A New World, an immersive game experience

Chapter 127: Worse than goblins?

"Are you dumb?" Andreas asked, trying his best to maintain his composure. It was clear that he was close to blowing, his fists balled and nostrils flared. Even his face was clearly heating up.

"No, I am not! Tell me. Why do we not explain ourselves?" Eldrian countered, feeling that this would be the natural thing to do when dealing with anything which could communicate. He could never understand how people simply skipped talking and headed straight for fighting.

Before Eldrian could receive a reply, everyone heard something approaching. Stopping, they all turned towards the sound, trying to find what it was.

"Did anyone manage to see what it was?" Floyd asked, nervously. He did not like how they were here, defenseless.

"No," Sabrea and Terlas replied simultaneously. Cadriel on the other hand managed to offer a bit more information, "Something white."

"White, what monsters are white again?" Evapius asked, trying to recall all the monster he knew which could be white. This did not help much, since many creatures could vary in color. Wolves could be almost any color; white, grey and black were their most common colors.

This held for many things, humanoid beings were the only ones who were more restricted. But even then, there would be different shades.

This line of questioning effectively stopped the argument between Eldrian and Andreas. Instead, they all prepared for whatever was out there, trying to make sure they would not be caught off guard.

Time passed slowly... When the animal finally appeared, everyone was completely caught off guard. Not because of where it came from or anything like that, but simply because of what it was.

"Is... Is that a Unicorn?" Eldrian stumbled over his words, completely thrown by what had just appeared in front of them. He stared at the pure white horse in front of him, focused on its horn. A single straight horn grew from the top of the horse's head. This horn was not very long, likely only as long as Eldrian's forearm and was located just above the eye-line of the horse's head, twirling into a sharp point.

Eldrian was so shocked by the fact that it was a unicorn that he barely managed to move. Staring dumbly at the Unicorn's head and marveling at its coat which had no blemishes. No mud, twigs, grass. Nothing.

"Why is it just standing there?" Cadriel asked, most of her fear had disappeared when she saw that it was not some vicious monster. According to what she knew; Unicorns were peace-loving and good-natured creatures.

'Elf, why are you here... And with such evil?' Eldrian suddenly heard a voice speak to him. Completely thrown he started looking around for the voice. This did not escape the other's notice and irritated the Unicorn.

'Stop that! How can you not even know telepathy?'

This rung so loudly in Eldrian's head that he failed to keep his composure. Falling onto his knees he held his head in pain. The others took this to mean that the Unicorn was attacking him, as such they all started acting.

Andreas disappeared into a shadow, Terlas and Cadriel let loose their arrows while Sabrea moved forward to block the Unicorn's path. Evapius was standing ready to use magic when needed.

'It seems you are indeed with the evil.' Eldrian felt disappointment in this voice, before he could react the Unicorn acted to defend itself.

It summoned a light and moved. The light was so bright that everyone lost their vision, Andreas falling out of the shadows just a few meters short of the Unicorn. Its moving caused the arrows to miss, and this seemed to be effortless for the Unicorn.

After dodging the arrows it gave the group one more glance before running back into the coverage of the trees. Making sure to run over Andreas who had yet to stand up. Sending a hard kick into his back as it did.

Andreas coughed up blood as he started crawling for a tree. Leaving a trail of blood as he did.

"Move, now!" Evapius shouted as he started summoning a barrier made of wind. It was far weaker than the one which was locking them in, heck it was not even a sphere. It was simply a wall, which everyone ducked under.

Eldrian was the last to get behind the strange opaque blue air, as he did the light exploded and sent nearby trees flying. The barrier vibrated violently but managed to hold until the explosion ended.

"Is Andreas okay?" Cadriel asked as her eyes recovered.

Eldrian looked up after hearing this question, shocked tofind almost an entire 2 meters hole dug where the light had been. Before he could even question he heard a voice again in his head.

'So, you are actually stronger than I thought. Very well!'

As this voice ended the Unicorn appeared in front of everyone again, charging straight at Sabrea who had stepped out of the now falling barrier.

No one managed to react as the Unicorn rammed into her, its horn easily piercing straight through her stomach. In one smooth motion, the Unicorn flicked its head. Sending Sabrea flying through the air.

Sabrea cried as she landed, but soon after became quite.

Floyd wanted to go rush over and help her, but the Unicorn gave him one glance and he felt all the strength in his legs leaving him.

"Scatter!" Andreas's voice came from the other direction, a shadow disappearing as soon as he shouted. This shadow ran away quickly. Infuriated the Unicorn sent a wind blade at the rest as it started chasing Andreas.

Eldrian was still on the ground from the blast and as such the wind blade passed harmlessly over him. Floyd was not so lucky and too slow to react, he lost an arm in his attempt to fall onto the ground. Still, he was lucky. If he had been slower by a beat of his own heart, then he would now be dead.

Feeling the sharp pain he wanted to recover his arm and reattach it right away, but Cadriel pulled him away. Screaming that he should run, "Go, everyone do as Andreas said. We need to scatter!"

Those around did not argue, they had no way to fight against that Unicorn. This short bout had proven that. Sabrea was now dead and Floyd one arm less. If they had to fight, then they would all die.

Floyd second-guessed for a few seconds, but after seeing Sabrea lying still in a pool of her own blood. His courage ran out, and so did he.

What just happened?Eldrian asked as he looked at the carnage which had been wrought by a Unicorn. A freaking Unicorn.

Eldrian struggled to come over this, his body slow to act and his mind even slower.

What do I do now? Eldrian asked as he picked up and stored Floyd's arm. He had no idea if it would help, but he felt it was something smart to do. As he finished this his mind started working better.

"Sabrea!" He shouted as he saw her lying in a pool of blood. Rushing over Eldrian started casting Thera and Anthizo, but the wound would not stop bleeding.

What the hell! It says it can stabilize severe wounds! Eldrian shouted internally as he saw her breathing become slower. She was already almost not breathing and seeing her breathe even less frightened Eldrian to no end.

"Nooo!" Shouting he gave up on healing and instead cast Floga. Pushing the flame straight onto her wound Eldrian hoped this would not kill her as he heard her skin boiling. Eldrian fully focused to try and stop all the bleeding, once he was done cauterizing it he ripped his own shirt and tied it over her as tightly as he could.

"Fuck! What should I do?" Eldrian asked after having stopped the wound from bleeding. But Sabrea still did not look good, her skin was turning paler and her breathing becoming even slower. Desperate Eldrian continued to cast Thera, Anthos and Anthizo as soon as his mana became enough.

This seemed to stop her from slipping completely away, but Eldrian knew that once he stopped she would die.

"Sorry, but we have to move," Eldrian said, knowing that they would be dead if the Unicorn returned. He tried picking her up but found that she weighed a ton.

Come one, there is no way she is so heavy! Eldrian cursed as he looked at her fit physique. Desperate he used Inspect. Finding that her armor weight over 40 kilograms.

"Sorry." Eldrian mumbled as he started taking off her armor, making sure to store them all in his inventory. Once her armor was off he tied his shirt over her wound again, trying his best to keep from thinking. Once he was done he picked her up again, this time it was easy.

The adrenaline running through him allowed him to ignore the fact that she was almost nude, as he had done a really terrible job in taking off her armor. Having no idea how armor worked, his own being a simple strap on. Hers had lots and lots of things ties and connections. Eldrian had simply cut where it was tied and ripped where it was connected.

Carrying her in his arms Eldrian looked left and right, no idea where to go. For some reason he felt the spring would be a good place to go. Following the soft noises of the spring, Eldrian set off deeper into the forest. Trying his best to carry Sabrea as comfortably as he could.