The short rest and replenishing of calories kept Wayne from falling over, now they were cutting through a particularly thick patch of jungle with only a few hours from nightfall. The stray sunlight that managed to penetrate the canopy far above.

Wayne barely heard the roar of the jungle anymore, the constant noise having long since faded into the background of his consciousness. It brought a level of comfort, as Wayne felt he could trust in the senses of the natural inhabitants of the jungle.

It didn’t stop Wayne from still keeping the Dragon’s Eye active at all times, despite his increasing confidence. He also noticed the others taking the occasional glance at his eyes, but with no one voicing a question Wayne didn’t know if they could recognize his Shaping.

Homer stood at the front of the procession now, with a large knife that had been bundled in their supplies pack. Hacking and slashing at a particularly tough root, the Hastas carved a route forwards for the rest of his Cohort.

Jonathan stood behind him, peering over the documents they had been given once more.

“Hmmmm…” The young lord hummed softly, deep in thought.

“Are you almost done yet?” Jayna called from behind Wayne at the rear of their formation.

“Nope, not really!” Homer called back, oblivious to the annoyance in her voice.

The Lightning Shaper grumbled at his back, but thankfully didn’t make much more of it than that. Everyone was getting tired by this point except seemingly Homer, so Wayne was worried the boy's cavalier attitude could spark another inter-Cohort conflict.

Scanning their surroundings again with his Dragon’s Eye, Wayne waited the minutes it took to clear their path forwards, then followed behind as Lord Heirdt took the lead again. Something about the documents was bothering him, as their leader kept pulling them out to check them, only to instantly place them back and shake his head.

Wayne watched him get so distracted by whatever it was, the imperious man almost lost his footing and tripped. Deciding he didn’t want to wait in the dark, Wayne asked Johnathan what was causing him frustration.

“What is it, Lord Heirdt? Is the path not aligning with what the reports said?”

“No… no it’s nothing that concerns you.” The other Legionnaire brushed the question off.

Wayne had let several things go already due to the other boy’s political influence, but this was too far.

“I would say it most definitely does concern me. I’m not sure as for you, Lord Heirdt, but I don’t want to walk into danger blind.”

“Are you going back on your word?” Johnathan asked darkly.

Wayne met his gaze and did his absolute best not to show how nervous he was.

“No, I will follow your lead. But I do expect to be informed of the mission’s details by my leader, at least while we have time. So while we have the time my lord, please inform us of what’s bothering you about the reports.”

Johnathan held his gaze for several seconds before slowly nodding.

“A reasonable expectation. Alright, in that case, I am currently doubting the veracity of these reports. I have no exact proof, but I cannot move past the reports' reasoning and insistence on a direct path forwards. Especially seeing as clearly no Human has passed through that thicket back there.”

The information dropped onto their heads like Stone Shaping, making the rest of the Cohort fall into silence for several seconds.

Eventually, August broke it in a tender voice, as if she were afraid of the answer to her question.

“You think we’ve been led to our deaths.”

Johnathan took a moment to just look at her, his normally imperious expression almost completely melted.

“I don’t know… but I can’t shake the feeling that’s the case.”

August let out a soft gasp. Suddenly the temperature of the jungle seemed to drop precipitously, and the sweat on Wayne’s brow grew cold.

“We are close to our destination. Despite my misgivings, it’s still our duty to see it through to its completion. I for one will not go back without proof of tampering.” Johnathan continued after letting his words sink in.

“Still, it would be wise to be cautious. August, go ahead and begin scouting for the group, but remain close enough for us to intervene if necessary.”

With a nod, the young woman took off ahead of the group, her small form rapidly being lost in the dense foliage of the jungle.

Then, without waiting for the rest of their opinions, Johnathan turned and resumed his path through the Wildes, forcing the rest of them to follow. Wayne couldn’t help but feel like he was marching to his death.

* * * * *

The uneasy feeling in Wayne’s gut only intensified with every step forward. The darkness was closing in now, making their already careful steps even more precarious.

Their pace continued to drop as the light dried up. Jayna and Homer had taken to holding sparks and flames in their respective hands to improve the situation. Still, it was getting to the point where they would soon be forced to halt for the night.

Or at least, the others would be. With the glow coming from the plants of the Wildes in an endless font, Wayne was actually finding his footing more easily in the dark of night. The large roots they walked across were illuminated for him, making their path obvious in contrast with the darkness.

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Still, Wayne wasn’t the one leading their expedition, and he wasn’t comfortable sharing that he had learned a Form from Klaw to these people. So he kept silent, and let Johnathan call the shots. Still, something was tickling the back of his mind, keeping him on his toes.

Then Jayna almost fell into a huge gap in the branch network as the darkness closed in completely, and Johnathan made his decision. Their leader called back August to report on what she had seen, and scowled for a few moments before speaking to the rest of them.

“Alright,” The other boy whispered in low tones. “Let’s move to a clearing up ahead. Be wary, the report indicates it as a possible place to rest at night, before another Elvish ruin ahead. That means we must be prepared for anything. If necessary, we will clear out any threats and take the clearing for ourselves.”

The potential of a fight began to work its way into Wayne’s system, his nerves spiking and his hands shaking slightly. The other’s didn’t notice the miniscule motions in the dark, so his fears were his own to grapple with.

Without pause, the Cohort headed towards the indicated clearing at Johnathan’s instruction. They crept together almost a hundred strides as a unit, moving slowly and surely across the treacherous terrain. Homer took the lead, with Johnathan and Jayna taking his flanks to cover and provide damage. Wayne and August took the rear, as the weakest fighters they were forced to rely on the others for some level of protection but would still be looking to contribute where they could.

The group made their way along their branch, until they approached the entrance to the clearing.

To Wayne’s eyes, it was bathed in a mystical light that gleamed with potency. But scanning the branches and roots from left to right, he couldn’t see anything amiss. The space stretched a good dozen men across, and was quite spacious. And suspiciously open.

The group moved forwards and made sure to clear every branch, root and vine of any hidden adversaries. Only after they had been as thorough as possible, did the Cohort finally relax. Wayne let out a sigh of relief that rang out in the silence.

Then, the panic hit him full force, as he realized the sense of his unease. The jungle around them was silent, except it hadn’t happened suddenly. It had been a gradual departure that had made them overlook its disappearance, letting them adjust over the minutes of their hike.

In horror, Wayne turned his gaze upwards, towards the source of the mystical light.

“Alright, let’s bust out some rations, shall-” Homer started.

“Shhhhhh!” Wayne desperately shushed the other boy, staring frantically upwards in case of a reaction at the noise.

“Aye, that’s not- clap” Once again Homer was interrupted, this time by Johnathan’s hand over his mouth.

Their leader made a gesture towards his mouth, then pointed at Wayne, indicating for him to speak. Instead of verbally responding, he just pointed upwards. The light was barely enough for the others to see him from only feet away, so he didn’t expect them to notice what was causing him to panic. So Wayne added two words.

“Huge snake.”

He saw the faint glint of understanding in the other’s eyes, and they turned their heads upwards in hopes of catching a glimpse. Then, Wayne saw sparks and fires start up and realized they didn’t understand at all.

“Stop-” Wayne tried to say, but it was already too late.

Homer and Jayna sent Shapings hurtling upwards at the Monster, revealing its form in the light.

* * * * *

What Wayne thought was a serpent was in fact some sort of enormous arthropod, its large segmented black carapaced body curled back upon itself in a spiral of terror. Wayne couldn’t know what its full length was while it was coiled up, but it was as large as any building Wayne had seen in Light’s Reach outside of the Legion’s keep.

A long stinger casually swayed back and forth even as the grotesque beast slept. It glittered in the brief light from the Cohort’s attacks, its Human sized length fully revealed.

However, the real horror was its dreadful face, chitin plates giving way to mandibles the size of Wayne’s body, with pincers on their ends to pull the Monster's prey into its mashing mouth. Even while mostly asleep, its jaw worked over the air, as if the deadly creature was starving.

The attacks the others sent did nothing noticeable to the creature's armored exterior, splashing harmlessly against the dull black exoskeleton. The Monster’s only reaction was to slowly open its eyes tilting its head towards the Cohort.

“Shit- False basilisk! Run after me!” Johnathan yelled.

Homer sent another ineffectual splash of fire towards the creature before turning and listening to his lord by dashing away. Wayne didn’t have time to see if the others were too, as he himself had already started sprinting away as soon as the first attacks had landed, only correcting his course to align with Johnathan after he shouted.

Wayne’s boots slammed across the root underneath, causing it to shake slightly with his footsteps. He didn’t dare slow down while he could hear the creaking of wood above though, as the arthropod awakened and moved its considerable weight shifted.

The pounding of the others running near him gave him some hope that they may make a clean getaway, but then, the arthropod fully awoke just as they made their way from the clearing. A terrible screech came from behind him, and Wayne fell to his hands and knees as his ears protested their sudden strain.

“Aahhhhhhh!!!” He screamed out along with the beast.

Then, strong hands pulled him to his feet and pushed him back into a run. Wayne twisted enough to see Homer despite his sensory overload, and tried to show his appreciation through the pain.

“The ruins closeby, we have to take cover there!” Johnathan shouted from ahead, with August hoisted over one shoulder.

The Cohort took off after their leader, the leviathan crashing through the tangle behind them. Wayne half dared to look back, but the sight of the insectoid mouth snapping open and shut while frothing with saliva quickly made Wayne return all his focus to his speed.

Still, he didn’t think it would be enough, as they could all hear the false basilisk gaining on them even without turning to look. Their strides were simply too small to mean much in this race.

“Drop down!” Johnathan shouted, leaping through the gap Jayna had almost fallen down earlier and out of sight.

The others took the plunge one by one, until Wayne was the only one hesitating. He tried to find a safe space to drop to when the root broke underneath him causing him to fall unwillingly.

Time seemed to slow as gravity barely pulled Wayne out of the way of an avalanche of arthropod. As he twisted Wayne saw the mandible clack only a few fingers from his face. The stench of rotted flesh hit his nostrils in a burst like a shockwave as Wayne dropped to his death.

He plummeted uncontrolled, before an enormous hand caught him. When he glanced at it, the appendage glowed with a strange black light that seemed unnatural. He didn’t have time to question it though, and rolled from the hand’s grip to the ground and took off towards where he saw the others running to.

Another ear piercing screech came from above, before a hail of splinters rained down through the jungle. Whatever the creature was, it was furious they had disturbed its sleep and was intent on punishing the offenders.

With a thud and a crash, it landed behind them but this time Wayne wasn’t foolish enough to spare it a glance. He tried to sprint but the foliage made obtaining top speed impossible for him and the rest of the Cohort.

However, the massive arthropod was showing no compunction about simply smashing its way through the environment, twisting and writhing towards them with great speed.

“Everyone, close your eyes!” Jayna shouted.

Wayne barely had time to listen and snap them shut, before a torrent of light flooded the Wildes. The sound of lightning crackling was barely audible over the shriek the creature had let out at the attack, their first real blow against it.

“Quickly, while it’s blind!” The girl shouted, and the Cohort took off again, hoping Johnathan could lead them to safety.

They had a headstart thanks to Jayna, and used it to their advantage, stretching out a good distance between them and the beastial threat. Still, they needed to find sturdy enough cover to protect them, and Wayne was worried that even an Elvish ruin wouldn’t fit the bill.

“It’s just up ahead, hurry now!” Johnathan shouted over the ruckus of the thrashing beast.

The group dashed across the ground as the shrieking started to die down behind them. Then with a thump, the noise completely died.

Lord Heirdt was still at the lead, gesturing for them to continue to run, his mouth moving but no noise coming from it. Wayne realized now that he couldn’t even hear his own footsteps, now the only noise left was the sound of his own heartbeat thumping in his chest.

Forced to use his eyes, Wayne confirmed the arthropod had once again begun its pursuit, smashing through the stringy and thin trees like kindling. Wayne ran into a tree for his distraction, and quickly turned back to escaping, desperate to survive.

Then, Johnathan pointed forwards, and Wayne saw an ancient stone wall similar to the ruin they had walked above earlier. Wayne ignored the strange Runes that decorated the elden walls, his mind completely locked onto one thing. A single opening offered sanctuary for them, if only they could beat their pursuer to the structure.

In a final sprint, the group pounded their way towards the ruins, the sound still strangely muted even as the arthropod obliterated a path through the jungle. Still it seemed like they may actually make it.

The remaining distance continued to shrink, from one hundred strides, to fifty, to thirty, and then ten.

Johnathan and Jayna had just crossed the entryway, August still carried over the boy’s shoulder. Homer was about to join them, when Wayne noticed the light increase suddenly in his Dragon’s Eye.

Grabbing the other boy, Wayne yanked him back as hard as could, despite the looks of horror and betrayal on the other Legionnaires’ faces. Not a moment later, an enormous stinger plunged deep into the Earth, vibrations quaking through the boys’ feet.

When the creature extricated its tail, Wayne was horrified to see the entrance way collapsed. He had no way to know if the others had survived, but first he would have to find some miraculous way to live himself.