As the expedition team moved northward, the terrain changed. Dr. Gyasi, Jal, and Luk got together to study the map. “This area doesn’t show up as hilly or mountainous,” Dr. Gyasi muttered. “I wonder why.”

“Maybe because the ground is uneven and inconsistent from one step to another?” Morti overheard the conversation. “Doesn’t mapping give a general average?”

Jal didn’t say anything. Over the last day, it had become uneasy and nervous. Things seemed different here, but they looked the same. Jal had decided it was because it knew the Risar lived in this area. But could there be another reason?

When Jal was off by itself a few hours later, it contacted the scientists at the Iragos Peninsula and asked whether the group was still being tracked. They assured Jal that they were. “Would you pull up a map of our path for the past two weeks?”

“What are you looking for, Jal?”

“I’m simply wondering if we’re on the right trajectory. We should be going northwest and I believe we’re going northeast.”

“Our sensors show that you are headed in a northerly direction.”

“Okay, thanks.”

The following night, they looked at the map again. This time Jal took out the compass that Haerm had given it. Jal laid it beside the map. The needle turned one way, then the other. When Jal put down the compass next to Dr. Gyasi’s the needle on Jal’s pointed east instead of north.

“Why is my compass different from yours?” Jal asked Dr. Gyasi. Jal picked the compass up and the needle spun slowly counterclockwise, then clockwise.

“Are you wearing something magnetic, Jal?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Maybe there’s an odd magnetic force around here.”

“Maybe.” Jal tucked the compass back in its belt and went on to something else.

The following day, the group started off earlier than usual. After several hours of walking, Golsho saw movement in the trees to the northeast. “I believe there’s an animal up there,” he said to Luk and Jal. “Keep your eyes open. Maybe it will be fresh meat.”

Others noticed the activity, too, and watched the horizon closely. “I believe that’s a Risar,” Luk whispered to Jal. “Let’s give it a wide berth.” He led the group away from the animal. Members in the back could see smoke along the ground and wondered if there were a fire. They kept going but regularly looked back to see if they were being followed.

The trees began to change. Pari and Maya pointed this out to their travelling companions, who had noticed the changes too. In the late afternoons, when the group stopped, the biologist and horticulturist often teamed up with Morti, an environmental scientist, and Badas, an agricultural scientist. While Badas took soil samples, the other three continued to collect samples and cuttings to grow trees back in the labs.

The hikers saw a variety of animals over the next few days. Cirus identified several that were similar to the antelope on Trazene, wild horses, and different types of felines. The ground was uneven in places and it seemed that they were going up an incline. One day they came to a rough incline down.

Luk and Golsho looked at one another. “We’ve been on a huge mesa! Now to go down.”

“Let’s stop here for a day,” Dr. Gyasi suggested. “I think we all need to rest. Let’s see if our hunters can bring in one or two of those antelopes.”

“I saw some wild carrots not too far back,” Maya said, “and I think there might be some root vegetables over there.” The plants were only a few steps behind them.

“We can cook by wrapping leaves around the vegetables tonight, but tomorrow we’ll need to find water,” Maya said quietly. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve only got part of a water container left.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Yes. We’ll consult the map this afternoon and find the closest water source,” Dr. Gyasi answered.

The following day, they rappelled down the edge of the mesa. It wasn’t long before they were standing at the edge of a huge forest. “We can go north around it,” Luk said to Golsho.

“Or we could go through it.”

“We don’t know what kind of wildlife is in there,” Elodi pointed out.

“I doubt that it’s any different than what we’ve seen.” Luk said. “How much time do you think we would save?” They studied the map.

“I think it’s going to take us three or four days to pick our way through and seven or eight to go around.” Jal and Dr. Gyasi agreed. “I guess we’ll go through,” Jal decided. It shouldered its pack and the group followed Luk into the huge woodland. After several hours, they came to a slow-moving creek and decided to camp there for the night. Because the trees were so close together, it was hard to pitch tents, so the campsite became stretched out.

“I don’t like this at all,” Jal muttered to itself. “I know we’ll have guards tonight, but I have a bad feeling about this.”

That night the guards walked around the camp about once every hour. Just as the sun peaked over the horizon, Zalim stopped walking. He spoke into his communication badge. “I see something.”

“Tell us what it looks like.”

“Tall. I can’t tell the color because it’s still too dark. Seems to be standing on two legs.”

“Watch and see what direction it goes.”

Zalim stepped behind a tree and stood quietly as the animal swayed from side to side and walked toward the campsite. “It’s headed straight for us,” Zalim said quietly. The animal disappeared into some brush. “Now it’s in some bushes. Can you join me, Cirus?”

“Sure. I’m on my way. Who has the closest tent?”

“Luk and myself.”

“Okay, I’m cutting through the center of the tents.” A few minutes later, Cirus stood at Zalim’s side. “Where is it?”

“About twenty degrees to the right. It’s in a clump of bushes.”

The animal reappeared. It was at least five meters tall, Zalim estimated. It seemed shaggy, but Zalim couldn’t tell for sure. “I think it’s some sort of bear,” Cirus said. “Likely searching for berries and small mammals.”

“So we don’t need to worry about it,” Zalim concluded. “It shouldn’t bother us, if we move slowly enough.”

“Do you know if the meat is tied high in the tree?” Cirus whispered.

“Yes, it’s over there,” Zalim pointed. “Just past Verle and Elodi’s tent.”

The animal stepped toward them, moving very slowly. Zalim and Cirus didn’t move. They stood silently as the sun came up over the horizon. Now they could see its face. “It’s only got one eye,” Zalim whispered. “A risar.”

“What do you think we should do? We don’t want it in the camp!”

“Maybe it will go past,” Cirus whispered hopefully.

“I think it’s headed for the meat,” Zalim said. “Maybe it will take it and go on its way. Should we wake everyone? It is time to get up.”

“Let’s have them stay in their tents for now. If it gets too close, I think we’re going to have to distract it to get it away from the campsite.”

“Do you have your weapons?” They quietly slid their shields to their arms and took out their swords. “Do you think a sword will be effective against it?” Zalim responded. “I think I’m going to use my wand.”

“Are you sure?”

“No, but we’ve got to start somewhere.” Zalim spoke quietly into its communicator, “Cirus and I know that it’s time for you to get up. Please stay in your tents. We have a visitor headed toward the camp. I repeat, stay in your tents.”

The animal continued on its path toward the tents. It seemed as if it were searching for something, then moved toward the tree where the meat hung. Cirus and Zalim watched, afraid that they might be spotted. It seemed to claw at the meat. The carcass swung back and forth, out of reach of the beast. Again and again, the creature tried to get the meat. It finally quit trying and slowly turned. Now Cirus and Zalim could clearly see that it was a risar.

It was headed into the camp. “We need to distract it! Come on, Zalim. We need to get its attention and lead it away from the tents. Here I go!”

Zalim crept through the trees, with Cirus right behind him. Zalim was behind the risar when he stepped on a stick and it snapped. The creature turned. The two androids saw that it couldn’t turn its head but had to swing its entire body around. It seemed to be searching through the trees. Zalim stepped out from behind a tree, then went noisily from tree to tree. The beast lumbered slowly through the forest directly at Zalim.

Zalim stepped behind a tree, then moved away from the camp. Minutes passed as Zalim played hide-and- seek with the creature. The animal was now nearly a kilometer from the camp, so Zalim began to circle around and return to the camp. Cirus had been about six steps behind Zalim and stopped where he was.

“Where are you, Cirus?” Zalim whispered

“Over here, about ten steps to your left.”

Suddenly, the risar let out a loud squeal. It had spotted them! Zalim could see a yellow line flow from the creature’s forehead. “Or maybe it was its eye,” Zalim thought. “No time to think about that. We need to get away, while it’s away from the camp.”

The yellow line hit the bushes and trees and there was smoke. Zalim and Cirus went from tree to tree, trying to hide, but the creature kept following them. It seemed like fire and smoke were everywhere.