Apollo's Chronicle by Seraph Wedd (book club reads TXT) 📖

movement. It was fast, incomparable to normal monsters. Almost reflexively, he let go of the carriage and jumped forward. At the same moment, something crashed against him.

STRONG!!!

He cursed as he was slowly getting pushed back. Using that instant, he used the enemy’s charge and threw it away on the opposite direction. The split second that passed was used to see what his opponent was.

“…!!! Julius! Take Veronica and stay at a safe distance!!!”

He immediately shouted as he dashed forward. If he wouldn’t pin down the enemy, Julius and Veronica might die. That’s the gravity of the situation they are in.

Why is a variant here?! He shouted in his mind as he stared at the monster that was still to hit the ground. It’s over 2 meter body was covered in a deep black fur. Long arms enough to reach the ground even while standing. Claws sharp enough to cut rocks effortlessly. Lastly, a series of yellowish sharp razor teeth.

The pair of red, sharp looking eyes locked on to Apollo’s figure. Shivers run down his spine. He instinctively used body reinforcement and jumped aside. The same instant, something hit his previous position causing severe lashes on the ground.

Apollo quickly applied mana to his eyes. Then, he realized.

I’m getting cornered?!

Mana blades, invisible to normal eyes, are all around him flying at speeds impossible to dodge.

I should have brought my sword!!!

He regretted leaving it inside the carriage now that a time to use it came. He had no choice but to adlib. He concentrated mana on his fingers to the point that it turns visible. Using the impromptu hand-blade on both hands, he intercepted each mana blades around him.

He twisted, turned, rolled and ducked all while swinging his hands. The number of mana blades flying towards him slowly thinned. In one corner of his enhanced vision, he can see that the variant was running towards Julius and Veronica.

This is bad!

With Julius’s level, he couldn’t even defend against it. Only death is the possible ending for them if the variant caught up.

No choice!!

Apollo ignored the incoming blades and dashed. Some slashes connected to his body causing lacerations and when lucky, just a few scratches. When he finally managed to intercept the variant, his body was battered too much that he was already out of breath.

He launched a palm strike towards the variant. The variant was startled and couldn’t evade in time and was sent flying once more. Apollo used this chance to run back at once towards the carriage. He immediately picked up his obsidian sword and a vial of elixir.

Right after Apollo finished drinking the elixir, the variant was already running towards him.

He immediately placed the sword in a forward stance, ready to intercept any attack or give a heavy blow. The variant quickly dashed towards Apollo. Then, for the first time, it brandished its claws.

Without wasting a moment, Apollo received the sharp claw with the flat side of his sword. Then, he twisted the sword lightly, causing the attack to veer out of his location. He followed up with a lightning fast vertical slash, aiming for the vulnerable back of the variant.

“*Screeeeech*”

The variant wailed in pain as a large wound was opened on its back. The variant quickly turned around and slashed at Apollo.

“… Rend…”

However, instead of evading, he placed his sword once more to intercept the attack. And after muttering that one word, something unbelievable happened. Noticing its impending doom, the monster tried to stop the attack, however it was too late.

At the moment of contact, the variant’s whole arm, from hand to its shoulder, got bisected with an invisible blade. At the last instant, the variant twisted its body, avoiding a fatal wound.

“… Bad move…”

However, due to the sudden movement, it lost balance for the shortest of instant.

“…REND!!!”

Using that chance, Apollo aimed his sword at the monster’s core. At the center of its thick chest. The black sword seemed to multiply and a wave of afterimages smashed against the monster’s chest.

The variant having its core pierced almost instantly vanished into thin air.

“*pant* *pant* *pant* … Ugh…”

Apollo knelt down the ground due to extreme pain. He was pressing against his chest, his heart felt like it would burst out.

“APOLLO!?”

Veronica, seeing the conclusion of the battle and Apollo’s state, immediately ran up to his side. Julius followed slightly behind her.

“ARE YOU OKAY?!”

Her worried voice made echoes on Apollo’s hurting head.

“… Don’t… Shout…”

“S-Sorry…”

“… Using a… Killing art… Twice in a row… Seems to be… a bad… Idea…”

He muttered with bated breath.

“Don’t force yourself, you should rest.”

“… Don’t mind… me… We shouldn’t… Stay here for… long…”

Apollo tried standing up but fell forward a moment later. Veronica caught his heavy and battered body in a panic. They seem like they are hugging each other.

“W-W-Wait! I just said, don’t move!”

“… But… I still need to… pull the carriage…”

His eyelids felt heavier as he speak. Then, as if on cue, he fell asleep.

“What the…!”

Falling asleep, his whole body weight leaned against Veronica’s small body.

“J-JULIUS!!! H-HELP!!! ARRRGH!!!”

Before the two of them fell, Julius picked up Apollo and placed him on his shoulder.

“T-Thanks…”

“Miss Veronica should enter the carriage too. Staying outside is dangerous.”

“Ah. Okay. The exit’s not that far is it?”

“About a couple of hours away, I think. We should be out of the forest before noon.”

“That’s good.”

With Julius pulling the carriage, they passed through the battlefield and finally reached out of the forest. They are now only a day away from the city.

Imprint

Text: Seraph Wedd
Editing: Seraph Wedd
Publication Date: 09-01-2016

All Rights Reserved