Rebirth: Over the Horizon

Chapter 60 - Scared Land (2)

They start moving as soon as the sun rises, they enter what must be some glorious city years ago.

It holds many enormous buildings, their signature round doors still sealed shut. Trees and vines have covered everything, but there are so many structures that they can't hide it all.

Every building they encounter stands taller than the tallest trees he has ever seen. It's as though every house were its castle.

The stones themselves have been perfectly laid, with no cracks or seams. It looks more like the walls was grown from stone instead of built. There is no doubt. This is where Emily has been taken.

A bright blast of light streaks toward adam! He swiftly jumps to the side, and the light explodes into the ground where he had been standing. It leaves a crater in the thick stone that's about a foot deep.

A man wearing grass pants and a headdress filled with colorful feathers appear before him. He's standing three stories above them in on one of the buildings. He looks down, baring teeth that have been filed to points.

He has bright makeup streaked across his face and bare chest. The blast came from a wand in his hands, which he continues to point at Adam. Two other natives in similar attire, except for the headdress, stand on either side of the shaman. T

hey hold spears and shake them at Adam and his companions.

Behind these people, Adam sees a woman, who's also wearing a grass skirt and has face paint on. The other three people don't see her as she slowly stalks the shaman from behind. She smiles at adam, showing that her teeth are not filed, and puts a hand over her mouth in the universal symbol for 'quiet.'

The shaman waves the wand about and points it at Adam again, as the woman edges a little closer to him. The woman rises behind the shaman with a long curved knife in her hand.

She drives it down into the side of his neck and pushes him at the same time.

The shaman tumbles off the roof of the building, blood spraying from his neck. He strikes the hard stones with a splat. His wand also snaps in half under his corpse.

The other two natives turn towards the woman and bring their spears up, ready to attack her. The building has many circular doors and windows in it, but they're all closed.

The ledges around them protrude a few inches and would make decent handholds for climbing up.

The two natives spread out on either side of the woman with the knife. She has no chance, as she's outmatched in both number and weapon length.

One of them drives his spear into her side, and she falls to the ground.

A lot of shouting and yelling draws your attention like a dozen more natives in warpaint arrive. They shoot small darts through tubes that they place in their mouth.

The remaining two natives with the spears are struck several times and fall to the ground, frothing at the mouth. The poison on the darts must be very strong to act so quickly.

Adam notices that the teeth of the newcomers are not filed to points. One of them climbs up the building and carries the woman down to street level.

He kneels beside the woman and takes a pouch from his belt, then reaches in and pulls out a wad of something sticky.

He pushes it into the wound, and the woman screams as she returns to consciousness. The bleeding stops, but she's still unable to stand on her own.

The group of people quietly glares at his group. Even if he died here, he can still re-spawn at the axsis town only one level will be reduced but, if the NPCs die, they die, his quest will also be considered as a failure because of Emily's death.

Adam slightly grits his teeth and says "We came in peace, Can you please take us to my friend?"

"The omens continue," she says. "Come with me if you wish to see your missing friend again."

Two natives walk on either side of the woman, her arms over their shoulders. Adam was led through the enormous buildings of the capital-like city to a structure covered with sharpened sticks. Adam notices many natives watching him from the roof.

The circular door to the building is open, which is different than most of the others. The woman is carried inside, and he follows.

Adam sees primitive pictures on the walls and people going about their daily chores. Many animal skins have been laid out in one section, where a woman is laid down.

Adam quickly recognizes her, she was the one from earlier, who got injuried.

"Is she fine?"

"Yes, she is. I am Jadara," the woman says. "Our Oracle has foreseen your arrival and purpose. You seek the Soul Burner right?."

"You come from across the endless waters. You will lead us in the battle against the man-eating Ugo in return for our aid in retrieving what you seek."

"Our Chief was injured when fighting the Ugo, so we must avenge her. The Oracle has sent us omens telling us all of this."

"Huh? Oracle?"

Jadara smiles and says, "The Oracle guides us and provides for us. Our storytellers could tell you many stories about our time of wandering before we found the Oracle and before she led us to our home here in the city."

Adam was now sure, they are not Half-mermaids, they seem to be another race, but it would be too sensitive to ask them about this now so, he refrains from it for now.

Adam and his companions are given a private room of thei8r own. The Crew brought water, fruit, and meat while Adam lounges upon the animal skins.

"So, they want us to attack this Ugo tribe," Lana says. "Why should we help them?"

"They're cannibals, and they attacked us first, for starters," Adam says. "And they have Emily. Also, they are not half-mermaids, but they know but soul burner, it might be our only chance of finding the Soul burner."

Adam doesn't seem to have any other option but to agree. A group of about twenty warriors gathers in his room about an hour later.

They intend to begin this battle immediately. On his way out, Adam sees Jadara laying upon the skins.

"Kill the Chief of the Ugo and claim his mask," she says. "They have injured our Chief.. We will kill theirs."