A Gift from the Goddess

Chapler Ninety–Eight 

Chapter Ninety–Eight 

“Aleric...,” I cried, feeling completely useless. 

This wasn‘t good. This was really, really not good. 

And worse, even on the small possibility that this wasn‘t Thea‘s doing, there was no chance she didn‘t already know by now. Either way, I was wasting time being stuck inside this vision. 

I needed to get out. Now. 

‘Wake up.’ 

| slapped at my cheeks, wishing more than anything to break out, but it was no use. I wasn‘t really ‘here‘s o there was no physical pain trigger. 

A snapping sound then came from somewhere in the distance, and I immediately looked up towards it. It sounded like someone had stepped on a branch further into the woods. 

I wasn‘t the only one who noticed either as Aleric also detected something, walking cautiously towards it. It didn‘t leave me many options in what I could do next... I had to follow him. 

We walked for maybe a few minutes, deathly silent the entire time, before a clearing came up ahead. I knew this had to be it. The place where it would happen. 

He took two steps, assessed the area and then 

*THUD.* 

A wolf tackled into Aleric, sending them both flying to the ground as the beast began to growl and bite at him. But it was more unfortunate for the wolf, if anything, since something like that wasn‘t nearly enough t o keep Aleric down... and he swiftly proved my point. 

Without much effort on Aleric‘s end, he managed to easily take care of the wolf, twisting its neck, and finishing him within seconds. He hadn‘t even broken a sweat by it, let alone exerted himself in any way. 

...But was that really it? That seemed a little... too easy. 

Not enough to warrant a vision anyway. 

Though, of course, I didn‘t need to wait long to find out. 

Aleric must have sensed whatever it was since he immediately prepared himself, looking around the area as if expecting something to jump out. 

But it wasn‘t just ‘someone‘. 

No, for lack of a better word, it was a small army. At least five or six dozen people suddenly emerged from the trees into the large clearing ahead; some shifted, some not. All of them either armed or ready to fight... against just Aleric. The odds were not in his favour. 

But, to my surprise, Aleric didn‘t even seem remotely phased. His face was completely calm as he assessed the situation, his eyes scanning the area as if taking internal notes of exactly where everyone was. And, with a final small sigh, he rolled his shoulders back and stretched his neck from side to side. 

The enemy was either taken aback by his collected manner or, at least, were waiting to see what he‘d do next. It meant they knew who he was, knew what he was capable of as they didn‘t dare rush in. But they wouldn‘t want to hold their breath if they were waiting for Aleric to blindly rush in and stan. He wasn‘t that stupid. 

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Cildple kuinely Light 

A minute or two passed with both sides still cautiously evaluating the other. It dragged on almost to the point of being ridiculous before, finally, Aleric reached down and grabbed a rock, lightly tossing it within his hand as he got a feel for its weight. And of the few who weren‘t shifted, I could see their expressions become tenser, as if expecting him to finally attack. 

...Only Aleric didn‘t need to use the rock as a close combat weapon. Instead, he promptly took a step back with one foot, twisted his body… and threw the rock with so much force it immediately hit the closest wolf. 

They bled out almost instantly, the rock cutting into the flesh by their neck. There hadn‘t been remotely enough time for the wolf to react to the impending projectile. 

Judging from the reaction of the crowd, none of them had anticipated Aleric to throw it with that* much speed and power. But it was apparently the final straw for them. Quickly, they all started to charge at him, the woods erupting in a chorus of cries and growls. 

Five wolves came at Aleric first from all sides, trying to impede his ability to dodge, but he swiftly kicked back three and took two out without any trouble, finishing the other three easily by the time they‘d recovered to charge him again. 

This must have enraged the group, having seen him just take out five of their men so effortlessly, and several more advanced on him. In fact, Aleric became almost a blur as he rapidly defended and attacked. 

Regardless of the direction or their approach, he was always ready and anticipating their next move. It was the exact reason Aleric and I were somewhat balanced when fighting now; where I could literally sense his next move from my ties to foresight, Aleric, on the other hand, was such a skilled fighter with insanely keen senses that he was able to predict the next moved based on body language alone. In such a large–scale event as this, it was easy to see just how powerful he was. *This* was his true ability, both natural and from his lineage. It made me wonder if he‘d just been going easy on me up until now. 

By the time he‘d taken out approximately twenty enemies, I could tell he was finally starting to properly try. Not to say he was getting tired, but I knew it would probably become difficult to finish off the remaining fifty or so enemies still waiting to have their go. 

On... and on… and on the battle went. Twenty... twenty–five... thirty... forty. He worked through each opponent methodically and never slowed... but when there were finally only around fifteen enemies remaining, I could see he was reaching his limit. 

He looked... exhausted. Now covered in dust, blood and sweat, he heaved at the air as he awaited the next attack. But his eyes were still as sharp and focused as when the fight had started. He might have been tired, but he was still ready to keep going regardless. 

I knew he would probably shift soon. Now the numbers had lowered, he would be able to take advantage o f his wolf to manage the open space better and conserve strength, utilising the extra stealth to pick off 

remaining enemies and kill any who tried to run. It was something the opposition probably realised too as they paused for a minute to reassess the situation. 

vas SC 

another stalemate ensued.

to continue and yet Aleric was still standing with barely more than a few surface scratches. Surely, they

I remembered then that I wasn‘t watching this live.

become so engrossed in watching the fight that I‘d almost forgotten what this was. A

be no happy ending here,

screamed at myself, wanting more

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Chapter Ninety–Eight 

a man walked forward.

the others, he didn‘t look afraid. He didn‘t cower or act cautious... No, the only

flaring, he approached Aleric, seeming completely out of it. A man possessed in how he moved. Was it from witnessing all his comrades mercilessly

focused in on him, watching carefully

something didn‘t feel right. Something about him,

up, wake up, wake up.‘

behind him, grabbing something from his

up, c‘mon

even his fellow allies. None of us apparently had ever seen it

‘ WAKE UP 

lifted it up, pointing it directly towards

*Click.* 

‘WAKE UP ALREADY.’ 

*BAAANNGGGGG.* 

was loud enough to make me fall backwards

silence

to hear a pin drop.

as we all stared in shock, wondering what the hell

only broken as Aleric then suddenly groaned...

to my feet and ran toward him... only I couldn‘t touch him. I

his shoulder though I hadn‘t seen any knife or weapon thrown towards him. Yet there was so much blood. From

wrong with you?” one

yelled had grabbed the crazy one with the metal object, shoving him around.

to have the Goddess smite us? Have the entire country hunt us? What would possess you t o wield a

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was something deemed to be taboo by our kind as a whole; a pact to remain hidden and

laugh, clearly out of it as he watched Aleric suffer with

I do the Goddess,” he said. “It was her will that I wield this weapon. This is

this now, we will die anyway thanks to what you‘ve just done. You‘re delusional if you think the witch is going to protect you when people find out about

he simply smiled, his body shaking from laughing. “Then I die knowing I did all I could to survive this world. A rogue‘s life is one filled with only tragedy.

US.” 

Even for someone planning to hurt Aleric moments ago, it was abundantly

‘capture‘ him. Capture. Not ‘kill,” a different

of them were arguing whilst Aleric continued to bleed

healing?” one of them finally

explained. “The witch had it prepared specifically for

done to the man? She could have easily preyed on a weaker willed mind and turned them into this*. Made them see what she wanted them

one man said, beginning to

have time for this,” the second man snapped. “Regardless of the means, we‘ve got him

other

so many of us with his bare hands alone... I don‘t particularly feel like fighting the Saintess who, up until recently, was also considered an Alpha of that cursed Winter Mist. I’ve

heard Aleric then softly whisper.

as he gritted his teeth, applying pressure

if you see this, don‘t

from shock. Was it just sheer luck or did

that, but he wanted me to leave him. As if such a thing was possible. The very second this vision was over, I would make it to him in time... with two of us and

The witch said we only needed one and to focus on the male. Grab him

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Chapter Ninety Eight 

Don‘t. Think it through clearly.”

wasting no time

UP. WAKE UP. WAKE

UP. WAKE UP:

‘WAKE UP 

... *Snap.* 

and I gasped at the air, finally free

I definitely felt weakened… but not enough that I would be completely useless in a fight. I had become strong enough

form, and started bee lining it towards where Aleric was. His

all the while focusing on nothing else

*BAAANNGGGGG.*