Gathering Husbands with a System in a Game Like World [BL]
Chapter 14: The Mist that Torments

Chapter 14: The Mist that Torments

"RUN!"

Darius’s command cut through the forest like a blade.

The formation collapsed in an instant. Mira vanished into the fog on the left side. Theo and Lina stumbled after Darius, their faces pale with fear. Rogan, who had only just regained his footing after being thrown earlier, charged straight toward the beast to buy the others a few precious seconds.

The unnatural white mist swallowed each of them one by one.

"Kai!"

Lucien’s voice rang out somewhere close. Kai turned just in time to see the half-elf emerge from the thick fog. Without thinking, he grabbed Lucien’s wrist.

"This way!"

The two sprinted between the tall trees. Branches whipped against Kai’s cloak as they pushed deeper into Emeraldwood. Behind them came another earth-shaking roar and It wasn’t distant either.

Lucien glanced over his shoulder.

"I can hear it!"

"Don’t look back," Kai replied firmly. "Just keep running."

The ground beneath their feet became uneven. Roots jutted out from the earth like traps, threatening to trip them with every step. Kai leaped over one and pulled Lucien along behind him. A deafening crash echoed through the forest as one of the tall trees toppled somewhere behind them. The beast wasn’t simply after them. It was tearing its way through the forest.

Neither of them knew how long they had been running. Five minutes. Ten, Maybe even longer. Time blurred together beneath the suffocating blanket of white. The fog refused to thin. Instead, it grew even denser. Kai could barely see more than a few meters ahead. His breathing became heavier. Lucien wasn’t faring much better.

"We... We have to..."

Lucien struggled to finish his sentence between breaths. Kai finally slowed.

"Wait."

The two ducked behind the massive roots of a large tree. For several long seconds neither spoke. The only sound was their heavy breathing. Kai listened carefully. He couldn’t hear a thing.

Had they escaped? Or had the beast simply stopped hunting? Neither possibility felt comforting.

Lucien cautiously peeked around the tree.

"Can you tell where we are?"

Kai looked around. Every direction appeared exactly the same. Tall trees. Dense mist and an overbearing Silence. He reached out instinctively with Arcane Eye ...A faint blue light flickered across his vision. Then nothing.

[Environmental interference detected. Arcane Eye operating at reduced efficiency. Long-range analysis unavailable.]

Kai frowned.

"The fog is too thick"

Lucien’s expression darkened.

"So even your observation abilities can’t help us."

Kai slowly shook his head.

"Not in this fog..no"

The half-elf let out a long breath.

"We’re lost."

Kai didn’t answer immediately. Because it was true. Without the sun, without landmarks, without his skill, they had no sense of direction whatsoever.

Lucien lowered himself onto one of the exposed roots.

"...I’m sorry."

Kai looked at him.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"This expedition." Lucien stared at the ground. "If I hadn’t accepted the Guild commission... Felix..."

His voice caught in his throat.

Kai remained silent for a moment. Then he walked over and sat beside him.

"Lucien."

The half-elf slowly looked up.

"You didn’t kill Felix. The beast did."

Lucien clenched his fists.

"But I was the client."

Kai’s voice remained calm.

"And everyone accepted the risk knowing what escort missions involved. If you start blaming yourself for things you couldn’t control, you’ll never forgive yourself."

Lucien stared at him quietly.

"...You’re calmer than I expected."

Kai gave a small smile.

"I’m terrified."

Lucien blinked.

"You are?"

"Of course." Kai looked toward the endless fog. "I just don’t think panicking will help us survive."

For the first time since the attack, Lucien smiled. Only slightly. But it was enough.

"...You’re right. We’re still alive."

Kai stood and offered him a hand.

"And I’d like to keep it that way."

Lucien accepted it. Their hands lingered for a moment longer than necessary. A quiet understanding passed between them.

The notification appeared silently before Kai.

[SSS-Rank Husband Candidate: Lucien Ashcroft]

[Affinity Increased: 11% to 14%]

[Reason: Trust strengthened during crisis.]

Kai dismissed the window without a word.

The two continued forward cautiously. This time neither rushed. Kai examined the ground with every step. If they couldn’t rely on sight, they would rely on close observation.

Several minutes later Kai suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Lucien whispered.

Kai pointed toward the soft earth. Another footprint. But it wasn’t the same one they had seen before. This one was narrower and Longer... The claws were also shaped differently.

Lucien crouched beside it.

"...This doesn’t belong to whatever is after us."

Kai frowned, how exactly could Lucien know.

"And look."

A few meters away several feathers lay scattered across the forest floor. Each one was nearly the length of Kai’s arm. Their dark silver surface shimmered faintly with mana and it was as if it bore electricity around it.

Lucien carefully picked one up. His eyes widened.

"...These are griffin feathers."

Kai frowned again.

"A griffin?"

Lucien slowly stood.

"Not just any griffin..."

Before he could finish, a sharp whistle echoed through the forest. Clear. Steady and incredibly Commanding. Both Kai and Lucien froze. The whistle came only once. Then silence returned.

Kai and Lucien exchanged a glance.

Someone or something else was in Emeraldwood Forest.

They remained frozen for several seconds. The whistle no longer echoed through the forest. It had lasted only a moment. Yet it left behind an unsettling feeling.

Lucien slowly lowered the silver feather in his hand.

"...Did you hear that?"

Kai nodded.

"I did. It wasn’t the wind."

"No."

Lucien looked toward the direction from which it had come. Before either of them could say another word, a monstrous roar exploded through the forest. The ground trembled beneath their feet. Kai’s expression changed instantly.

"It found us."

"Run!"

The two dashed through the forest once more. This time there was no hesitation. Behind them came the thunderous sound of trees breaking one after another. The beast wasn’t searching anymore. It knew exactly where they were.

The mist churned violently. A gigantic silhouette burst through the white curtain. Kai finally saw it clearly. It resembled an enormous wolf. Its shoulders stood nearly four meters high. Black fur covered its muscular body, but glowing violet veins pulsed beneath its skin like molten cracks. Its red eyes burned with madness. Every breath it released became thick white mist that spread across the forest floor. The surrounding mana twisted unnaturally around its body.

Lucien’s face lost all color.

"...Impossible."

Kai didn’t take his eyes off the monster.

"You know what it is?"

Lucien nodded stiffly.

"...A Mistfang Tyrant. The apex predator of the Black Mountains."

Kai’s heart sank.

"The Black Mountains are hundreds of kilometers from Emeraldwood."

Lucien swallowed.

"Exactly. It should never have appeared here."

The beast let out another deafening roar. Its eyes never left Kai.

The system window appeared. Unlike before, it was flashing crimson.

[Emergency Survival Quest]

[Objective: Survive.]

[Threat Level: Catastrophic.]

[Estimated Chance of Victory: 0%]

[Recommendation: Escape immediately.]

Kai almost laughed.

"Easier said than done."

The Mistfang Tyrant lunged. Its massive claws tore through the ground where Kai had been standing only a heartbeat earlier. The impact blasted dirt and shattered roots into the air. Kai rolled across the forest floor before scrambling back to his feet.

"Lucien!"

"I’m alright!"

The half-elf had narrowly avoided another swipe by diving behind a fallen tree. The trunk exploded into splinters as though struck by a siege weapon. Kai’s pulse pounded in his ears.

They ran again. Branches lashed against their faces. The mist refused to thin. Instead the trees suddenly ended. Kai skidded to a stop. His boots stopped inches from the edge of a cliff. Far below, was a roaring river. There was nowhere left to run.

Lucien stared over the edge.

"...We’re trapped."

Behind them heavy footsteps echoed from the mist. One. Two. Three. The Mistfang Tyrant emerged slowly, almost confidently. Its red eyes gleamed as it approached. It knew its prey had nowhere left to escape.

Kai’s breathing slowed. Fear still gripped his heart. But his mind became strangely calm. He scanned the area. A broken campsite. An abandoned backpack. The remains of an old spear. Kai picked it up. The wooden shaft was worn. The iron tip was chipped. Against an A-Rank beast it was practically useless.

Lucien looked at him in disbelief.

"...You’re not actually planning to fight it?"

Kai gave a small smile.

"If we don’t, it’ll kill us anyway."

Lucien looked at the spear. Then at the advancing monster. Finally he quietly stepped beside Kai. Green mana gathered around his hands.

"I suppose I can’t let my escort die."

Kai chuckled despite the situation.

"And I can’t let my client die."

The two stood shoulder to shoulder. One held a battered spear. The other prepared what little offensive magic an alchemist could muster. Neither of them intended to run anymore.

The Mistfang Tyrant lowered its body. Its muscles tensed. It was preparing to pounce. Kai tightened his grip on the spear. i

Then a sharp whistle pierced the air. The sound carried absolute authority. The Mistfang Tyrant froze. Its ears twitched. Its red eyes widened. For the first time since it had appeared, the monster looked afraid.

Kai noticed immediately.

"...It’s scared."

Lucien whispered,

"Of what...?"

Heavy footsteps echoed through the mist. A massive silhouette appeared behind the curtain of white. Far larger than any ordinary horse. Electric sparks flickered within the fog. The outline of enormous wings slowly became visible.

Then a deep, calm voice broke the silence.

"Found you."

The words weren’t directed at Kai or Lucien. They were meant for the Mistfang Tyrant. The beast instinctively took one step backward.