The journey had been grueling, the hours stretching endlessly as the group traversed rough, uneven terrain under the scorching sun, with nothing but the occasional gust of dry wind to provide relief from the heat. Each step had taken them further from the crowded streets and into the untad wilderness, where the air grew thicker with the scent of damp earth and the distant rotting of sothing unseen. Now, as they stood before the entrance of the vast, shadowed forest that lood ahead like the mouth of an enormous beast, Nate felt a strange sensation creeping up his spine, an unsettling awareness of the sheer, oppressive energy radiating from within its depths.
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Even without stepping inside, he could sense that the forest was teeming with life—not the kind that rely existed, but the kind that lurked, stalked, and waited. The occasional distant howl of an unknown creature echoed through the dense foliage, its haunting call sending a ripple of unease through him. If he still had his powers, this would have been child's play for him. But now? Without them, there was no telling how difficult this hunt would be.
Beside him, Tiaa's voice cut through the thick silence, firm and unwavering. "This is the most dangerous area in Ket Ra," she stated, her eyes locked ahead, posture tense as if she could feel the unseen threats as well.
Nate simply nodded, acknowledging her words without question. It didn't take much to recognize the danger that lurked beyond the gnarled tree trunks and tangled undergrowth.
Without further hesitation, they stepped forward, their feet crunching over dried leaves and loose dirt as they ventured into the darkness beneath the towering canopy. Nate imdiately took notice of a shift in the atmosphere—not just the eerie silence that seed to press down on them, but the sudden change in the others as well.
ni, Nefer, Hapu, and Djer—who had spent most of the journey taunting, joking, and throwing careless jabs—had grown noticeably more serious, their expressions hardened, their bodies tense with focus. There were no more insults thrown Nate's way, no snide remarks about his weapon or his presence among them. Even Tiaa, whose bow had remained lowered earlier, now held it firmly in her grasp, an arrow already notched and prepared to fire at the slightest movent in the shadows.
It was clear now that whatever they were hunting, whatever creature lurked within this cursed forest, was sothing even they didn't take lightly.
Then, breaking the silence, ni turned slightly over his shoulder and spoke, his voice quieter than usual but carrying an unmistakable weight of authority.
"Rember," he said, eyes shifting between the group. "We need to capture them alive."
A round of nods followed—everyone understood the command.
Everyone, except Nate.
He had no interest in whatever task these n had been assigned by the king. Capturing so monstrous beast for soone else's purposes ant nothing to him. The only thing that mattered was the crystal inside the beast—the energy source that could be his key to regaining what he had lost. If it ant killing the creature instead of capturing it, then so be it.
Just as he was about to push those thoughts aside, his body tensed.
There it was again—that feeling.
A slow, creeping sensation, like a pair of eyes boring into the back of his skull. His instincts scread at him, every fiber of his being urging him to turn around.
And so he did.
Whipping his head back, his gaze swept over the dimly lit path behind them, scanning the dense trees, the thick bushes, the small gaps between the trunks where shadows pooled like ink. But… nothing.
No movent. No signs of life.
Still, the unease lingered, refusing to dissipate.
His sudden reaction hadn't gone unnoticed, as the others—especially ni—had caught onto his movents almost instantly.
"What is it?" ni asked, and to Nate's surprise, there was no mockery in his tone this ti. No teasing, no arrogance. Just genuine caution.
Nate exhaled slowly before responding. "I feel sothing watching us."
ni's brows furrowed slightly, but instead of brushing it off or laughing like he normally would, he turned back to the rest of the group, his expression growing even more serious.
"You heard him," he said, glancing at Nefer, Hapu, and Djer. "Stay alert."
Nate observed the sudden shift, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had expected ni to mock him, to make so sarcastic remark about him being paranoid, but the fact that he had instead taken his words seriously spoke volus. These n weren't just drunken fools wasting their ti at brothels—they knew the risks of this place better than anyone.
As they continued moving, Tiaa stepped closer to Nate and spoke just loud enough for only him to hear.
"They may be assholes, but they know when to be professional," she murmured, her sharp gaze darting around the forest as she spoke.
Nate nodded slightly, acknowledging her words, but his unease didn't lessen. The feeling of being watched remained, crawling over his skin like unseen fingers brushing against him.
And every ti he turned to look?
Nothing.
He shook his head, pushing the paranoia aside. Maybe it was just his imagination. Maybe he was just overthinking it.
But before he could dwell on it any longer, Nefer—who had been leading the group at the front—suddenly ca to an abrupt halt.
His right hand lifted slightly, fingers curling into a precise hand signal, commanding everyone behind him to stop moving imdiately.
Nate and the others obeyed, falling into absolute silence.
Nefer didn't turn to explain. Instead, he lifted his other hand and pointed towards sothing in the distance, just ahead of them.
Nate's eyes followed the direction of Nefer's fingers—and then he saw it.
The beast stood just beyond the thicket, its form partially concealed by the shadows cast by the dense trees. Massive in size, its body was covered in thick, overlapping scales the color of rusted bronze, gleaming faintly beneath the filtered light. Its muscular fra was supported by four heavily built legs, each ending in razor-sharp claws that sank effortlessly into the earth.
Its head, however, was the most unnerving.
Unlike any creature Nate had ever seen before, its face was a twisted fusion of feline and reptilian features, with piercing amber eyes that burned like molten gold and a maw filled with serrated fangs that looked like they could crush through bone without effort. The beast's long, whip-like tail twitched, stirring the dirt as its chest rose and fell with slow, deliberate breaths.
A low, guttural growl rumbled from its throat, and though it hadn't yet spotted them, it was clear that it was already sensing sothing was nearby.
Nate exhaled slowly, gripping the iron rod strapped across his back.
This was it.
The hunt had begun.
****
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