Linus Toria

Chapter 25

Manon was content. She had eaten a great deal and her team was almost back to its original size. Now they only had to find Ciel and everything would be perfect. And Gaspard would have to stop complaining about the meat. He could be such a drama queen sometimes.

She had already set up her tent and helped the others with theirs and was now enjoying a rare moment of doing nothing. She was laying in the shadow of a palm tree with a sleeping Etienne next to her. He seemed to be asleep. Elodie was playing in the lake and Gaspard was cleaning up the leftovers of their meal. They didn't want to attract any scavengers.

Mathieu was standing apart from them staring of into nothingness. Was he searching something? Or was he lost in thought? Manon called out to him but he didn't react. So he was spacing out. Jumping to her feet and startling Etienne who gave her the stink eye she jogged up to her leader.

„What are you doing?", she asked playfully.

„I don't know", he muttered, „I just have this feeling that something terrible is about to happen"

„Do you want to leave this oasis?", she offered.

„No, we need the rest and the others have already gotten comfortable here. Maybe I'm having an allergic reaction to the dragon meat", he joked.

„Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out for trouble", she promised, „How did you even get the meat?"

„The dragon was already dying when we arrived. I just finished it off", he explained, „I suspect that it was fighting with a fire dragon and lost"

„That's the origin of the scorch marks?"

„Most likely"

„Luckily, we didn't walk in on them fighting"

„Why, that must have been a spectacular fight. We missed out on something good"

„Don't be ridiculous. We are in no condition for a fight of that calibre"

Instead of replying Mathieu spun around. Alarmed, Manon reached for her gun and flicked the safety off. Mathieu whisteled loudly to warn the others and they all scrambled for cover under the palm trees while taking up protective stances in front of Etienne.

On the horizon a black point was approaching but Manon couldn't make out any form. She wanted to fire some warning shots to make whatever was coming over go in the other direction. But she didn't dare without her leader's permission.

The creature got closer and closer until it started nosediving. It went right over their heads and crashed into the water. Up to this point the enemy's intimidation tactic had worked perfectly. But now that was all for naught.

Two creatures craweled out of the lake and Manon compared them to drowned rats. One of them was a humanoid and the other a manticore. Manon had always been told that manticores were rare but apparently that information was wrong. She kept on meeting at any corner now.

The manticore shook himself, spraying more water on the humanoid figure. It was a small female. It got enraged and kicked his flank. Using their moment of distraction, Manon and Mathieu sprinted over to their team.

The two parties eyed each other warily and nobody was willing to take the first step. At least not until Gaspard gasped: „Lina?"

Surprise flashed across the girl's face but she immediately schooled her expression back to an aloof one. „What do you want homunculus?"

The titulation was echoing across her mind. So the girl had found out their secret after all. Ignoring the ensuing conversation she mentally prepared herself to start an attack. Now was the opportunity to get rid of that girl for good. She briskly checked if she had enough ammunition on her in case this turned into a drawn out battle and was pleased to see that she had the armour piercing ammo on hand. They wouldn't even have to bury a corpse.

She took one last deep breath and propelled herself forward. She fired three quick shots at the girl's head and closed the distance between them. The girl had avoided by ducking and the two of them engaged in close-quarter combat.

Manon wanted to jab at the girl's throat but instead of finding her goal she got slammed into the ground. All air left her lungs and she was disorientated for a second. Then she rolled backwards to avoid the girl's counterattack and got to her feet again.

She was glad about her bulletproof vest otherwise she might not have recovered from the last blow. But now Manon's position had changed. Instead of being on the offense she was now on the defense. And she was hardpressed to keep up with the girl. Behind every punch or kick was a force that belied the girl's small stature.

Manon groaned as a dagger was driven through her thigh. Looking closely she identified it as her own. When had the girl stolen it. The pain slowed her down and as she was about to take another heavy hit she was flung back.

Mathieu pulled her out from the danger zone and put her behind himself. According to his expression he was not happy with her. She agreed with him. Why was she unable to kill the girl? It wasn't a balanced fight as she had been about to lose after not even two minutes. Was she getting rusty?

Slowly, her adrenaline ebbed down and she was able to make out the conversation taking place. Mathieu was arguing with the manticore – it was sane enough to speak? - and the girl was smirking maliciously at her.

Something about her earlier opponent was rubbing her the wrong way and she would have charged back in had it not been for Gaspard containing her. „Let me go", she hissed and clawed at him.

Gaspard slapped her across the face and scowled. „What is wrong with you? Please come back to your senses"

„I'm fully aware of my actions", Manon told him seriously and tried to wiggle out of his grip. Considering their height difference it shouldn't be that difficult for her. Only after Mathieu turned shortly around and gave her a scalding look did she cease her struggles. He turned back to his conversation and Manon let out a relieved sigh.

„Then why are you attacking Lina?", Gaspard inquired.

„Are you deaf? She called you a homunculus. She knows and needs to die. Why are you not attacking her? Oh right, I forgot that you'd turn traitor for her"

„Stop spouting such nonsense! I-"

„Would you shut up? I can't focus on this conversation with the two of you bickering in the background", Mathieu barked at them.

Obediently, they went quiet and started listening in.