Mt. Ohm - God Slayer, K. van Marshall [little bear else holmelund minarik .txt] 📗

they graduated, their lives would certainly be forfeit. Most in Youllo and even the central continents of Jin and Shui have heard of Niisarm, and after witnessing the strength and intelligence of the trio over the last few months, everybody present was more than willing to bet their life on Niisarm pulling off another miracle. Sprigger's die, and they hoped to avoid that outcome.

 

“Issh thish... plan really okay?”, muffled Stow, with several spoonful’s of grolscho in his mouth.

 

“Bakaaaaa”, sighed Xena.

 

“Baaaaaka”, repeated Zweek, holding a wide smile on his face. He hadn’t got to sit with his friendsin a while. “There’s no other option the final test is an unknown, the graduation will hopefully be nothing to worry about… but be ready for anything and survive, no matter what”, said Zweek.

 

“We are, we’re all ready”, states Xena, looking into the eyes of everyone around them. All of them looked tired, and just like Stow and Zweek, their skin is covered in scars and much paler than it should be. No matter their original shade of blue, they were all now a dingy grey hue; the lack of sunlight has been as brutal as the trials of the Drill.

 

“I don’t trust Aradian”, said Corve, another one of his many pessimistic and basic comments.

 

“Forget him. Look, if we see another option earlier than predicted, we all need to be ready to move together at a moment’s notice”, said Zweek, looking around. “Everybody remember that please, we all need to survive”.

 

“Gottth fthat! Everybody be ready!!”, shouts Stow, spraying grolscho everywhere. Covered in mush Zweek laughs as all his worries evaporate, for now; the high chance of precipitation left a fair amount of doubt in the back of his mind.

Chapter 6 - Deadly Trek

Knoah could feel Saeko’s minuscule muscles trembling, all due to the stress of their recent climbs. Initially Knoah was bitter at the inclusion of Saeko in his Urha party, but the two have bonded. Since witnessing the determined Saeko almost kill himself trying to keep pace with the group - Knoah softened his views of the genius. The all-brains son of the Chieftain, was judged to be lacking in spirit before they had even left the island. However he eventually proved himself, in Knoah’s eyes anyway. While Saeko was not very suited to running through the jungle or combat, he was very kind and full of ingenuity. With his massive eyes, Knoah believed he was born for the studious and experimental path of Nicohara. Saving Saeko became a constant routine for Knoah, luckily they have not encountered anything too tricky, or more importantly deadly, so far.

 

After running for a few hours, the group made it halfway through the humid jungle.

 

 

While Saeko pants, Knoah's mind wanders to the coming of age ceremony, and his pledge. The way Knoah saw it the path system was invented to give the citizens of Venzeca a purpose in life, and more social responsibilities. No one is forced into a path they have no interest in, but choosing a path comes hand in hand with greater freedoms and privileges. After a while some change paths, some even pick multiple; if they have the aptitude. However, all must pick to be considered a useful adult in Venzeca.

 

 

Knoah has no interests in building or farming, or even the more prestigious roles. All leadership paths came with way too many responsibilities for his liking. Els was definitely more suited to those - moulded and guided to serve that position, literally. Knoah had already chosen, the Path of the Roru Zulon. Being able to rise through the elite warrior sect, mastering secret and powerful techniques, all the while roaming the southern isles, protecting Venzeca; this path is what excites him the most. Becoming a top Zulon warrior means freedom; once part of the Vanguard, he would be in the fiercest group of Roru Zulons. With a license to roam, their main objective is to protect Venzeca and the other southern islands. While all members of the Zulon are the true heroes of the land, the Vanguard was the dream path in Knoah’s eyes.

 

 

Sabo is well on his way to becoming part of the Vanguard, he may have even been promoted during my Urha, but I’m ready. I can definitely make it to the top, thought Knoah, psyching himself up for the coming ceremony. It is easy to choose the path of Zulon, but I will have to up my power levels to be accepted as part of the Vanguard. “I am going to prove myself the greatest in 'future gene’ and achieve a legendary status, I hope you can keep up bro, khaa”, said Knoah, accidentally speaking his ambitions aloud. Knoah was so determined, he could barely contain the building excitement.

 

 

“You are strange”, said Saeko.

 

So wrapped up in his daydreams, Knoah totally forgot that Saeko was right next to him, yet he did not back track. “Don’t you have any dreams?”.

 

“Umm, yeah... A few”.

 

“Well sometimes you gotta speak’em into reality”.

 

“Twiowioweh!!!”. Els sharp bird-call pierced the jungle tops, signalling a full stop.

 

“What’s going on?”, asked Saeko, nervously looking around.

 

“Looks like a minor problem. We should just keep moving we almost home”, replied Knoah, the impatience clear in his voice. The growing dark made it difficult to see the path forward from the rear of the pack; he could barely see the white of Els suit.

 

The group had made good time. Less than a few miles from home, the bridges are larger than those near the outer perimeter of the jungle; studier yet they still retain a lively spring. The wider bridges have allowed the group to shift through the jungle tops rapidly, until now. All of a sudden they had hit a dead end. The mile high jungle skywalk had mostly gone interrupted since the outskirts, but here, there was a large gap. At the front Els had already made her choice, leading the group down the trees to where thicker, longer branches are located; the low level tree branches are a short hop from each other.

 

“Why doesn’t Judor just carry a few guys, then we could save time and stick to the high route, khakhaa”, laughed Knoah, as he watched Saeko carefully lower himself down onto the same branch as himself.

 

“What do you mean?”, said Saeko as he dropped the last few inches. The huge tree branch is wide enough to hold a whole group of very large men, yet Saeko dropped to his stomach and latched his arms and legs along the branch, to prevent falling.

 

“Get up”, said Knoah, yanking Saeko to his feet. “Only three of the group can’t make the high route”.

 

“Oh, I get it. If he carried two”.

 

“I would grab you, and Els and the others would be able to do their own thing”.

 

“Yeah, but Els choose this route so we could stay in formation”.

 

“True”, said Knoah, with a slight reservation in his voice.

 

Day was drawing seamlessly to night. From just the few hundred feet they had descended, the light of the sun's became shrouded by the giant yellow leafs of the jungle canopy - still the pack moved from branch to branch nimbly.

 

“This Ni formation is mobile and quick, but yon would have given us better battle strength”. Knoah looked into the creeping shadows around the groups. “The darks dangerous, keep your eyes peeled, Sae”.

 

“Okay”, replied Saeko earnestly.

 

Knoah was right to be concerned, the darkness of the wilds were where horrors lived. “Wait, do you see that Sae”. Knoah stopped, perching on the thick tree branch.

 

“What?”, said Saeko, jolting straight and swinging his head and eyes in every direction his neck would allow.

 

“That”, said Knoah, pointing towards the distant ground.

 

“Barely... A pair of bucks”, replied Saeko, squinting hard.

 

A gap in the canopy left a shaft of light to illuminate the clearing and the majestic creature. Their golden antlers bob up and down, as the brown furred beast roams - grazing in a field of bunrice.

 

“Not bucks, a mirajelk”.

 

“Wow, really. Are you sure? They’re just a blur to me from here”.

 

“Yep, I’m defo sure. And it’s not they, it’s it. Just look at the way it moves in unison”.

 

“I see. Rhythmic”.

 

“Rhythmic! You don't get it Sae”, huffed Knoah. “You know how rare it is to see a mirajelk, we should capture it”. Knoah sprang up, suddenly bouncing over to the end of the branch.

 

“What? Why?... You want to eat it”, said Saeko, disappointed. “Power, to rival Judor?”.

 

“Don’t be foolish, if I ate it I would be strong enough to rival an immortal”, said Knoah, standing and turning to Saeko, puffing his chest. “I will tame it”. A man with a mystic beast like that, could easily become part of the Vanguard legion. “They’re swifter than the fastest of gods, and the owner will forever be smiled on by the winds of infinity”.

 

“Okay... But we can’t abandon the pack”, said Saeko truthfully. Although meek, his earnest nature would not allow Knoah to shirk their responsibilities.

 

Knoah took a longing look at the mystical creature, this was not the first time he had seen one and hopefully wouldn't be the last. Next time he hoped to catch it; as the saying goes ‘third times best’.

 

“Come on, they are pulling ahead”, grabbing Saeko by the arm, Knoah pulls him to the tip of the branch.

 

Stopping to watch the groups movements from the edge. Having found a way over to the huge tree opposite, the pack were making their way up to the skywalk, high in the canopy; the last pair of the group were almost at the same height as Knoah and Saeko.

 

“Are they mad?”. Looking around, there were no hanging vines. It took Knoah a minute to find a clear route over to the distant tree opposite; it was a long way down.

 

“What we gonna do?”, said Saeko.

 

“We could climb lower, but”, Knoah spotted something out of the corner of his eye which made him change subject mid sentence. “Do you trust me?”.

 

“...Yeah, of course. Why?”. Without pause Knoah threw Saeko over his shoulder, and launched off the branch end.

 

Saeko did not even have time to scream as they fell a hundred meters in seconds. All he could do was watch as his life, and swathes of yellow and brown, flash before his eyes. The fearless Knoah had already calculated the risk.  Nimbly landing on the tree opposite, he dropped Saeko to his knees. In one leap Knoah had managed to arrive on the same tree as the rest, although much lower down.

 

Knoah pushed a hand out in front of Saeko as he attempted to get to his feet. “Don’t move”, he whispered, while scanning the tree intently. There, he thought, spotting the danger that made him respond so quickly. He focused on something covered in a blur as it scampered vertically up the tree. “Wiiiiiiiiiiiowioooooowot”, Knoah let out a loud chirping melodic whistle.

 

The high pitched bird call pierced the jungle air like lightning through the evening sky, instantly the tree dwelling Venzecan’s froze. The warning whistle recognised immediately. However it was too late, the blur was on the move.

 

“Swiiiiiiiiiiiowioooooowot... Swiiiiiiiiiiiowioooooowot”.

 

“You hear that Sae, this is bad. A lyremodo”. Knoah leapt on the tree trunk, and scrambled his way up to the next branch. “Hey, yoooooooo!”.