CHAPTER TWELVE—TOP-TIER ADVENTURERS ON THE CHASE
“What?! Where are you going?”
Shiro turned and caught one final glance of Ushtan as he threw his arms up in frustration. “Make camp!” Shiro called back and ran after Razul and Debaku, who were setting a brisk pace through the dense jungle.
Do not worry, Ali. We are coming!
Amusement flooded Shiro’s consciousness.
“I still do not see this as funny.”
Just imagine… she conveyed. Ali inside that thing, the slime and the smell with ten other men writhing about?
Shiro ignored her conveyance and ran, jumped over a fallen tree and nearly tripped when he landed in front of a jutting rock in the path. Whatever this path was, it seemed to be some kind of an animal trail.
He stamped after the other men and found himself crossing into another thoroughfare. What he saw was a tunnel leading through the jungle. It was a path of turned up earth, crushed plants and broken tree limbs.
The Hahkamorra had plowed its way through the jungle to get away with its meal, and now they were pursuing this beast.
“Will it have gotten far?” Shiro called.
Razul called something back, but he couldn’t make out what the other man said as he ran up ahead at the front of their three-man group.
The path led away from the river bank and up the hill. Shiro ran, his legs burning as he followed the soft path of thick mud, his bare feet sinking with every stride.
Gods, I’m glad I’m not as mortal as you are, Shiro.
He rounded a bend where a massive rock jutted from the earth, but then realized that rock was no ordinary part of nature. It was the head of an enormous statue, its eyes slits and its teeth, like boar’s teeth, jutting from the mouth.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Breathing heavily, Shiro pushed on to keep up with his friends until he came to a rocky area, the sound of water trickling downward toward the river.
Shiro’s entire body itched as his sweat mixed into the mud covering half of his body. He glanced up into the trees above and bright sunlight shone into his eyes as creatures of all kinds squawked and cawed through the trees.
Had he not been trying to catch Raz and Debaku, Shiro would have stopped by the stream and washed himself.
Glancing up through the trail of broken leaves, he spotted Razul and Debaku climbing up the stream up and over large rocks.
Sighing heavily, he moved with intent as he pursued the men.
Shiro felt weak and useless.
He was far behind the others.
They crested the hill above and disappeared.
“Kurso!” Shiro spat, and moved faster to catch up.
Do not worry, Jessamine conveyed, her voiceless words full of playful nonchalance. You will surely be recalling this story to your friend for the rest of his days. His grandchildren will never believe any of it, of course.
“I…” Shiro said through heavy breathing. “I hope… you are right!”
Gods forbid he actually has children…
But Ali wasn’t so bad as that. Sure, he was rich and irresponsible now. Actually, he was irresponsible before he was rich, but that did not matter. As he crested the top, he found Razul and Debaku standing at the edge of a pool of water. Shiro gasped as he stopped moving and tried to catch his breath.
“Shiro,” Razul said. “It is about time, man, he said, waving a hand. “What took you so long?”
“It was not… it was not an easy climb.”
“Ha!”
Something broke the water and Shiro glanced over the glassy pool. Something under the surface seemed to be wriggling and writhing.
“What is that?” he asked.
Razul took a look and again, seemed to realize for the first time what was under the water. “Oh, this?”
He bent and pushed his hand into the pool. He pulled something out.
Shiro cocked his head back and made a face as the slimy wriggling ovoid beast with a little tale writhed in Raz’s grasp.
“The babies!” Razul said.
“It is disgusting.”
He shrugged.
“Some are known to eat similar creatures in Mar’a Thul.”
“Truly?” Razul asked.
Dabaku nodded.
“Any good?”
The Mar’a Thulian smiled, his teeth white as pearls. “I have not had the pleasure.”
“Hmm,” Razul said. “Maybe we can send the men back up here to hunt these little beasts. We can cook them over open fires.”
Debaku turned away, his eyes going to what Shiro had seen the moment he crested the hill.
A massive cave entrance into a rocky cleft filled with trees and vines and rocks and all manner of thick pant life.
“What are we waiting for?” Shiro asked. “Every moment we waste is time spent in terror within that beast’s belly!”
“I agree,” Debaku said.
“Yes, well…” Razul began and trailed off as he tossed the little beast in his hand back into the water like a half-eaten piece of fruit. “There is one matter of concern.”
“And what is that?” Debaku asked.