Apocalyse: Marked by Chaos-Chapter 18 - Shadows on the Mountain

A low guttural growl rumbled through the air. Olivia's body immediately stiffened. Diana met her gaze with a knowing smile, unbothered by the tension in the air.

"Don't worry it's only a level 10 beast." Luke replied with a smirk, he swiftly drew his sword out, his cold heavy metal sword shimmered under the daylight.

"Come out and fight me, you son of a b**ch." his thick hoarse voice shouted.

But nothing came out, the surroundings thickened with silence, it was like they were being watched by something.

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"I think it has gone away." Henrik, the guy who was teasing Olivia earlier, said.

Diana slowly shook her head in denial. " No it's waiting....for something."

Olivia's hands grew clammy as she reached for her twin swords. Her eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings. The fear of not knowing where the beast might have lunged from, gripped her heart.

From the chills running down her spine. At that moment she wished she hadn't come. 'No. No. I won't regret coming to save Little White' her thoughts seem to be at war.

" It's gone." Diana brows furrowed, this was very strange, why did the beast turn away, an unsettling feeling clawed at the back of her mind.

" Are you sure?" Luke asked, his eyes still observing the surroundings.

" I have a bad feeling about this." Olivia muttered under her breath.

They returned their swords back to their sheaths. " Let's continue." Henrik said.

They all soon continued their journey, dried leaves crunching underneath their boots. The damp air invaded their lungs.

Olivia still felt that something was amiss, she carefully observed her surroundings. ' It's so strange, there is not a single chirp of the birds.' Her brows furrowed, her hands rested on her gun.

"Where are we heading to exactly? It seems like it would be a long journey." Olivia asked, chuckling awkwardly at the end of her sentence. Her eyes assessing the six students in front of her.

" We are going deep into the woods, the S level monsters often reside there. It's a place of complete disaster." Diana replied.

" If it is that dangerous, why must you go and risk your lives over its core."

"Because it can make us more powerful, their abilities can be passed on to their killers, it is worth the risk." A blonde girl answered. Her brown eyes look brave.

"Bella is completely right, if you want to make it to the top rank, you have to hunt the high rank monsters." Luke's gruffy voice echoed through the forest.

Olivia nodded slightly. ' So that's how it works... I got my abilities from the Wormhole king because I struck the final blow'

Walking became more difficult, as the hill became more steep.

" I understand that the S level monsters reside far inside the woods, but why are we going up the hills?" Olivia couldn't help but ask.

She felt like she was diverting from her goal. All she needed was a core from low level monsters. Changing course and avoiding the low level monsters wasn't part of her plan.

But she had to follow them for her own protection. If she was to venture alone into the woods, she would be as good as dead. 'If I run now, I might find a low level monster... but I might also get caught alone and die.'

Little White doesn't have enough time. She needed to find a low level monster fast. What should she do now?

" We have data on a S level monster there." Diana replied.

" So there are no low level monsters in this area?" Olivia casually asked. They all stood on a flat platform, they looked up the hill, and what stood before them was a very steep mountain.

"Yes, that is if you jump down from here." Henrik's voice dripped with mockery.

Olivia glared daggers at him. But he only shined his teeth at her.

" I guess we have to climb up from here." A quiet looking boy said. His calm blue eyes stared intently at the mountain.

" Tyler, are you sure there is no other way up?" Bella asked.

"No this is the only way, let's hurry up before night comes."

They all brought climbing gears from their bags, it was like a claw. They attached it to their hands and boots.

" What happens if we don't make it up before nightfall?" Olivia couldn't help but ask.

" Looked underneath the hill." Tyler said before he began to climb the mountain.

Olivia stepped closer to the edge. Her heart sank to her stomach. Red eyes, they were moving fast towards them. Even the far distance between them didn't seem to assure her.

"Hurry up Olivia." Diana's voice echoed in her ear. Olivia quickly began to climb the mountain. Her arms and legs felt like they were going to burst from the pressure and the pain of putting her weight on the claws.

She panicked when she saw that she was far behind them and would be the first snack for the approaching monsters. Her breath hitched, as she scrambled to climb faster.

"Aaargh."

A scream erupted from her lips, as she missed her step. She fell a few inches down before she gripped the rock again.

Her heart beat erratically in her chest, cold sweat dripped from her face. This was a suicide mission. But she can't give up now.

"Are you okay?"

Diana's voice echoed from the upper mountain.

"Yes I'm fine."

She answered before making her way up the mountain again.

Henrik looked down, he shook his head in disapproval. " I don't know why we even let her come along."

"To be our bait." Bella grinned at him.

After hours of climbing against gravity and pressure, the students finally made it up to the top. But Olivia was still climbing up, her exhausted eyes stare at the sunset. Her hands trembled slightly.

She looked underneath her, the monsters were catching up. They moved with unnatural speed, their skeletal limbs twisting at odd angles as they scaled the rock.

Her lips curled into a silent cry, a thought of letting go crossed her mind, but she shook her head in resilience , she would make it. She began to push her exhausted body up the mountain. You are almost there Olivia, you can do this. She encouraged mentally.

She reached the top, relief washing over her, she had made it. As she was about to pull her body up, her exhausted hand failed her.

Her eyes widened in fear.

"AAARGH."