They left at the sunset with a select squad. Ten of the member would have gone through the forest to reach the temple, then only the most stealthy five would have entered inside. She was lucky and she was inside this small group, so she could access the building without any problem.
When the group would have split, she would have acted on her own. And after she would have found the witch or not, she would have run away, leaving behind Zakai and his gang.
Freedom was close, she could already taste its sweet flavor. But she should not get distracted by that strong desire. She did not know if the monks were prepared for an assault or how they would have attacked in that case. She had to improvise all her actions, the concentration would have been essential.
She jumped on the branch in front of her and she stopped only after two series. The walking group was slower than her and,while she was waiting, she listened to the sounds around her. She heard only the team coming near and the rustle of the trees, nothing else. There were no running animals, no singing birds. Her instinct was suggesting that it was not a good sign, there was something unnatural in that part of the forest.
Since they have started to climb, her senses were on the alert, as if an imminent danger was going to set down on them. Hwai had her same sensations and he had told them to Zakai, but he had accepted them as if they were normal: he believed that they were caused by the closeness of the temple. She would have agreed if she did not count also the possible presence of the "soul-eating monster".
She hoped that for once he was right and that they would have never met that creature.
She noticed that the group had reached her. She signaled that everything was in order and continued on her path, distancing them. She hated to do her part for the team, but it was essential for her plan. But if she spent less time with them, it was bearable.
She reached another tree and she stopped, caught by deep anguish. The bad sensations were becoming worse, a terrible omen. She listened again but she could hear no sound. It seemed that the forest was in mourning.
She was sure that it was not the monster or she would have heard other movements. It was something worse, something as dark as dangerous.
It was like deja vu, it was not the first time that she sensed a power like that. It was never so powerful, or she would have remembered it. It was weaker as if it was just a small part of the whole source.
« I see that someone else is disturbed. It will not take long. »
Zakai's voice was like a distant echo, while she was searching inside her memories.
After she had found the right one, she went on her march between the trees, not caring about the group behind her. She was sure, that was the same dark power that had infected the temple of her village. She could recognize its destructive force. After so much wandering, she might be near to her objective, she would have discovered what happened to her tribe.
The adrenaline invaded her body and she could move faster, ready to avenge what she had lost.
She reached the last tree and she stopped, pierced by a pain that did not belong to her. The enthusiasm waned immediately,leaving place for horror. The top of the hill was empty, there were only a few dry trees. The ground was consumed, devoid of any energy or magic trail. That land was suffering and she could feel its hushed moaning along with all the pain that it was enduring.
A plague had attacked it, a plague that was wearing down it from the inside.
A shiver shacked her body and she curled up, hoping to calm herself. There was no doubt, the witch was inside, only a creature like that could have done such an act. Even humans were notable to damage so much the nature for self-interest.
She strove to look again at that landscape, only to find her objective: the temple build in the middle, perched on the top. A series of long dry boards led to the high entrance arc, of an unusual white shade. On both sides, there were two long pavilions, while the main building, recognizable for the curved roof and the elaborate panaches, was at the end of a small courtyard lacking vegetation. No monks were guarding and it was suspicious: if the rumors about that temple were real, it should have been well guarded.
And if they did not show themselves already, they should have more sophisticated techniques for protecting what was inside.
A little rock hit her wing and she flinched before she lowered angrily her gaze. Zakai was smiling at her and she knew who she would have thrown one of her feathers against.
« I suggest you come down if you do not want to expose us. »
She stopped to accumulate magic energy on her body and she admitted unwillingly that he was right: on that branch, she was too visible.
She jumped to the ground, trying to not make too much noise, and she looked around. The group was disturbed as her and their attention was on Zakai. They were waiting to hear something from him.
Only one of them was watching the perimeter, hidden behind a big tree. It was a boy that usually wore a hoodie to cover a scar left by the invaders. And he was also the only one with a shotgun. She had never seen one before and, when she had seen his destructive potential, she had shivered.
With such a device,humans could destroy faster what was left of the wild magic and Vastayas would have done little to counter them. Ionia had usually based its strength on ancient arts, that endured the body and used sidearms. But thanks to him, she had discovered that in those southern lands were some forges, where humans created those destructive machines. They were not so famous, but the boy believed that one day they would have become the war core of the island.
And she was ready to destroy them if that was going to happen.
« Is really that the temple? I was expecting something better. » said the boy,looking back at them.
She tried to avoid his eyes, so he could not notice all her disgust for that weapon with a big barrel.
« I have to admit that I am surprised too. And if inside there is the witch, I'm curious to know where she hid such a strong power. » answered Zakai.
« There is no doubt that the witch is inside or it is impossible to explain... this. » said Hwai, pointing at the devastation in front of them.
The eyes of the leader lighted up with interest and he smiled again, a smile full with malice and hunger for power.
She wanted to slap the taste out of his mouth.
« So, what are we going to do? » asked a thin boy, with two long knives on his belt.
« The plan stays the same, but we have to iron out some details. As you have seen there are no guards, even though they had experienced a noxian assault. » answered Zakai.
« Or they just drive the intruders crazy, as they have done with the Noxians. »said the other girl of the group, leaning on a tree and with the face covered by the long black hair.
« And this would bea problem. I think that is better if fewer persons as possible enter the temple. Only one of you will come with me, while the other three will stay in the courtyard, so the could eventually distract the monks. And if there will be more problems on the outside... Hwai, I count on you. »
The Vastaya nodded.
« The other four,you will leave the forest only if the situation is desperate,otherwise you have to cover us from the distance. So, who volunteer to come with me? »
« Me. » she said without hesitation.
She could not miss out the chance, not when she was near to her objective. She had to enter inside that temple, even if she had to cooperate with Zakai. And with all his vicious glances.
She noticed some puzzling glares, in particular, the ones coming from Hwai. Probably he still suspected of her and that cooperative impetus sounded wrong in his mind.
« I can have your back as a marksman and I am also stealthy. » explained, trying to justify herself.
Nobody objected to her, in fact, the group seemed relieved. They had their sacrificial lamb, the one that would have been closer to the witch.
« I should not have asked for better. I think that we could be a beautiful couple. »said Zakai, reaching out to her hair.
She stopped his hand immediately, closing her nails on his wrist.
« This does not mean that I will give you so much confidence. » she hissed.
She let him go before she saw again that challenging sparkle in his eyes. She went behind a tree, close to the boy with a shotgun.She noticed that he was chuckling because she had refused Zakai, but she decided to ignore him. She had to think about her future actions,counting also the presence of the gang's leader inside the temple.
The building was not huge and probably she would have some difficulties at losing him.Maybe she could take advantage of the situation and eliminate him.She needed only one shot, as she had killed the guard on the platform. After she had cut his throat, he could have never called for help and she could have operated undisturbed.
But she could have done that only if she counted the absence of the monks. With them inside, she could have sneaked away thanks to the chaos and after she could have searched for the witch. And if they did not exist and she just had fun on driving mad the people, she had to go away at the first sign of trouble: it was better to maintain her sanity than completing her mission. Without it, she could have never reached her objective.