Monsters Call 

Lydia grabbed the hilt and pulled as hard as she could, but the sword didn't even budge.

'Damn, I can't believe I'm this weak.'

'No, that might not be the case. It's just that the sword was really wedged to the point the tip had come out at the back of its head.'

'If I try harder, I can pull it out.'

Lydia ensured that the rock was still shoved properly in its mouth. Then she positioned her right foot on top of its nose before pulling the sword with all her might.

'Ugh…'

'Hiyah'

"Haa…"

"Haa…"

'Come on,' Lydia thought, as she stared at its body, that's growing in size.

Since she still couldn't pull it out, she moved the sword side to side to loosen it.

As she did, the leopard's growl grew louder. 

"Sorry," she muttered before pulling again.

This time, it moved, so she put in all her strength and pulled as hard as she could.

It came out in one go. However, she tumbled on the ground because she did not expect it would be pulled out just like that.

"Ouch"

Lydia stood and hurried to the side of the leopard before eyeing its chest. 

Then she plunged the sword into the spot where Ahmad had always stabbed the wolves. 

'Hopefully, its heart was around here too.'

Lydia used her weight to push the sword deeper into its chest. Then she twirled the hilt with both hands, even shifting positions several times so that she would succeed.

Feeling the flesh and organs through the sword, a shudder ran down her spine, but she continued.

When the leopard stopped growling, and the blue glow around it faded, she retracted her hands from the hilt.

Her fingers were trembling, and her heart was beating so fast it seemed like it would explode.

She had never killed an animal before. 

She doesn't know what exactly is she feeling, so she stood instead, remaining alert of her surroundings while looking in Ahmad's direction.

He was walking towards her unscathed.

Other than him, nothing else was moving on that side.

"I apologize, your highness," Ahmad said as he stopped in front of her. "I wasn't able to come to your aid as soon as the leopard attacked."

Lydia hid her hands behind her back.

"It's alright, you were fighting several wolves all at once. Besides, you helped when I called for you. I am grateful."

"I…" Ahmad's gaze fell to the claw marks and fresh blood soaking up the torn fabric on her shoulders.

"I apologize, your highness," he said once more as he pulled out a square piece of clothing tucked on his belt. "Please use this."

"For what?" she asked as she followed his gaze. 

"I see." Lydia took the cloth from him.

'No wonder it was stinging when I was pulling out the sword. I didn't even realize I had cuts there because I'm aching all over from falling several times.'

Lydia secured the clothing underneath the torn fabric before facing him.

"Thank you," she said, but it was overshadowed by an ear-piercing shriek that echoed across several mountains. 

As the deep resonant sound cut through the wind, the trees bent to an invisible force, breaking down the inflexible ones and shaking off the remaining leaves on the branches. 

Creak…

Thud…

After several trees fell, eerie silence followed, and a deathly aura spread all over.

"Shriiiiieeeekkkkkk"

"Shrrriiiiiiiieeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkk….."

After the third call, the pressure and thickness in the air eased.

'What the hell was that?' Lydia thought as her body trembled uncontrollably. 

It was like time froze for several seconds and everything went dark, but she was sure that did not happen. It was just the feeling the shrieks invoked.

"Your highness, we should hurry to the nearest village," Ahmad said. His pitch higher than normal.

When he headed towards the horse, Lydia was about to follow, but when she tried to take a step, she realized she could not move.

'What the… but he's moving freely.'

'Why can't I?' she thought as she stared at his back.

Ahmad stopped and turned to her. "Your highness?"

"I…"

'Ahh'

When she heard her voice, she tried to take a step again. This time it worked, so she hurried towards him.

'What's going on?' 

Lydia held onto the curvature of the saddle tightly as the horse galloped.

They are riding at the fastest pace they could.

She assumed it was to avoid death. 

As they rode, she saw fresh tracks on the way.

There were mutilated beasts with crushed hearts and dead people in uniforms, so she assumed the wolves they encountered at the intersection were already chasing someone before they shifted their attention to them. 

She understood that, but she's having trouble grasping why they did not even hear subtle footsteps before they clashed. The animals' eyes were red too, and a blue glow surrounded their bodies. Other than those, there was that ear-piercing shriek.

"Ahmad, what's going on?"

"It seems we got caught up in trouble, your highness."

"The people who passed before us probably awakened a powerful monster."

"Since it asked for help, there are probably people who are fighting it."

"From its call, it's probably on the other mountain. However, all predatory beasts and monsters, weaker than it, will be subjected to its will and wreak havoc."

"They will undoubtedly attack any human they encounter."

Ahmad tugged on the reins while hoping they could reach the village past the mountain without encountering a monster half the strength of the one that had made the call.

Because if they do, they might die, and his family could be punished too because he failed to protect her.

Since he had caught a glimpse of Lydia's true inner force, he knew she's strong, but in the case they are facing now… it's not really strength that matters. Its experience, strategy, and knowledge of monsters' weaknesses, strengths, and abilities. 

Ahmad briefly looked at Lydia's injured shoulder. 

Since she kept her abilities hidden even when he was already aware of it, and she even questioned what's going on now, he's not confident she could protect herself against the hordes of monsters they might encounter.

As a princess raised in a prosperous and powerful country, he understood she might not have encountered such danger. The imperial palace she lived in after her capture was also elevated to the sky, so it was practically free of monsters. Other than that, ever since she came to the province with the prince, no powerful monster had awakened, so this might be her first time encountering such peril… and that means, he could not trust and rely on her abilities in this situation.