Chapter 6

Reed surveyed the area but it was dark and incredibly difficult to see as compared to when he was on the tree.He kept shifting his gaze side to side. He wanted to move but he couldn't determine where he had to go.The night became quiet like a grave. Another roar echoed from another tree that had a soldier and after that roar a body fell to the ground.Reed was getting scared because with every roar it seemed that, the wolf was getting nearer.

Syin heard the successive roars and his pace didn't lessen at all. That fox can not get to that talisman at all costs.The wolves in the trees were covering more area.Syin outstretched his arms signalling the wolves to disperse and the minute he did that the wolves each headed in opposite directions.There was a tree stump on the way and just a few feet from it Syin did a forwrd flip onto a tree and his feet hit the tree first and proppelled him into the air.As soon as he was in the air , other transformed wolves jumped over the stump and joined him mid air. And they all landed synchronically.

Their velocity didn't decrease and they handed toward Reed.

Running steps were produced from every direction. Reed couldn't tell if it was friend or foe and immediately he prepared for action. A flaming arrow came aiming straight for Reed from the dark forest.Reed shifted his body so that the arrow strikes the tree behind Reed.As soon as he did that a claw like figure aimed directly for Reed s face.Immediately Reed moved his head just enough for the claw to pass and his gaze followed the hand.Reed interlocked his arm under the arm of creature so that he held onto the arm. Instantly he placed his knee between the legs of the creature causing it to lose stability.As soon as the creature was on its knees, Reed reached for the other arm and brought both arms towards the back of the creature.The human shaped creature could not move anywere.Their bodies were entwined.

Suddenly the creature dissolved into a thick black smoke and disappered into the air.What on earth was that?? While Reed was still shocked at this, two soldiers emerged into the scene.

"Reed , what was that roar, are you okay", inquired the soldier while looking at Reed who was staring at the ground. Reed raised his eyes to face the talking guard and before he could give him an answer , a human figure jumped from a tree branch and lunged for the talking guard.Reed quickly summoned his sword to attack the figure midair but as soon as the sword was near the figure, the figure melted it a dense smoke leading to the sword passing right through and landing on the other side and the tree.

The smoke encompassed the guard and swirled twice,Reed and the other guards stared in angst.The smoke dispatched and a sucked out corpse fell .Reed arched his eyebrows and took a step back with his mouth agape.They are most definitely doomed.

Other guards successively showed up in the scene and were introduced to the dried out corpse.As they got shocked they immediately took out their swords.

Reed raised his eyes to them and saw them standing near the trees.He searched the environment and the tops of trees but all he saw were shadows of branches.The other guards followed Reed's gaze but not understanding his objective.

Syin made an abrupt stop and the three wolves by his side followed en suit.They were covered by tree shadows.

"It's quiet",said Syin feeling somehow like he is being watched.As he raised his hand to instruct the wolves to move, smoke like tentacles reached for the two wolves from the left and right.The tentacles pulled the canines to the shadows .Syin quickly turned when he heard the wailing of the dogs. But what he found was an empty space. Syin protruded his eyes and glared all over the place.The young wolf next to him got scared and he stared at Syin.Ryle wanted to clasp onto Syin but that would be too much for him..He retracted his attention and hugged his other arm in an attempt to warm it.Why was it suddenly so cold?

"Run!". that's all Syin said before he clasped onto Ryle s fore arm and broke out running. He ran through the forest whilst holding onto Ryle. Syin was clinging onto Ryle like a thorn.

One thing is obvious in the wolf clan, wherever Syin is ,Ryle is not far away. Before Syin goes to bed and before he has breakfast in the morning, he must check up in Ryle.He always wants Ryle to be by his side no matter.You can call it an unhealthy obsession or addiction but it is what it is. Syin would rather abandon a mission than send Ryle alone.

As Syin clasped on to Ryle s arm, Ryle was not feeling the slightest bit comfortable but he would never dare to tell Syin as he knows it will hurt him and that's the last thing he needs. Honestly why is Syin so obsessed with him.Its not like he genuinely cares about him.. If he does then what about Yevana.How does one explain that Syin offered to have his wolf lineage ripped from him so that he can be with Yevana.How do you explain that he uses him as a scapegoat whenever he goes to see Yevana. Ryle doesn't understand how to feel about this.Should he just play along or should he just break free from what seems like a potential life of being Syin s little lap dog. This is all too much to bear to be honest..As these thougts raced through his head ,a discomfortable sensation arouse on his tongue such that he felt the need to throw up.He swallowed the vomit because the last thing he needs is to cause a scene now.He was getting emotional .As he tried to force out his paiful thoughts like a million times before and fought his gag reflex , tears welled up in his hazel eyes.Ryle tried not to blink so the tears won't fall out.Its so much easier to fake happiness than explain why you are sad.Afterall he never had anyone behave to him the way Syin acts.The pain of not knowing whether someone cares about you or it's all for show.

Just as they ran through the forest, Ryle spotted red dots pouncing through the trees.His body tensed and Syin felt it.He raised his eyes to the tree shadows and then two ghost wolves landed in front of them.Their bodies were like smoke and the red orbs were all one could see distinctively. Ryle was scared and his chest started to involuntarily rise.The tears he tried so hard to fight back escaped his eyes.One wolf jumped towards Syin and with that Syin threw Ryle to the air and dodged the wolf attack .As he dodged the wolf ,he transformed into a wolf and jumped up Infront of Ryle so that Ryle landed on his back.As soon as Ryle touched Syin s back he laid flat on the enormous canine like a scared baby.He was so scared that his heart was beating frivolously.and he involuntarily clung on the Syin ... Syin could feel Ryle s heartbeat on his body.Syin navigated through the forest and made his way towards Reed.The smoke wolves were still on their tail however that was the last of Syin s worries.This is the first time he had ever felt a heartbeat on his wolf body.The sensation was so vivid, so naked and so delicate.Something broke out in Syin s chest.Is his pulsating too..To Ryle s heartbeat!!?

Reed squinted his eyes at a red sperk he noticed in the shadows.He tried to focus and his efforts were interrupted by Rian s wail. Everyone shifted their gazes to the source of the sound. By symphony , all the soldiers in the area got shocked at the display.The smoke from earlier had encompassed the lower part of Rian s body and slowly but gradually raising upwards. He tried to brush off the smoke but no success issued.As soon as this happened ,a soldier drew his sword in an attempt to save his friend.

"Don't!! You are going to stab him..",yelled another soldier confusing the hero soldier even more.

"We can't save him", expressed Reed in a soft voice. His eyes never left as he watched Rian get engulfed in the smoke. Reed started to back off slowly and before long his steps were metamorphoed into lunges. The remaining soldiers had no option but to copy.As they ran through the forest, red eyed shadows kept passing through the trees and some were on the branches.Like a rainstorm the red eyed creatures begun landing on the soldiers behind Reed and one by one Reed heard their bodies fall to the ground,while other were pulled into the shadows.Never once did he turn back to find out what on earth is going on...

More red eyed shadows kept emerging in the shadows of the trees as Reed run away.At this point he was sure that he was the only whose left

A shadow wolf that emerged above Reed s head jumped from the tree and stopped in front of Reed

There is no escape!!