My 8 E-books written over the years by Alina Udrea - HTML preview

Chapter 5: Through the Murky Forest

Two hours later our heroes were entering the Murky Forest. Adi

was very nervous as a thick fog enveloped everything around them and he didn’t like it at all. He liked to see his foes and the possible dangers. He put his hand on his sword ready to draw it from the scabbard if he felt there was anything wrong. He could feel goose bumps. It wasn’t fear what he was feeling but rather a strong wish and will to live, to survive no matter what he would have to face. He just wished he wouldn’t disappoint his new friends. He would protect them with his life if he had to. He was finally a part of a team, he wasn’t just their cook, he was also their friend. And let's not forget he was also a warrior now…

Ulo took out his tiny bottle and took a quick sip. Then he looked

around trying to make out the path but the mist was so thick that he couldn’t distinguish anything. He fumbled his way and he got a bit

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further than the rest of the group. He soon realized he was alone. He had gotten too far from the others and he couldn’t make out anything in the damn fog! He was just about to call their names when he stepped into quick sand. He panicked and he cried for the others but no one answered him which only made him panic even more. He felt the ground beneath engulfing him so fast that he was sure he would die. The sand got to his knees in less than a minute and he couldn’t reach anything to try to get out. He saw a thick root from an old oak which was half above the ground and had a part of it near the edge of the quick sand. If he could only reach it and pull himself out… If he survived this he swore to himself he would never put another drop of alcohol in his mouth for as long as he lived! He started struggling which only made things worse as the sand got to his waist. He tried again to reach for the tree root but in vain, he couldn’t grab it. The sand got to his neck in a few more minutes. He was sure that was the end for him when he heard Alyss scream for help. She and the others got to him just in time to pull him out from the quick sand. Alyss threw a rope next to Ulo's hands which he grabbed in a hurry. Then they all pulled Ulo out by the rope.

- Thank you so much, I owe you all my life! Ulo hardly had the strength to mutter. Then he took an oath to never drink again as God had saved him and he had promised himself that if he would survive this trial he would never taste that vile liquid ever again. He took out his bottle and threw it in the quick sand looking how fast it sank to the bottom and thanking God and his friends that it wasn’t him who sank.

- Ok, said Harry, now let's move on and be on our toes, as Alyss warned us this forest is filled with dangers at every turn. We just have to be extra careful, that is all.

- Yes, said Mongo, and let’s try to stick together this time. No one goes too far ahead of the others in order to avoid other situations like this. At least if we are together we can help each other. And as this fog is so thick I say we all stay close to one another. At least

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until this fog lifts.

- This forest gives me the creeps! Said Adi after he saw that Ulo had been so close to losing his life and not even in a battle, fair and square, but in a pit of quick sand!

- And you haven’t seen the worst yet, said Alyss. The moors in this forest are teeming with all sorts of creatures, the worst of them being the swamp sharks. If one gets you, it won’t let go until it has taken off with one of your limbs. These swamp sharks have their teeth so sharp that they can even bite through bones! And if you still manage to escape after a swamp shark has bitten off your arm or leg, then there are the blood flies which are drawn by the smell of blood. They are poisonous, their poison lies in their tails. So beware of those stinging little devils!

They all went on through the forest when they got in front of one of the many swamps which covered a large area of the Murky Forest. It was so vast that they had to go through it. Everybody prepared their weapons, ready to defend themselves and their friends.

They were advancing slowly in the muddy swamp praying

they wouldn’t come face to face with any swamp shark. There was so much vegetation around them making it even more difficult to see if there was anything lurking at their feet under the dirty water. At least the fog had lifted and they could see clearly above the water but now danger was lurking from under their feet.

There were trees here and there scattered in the swamp.

They were so tall that they seemed to reach the sky. Alyss thought it would be a good idea to climb in one of these tall trees and take a look above the swamp in an attempt to realize which would be the best path they should follow to reach the end of the swamp. So with her bow and arrows, as she always kept them on her, she started climbing the nearest tree. She easily reached the first branch which was low enough but then she had to struggle a bit

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to get to the top of the tree. When she was finally at the top, she searched the horizon for the best route they should follow. As it seemed, beyond the large moor there was a meadow filled with purple flowers. That was where they had to go. And with that they should be out of the Murky Forest. Content with what she found, she started descending from the top of the tree when she saw her friends were engaged in a fight below her. She hurried down and when she got close enough she saw it: a huge swamp shark was attacking her friends. Adi was keeping it at bay with his sword while Harry was hitting it with his axe. Ulo had climbed the first branch of the tree to get a better shot at throwing knives at it without being attacked while he did that and Mongo had his two sharp sabers in his hands and was trying to cut the swamp shark' s head. Alyss didn’t waste another moment and she descended till she got on the same branch as Ulo. She sat next to him and she pulled an arrow from her never ending quiver, put it in its place and took aim, straining all her right arm muscles in the process. She had to wait as Mongo was in front of her arrow and she didn’t want to hurt him by mistake, then when Mongo took a step back, she released her arrow which flew right past Mongo and Adi so fast that all they saw was the giant swamp shark coughing blood as the arrow had hit it at the base of its neck. Then it rolled its red eyes and fell on one side, dead.

Everybody was glad that it was all over and the swamp shark was dead. That giant slimy creature was lying dead at their feet.- I am going to skin it! Said Adi. I think its skin should be worth something at the local market. And also I will take one of its fangs as a trophy! I will put it on my necklace! Said Adi proud and glad to be alive after such an encounter.

- Ok, but hurry up before his friends come looking for him! And Harry poked Adi jokingly, as he too was glad the giant swamp shark was dead and not a peril anymore, although he hadn’t been afraid, dwarves were never afraid, they were born to fight.

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- We have to go this way for about one more hour or so. Then the swamp will give way for a wonderful meadow, also marking the end of the Murky Forest. Then we will look for shelter and make camp, I am already tired, said Alyss yawning.- Wow, this is a first to hear you are tired, laughed Mongo. Want me to carry you? And he laughed again.

- Not that tired, thank you. And Alyss took the lead, showing them the way towards the end of the swamp.

The sun was about to set and they hadn’t reached the meadow

yet. With the last dying rays of light they tried to reach the meadow which was just a few feet away but before they could do that they heard a strong buzzing sound. Soon there was a swarm of blood flies in front of them, thirsty for their blood.- Oh my God, blood flies! When is this nightmare going to end? Said Alyss tired. She had been so sleepy just a moment ago but now at 20

seeing the deadly blood flies, the adrenaline had woken her up completely. In an instant, before the others could also come to their senses, she started firing arrow after arrow, pinning them to the nearby trees or to the ground. Harry was next to take his axe and start chopping off their wings. Then Adi would finish them off one blood fly after the other. Ulo and Mongo joined them in killing the critters. They didn’t stop until the last one was dead.- Now I really am tired. Let’s find some shelter, uttered Alyss who was clearly not kidding when she said she was tired. They soon found shelter at the end of the meadow in a small cave filled with bats. But when they started the fire, the bats cleared the cave and they could finally have some rest, undisturbed for the rest of the night.

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