Chapter 22 Lorrayne didn't expect that while trying to escape , she'd bump into a monster . Talk about terrible luck ! There was stuff about monsters in " The Ballad of Aldrich " -these things spread everywhere they went and ate people . " Let's bolt ! " she said quickly , ready to grab the horse . But Troy whipped out his sword and fearlessly stared into the forest . " You go ahead . I'm gonna take care of it . " Lorrayne was furious . How could she leave alone ? She didn't even know the way . 20 vouchers " How you gonna kill a monster solo ? Let's just go , find the next village , and get the villagers to tell the sanctum or the lord . They'll handle it . " " No. Can't let the monster get stronger . " Lorrayne gave up , nodding . " Fine, go ahead . Just don't die out there ! " Then , Troy marched towards the horse with his sword . What you doing ? " Lorrayne saw his plan and cursed for the first time since the time traveling , " Fuck , you're gonna steal my horse too ?! " " Tll give it back , " Troy said without looking back , walking away with the solemn dignity of a hero marching to his fate . You ain't giving back jack . You'll be dead with the horse ! ' Lorrayne was about to explode . She was fuming . This was unbelievable . Not only was Troy ditching me , but he took the damn horse . I was stranded in the wilderness as it got dark , completely lost . So now I just get to be a wolf's dinner ? Great !' " Wait , I'm coming with you ! " Even if it was to die , Lorrayne couldn't care less . Troy pulled her onto the horse , and together they galloped towards the center of the black mist . The closer they got to the pine forest , the more uncomfortable it felt . The air turned sticky and stank of rot . The faint black mist was blown to the edge of the woods . Lorrayne saw the leaves wither rapidly after being shrouded , like they were corroded by some strong acid gas . Would people really survive going in there ? ' she wondered . Troy pulled up just outside the woods . He tied the reins to a young tree and threw on his heavy black cloak . " I'm going in ." Lorrayne glanced at the creepy forest , her heart pounding like crazy . " I'm coming with you " She clenched her fists . At least if they went together , they could help each other if things went south . Troy looked at her in surprise . " Aren't you scared ? " " You've been protecting me for days . I can't just watch you die here with no one to bury you , Lorrayne snapped . Troy suddenly laughed , confident . " I won't die . It's just a monster . I've even fought through a magibeasts tide . " Lorrayne rolled her eyes , ' Keep bragging Troy grinned , pot explaining , and stepped into the woods . Follow behind me , step in my footprints , watch out not to slip . " Lorrayne bobbed her head up and down eagerly . She looked down , saw two big footprints in the dirt , and made a point to carefully place her feet in them . Troy's feet were so big that her feet nested inside them with space to spare Walking in them felt secure , like stepping into safe spots . The only downside was his stride was too big . She had to take big steps . Normally , there should be a layer of soft leaves on the forest floor , but due to the black mist , the leaf layer melted away , the ground was muddy and stuky , and stepping on it felt like walking on hot far P Chapter 22 20 vouchers After they walked over several hundred feet , the air was already stinking sour . Lorrayne covered her nose with a handkerchief . Not watching where she was going , she bumped into Troy's back . " Why did you stop ? " she asked . Troy stood still ahead , his voice icy . " It's the swamp monster . And it's eaten someone ." Lorrayne stood on her tiptoes and peered over his shoulder . In the distance , thick black fog - so dense it seemed almost solid - swirled around a massive , half - visible monster . Its body was covered in oozing sores and matted fur . Two pitch - black eye sockets held flickering blue flames , and two long tusks jutted out from its mouth . The top half looked like a giant , but from the waist down , it melted into a pile of stinking sludge , fused right into the ground . Lorrayne couldn't tell if it had eaten someone ; she couldn't even find its stomach . This thing had to be at least 15 feet tall- a good two stories high . Its oozing , mud - like mouth stretched wide in a silent roar toward everything around it . Maybe humans couldn't hear the sound it made . Lorrayne looked at Troy worriedly and whispered , " Are you sure you can kill it ? " Trust me ," Troy said , and in an instant , his body shot out like an arrow . Then , Lorrayne saw a shadow rush towards the giant monster . When it was only 10 feet away , that figure leaped high , the sharp sword in his hand reflecting dazzling silver light . Troy was so fast that she couldn't even see clearly . She only saw one of the two blue flames go out . The monster twisted its huge body , furiously hitting the ground , shaking the earth . She could hardly stand . In just a few seconds , the black fog thickened , and the sky suddenly darkened . Inside the forest , it became pitch - dark , and Lorrayne couldn't see anything at all . She faintly heard the intense fighting sound from afar . In this darkness , it made her feel extremely relieved . At least it proved Troy was still alive . After an indeterminate length of time , so long that her legs had gone numb , a streak of daylight suddenly pierced through the forest . Lorrayne's radar pinged - something was up . She bolted straight towards where that monster had popped up , shouting Troy's name as she ran The valley was dead silent , her heart twisted tight . " Troy ! You alive , buddy ? Give me a sign ! " No answer She whipped out her wand from her sleeve , muttered the fire spell , and blasted a flame , charging into the thick fog . The monster was gone , leaving behind only a large , foul - smelling pool of sludge . Lorrayne's sharp eyes caught something wriggling in the muck . She picked up a stick and poked at it , and suddenly , a hand shot out . " Ab ! She jumped back , and then realized it was Troy Troy sat up from the mud , wiped his face , revealing his trademark iron mask , which Lorrayne didn't recognize at first . " That's so you . Troy Lorrayne couldn't help but say : " Even now , you won't ditch the mask . " His nose ears , and eyes were all smeared with mud , and his hair was so caked that it was impossible to tell its original color , making him look like a mud man " You're a right mess now ! " she said Troy coughed twice , hacking up a big lump of mud Had a bit of a hiccup , but turned out okay " 12/3 3/3 PD Chapter 22 Lorrayne stepped in , helped him up . " What hiccup ? " 35 vouchers Troy was kinda wobbly , leaning on his sword , shaking as he stood . " A few folks it swallowed were still alive , so I carved ' em out first . " " Where are they ? " " Should be in here ; let me fish ' em out . " Lorrayne glanced at the knee - deep mud , thinking , ' Even if those guys were alive a minute ago , they'd be smothered by this mud by now , right ? Ah , I'm such a softie ! ' Lorrayne stashed her wand , rolled up her sleeves , and got to work . Troy gave her another surprised look , didn't expect this pampered noble lady to get her hands dirty like that . ' Heck , she wouldn't even drink clean river water . What a contradictory character ! Troy watched Lorrayne for a bit , and as soon as he got a bit of strength back , he jumped in to help . Comment Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.