The Darkest War

In Thy Name

Darius

Air so thick with humidity every breath feels as if it is not reaching the lungs as we gulp mouthfuls from the exertion of this treacherous hike. We have been muscling through for hours now, starting in this desolate village, and moving deep into the surrounding jungle. The sweat having difficult time to evaporate off our bodies in such an environment, arms ache with the physical effort required to cut through the vegetation of vines and plants even with the sharp machetes we are using.

The exotic sounds of thousands of different life forms scream around us, the smell of life hanging in the dense air.

My small group of travelling companions suffering just as equally as I am. All four of us could easily utter a few words and clear our path, the spells not even causing the slightest strain on our reserves of magic. But the price of where we are heading to means that even a drop of magic will keep it sealed away and hidden for a random amount of time.

If any of us use magic, the path to our destination could be hidden for five minutes or five centuries. A ridiculous curse I know, but what I need is a power that could never risk falling to random sorcerers, so even before my time, a curse was placed on it by others who realized the danger of what lurks in these deep isolated jungles.

I take lead, given that I can spot the signs of the directions we need to go, while Ark, Yoko, and Desmond trail close behind me.

Not the normal party out on this mission today, but I need two other adept magic users with impressive skill for this task, and Desmond because if shit hits like it usually does, I trust his extreme talents of aborting mission teleporting more so than my own.

Though the kid is gloating at his ease of effort moving through this jungle, again bragging about being the best physically in shape out of the group. Thanks to that training he runs through with Lucas since we established the city, he is clearly not as burdened with exertion. Though his digs are only to Ark and me, there is an obvious note of favoritism to young sorceress in our group.

Either because he is romantically involved with her or out of all of us, she is the one most likely to attack him. Or both.

I haven't the slightest clue if they are together or not, I don't care outside of my insatiable motive of snooping, but I am not the one to pry gossip out of people. Not in a direct obvious route anyway.

The signs that are hidden so carefully in the environment are the only indicator that we are heading in the right direction. Aside from the basic life energy flowing all around us, there is not a drop of energy to be sensed.

A few leaves stained with blood. Small fetishes twisted from vine and root tangled in the growth above or placed into the ground beneath our feet. The sudden movement out of the corner of the eye, not clear enough to see fully but enough to know something was there.

All of these, signs that we are close to our target.

Yoko snaps at Desmond after another few hours of the treacherous hike. The exertion and heat finally shortening the length of her patience. The tension added to the already dense air makes me call for a break.

Ark lifts his hands and almost ruins all the effort we have already used. He almost sets up a few basic charms to keep us protected and a safe zone so we can have a proper break, but Yoko grabs his hands before his spells can start.

"Forgive me," He states before resting on one of the massive tree roots.

"No harm done, just rest up," I say.