The Betrayal of the Guardians

~ (21) Trial of The Forbidden Lands (Part I) ~

Arisa blinked as the cold wind blew, irritating her eyes.

Heaviness pulled her heart as she saw a pack of white beasts gathered between two huge rocks that had a passageway for them to continue their journey. From afar, the beasts looked to be the size of humans. Judging by their bodies, they could be large and strong.

She noticed that they each had two pairs of horns: a long pair jutting from the cheekbones and a smaller pair on top of the head.

"So what's the plan?" asked Thelma, joining the group.

"We can either walk through those beasts," replied Bastian, thoughtfully, "or go back and find another path."

They glanced behind them and saw the many footprints left by their shoes.  They realized that the area behind them was vast, with many giant silver rocks limiting their view of the rest of the land.

"I think we should challenge those beasts," suggested Train. "Who knows, we could find a better place to rest behind that passageway."

Arisa smiled at his suggestion. The reason behind her smile wasn't because his suggestion was understandable, but because he was somehow participating with his team—without any intention of provoking anyone.

"I agree with Train," said Arisa, approaching him. "Even though it might not be the safest option, I think we should risk finding a suitable place to stay."

Bastian grinned. "I'm okay with both choices. I just wanted to know the team's opinion."

"I don't think we should take that risk," said a nervous voice.

Arisa looked further behind Bastian's shoulder; Nina's gaze didn't leave the scene in front of them. As the cold wind tangled her red ponytail, she turned around.

"I don't want to become their meal," she continued, her face colorless.

Arisa joined Nina, who was several centimeters shorter than her. She assessed the scene carefully and noticed that several of the gorilla-like beasts were eating some sort of meat that tainted their perfect white fur and pale pink faces.

"I think we should keep going," persisted Train. "If we are attacked, we already know what to do."

He put his hand on the pommel of the sword on his back.

"No," protested Nina. "I'm sure there's another path; this place is big, this can't be the only passageway."

Nina was so nervous that her voice cracked and she wouldn't stop gesturing with her hands.

"Are you scared?" asked Train.

Even though his face was covered with a black mask, Arisa could sense a smirk behind it.

"You should be the last one to be scared," he continued. "You're well equipped, after all."

In those few seconds of silence, the cold wind blew as Nina looked sideways.

"I'm not scared," she said. "I'm saying that there might be another way besides this one."

"What if we meet another pack over there as well?" he asked. "Will you suggest we stay here until the Sanctum decides to show up?"

Nina gazed at him in silence, anger dominating her expression.

"How about we follow Nina's advice for now?" Thelma patted Train's shoulder. "She's still new to this world of battles and monsters. Besides, I just woke up from a nightmare. I don't want to walk through that pack having their lunch."

Arisa stared at the smiling Thelma with sorrow. After what she went through with that nightmare, she admired her calm reaction towards the scene in front of them.