"I'm so damn bored."
It's been three nights since they set out for the city. Since, it was the same routine between the three. Cairo and Naren would fight while Vera hid for the most part. Within that time, Cairo only forgot Naren's name one other time.
For them, it was the same sight on the ground. An evergreen garden of twisting flora, a deep green, twisting and turning to try to get even the slightest light. All growing around a maze of mountainous pillars that reached into the sky.
"Are we even getting closer?"
Naren yawned, as he massaged his right shoulder. They were able to put his shoulder back in place, but it still hurt.
'Did I even put this on right?'
Cairo chewed on the tough meat of a centipede-like creature they just killed, carrying the rest in a pouch on his back. Using one hand to provide light.
"Vera, how do you even know where we goin. Everything looks the same."
Vera led a foot in front of Cairo. She pointed to her head, triumphantly.
"I have a map here."
Naren took a piece of meat from Cairo's pouch, biting off the carapace shell of the creature.
"I think your maps upside down. We've been seeing the same sights for days."
"It's not like you're doing anything!"
"That's true Naren, you not doin a thing."
Naren chewed the meat.
"Ahm th' mayn peesh. Lie' a khing."
They trudged on like soldiers surveying enemy territories. That is if the soldiers had no training with stealth. Luckily, most creatures were afraid of fire. However.
"Eeek!"
Vera ran back, clinging onto Naren.
Every once in a while, there's a curious soul.
A dark murky pool of sludge laid out before the three. A mound erupting from it about two meters high, liquid constantly floating down from it. It couldn't keep a definite form, constantly dripping and changing as lumps burped out like gas bubbles.
Naren made a sour expression.
"Eurgh, what the."
The creature moved with the pool at its feet following.
"You got this one Cairo. I'm not touching that."
The corners of Cairo's lips curled up, as he let his gums show.
"Thas why I love you twin."
He reached for the kunai at his waist, leaning lower, before his eyes widened.
Naren heard it too. A distinct fizzing sound, like something concentrating.
Cairo clicked his tongue, standing back upright.
"Yall should get back. It's gon explo—"
Before he could even finish his sentence, the fizzling erupted, sending the black goo flying like confetti. Raining a disturbing sight of ominous thick paste.
Naren shook his shirt, trying to shake some off. His face scrunched.
"Eugh, C'mon man. This is Maren's favorite shirt."
Vera pursed her lip, frowning.
"Gross."
Cairo was completely drenched. Staring at the remains of the self-destructing abomination. His grey eyes sharp, while his smile returned.
"Yo, check it."
Naren dragged himself over, as he wrung his scarf. Vera caught along while still holding him.
"What's up."
Naren's half open eyes swam from Cairo's drenched head to where the creature once stood. Golden eyes glimmering.
On the ground, completely drenched in a thick dark sludge, laid a woman. She was tall and lean, laying on her side. An animal-like mask worn slightly off, revealing only a pair of blueish lips and dark hair in a pony tail. She wore a leather tunic and leggings, plated with iron and bones. Clutching a cloth pouch with one hand while her other was clenched shut with a piece of paper in it.
Her body looked completely unscathed, as she laid there motionless.
Vera followed their sight, reaching a complete stop. Her grip on Naren tightening.
"I-is she..."
Naren broke free of her grip, walking up and crouching by the body. He took a second to look at it, before he began shaking her vigorously.
"Yo wake up! Is there a city nearby!"
Cairo crossed his arms.
"Yeah, no way she's wakin up."
The woman's lips moved. She pressed her hands against the ground, sitting up.
Naren shifted a bit from surprise.
"Woah, good morning."
Her mask fell off in the process revealing a beautiful face: Black strands fell along her face failing to cover her amber eyes and olive brown skin.
She looked around, her eyes landing on Naren, then on his scarf. Her half open eyes slowly shook as her lips trembled.
She grabbed onto Naren's shoulder. Her voice coarse, drawn into a whisper. Muttering so softly that no human should've been able to hear. None but Naren: "Please help my brother."
Her grip tightened, as her body shook more vigorously.
Cairo watching in a monotone gaze, while Vera grabbed her shirt, gripping it tightly.
Her body continued shaking, before it pulled away from Naren in one rapid movement. Like an invisible string tugged on her body, it flew back, crashing right onto the rocky wall behind her.
SPLAT
Vera recoiled, slamming her eyes shut. While Naren and Cairo looked onward without blinking.
The body of the woman slid down the wall leaving a trail of blood before slumping over itself. Completely lifeless.
Naren turned his view to the woman's pouch, looking at the contents inside: A waterskin, extra cloth rolls, a primitive leather notebook, and a rock attached to a string to form a necklace. He dropped the pouch, grabbing the notebook.
The first page containing a depiction of a map: A boot shaped island, with several crosses along only the bottom left. All the crosses surrounded one small icon of a house. Then he continued flipping, diary entries in each page, before landing on one that looked like it was ripped out then placed back in. He stared at it for a beat longer than it'd take to read.
Closing the book, Naren stared at the crude necklace that peered through the pouch opening. Slowly he got to his feet without moving his gaze.
"Cairo. Shrimpy."
"Yea."
"We gotta go on a little detour."
Cairo let a smile creep onto his face. While Vera gulped, tightening her grip of her shirt.
"Anything beats this."
Naren finally gazed back at them, his golden eyes glimmering as his eyes were wide open. Vera shivered at the sight. Like a hungry cat staring at an injured rat.
Naren handed the book to Vera.
"Lead us."
Vera looked at the map, scared to look back up at Naren.
"Y-yea. We head north from here."
The three walked away, leaving the body of the woman lifelessly laying without any proper acknowledgement. Nothing more than a flower that was accidently stepped on.
A loose page flew out of the notebook in Naren's hand, landing on the pool of blood right below the woman. A certain page, that he had just finished reading.
It read:
"You won't believe who I met today! It was a witch! A witch! I was terrified at first, but she was super nice. She showed me a cool magic trick with my reflection. Then she told me stories about her little brother. He sounds like the cutest. I wish my brother acted even half as cute as he did. Just kidding, I still love you bro!"