CHAPTER EIGHTEEN—QUARRY

“But how are we to fight without weapons?” Yaser asked. “This is a fool’s task.”

“Do not worry,” Razul said as he waded into the water. He dove in and disappeared.

After a long time, Ali asked, “How long can he hold his breath?”

“It is the sword,” Debaku said. “It gives him the ability to swim under the water as if he’s flying through the air.”

Yaser cocked his head. “Truly?”

“That easily?” Shiro asked. “I did not know this.”

Debaku nodded. The Mar’a Thulian still had his sword, as did Shiro and Razul, but everyone else had lost theirs when the Hahkamorra attacked the boat—lost to the bottom of the Eiphr.

Razul broke the surface and lifted his arm. He had three swords in his hand, their blades stacked neatly between his grip so they wouldn’t cut him. “Easy!” he called, and came to shore.

“Now you only need to do that thirteen more times, brother.”

“Why don’t you swim out here and help me, you swine!”

“Ha!”

“While you wait for your weapons,” Debaku said, “I will track our men.”

Shiro ndded.

The men were now fully armed, with a few extra swords and spears besides. Now that they were ready to find their quarry, Shiro began in the direction Debaku had disappeared in.

“Be careful,” Ali said. “These savages use darts. Be ready.”

“I wonder…” Yaser said, keeping himself between Shiro and the water. “Why were there no bodies left behind?”

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“Because they want to the meat!” Ali said from behind. “Though I find it hard to believe some savages out of the jungle were able to overpower Ushtan and his Scorpions.”

“So do I,” Shiro said.

Something about this was wrong and it was bothering Shiro. But having Debaku and Razul along with them made him feel a little bit better. Between three top-tier adventurers, surely whatever awaited them would stand no chance.

Overpowering Ushtan and his men—no easy feat—but still a lot easier than dealing with adventurers of high class.

“Perhaps,” Yaser suggested. “The darts…”

“What of them?” Razul asked.

“They may be poisoned, or it could be that there is a sleeping agent on them, yes?”

Razul chuckled. “Let them try,” he said, and unsheathed his sword. Because of the fish-fin style design, the blade was far broader than most, which would make it easy for him to deflect arrows or darts.

The metal, a blue iridescent sheen, was also very impressive.

Shiro wondered if the blade had really been a fin at one time, hardened and preserved with magic and then fused with a strip of high quality steal to form the cross guard.

Maybe Razul does not know what he has.

“Look!” Ali said, pointing. “There is a bridge ahead.”

Shiro narrowed his eyes and saw what Ali was indicating. It was indeed a bridge, stone by the looks of it and cluttered with all manner of thick vines and wooden latticework’s.

As they neared, Debaku came out of the brush and onto the shore under a cops of palms The wind was beginning to pick up, which was a relief to Shiro’s clammy and hot skin.

“What did you find?” Shiro asked.

“I did not wander far past the bridge,” he said. “There are sentries.”

Shiro looked at the bridge, saw that there were indeed torches and more structures hidden in the deep forest beyond on the other side of the river.

“We should get off the shore,” Debaku said, his tone holding a slight edge. “If we wish to take them unawares, we must be unseen.”

Nodding, Ali turned and hissed some wordless orders as he gestured into the trees. The men swiveled their heads, their eyes going wide with what Shiro thought to be mild alarm as they obeyed.

“Come!” Debaku ordered and he set off into the forest.

Shiro followed him through the underbrush of ferns and large leaves. The overhead canopy was so thick it left little light for the plants underneath to grow. Which plants did grow there, had massive leaves to soak up the rays of the sun.

Shiro stalked over the damp earth through the jungle—their party a long line of single file soldiers and adventurers.

“Where is he taking us?” Ali asked from behind.

Shiro was certain Razul would have said something in jest. The Abassir had difficulty keeping his mouth shut at times—but fortunately he was too far behind the line to have heard.

“I don’t know,” Shiro said with a shrug.

In the distance a winged beast cawed, loud and hungry.