FSE

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I ran; I ran with every amount of energy I had in my entire body. I would only stop at night to sleep, letting my body rest from the running throughout the day. In the bag that Umbra had given me, he had left some fruits to eat, but also gave me equipment to fish and hunt with; both seeming to be useless in this giant meadow. Despite having food in my bag, there were nights that I did not eat. This was nothing new for me however; since entering high school, I never had an appetite, or desire to eat, even if my body needed it. Why? Stress, I don't know, but this did make Umbra very worried. Some nights, he would sit, keeping me surrounded by his massive legs.

"You must eat little one. No power can give your body the energy that the food I gave you can. You journey is useless if you die of starvation." Some nights, my stubborn would get the best of me, and I would go hungry, but most nights; I would listen to Umbra and eat only an apple to conserve food, and make him less worried. I continued to run, not knowing how long it had been since I started, and all the while, not caring how long it had been neither. One day was rather different, it was storming; rain was pouring heavily onto the meadow, the clouds were thick, now covering where I needed to go, keeping it out of my view. I grew frustrated from this, which seemed to make me run even faster than before. The rain drops beat down on my little body, the winds also tried to move me to their whim, but I kept running forward. The rain eventually gave up, along with the wind, but the clouds remained as night fell across the meadow. The energy I had put into that day made my legs give out; I had pushed myself to my limit. I fell to the rain covered ground, not being able to stand up, but growled a bit as I did try. I didn't want to fail, not now, now that I had gotten so far.

"You must rest now little one." My eyes got wide, then quickly looked behind me, seeing the massive dragon now kneeling behind me

"...But Umbra...What if I lose my way in my sleep...What if I wake up, and forget where my home is." The dragon simply chuckled as he looked at me

"My little one, trust me. You'll enjoy the view once you wake up." I tried to stay awake after that, but my body couldn't take much more, and I blacked out.

My face and the entire meadow was soon met by the bright light of the morning sun. I slowly opened my eyes as its light washed across my body. I slowly started to rise from the ground, but strangely; I didn't feel any pain, not even sore. I thought I had pushed myself to my limit; maybe I was stronger than I thought. As I rose to my feet, I looked forward to see where I was, but then stood in shock and awe. Before me, was a mountain; larger than anything I had ever seen before. I looked at it for a long time, but it all hit me at once; this was my home. I was home. I felt some tears stream down my cheeks as I smiled brightly at the mountain.

"I'M HOME!" I saw a large cave, which was not that far from the ground, then quickly ran to it. I made it to the foot of the mountain, then made two high jumps till I landed at the opening of the cave. I looked inside of it; it was dark, empty, like no one had been there for many years. I gulped nervously as I looked within it, but then my eyes focused in on something; it was a light at the end of the tunnel. I watched it move, then slowly disappear; something was in there.

"Are you ready my little one?" I turned around, looking to see if the dragon was behind, but he wasn't there this time.

"...I am Umbra."

"Good, but I must warn you. Once you enter this cave; I will not be able to communicate with you until you come back out." My eyes got wide, and suddenly, a feeling of fear set into my body. After coming all this way, the one being I could count on to be there for me, was not going to be there.

"...I don't know if I can."

"Don't quit now my little one. You can handle what is inside." I gulped nervously as I stared into the dark cave before.

"Now breathe little one, and face your destiny. Make me proud." I took a deep breath, then let it out, somewhat calming my nerves

"...Yes sir." I then slowly entered the cave, watching as the sky and meadow were taken over by the earth this cave was made out of. I felt a warm breeze come from the opening of the cave, which in turn made me smile; it was Umbra. He was going to wait outside the cave for my return. I walked at a little faster pace as I felt braver than when first entered the massive cavern. I watched as the light that had entered the cave disappeared, not being able to reach me anymore. I walked in complete darkness, as well as silence; it did make me miss Umbra more than ever. As I walked, I saw something, a light run past me; it was a torch. I gulped nervously as I watched it run across the tunnel I was in; someone else was in here, but I couldn't tell who they were, but could only hope that they would not be a threat to me. I walked further into the cave, but was taken off guard by a sudden light, a much brighter one coming from the right of me, seeming to come out of no where. It was blinding after being in all the dark, but I was drawn into it, and was now making my way towards it. I couldn't see what was in front of me, but just continued to trust that this would lead to where I needed to be. My eyes soon began to clear up, taking in the light without any more pain. I stopped once they had cleared up, then gasped at what I saw; it was a window, carved out of the mountain. Daylight was shining brightly through it design. I turned around to examine where I was now, but then stared in awe. The walls were spread so far apart, and the ceiling of the cavern, it had to have been ten feet high. The awe that had overtaken me, soon turned into worry; why were they so big, what was in here that required so much room? I soon froze in fear. I heard a deep growl come from the other end of the corridor I was in. I looked down the corridor, trying to see what had made that noise, but it got dark as I looked further in until I couldn't see anymore. Suddenly, a pair of eyes looked right at me. I moved back as I saw them look at me, but then watched as they suddenly shot up from the ground. Whatever that being was that was looking at me, it had to have been just over eight feet tall. I soon heard a heavy foot step; it was coming for me. I let out a scream as I ran away from the creature in the shadows, retracing my steps, trying to return to where I once was. I found what I had thought to be the way back out, but was then knocked down to the ground. Above me was a human male; he was much taller than me and looked to be much stronger as well.

"I KNEW IT!" He then grabbed me by the collar of my coat and lifted me up, slamming me against the wall of the cave "I KNEW SOMEONE WAS IN HERE, MESSING WITH MY HEAD, AND IT'S YOU!" I shook my head as the man held me against the wall

"N-no sir! I'm trying to escape!"

"OH YEAH! Then how did this opening appear for you huh? I've been trapped here for days, and this wasn't here! Suddenly, you show up, and I can see daylight again! EXPLAIN THAT!" Before I had the chance to speak, he punched me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of my body. He then threw me to the ground. I coughed as I lay on the ground, but slowly looked up at him.

"Now you are going to tell me how to get out of here." I looked at him, but then looked in fear. There was now a large shadow behind him; it was the creature from before. He looked at me with confusion, then looked behind himself, only to be met by the giant figure of the shadow monster. As he turned, I got up and began to run away from the two of them, wanting to be out of the cave once more. I suddenly heard the man let out a blood curdling scream, which made me lose my own balance and fall hard onto the ground. I lay there for a second, but then try to get back up; as I do, I fall back onto the ground letting out my own cries of pain. I had twisted my ankle from the fall and couldn't get back up. I tried a couple more times to get back up, not wanting to believe it, but each fall hurt more than the last. I soon laid there, tears forming in my eyes from not only the pain, but the feeling that I was soon going to die. I then heard a deep breath come from behind me. I froze in fear; the creature was behind me. I slowly turned around to face my fate, but then stared in awe. The creature was a lioness. The lioness did stand at eight feet high, she appeared to be in at least her fifties as far as age goes, and was seemingly overweight; her chest was wide and her belly was even bigger than that. She was wearing what looked to be some kind of old dress, which had draped down across her large body, stopping before her thick feet. I guess that just one of her feet was just a bit bigger than my shin. I stared up at this massive lioness in both fear and surprise. She stared down at me, evaluating every aspect of my being, but then, without warning; I saw tears slowly roll down her cheek, then her lips began to quiver. Before I could even ask anything, the woman fell to the ground before me, crying loudly in front of me. I slowly sat up on the ground and looked at her, then she slowly looked at me with a bright smile as she cried, then began to speak.

"Finally! My lost son has come home!"