Soul Alive : Saga of the cursed tests

Unexpected help.

This new place, despite being spooky and mysterious, also conveys a bit of peace.

- We have been in the same place for about five minutes, it’s time to move on, don't you think? - Aelum said as he levitated and observed how the others were still without energy.

A refreshing current of wind began to be felt all over the place. The temperature suddenly became a bit chilly to such an extent that Sanctus and the others began to experience a certain burning sensation as they breathed the cold, dry air of the place.

A creature appears out of nowhere with a completely black robe and its head covered. This creature has no legs and simply levitated at a small distance from the grass. He just stood there doing nothing, seeming to watch them from a distance without saying a word.

The others notice the presence of the creature.

-That thing... - Smith said in a low, trembling voice as he watched the creature.

-Is not human and seems to have quite a strong spiritual power...- said Lucile as her glasses lit up brightly.

Aelum: That creature has a lot of spiritual energy. It's dangerous to stay in the same place as that thing. - Aelum said.

The creature uncovers its head with its hands full of holes and you can see that its completely bald and full of holes all over its head, including where its eyes should be, which are two large black spots full of many holes.

A strong spiritual pressure began to be felt in the place that made Lucile's glasses c***k completely.

Smith and Lucile began to tremble and are unable to move due to the creature's hideous appearance.

The creature starts to approach slowly while levitating and the two large black spots full of holes where its eyes should be, start to open.

-It's like his whole head is some kind of honeycomb... - Smith said quietly without being able to move, his eyes filled with tears.

- Even with these gloves on I feel nervous, I can't imagine taking them off. I must find a solution fast or we will die. - Sanctus thought, sweating as he watched the creature slowly approaching. - We have to split up, it's the only way. Move! - As he turns his back on the creature and looks directly at Smith and Lucile.

Sanctus quickly touched the shoulder of Lucile and Smith who were still not reacting to the situation.

Aelum: Run now! - He shouted while waving his pages in the air.

Sanctus: Run in different directions! We don't have enough energy left to take it on at once! It's the only way to try to throw it off! - Sanctus said as he ran alongside the others.

Smith and Lucile didn’t doubt Sanctus' words, since he was the most responsive person in this risky situation.

Everyone ran in different directions no matter what. Sanctus ran without saying anything for almost two minutes without stopping and without looking back. The more time passed as he ran the less the presence of that horrifying creature could be perceived. Aelum was still at his side and was the one who kept watch in case someone came behind him.

- That was dangerous Sanctus. Giving them almost all the spiritual energy you had left through the gloves could have caused you to collapse physically and spiritually. You might even have died because of it. - Aelum said in a worried tone of voice as he followed Sanctus.

- I-I know, but they deserve to live as much as I do and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing, especially when I know I can do something for them.... - Sanctus replied as he continued to run in the direction of the unknown.

The road appeared to be a kind of open field with a lot of grass surrounded by some trees and holes in the ground, as if they had been dug on purpose due to the rectangular shape of the holes in the ground.

-I-I think... I can't take it anymore...- Sanctus thought as his vision blurred and he began to lose consciousness.

Sanctus falls to the ground in a faint.

A voice could be heard in the distance and it was getting closer and closer.

- Hey Sanctus, wake up, it's been a long time since you passed out! - Aelum shouted as he tried to blow air into Sanctus' face with the help of his pages.

- Huh?! W-What happened?! I'm dead?! - Sanctus said exalted as he quickly sat up and smacked Aelum with his forehead.

- You're not dead, but the next time you want to die, I'll be the one to kill you! - Aelum said angrily.

- Good to see you, Aelum... What exactly happened? I just remember that I suddenly lost consciousness because I felt very weak and sleepy.

- That was because you ran out of spiritual and physical energy, but you didn't die happily. About the rest... I had to drag you across the floor as best I could while you were passed out. Do you know how hard it is for a book to have to drag a human sack of potatoes? You're too damn heavy... - Aelum replied as he lay on the floor resting a bit.

Memories of Aelum come to his mind.

- Damn, what a poor sense of energy you have, stupid. It's amazing that a book is saving your ass. - Aelum said as he dragged Sanctus' body with its pages.

Back to the present.

-Oh, by the way. After pulling you around the place for a while an ugly thing appeared and I thought it was a monster, but it ended helping us. - Aelum said in a tired tone of voice and pointed with one of his pages.

- You hurt my feelings, mouthless book that talks. - Replied a person standing behind Sanctus.

- Aelum, don't be rude. You shouldn’t judge others by their physical appearance. - Sanctus said as he turned to look at the person who had previously helped them.

The person wore a coat that covered his entire body and a gas mask that covered his entire head. He was a little taller than Sanctus and his voice was a little distorted because of the gas mask he was wearing. -Thank you very much. I’m really very grateful to you, Mr. Gas Mask. - Sanctus said somewhat impressed by the unusual appearance of the person in front of him.

-My name is Desolation and I’m a member of Negative Feeling. Nice to meet you... - Desolation answered with a friendly tone of voice.

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Aelum: This is serious Sanctus.

Sanctus: Now what happens?

Aelum: After finishing this test you will go on a diet. I almost broke in two when I was trying to drag you across the floor.

Sanctus: I think anyone has more weight than you, Aelum. I don't know if you've forgotten, but you're a book....

Desolation: H-Hello...I'm still here. Don't forget about me...

Sanctus: Wait... What the hell are you wearing now Aelum?

Aelum: Oh... You mean my new gas mask? I've read around that girls like mysterious guys so now I'm going to be quite popular. (He is wearing a gas mask to suit him despite being a book).

Sanctus: I think sometimes Aelum is not aware that he it’s a book....