Small waves crashed up into the boat as they docked it to some large rocks. Crow’s knees wobbled unsteadily for a few moments while they walked around on land finally.
“See, that’s the cliff I was talking about!” Zandra pointed out thoughtfully. It blocked out the lowering sun and gave a nice shade that would soon be too cold to be enjoyable. Zandra’s calculations were also correct. They had made it by the end of the day. It was a relief to Crow whose stomach hadn’t let up the fact that he was hungry since it started a few hours ago. They started a fire in the flat just a bit away from the river, and Zandra’s boat. Crow thought it was odd she had a boat though, and it made him curious.
“Zandra… why do you have a boat anyways?” Crow scratched his head and adjusted his glasses making them reflect the fires light. Zandra let her hair fall down out of her pony tail and fall over her face as she turned around to face Crow.
“Oh, I use it to carry my things, usually. Believe it or not, it’s a lot easier to use one of those then to swim as far as I did, when bringing as much stuff as I did.” She chuckled slightly and handed Crow a stick to cook his food with. “I don’t know why the Jukin leaders found it so important to move to this particular location, and there was a lot of protesting. A group of us stayed back and continued on with their lives.” She looked into the fire as if it had a hypnotic force.
“Why did Zandra come here?” Dalia questioned which had also been on Crow’s mind since he had first learned about her moving. Zandra shook herself from the stare and smiled.
“It wasn’t safe where we were anymore. Then again, we didn’t move to a safer location in the end. I guess I was just hoping for a better life. Plus I was young and looking for an adventure.” She started for the boat to get the food and some blankets. Crow raised an eyebrow.
“You aren’t that old though.” She dithered into the darkness without response. He placed the stick on a ground and pulled a large rock from a shore over to the fire so he could sit. Panting some he waited for Zandra’s reply as she came back with the packs of supplies.
“You’re right, I’m not that old. But I didn’t live alone before the move.” She looked at him, and tossed a pack over. Crow caught it and reached in for its contents. “You grow up quickly when you’re alone.” She almost mumbled off as she recalled a painful experience. She bit her bottom lip as she placed a spit over top of the fire only to boil some water. “I’ve brought some tea, would you both like some?” She changed the subject, but Crow didn’t want to continue anyways. He could tell it hurt her to talk about it, and there were nicer things to talk about. They also needed to plan for the staff.
A breeze pulled cool air from the straight and they huddled towards the fire. The new shirt helped, that was for sure, and he’d be frozen solid if he only had his vest. Crow looked around in horror as he suddenly realized how deformed the trees were in this area. They also looked dry and completely dead except for the eyes that occasionally showed up from them reflecting the fires light.
“You don’t suppose there’s something dangerous around here, would you Zandra.” She took note the darkness that crept around them as well. It was as if the Shadow was trying to consume the fire and them with one mighty gulp.
“I haven’t been here since it was healthy.” She admitted. “It’s highly possible something could be creeping around out there.” Dalia whimpered and jumped over to Crow’s side. Crow only chuckled.
“I doubt anything will bother us, I mean, it’s not like we’re causing harm to anything, and we’re in the middle of an opening. We can see everything approach.” Crow aimed that more to Dalia to give her some confidence in their safety.
“That’s right baddies!” Dalia screamed “Stay in there, or Crow will get you!” Crow looked to Zandra with a lame expression. Zandra just giggled and shrugged.
“All right oh mighty protector, how about you go collect more wood for the fire so we’ll be able to see these ‘baddies’ approach.” She smirked and pointed to the dark dank forested area. Crow turned his head slowly and looked out. Swallowing hard he stood up.
“Can you at least make a torch?” Crow uneasily spoke as he picked up his cross bow. Zandra laughed.
“Such a mighty warrior!” She lit a torch and handed it to him. Her smile dwindled and became serious.
‘Keep alert, we need this fire.’ She whispered to Crow to keep it from Dalia’s ears. Crow had been hurt by her mockery, but now he understood. She was trying to keep the mood light for Dalia. He nodded and then headed for the trees.
Checking every corner he kept his torch steadily in front of himself and with his left hand ready with the crossbow. Branches constantly snapped and whooping of unnatural sounds hissed through the trees. Crow filled a pouch with the best wood he could find. Most pieces of tinder were too mushy with a black substance and Crow quickly disposed of those. He stuck his tongue out with distaste, as he could smell the rot of the forest. It was almost over powering, but he was close to finishing up. A few more good logs and he could find his way back to camp. He only went in a straight line to prevent him from getting lost, and kept the fire in his sights as best as he could.
A loud rumble echoed through the trees, and just to Crow’s left. His ears snapped into an upright position and his eyes widened. ‘What was that!?’ he thought. Black leaves fell around him as if trying to mimic the black rain. Branches snapped in large amounts and leaves rustled up in the canopies. Large black legs came into view, but that’s all that could be seen. Its upper body was higher then the canopy. Crow backed up into a tree, he was unable to move only stare into the sky as the upper part of the figure came into view. The large figure looked down to him. Green eyes glowed as it grunted in some unknown language. Choking slightly Crow wedged the torch into a knot in the tree. The monstrous figure stepped forward once more crushing a tree right in front of Crow as if it were an insect. Fumbling for a bolt Crow grabbed and loaded a branch in his haste. Without noticing he shot. The stick splintered as it hit the beast in the forehead. It howled with anger and Crow cursed slightly as he began to run away from the campsite.
_____
Zandra stood as the ground rumbled with an unsettling roar. A figure could be made out that towered over the canopy. Dalia’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Crow’s out there!” She began to sob. Zandra scowled slightly. ‘How does he get himself into these messes, it’s like he’s a magnet for trouble!’
“Dalia, don’t worry, I’ll go help him. Stay here and protect the campsite. Just be brave, I don’t think anything will bother you, there’s too much commotion over there.” Before Dalia could protest Zandra was off. She ran as fast as she could, dodging trees and keeping to a clear path. It was easy enough to follow the path of destruction; the hard part was figuring a way to stop such a large creature. A large tail whipped just a few inches above her head as she got close enough.
“Crow! Crow, where are you?” She yelled as she climbed over the newly condemned path.
_____
Crow could hear her beckon, but was in no position to stop and chat. Weaving his way through the forest he couldn’t think of a way to stop this thing. He could only keep up the run so long, he had become quite good a running, but the thing was only a few feet away from squishing him each time it took a step. Crow yelped as it got a few inches closer each time.
“Zandra, Help!” Crow managed to squeak out as he approached an opening in the forest. Stumbling, he abruptly stopped as he ran towards a river. Panting he turned around to face the monster. It halted in front of him and laughed.
‘Such a lowly creature’ its voice bellowed out. It was a female voice, and it struck fear into Crow as he glanced back into the river. ‘Why would the gods spare such a creature?’ She lowered her head to examine Crow. ‘And a better question yet, why would my master want you?’ Crow grasped his crossbow tightly. He slowly raised an eyebrow ‘master?’ he thought.
‘That’s right.’ She laughed. ‘I know your thoughts. He is indeed the demoil you know of. He is the one that has cursed you.’ Crow placed his hand on his left shoulder blade.
“Who are you?” Crow demanded. Her voice was smooth and slippery, just like the male demoil, but she was less secretive, or so it seemed.
‘None of your concern hevanarchon.’ That sentence sounded familiar to Crow. It was what Jakarta had said. She smiled and revealed rows or serrated teeth. ‘Jakarta, what a fool!’ She glared ‘He should have let you die by that head hunter.’
“But you said your master wants me. That wouldn’t be a smart thing to kill me then, would it?” Crow smirked slightly. He looked off in the distance and saw Zandra give a motion of her attendance in the matter.
‘Dragli is also fool. I see no need for such a weak being.’ She disregarded the odd feeling she got from him as she slithered through his thoughts. It could only have been the darkness that followed his soul.
“Then what are you going to do with me?” Crow questioned trying to buy some time for Zandra.
‘I will comply with his wishes for the time being. But mark my words, if you give me trouble I will kill you instantly.’ Crow backed up uneasily. The dragon form was dark and decrepit. There was no feeling of life from the form he spoke to.
“That’s not very nice, to kill a guy on the spot. You’ve barely given me a chance to run.”
‘You want to try hevanarchon? Go ahead. I will fry you before you stray my sights.’ Crow choked. He knew he stood no chance. Not unless Zandra had come up with something and he prayed she had. She lifted her foot overhead of Crow, her claws had picked up dirt when she lifted and it now rained down on Crow. ‘I’ll try not to squish your insides out on the way back.’ She smiled as she lowered her foot leaving Crow in a claw cage.
“I’m not going without a fight!” Crow screamed as he pulled out a bolt and shoved it in the soft flesh of her foot in the crevice connecting her claw. She howled with pain. She lifted her foot so quickly the air almost lifted Crow off his feet.
‘How dare you!’ She screamed.
“Zandra, anytime now!” Crow yelled. The dragon formed a large flame from her mouth, molten hot liquid dripped from her lips. Zandra leapt from the bush and began to run up the dragon’s spine at blinding speed. She may have been meant for water, but she was still just as nimble on land. The dragon halted the fire ball, smoke seeped out of her lips and nostrils and drops of the red hot liquid carved holes in the ground below. The dragon swung her tail to knock Zandra off, but she dodged by jumping in the air. The tail quickly whipped back too fast for Zandra to react and in her mid jump she was knocked to the side, her weapon flying in the opposite direction. She hit the river hard and with a giant splash she disappeared into the murky water. Her weapon lay just out of reach for Crow.
‘What a nuisance you and your friends have been. No matter, you are done, I sense the loss of hope in you.’ She was right. Crow fell to his knees. His bolts couldn’t pierce her, and she loomed over him with insurmountable power. Blocking out the moon she cast a shadow over Crow. A ball of flame lit the area once again and this time there was no one stopping her. Crow’s eyes darkened as he readied himself for the flame to fall down upon him.