Zach nodded his thanks and stepped beyond Mapil’s walls.

As he walked, his thoughts drifted. He was randomly thinking about his life. Then he suddenly remembered Geroi existed.

Geroi. The name lingered, pulling at the edges of his thoughts. The man had been arrogant and self-assured when they last met, as if the world revolved around him.

“Should I have sent the assassin after him, too?” Zach muttered to himself. He quickly shook the thought away. No. Geroi probably had bodyguards watching him 24/7. A man like that wouldn’t leave himself exposed—not if he had any sense.

Still, Geroi didn’t have leverage here. What Zach needed to focus on was the bigger threat: the First City. They were bold, ruthless even. Bold enough to kill Meljuia’s parents, especially her father, who had been the governor here. Bold enough to burn down an entire village just because Markinson was there.

Zach frowned as he walked, shortening her name in his thoughts. Mel.

If the First City had already gone that far, there was no reason to think they’d stop. Whether they attacked Mapil or the estate itself, Zach had to stay sharp. The weight of it pressed down on him, but he shoved it aside. He had a task to complete.

After walking for what felt like hours, Zach came across an unusual sight. A small pond of vibrant purple water stretched before him, its surface glistening like polished amethyst. Above the water, vines stretched between thin, spindly trees, their roots partially submerged.

Zach glanced down at the map Abram had given him. The location of the pond matched one of the marked locations. A quick scan revealed the important animals associated with it: a green walking fish and a predatory bird with four wings and an ugly wide beak.

The walking fish was described as having saliva that could dissolve flesh with ease—a deadly trait that intrigued him. The bird, on the other hand, had claws that caused intense irritation upon contact. He imagined that the irritation could be used for torture.

“Alright,” Zach muttered, folding the map and tucking it away. He approached the pond cautiously, studying the vines and trees for any sign of movement.

The map offered little guidance on how to actually catch these creatures—just simple sketches of their appearances. Zach frowned, annoyed by the lack of detail. “With their tech, Abram could’ve gotten actual pictures of these things. Would it have killed him to be a bit more helpful?”

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He crouched at the edge of the pond, his reflection wavering in the purple water. The walking fish seemed carnivorous, maybe blood would attract them.

Zach made a shallow cut on his cheek. The sting was minor, but a thin line of blood trickled down. He wiped it onto his finger, dipped it into the water, and waited.

The surface of the pond rippled faintly, but nothing emerged right away. Zach leaned closer, watching for any signs of movement beneath the surface. The purple hue of the water made it hard to see more than a few inches deep.

“Come on,” he muttered. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

Zach crouched at the edge of the purple pond, his finger still dripping blood into the water. Ripples spread lazily across the surface, but nothing emerged. His patience was wearing thin, and he considered if there might be a better way to draw the walking fish out.

Before he could think further, a sudden rustling sound from the bushes nearby made him freeze. His hand instinctively went to the haft of his axe. The sound grew louder, heavy footsteps pounding the earth as something massive moved closer.

Without warning, an enormous alligator burst from the underbrush, its body covered in thick, mottled scales that gleamed like polished metal in the sunlight. It was at least fifteen feet long, its legs surprisingly long for an alligator. But what caught Zach’s attention was its jaw—it stretched unnaturally wide, almost doubling in size as rows of jagged teeth snapped open and shut with a sickening clack.

Zach rolled backward just as the creature lunged, its jaws slamming shut where he had been crouching. He scrambled to his feet, gripping the axe tightly.

The alligator hissed, its elongated jaw opening again as it lunged a second time. Zach dodged to the side, swinging his axe at its flank. The blade glanced off its armored scales with a loud clang, barely leaving a scratch.

“Great,” Zach muttered.

The alligator swung its tail, and Zach barely had time to brace himself before the impact sent him skidding backward. His boots dug into the muddy ground, and he tightened his grip on the axe.

He needed a weak spot—somewhere he could land a decisive blow. The creature’s underbelly, maybe? Or its open mouth?

The alligator lunged again, and this time, Zach sidestepped and brought the axe down with all his strength. The blade caught the edge of the creature’s jaw, tearing out a few jagged teeth as it snapped shut with a pained roar.

Zach staggered back.

The alligator roared again, its jaw extending even farther as it prepared to strike.

When the alligator lunged for a final time, Zach leapt to the side, spinning as he swung his axe downward. The blade cleaved into the creature’s exposed neck, biting deep into the softer flesh there.

The alligator froze mid-lunge, its body convulsing as blood sprayed across the ground. With a final wheezing hiss, it collapsed in a heap, its long body twitching before going still.

Zach stepped back. He wiped his face, smearing blood and sweat across his cheek.

“Damn,” he muttered, staring at the massive carcass.

Just as he was catching his breath, movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

He turned just in time to see something burst from the pond—a six-foot-long green fish with muscular legs. Its body gleamed with slick scales, and its wide-open mouth revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth.

It was the fish he needed.

Zach touched the plate of his armor, making him almost weightless.

The walking fish lunged at him with surprising speed, its claws digging into the mud as it propelled itself forward.