Gritting his teeth, he forced his aching body to stand.
Despite the panic thundering in his chest, Kairav fought to keep calm.
He grabbed a tree branch lying at his feet. Weak, yes, but better than nothing for self-defense.
The beam from the flashlight clipped to his vest cut through the darkness, landing on a patch of tall grass shifting a few meters ahead.
From between the swaying blades, a pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged, belonging to some cryptid creature that was slowly approaching him.
It looked vaguely primate-like, but its heels were twisted backward.
Ping!
[ System: Scanning Entity... ]
Scan: 85%... 95%... 100% Complete!
Monster: The Short Man of Enchanted / Uhang Pandak
Creature Type: Doomshade Guardian
Origin: Lushterra (Enchanted Island)
Special Skill: High Speed
[ Additional Info: This creature poses little threat unless provoked. While its aggression level is low and harmless to Astral Conjurers, its attacks can cause moderate damage to ordinary humans. ]
Another notification popped up, but Kairav was already too tense to pay it any real attention.
He instinctively stepped back, keeping a safe distance, branch raised.
His free hand patted at his waist, searching for something.
"Damn it… even now, my dagger's missing…" he muttered.
Just as the Uhang Pandak suddenly leapt at him with its clawed hands, something completely unexpected happened.
Grawlll!!
Bzzztt…
A granite boulder, easily seven feet tall, just a few steps behind Kairav, flared with a blinding light.
He spun around on instinct.
"Oh my… hell no. I'm dead for sure… Is that heaven's gate opening?" he groaned, throwing a hand over his eyes.
On the other side, the Short Man of Enchanted froze, letting out a low growl.
Grawlll…
It backed away, eyes locked on the glowing rock, as if sensing a greater threat.
Moments later, the cryptid turned tail and bolted into the shadows.
Kairav didn't notice its disappearance. His vision was still scorched white from the strange light.
After several seconds, the glow began to fade. He blinked repeatedly until his sight cleared.
That's when he saw it.
A tall figure stepped out from the middle of the boulder, grumbling in a deep, irritated voice he didn't recognize.
"Damn it… that ugly bat-winged monkey really messed things up. I even stationed my men on Duskmyst Island, and I still have to deal with this myself…"
Kairav's knees buckled, dropping him to the ground. His eyes went wide at the sight of the stranger, easily six feet five, emerging from solid stone.
"Whoaaa!!! Fuck you! How the hell did you walk out of a rock?! Are you the grim reaper?! Or... wait! Are you a ghost?!"
"Whoaaa!!! Shit! You bastard! That high-pitched scream of yours is cursed!"
The muscular stranger clutched his chest as if steadying his heartbeat, glaring at Kairav.
"I'm not a ghost, and I'm sure as hell not death itself, bastard! I'm Casildo Yudanta!" he barked, hands on hips.
Kairav, still wary, slowly pushed himself up. "I couldn't care less about your name!"
"I want to know! What the hell are you?! How did you come out of—"
He froze as another holographic screen and the same female voice appeared in front of him.
Ping!
[ System: Scanning Entity... ]
Scan: 85%... 95%... 100% Complete!
Name: Casildo Yudanta
Race: Human
Age: 55
Title: Astral Conjurer (Host of the Bull Spirit)
Element: Terra
Weapon: Wira Hammer
Affiliation: Horned Guardian Clan
Kairav rubbed his eyes hard. "Ugh… what the hell is this thing? Am I losing my mind? Schizophrenic already?"
To his surprise, the curly-haired man frowned at him. "Wait… are you an Astral Conjurer?"
Kairav squinted. "Huh? What the hell are you talking about—"
Casildo pointed over Kairav's shoulder, his brown eyes dead serious. "My spirit animal says he sees a unicorn spirit right behind you."
The words hit Kairav like a punch.
His confusion shifted to tension, and a strange heaviness. "You… you actually saw it?" he asked quietly.
Casildo shook his head. "Not me. My bull spirit did."
He pointed over his shoulder. "You mean you can't see him?"
Kairav, still stunned, slowly shook his head.
Casildo's brows knit. "Weird."
"I can't see yours, and you can't see mine… but Astral Conjurers should be able to see each other's spirit animals," he muttered, rubbing his chin.
Leaning in, Casildo whispered something that jolted Kairav out of his daze.
"Be honest… are you your parents' failed product?" he said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"Shut your mouth!" Kairav's glare practically sparked with anger.
Casildo rolled his eyes. "Bro, why so rabid? I'm just joking."
Kairav pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. "The unicorn your… spirit animal saw. What did it look like?"
"Like a normal unicorn. White, with a horn… Wait…" Casildo's words trailed off, his forehead creasing.
He seemed to be listening to something, or someone, unseen.
"Why is your unicorn's horn gold? Shouldn't it be silver?"
Kairav froze again, stunned that Casildo could describe something invisible to him.
Casildo folded his arms, scanning Kairav from head to toe as if searching for some hidden flaw.
"But seriously… you've never seen your unicorn spirit before?"
Kairav stayed silent, which was answer enough.
Casildo sighed. "If you're truly hosting a unicorn spirit, then you should be from the Pure-Hearted Clan."
Then he scratched his head. "But… that clan's been extinct for hundreds of years, hasn't it?"
Kairav was even more lost now, but forced himself to stay calm.
"The Pure-Hearted Clan? What's that?" he asked. "And Astral Conjurers... What exactly are they?"
"Astral Conjurers are special people who can control animal spirits and the elements of this world…"
"And the Pure-Hearted Clan? They're Astral Conjurers with unicorn blood, descendants of the Eternalush Kingdom—"
"Kairav! Kairav! Where are you?!"
He turned toward the distant shouts.
Spotting flashlight beams in the distance, he waved both arms. "Guys! I'm here!" he yelled.
"There! He's down there!" someone called from the cliff above.
Ropes were lowered. Several teammates began their descent, while others stayed up top to keep watch.
The moment they hit the ground, they sprinted toward Kairav. Faces pale, breathing hard, and clearly pissed.
Without warning, Gavin smacked him on the head. "You idiot!"
"What the hell?!" Kairav barked, rubbing the sore spot.
"You vanished on us! Everyone was scrambling to find you!" Gavin snapped.
Kairav opened his mouth to fire back, but another teammate cut in, eyes curious. "Kairav, did you see the Uhang Pandak?"
"Yes! But more than that, I saw something way crazier! Look! Him—"
He turned and pointed… to nothing.
"Uh… where'd he go?" he muttered, blinking.
His teammates exchanged baffled looks.
"What are you talking about?" asked Baron, the bespectacled one.
Kairav's eyes went wide as it hit him. "Shit! He ran off!"
He started to move, but Gavin yanked him back. "The hell is wrong with you?!"
Kairav jabbed a finger toward the boulder. "That rock! There was a guy who walked out of it! He said something about a unicorn spirit! And some clan... and something called Astral Conjurers! And then—"
He was cut off when Gavin glanced at their local guide, face blank. "Uncle… is there some myth about people going crazy after meeting the Uhang Pandak?"
"Arghhh!!! I'm serious!!!"