tests to pass or else everything was a fail.
“Step into the werewolf portal.”
I stepped into it, and it took me down the same spiral tube.
I landed with a thud to the ground, finally. But this time around, I sunk into a dreadfully cold place.
I was in an frozen wasteland. Somehow, I managed to dig through the snow… I noted with dismay that I was still in my human form.
I was really hoping to see how I looked when shifted to a werewolf, even if it was only a trance.
‘Fiona! Duck!’ Rhia screamed in my mind.
A duck? Where?
I turned back and saw a massive rock that looked like a meteor headed in my direction.
Ah… duck.
I moved swiftly and watched as the rock whizzed past me, missing me by a breath.
Phew… that was close.
Where was that from, anyway?
I suddenly saw three creatures surrounding me, they had numerous eyes, large tentacles and looked beyond comprehension.
‘What the fuck are these?’ I screamed.
Rhia's voice sounded urgent. ‘They are Eldritch horrors.’
Eldritch what?
‘Please tell me these are an illusion too.’ I screamed with fright.
One of them sneered at me and spat a green gooey material that landed on the floor beside me.
Yup… they're real.
I faced the other, my voice unsure. ‘I accept you?’
It released its fangs at me.
‘Yeah… I'm not sure that's how it works here.’ Rhia said.
Can't blame a girl for trying.
I picked up the large rock that had narrowly missed me, and with all my might, I hurled it at one of the Eldritch horrors.
The rock barely grazed its body and landed to the ground in a loud crash, breaking to pieces.
I looked at the creature which I'd hurled a stone at, and it looked less than pleased with me.
They all got violent, curling their tentacles dangerously and producing a roar-like guttural sound.
I placed my hands over my ears to block the horrible noise.
Then suddenly, they started approaching me with fury.
‘I think this is the part you run, Fiona.’
I didn't need to be told twice. I turned and began running fast.
I could still hear them behind me… and boy, were they fast.
I was exhausted, but determined, so I kept running.
One got to me fast, and by the look on its face, I could see it was the one I tried to hit with a rock.
It used its tentacles to wrap around my torso and lifted me into the air.
From up close I could see how massive it was… and the breath, ew.
It raised me like a trophy on display to the other Eldritch horrors.
It brought me closer and closer to its huge mouth. The grip of its tentacles was almost tearing my ribs apart.
“Okay…I apologize. I didn't mean to hit you with the rock.” I screamed just as I was getting closer to the entrance of its mouth.
I closed my eyes, waiting to be eaten, when there was a sudden slashes of a blade.
The Eldritch horror screamed with pain and in a short while, with the sound of groans and a few slashes of blade, all three of them were on the ground.
They were mutilated, blood and guts splattered across the otherwise pristine snow.
Whoa… how cool!
They all died instantly.
I turned to see my knight in shining armor.
But instead, was met with the person I least expected to see.
Standing ahead of me with a wicked smirk on his face, and a shiny but dirtied blade was none other than Xander's brother. Loki.
“Loki, what are you doing here?” I asked, confused.
More importantly, why did he save me?
Almost as if he could read my mind, he smirked dangerously. “I didn't save you for you to live, Fiona. I saved you so that I can kill you myself.”