Pillow took Noah and his team through a path carved into the jungle. Ofcourse, the path was made for little people. Perfect for small, intelligent little creatures, but it obviously wasn’t suitable for anyone taller than four feet.

Thraz stood at the front, chopping everything in his path with the help of his Profession.

Noah stood just behind the black and white panda as curiosity began eating away at his thoughts. He needed to know everything about the strange creature if he wanted to follow him anywhere.

The only reason Noah was following now was because Pillow was indeed leading them toward the city Noah had spotted a week ago. If it wasn’t for that, Noah would have refused right away.

Noah ducked under a low hanging branch before asking Pillow, “Were you born here?”

Pillow shook his head, trying to be as quiet as possible. It was clear he was well experienced with the island, and its deadly inhabitants.

“No, I was taken here–” He began counting in his head, bobbing to every count, but then he spat. “Well, I woke up here a while ago. I can’t remember when. Damned sun doesn’t work too well in this place.”

“So–!” Thraz started off loud, but after being glared at by both Noah, and Pillow, he lowered his voice. “So you are like us then. Together, we can form a party led by the great warrior Noah.”

“What, so I’m a great warrior now?” Noah scoffed.

“Of course.” Thraz bobbed his head as if it was obvious. “If it wasn’t for you, we would still be stuck in that castle. And everything else you have accomplished; only a great warrior is capable of that.”

Pillow looked at them, tilting his head.

Noah whispered to the small panda. “He’s just a fan.”

“Well whatever he is, I won’t join a team with a human.” Pillow growled. “Once I’ve taken you to the city and received my payment, I will be on my own way.”

What does he have against humans? Although Noah was curious, the latter part of his sentence made him jump over the words.

“Wait, what payment?” Noah asked, confused. There was no mention of any payment back at the ruins.

Pillow said, “what, you think I’m leading you to the city from the goodness of my own heart? Don’t make me laugh! As a bounty hunter, my services ain’t cheap. What, don’t tell me you’re chickening out from a little payment?”

“My answer depends on what the payment is,” Noah replied.

He had to admit, the little creature was adept in steering away from the threats of the island. That also went for the strange underground monster that threatened to devour them.

Noah got goosebumps just thinking about it.

However, if the payment was severe, he’d just go his own way.

Pillow tapped his chin for a few seconds before saying, “Gold, a thousand Grace Coins, a rare Skill Essence. Or better yet, a Pathstone.”

What could he possibly use gold for? Noah shook his head. The only thing he could think of was that it was his original currency in his home world. Despite Pillow’s demands, Noah was quite happy with them.

“Sure, I’ll see what I’ve got once we get to the city.” Noah smiled before continuing, “What’s your story anyway? I’ve never seen one of your kind before, at least not one that can talk.”

“It’s none of your business.” Pillow snarled, raising his voice before quieting down. However, he had no intention of explaining any further.

Noah could see pain hidden under the surface of his brown eyes, but he quickly regained focus as he directed Thraz to strike a different area.

“So–”

Pillow interrupted, “Humans always talk so much.”

“What do you have against humans?” Noah asked. “Last time I checked, I’ve done nothing to offend you. Apart from summoning that ghost, that is. My bad.”

“I just don’t like them. They inflict pain onto others, they are selfish, only thinking of themselves, and are greedy.” Pillow thought for a second before spitting. “And they smell.”

“Well I can’t argue with you there, but that can be said about any race,” Noah added with a bemused smile. “You’re inflicting pain with your words right now. You’re selfish wanting payment when our lives are on the line, and you’re greedy wanting my Skill Essences. Who’s to say I might need them to survive?”

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“Wh–” Pillow glanced at him before tearing his eyes back to the front. “Whatever.”

“You don’t smell though.” Noah shrugged. “Point is, don’t lump us all into the same group.”

Pillow refused to turn back, but he replied with an annoyed nod.

Noah didn’t know why Pillow hated humans so much. Maybe he had a rough interaction with a few of them?

Whatever the reason was, Noah wasn’t too bothered by it. He was only concerned that the hatred would be directed at himself. In turn threatening the safety of him, and his team.

Well, at least for now, Pillow was done complaining. In fact, the foulmouthed panda had turned silent as they continued their journey through the harsh jungle.

Unlike the mainland, the path was perilous, and untrodden. Powerful monsters roamed around and if it wasn’t for Pillow, Noah would have had to risk his life if he wanted to take his team into the city.

Certain areas were inhabited by very strong monsters, so they were forced to take detours, winding around impenetrable walls of thorns, and crossing lakes home to prehistoric fish. Thankfully Pillow knew the land like the back of his hand… Or paw.

After a few hours, Noah peered around Thraz’s arm. He smiled. They had made it to the city.

Noah had only watched it from afar, so to see it up close was surreal. The bricks of the buildings were dark, darker than they appeared from the other island. Bigger too. Each one was triple, or quadruple the size of bricks he was used to seeing back home.

But he didn’t have to wonder for very long as it was made apparent as to why the buildings were made from such heavy materials.

A blast of wind almost threatened to pick Noah up from his feet. And it continued with no signs of stopping any time soon.

Not only that, but a torrential rain joined the gale force winds. Each drop impacted against his flesh with a force like the cracking of a whip.

Gripping the iron-wood jungle tree with one hand, and using his other as a visor to ward off the apocalyptic rain, visibility was severely impacted. Noah had to squint his eyes in order to make out any further details, but most of it was just a blur.

“Is this common?” Noah shouted through the rain.

“Yeah,” Pillow said, “happens at least once a week. It’s a good thing we made it in time.”

Noah hadn’t experienced it since arriving on these islands. That meant that the storm was late?

“What do you mean–”

Noah was cut off by a primordial roar that sent a shiver from the base of his spine, and rattled all the way up to the base of his neck. Through the lightning streaking across the sky, Noah swore he saw an image of a devil imprinted against the clouds.

However, when the light of the thunder diminished, so did the image.

“What the hell was that?” Noah asked, his grip tighter around the handle of his lance.

Gluttony and Krall huddled closer together, both shivering. They were fear stricken. It was like an overwhelming presence was pressing against them with the weight of a mountain.

It was the suppression of a bloodline.

Whatever it was, was something Noah never wanted to see up close. The scream he was used to hearing from the centre of the island was incomparable to it.

“You don’t want to know.” Pillow shook his head.

“You don’t know what it is, do you?” Noah squinted his eyes, judging the panda.

“Of course I know what it is!” Pillow growled. “Come on, let's get inside before we’re washed into the deathly waters.”

“Lead the way.”

Noah didn’t want to be outside for a second longer.

Pillow led him to a building on the outskirts of the city. It was smaller than the rest, with a domed roof just like all the others. Now Noah knew why. To weather the storms, the buildings had heavy, and thick bricks to withstand any amount of wind thrown at them.

Then there was the roof. Because of its dome-like structure, it offered a streamlined lid so that the wind would brush over it, instead of clashing against it.

Surprisingly, there were windows. But they were covered by plated-steel, or whatever metal it was. With a latch on one side, it was capable of opening up when the storm had ended. On the other side of the building, directly opposite of the window, was another gate-like obstruction just like it.

Pillow opened up the door. Or he tried to, at least. But the wind was too strong as it battered against the door. Thraz himself had to hoist the door open to let the others in. Once they were all hiding in the shelter, Thraz stood in as the door slammed shut behind him.

Inside, was a rather bland room. It was dark, thanks to the dark-grey bricks, but there was light granted by four candles that burned with a small orange flicker.

The furniture consisted of a small table, two sturdy wooden chairs clearly made from the iron-like jungle trees of the island. A small bed lay at one side of the room, but the sheets had long decayed into rough fibres.

In the middle of the room was a fire pit, and a cauldron to go along with it. In total, it was rather primitive. Something Noah had seen before in mediaeval movies.

Noah took a seat on one of the chairs, while Thraz stood up tall against the wall. Because of the high ceiling, the dragonborn wasn’t out of place.

But because of the addition of Krall and Gluttony, it was rather cramped.

Pillow was busy scavenging through a chest near the bed, only to emerge from it a few moments later chewing on a piece of dried meat.

The silence was deafening. Well, it would have been if not for the apocalypse raining down on them from above. Each drop of rain clanged against the roof.

“How the hell is anyone meant to sleep in here?” Noah asked.

“That’s nothing. The real nightmare is still to begin,” Pillow said with a nervous smile.

What happened next caused Noah to jump to attention. Weapons, Shards, and Skills at the ready.