They jumped between the rocks, fleeing that flesh hive. Every now and then Hailey teleported them until they felt they had distanced themselves enough. The momentary lack of pressure during each instant teleport left a faint burning sensation on their skin. They sat down to catch their breath. Jaspin said:
"The mistake is mine. I didn't work on strengthening my energosoma aura."
"Why?"
"Because by condensing it, the user becomes able to resist the lack of pressure."
Jaspin's skin recovered faster than Helena's. When the light of dawn broke from behind the still-terrifying cliff, they continued on their way.
The moss and grass began to cover the rocks, paving the way for a grassy landscape. Beyond the hill stretched vast open spaces without any trees. They quickened their pace through all that greenery.
"If we walk faster, we'll arrive before sunset."
Helena replied:
"I think we're not walking so much as drowning in this grass."
They advanced and advanced, carefully feeling their footing. The place was eerily empty until Hailey suddenly stopped. Her expression changed, as if she was disgusted by something.
Suddenly, in the distance, a suspicious mass rose a gelatinous lump with ten leg-like tentacles. It was as tall as Helena, who said:
"Wait… is that thing… haha, a lump of shit?
[staring]
It's moving… it's moving… a moving shit."
"No way, that's impossible. There's no such thing in this world."
Suddenly a disgusting mass of stench punched their noses so hard that Helena nearly vomited.
They slowly retreated backward…
The creature moved its tentacles and adjusted its posture, heading toward them with what seemed to be its front — indistinguishable from its back.
While they quietly retreated, the old saying came to mind:
'Don't fight a pig in the mud you'll both get dirty, but the pig will enjoy it.'
In this case, it was far worse. It was a living pile of shit.
The creature's steps quickened toward them. Suddenly it broke into a run.
There was no time to think or breathe. They turned and began running with difficulty through the grass, closer to falling than to escaping. Helena screamed:
"Hailey, come here!"
They touched her and teleported a full kilometer forward.
The creature, in an unexpected move, transformed into a catapult and launched a huge mass of its own body into the air. The mass literally turned into a bird a bird made of shit that could fly.
It was disgustingly insane. Jaspin screamed:
"Rita, where are you?!
What the hell is that thing? I've never seen anything like it!"
Rita's ghostly voice echoed in the air:
"I've never seen a creature like this before…"
"Fuck…"
Helena said:
"You're literally… ugh, never mind. You're useless."
"I'm only observing your performance. My advice and help are only given when I choose to."
Then she vanished. Helena said:
"I can still see you."
The stench grew stronger as those shit-birds approached. Their smell was like a severely decayed tooth, so foul it thickened the air and made it suffocating. They grabbed Hailey's shoulders and teleported again.
This time they appeared directly in front of the flesh hive. Its massive bees stirred aggressively to attack.
This time they didn't just touch Hailey they hugged her tightly. Helena screamed:
"Hailey, telepoooort!"
The sensation of teleporting felt like plunging into flames. When they emerged, Helena's and Jaspin's skin had turned a pale pink. This time Hailey teleported them to the top of the hill.
In the few seconds they had, Helena quickly looked around and noticed a small lake.
"Look over there a lake."
"It's too far. How are we going to reach it? I can't handle another teleport."
"We have no choice."
Helena grabbed her hand and pulled her close to Hailey's body. Then ..
BOOM
BOOM
BOOM
With every teleport, Jaspin felt as if she were being struck by a cannon. All she could do was cling to Hailey. Suddenly she pushed Hailey away and fell, coughing blood. The repeated lack of pressure had burst her eardrums and damaged her lungs. Her eyes turned bloodshot.
Helena, on the other hand, was in even worse condition. She wasn't standing she was dangling from Hailey's neck. Her eyes were leaking bloody tears and all she could hear was a sharp whistling from her ruptured eardrums. Her condition was terrible. The repeated pressure drops had caused multiple blockages in her arteries and veins.
The foolish Hailey herself understood the situation. She began lowering Helena to the ground and shaking her body. Helena was in a complete state of numbness. Even the chest pain felt as if it belonged to someone else, outside her consciousness. Reality dissolved around her and she began sinking into unconsciousness, hearing Jaspin's voice from far away.
"Helena, don't lose consciousness!"
Outside, Jaspin bit her lip, thought for a moment, then decided to use her power.