A Monster Life

103 - Small and Large Troubles

High, natural columns of rock appeared more often days later throughout the dense forest the party travelled through. Conchim and Yingshien landed at the camp after they explored the route ahead, just in time for the meal. 'The trees are gradually replaced by these rock formations.' said Conchim. 'No other major changes to the landscape as far as I can tell.'

Ulric looked up at the straight face of the column at they had stopped to set up camp at the base. The sediment layers looked like a petrified cake with a hundred different layers to him, but he suspected hunger had something to do with that illusion. 'All like the ones we've passed so far?'

Conchim took a full plate from Kaui. 'Yes. more or less at the same heights of the trees, and about ten paces wide.'

Yingshien curled her tail for comfortable support as she sat down. 'It's like the trees are replaced by rock one by one, making it a stone forest farther away.'

Ulric looked at Valdys, who shook her head. 'I have nothing specific in the library. Some pages and drawings about how they might have formed in other areas, but no mention of this area and the amount we see here.'

Elzbieta frowned at a disturbing thought. 'If no one has ever talked about this place, even though it's not an impossible distance from civilisation, there might be a reason for that, and not an altogether nice one at that.'

'People who don't return can't tell what they've seen.' said Iphigenia. 'It's best we expect the worst.'

Tipper turned to Valdys. 'Anything about lands where people disappear?'

Valdys chuckled. 'Too much. There are many places people disappear, although I suspect most is exaggerated and the causes are accidents, or attacks by animals, monsters, demons, or simply people running away.'

'When I was little, there were a couple of tales about monsters taking people away.' said Caylais. 'They were used to keep kids in line, but some old folks claimed there was truth behind it.'

Ulric cut off a good chunk of the roasted deer for himself and Susi. 'We have those tales in my old world as well, monsters under the bed and in the closet keeping kids awake. Although those stories turned more and more into entertainment as kids believed less in them. Some of those monsters have become very popular with them and made into toys.'

Tipper listened in disbelief. 'Are your kids not raised to be aware of the dangers from monsters and demons?'

'We don't have those like there are here. The monsters and demons we do have are of our own making, and luckily don't come in hordes.' He sniggered. 'I'd bet even if we had them, they would have been swallowed up by the entertainment industry already and we'd have loads of fans for any of them.' He looked at Ying. 'Dragons are a fantasy there, but are one of the most beloved creatures. Ying would have so many people of all kinds praising her beauty and vying for her hand.'

She blushed and cleared her throat. 'That world is insane. Dragons don't mix with others.'

Ulric sat back and stroked Susi's head. 'True, it's insane, but there are people who are attracted to what's on the inside, and not just to looks.'

Valdys scritched him under his chin. 'A good thing so do we, my love.'

He tapped one paw on the ground and grinned. 'Yeah, but I look great both on the inside and outside.'

The others laughed while Valdys took him in a headlock and quickly ruffled his hair.

***

The demon party looked out over the vast open water in front of them. 'I can't see the other side.' said Muni as he peered at the horizon. The edge of the forest curved erratically forward on both sides, but also disappeared soon enough behind the horizon, and the only other green around were patches of grass and flowers on occasional small sand heaps sticking out barely above the surface. 'Are you sure we'll find an artefact somewhere here?'