The crunching of chap leaves and twigs echoed through the hot noon. Shining intensely the blaze of the sun scorched everything underneath it.
Two mortals however walked through it blazing heat. Only shielded by the canopies of the redwood forest. One a divinely handsome human hung a sheathed blade on his waist.
The human's arms were crossed, his attire raggy and draped.
His companion, a quadrupedal apex predator. Both held the an absolute presence of calm.
Although blessed with this presence, the amber eyes of the human darted endless at every object he could lay sight on. " It seems we wouldn't be meeting master any time soon Vertex." The boy said.
Lazily the Jaguarian licked his lips in response. A moment of silence passed and they kept moving onwards. " That aged man wouldn't cease from sending me on useless errands."
" How an I supposed to find the Lirapus Aliverea in a place like this. I should have known he wanted to get rid of my presence, so he could be with that sex slave of his " The boy mumbled.
Continuing he said, " The carriage would be miles away by now, all he did was to leave me a rusty sword and a page of paper. What an interesting send-off. "
The boy mumbled on and on, however despite his angry tone, his demeanor was surprisingly calm and unchangeable. Soon he paused and looked over at his companion, a scowl appeared on his face.
" Are we getting besieged by those flaming deers gazelles again. I can't bare the speed of those vile creatures. " The boy said, a dark memory replaying in his mind.
Vertex growled, its body enlarging from the size of a mundane Jaguar to two times that height and weight. The boy gripped his blade's hilt. His eyes narrowing it see further.
Moments passed and he skillfully drew his blade from its scabbard. A line of orange energy emitted from his blade following the arch which he drew it.
A sonic bang echoed and a line of huge red woods fell to the earth. " The path has been cleared, finish it of Verry." The boy said sheathing his blade, gazing at the monstrously huge grizzly bear in their path.
The augmented jaguar lunged forward, Its speed breathtakingly fast, even its master companion couldn't follow its steps. Wiping drops of sweat which had appeared on his face, the boy hoped not to be involved in the current battle.
He sat, resting and waiting for his companions return.
' Curses! Orange energy is quite the drainer. ' he sighed looking at a holographic panel which fabricated before him.
*** *** ***
[ Host Status ]
– Name : Jaxon Myron
– Level : 4
– Rank : Pinnacle Mortal
– Class : Omnicombatant
– Status : Slave
– Titles : Prisoner Of War, Cosmic Deity Of Bloodlines
– Techniques : Omni-plunder, Omni-absorb, Synthesis.
[ Modules ]
»» Exp : 20/160
»» Hp : 70/100
»» Energy : 15/100
»» Attribute Points : 132
»» Conflict Points : 40
[ Attributes ]
›› Strength : 60
›› Sped : 46
›› Reflex : 40
›› Defence : 50
›› Stamina : 48
›› Dexterity : 49
›› Equilibrium : 37
›› Intelligence : 38
*** *** ***
A scowl appeared on his face as he glanced over at Vertex direction. " The beast is not strong nor smart enough to leave a scratch on Vertex skin, what's taking so long." He said.
The battle between the jaguar and the bear looked a bit fierce, as it seemed, Vertex didn't want to get touched by the bear for an unknown reason.
So the feline resulted in a hit and run tactic. ' Prideful fool. ' The boy said rising from where he sat. He dusted his garment and ran towards the direction of the battle.
Unsheathing his blade, he crouched and waited for the perfect time to deliver and critical blow. With the bear's attention full on Vertex, he finally saw the opening he sort.
Thin metal sliced through air leaving a blurry arc. Moments later blood erupted from the bear's neck and it dropped dead seconds later.
Vertex immediately jumped on it and began devouring its flesh. " Leave the core for me you greedy fur ball. " He said, but the chest of the beast was gapping with its heart missing.
" Argh!!! " The boy exclaimed, throw his hands in the air. " That's the seventeenth time, Vertex, curse you." The Jaguarian licked it's lips as it shrank to the size of a mundane jaguar.
Slicing up the bear, the boy stashed the pieces of meat in a leather bag hidden underneath his clothes. When he was done, Vertex proceeded to devour the remaining carcass.
Soon they were back on thier way. They encountered on other creature but however, found the woodland eerily quite and still. As if something had caused a mass migration on both prey and predators.
This fact troubled the boy as this only had one meaning. A supernatural was lurking in the shadows, or would encounter them soon enough.
It wasn't like he feared the supernatural, he was indeed a powerful one himself with multiple title flairs, techniques, transformations and an innate skill.
Any mortal ranked creature which chose to attack him was on the path to damnation. However a creature that would cause a migration wasn't meant to be joked with.
It simply was far above him.
' The night approaches. ' Glaring at the fading sun, his intuition warned him of exiting in the woodland area. ' Going back would be a waste of effort, the herb can only be found at a cluster hub.'
Moving through the rough terrain of the woodland seemed especially arduous. Paths were incomplete, sinkholes spawned occasionally at obvious positions and this was when things started to get uncanny.
Silver rays of the moon tore through the forest greenery, illuminating the biosphere dimly. The duo had stopped by now after hours of walking and searching.
They sat around a little campfire the boy had started earlier.
Nevertheless, they hadn't been attacked after the bear incident. Although the boy didn't feel a tinge of dread, his previous worry had turned to curiosity.
His companion remained aloof, casually scratching tree trunks and licking its fur.
The boy reached for his rusty blade and began drawing symbols and figures on the earth. Most were alchemical runes he had seem from his masters books.
He had sketched quite an area on the earth before he suddenly stopped, ' That bush shakes a little to often.' he thought raising an arm. Immediately this was done he and his companion dove backwards as a huge force erupted from the earth.
Flipping to his feet, the boy dusted his blade and silently got into a stance. Before him a creature rose. Nearly tall pine trees, dull caramel skin shown upon by moon's silver rays.
With a pelt akin to the bark of aged trees. The abomination didn't fell far fetched from the flora of the woodland.
It face, almost human was twisted grotesquely, capable of making a young child convulse on sight. The boy careful analyzed the hulking beast as it emerged from its slumber in the earth.
" A Forest Troll, where did it wonder off from. " The boy said straightening his posture. Vertex growled, the hairs upon his being rising to alert.
Pointing his blade at the salivating creature the boy proclaimed calmly. " Resist not, least your suffering bite you."