The Azure Dragon

by Vladimir Vasilenko

  "Do you think they build these altars at every Source?" Guessed Doc. "If we find more sources, then we find more traces of vanaras!"

  "And get our asses kicked again," gloomily added Sting.

  "We won't if we'll are careful next time," Terekhov reassured him. "We might be able to figure out what they need these totems for. Perhaps, it's their weak spot."

  "How are we going to find these sources?" Viper asked. "And totems? I told you, we've never come across anything like this before."

  "Probably because it never happened before," suggested Doc. "You mentioned that vanaras have become more aggressive. Maybe it's their new weapon of some kind."

  "It doesn't even look like a weapon."

  "Don't get distracted," winced Terekhov. "The question is how do we look for these sources?"

  "I can sense them," I said. "Normally, the distance isn't great, but during meditation, I can detect them in the radius of six hundred and fifty feet."

  "They are scattered far from each other. One per several square miles," Bers muttered. "You don't have a very powerful locator, kid."

  "You don't even have that!" I grunted.

  "It should work," Terekhov nodded. "We'll scour the jungle and stop every quarter mile to allow Mongoose to check the surroundings. Does this meditation of yours take a long time?"

  "A couple of minutes."

  "Great! And if we can detect this thing in advance, we can probably get to it unnoticed."

  "Yes, that might work," Viper nodded.

  "All the more, we have no other plan, geniuses!" Kata sarcastically remarked.

  She was in a bad mood again. Although, anyone would get upset after having your arm nearly pulled off by a huge monkey, almost drowning afterward, and at the end being eaten by some kind of water creature.

  We set off in a couple of minutes and decided to continue to stay close to the river, going downstream. It led south, with some deviation to the east, so we didn't have to go deep into the jungle, but there was an unpleasant side effect. All kinds of creatures came to a watering place on the river, and we continually came across animal tracks and those who made them.

  When we met a hefty beast, a cross between a rhino and a scorpion, we simply walked around it—good thing he seemed to have been extremely nearsighted. Then we arranged a massacre of a small flock of black bulls with heavy sickle-shaped horns. That was Viper's idea. He said that these mobs gave a lot of experience, plus their horns were a quite valuable trophy. I did not participate in this slaughterhouse. I just didn't want to, and my weapon wasn't quite appropriate for it. Instead, I activated the transience aura to supply the squad with buffs and get my percentage of Qi at the same time.

  A little later, we tried to level up on tapirs. These were pigs with short funny trunks, colored black and white, like pandas. But they were a lot quicker than we thought, and most of their pack ran away before we could do anything. Only Sting managed to shoot a couple.

  Then we had to skedaddle from the next creature who was eerie, like a living nightmare. This was gbahali. He looked like an overgrown crocodile with long lizard legs and a short but massive mouth, that had two rows of teeth sticking out as big as a kitchen knife. Fortunately, he didn't move very quickly on land, and we managed to avoid direct confrontation. Frankly, I had little idea how we were supposed to break through his thick skin, which was more like a stone crust on the back. My chakram just bounced off of him, much like Sting's arrows. Most likely, one way to beat him was to go in close combat and try to hit his soft underbelly. But there were no volunteers among us for this.

  Later though, we found Doc's next victim for his necromancy entertainment. It was a large and spotted carnivore of the cat family. It looked like a leopard, even though I thought they were smaller. It hid on a tree branch hanging over our path and, for some reason, chose me as its prey. Probably because I was in the back of the group. I was saved by the Sea Salamander bead. I dodged the first and the worst jump, and then the guys helped me.

  Doc conjured over the cat's body for a long time, cursing Dan and Bers for "spoiling the material". But in the end, there was a new addition to the squad—a zombiepard with glowing green eyes and claws so sharp that they could be used for shaving.

  From time to time, we stopped for a while and I did a cycle of meditation, listening for echoes of a new Source in the jungle. So far, we had not been lucky.

  Shortly after the incident with the leopard, we came to the place where the river merged with another one, which was wider and deeper. Having conferred, we decided to go upstream the big river, deep into the peninsula. Going downstream wouldn't have been possible without moving to the other side, and we didn't want to get in the water.

  The vegetation around has changed, and now a fairly large area was covered with bamboo. Its jointed stems were of very different thickness: from young shoots, which could easily be broken with bare hands, to strong hollow trunks of twelve inches in diameter. They grew pretty tight, but it was still possible to squeeze between them. That was good because Viper and Terekhov had already gotten sick of swinging their swords, cutting the path for us.

  Past the bamboo grove, we came across traces of civilization for the first time since we were in Uobo, but they were so old that it was clear that whoever left them was long dead.

  This trace was a section of a paved road leading to a stone bridge across the river. The cobblestones of the pavement were hard to notice as they have almost entirely overgrown with moss, and grass was reclaiming its rule in the cracks. The bridge also collapsed in the middle, and a wide muddy stream roared under it. The opposite bank was rocky and steeply went up. The ancient road disappeared in a narrow gorge between the rocks overgrown with moss and vines.

  "Well, shall we go on the other side or keep walking along the coast?" Bers asked.

  Terekhov nodded in my direction. I sat in a lotus position over the river, right on the edge of the collapsed bridge, and closed my eyes.

  I sensed the Source almost immediately, although it was almost on the very edge of my detection limit. I've anticipated hearing its single note ringing for a long time.

  "There!"

  I pointed to the opposite bank, to the top of the cliff that was to the right of the bridge. There, on the very edge, a tree with a mushroom crown spread its branches, and part of its roots reached above the ground as if trying to get to the river.

  "We're not going to make it from here," Doc skeptically grumbled, staring at the water below. "It's too far. The river looks deep here."

  The river here was wide, too—thirty or forty feet from one shore to the other. But the wreckage of the bridge partially reduced the distance of the gap, and it was about twenty to twenty-three feet between them. I stepped back a little from the edge and took a short run.

  Frog Leap!

  In flight, my body felt light a paper airplane, but at the same time it was as strong as a cocked tight spring. My God, I missed these sensations in real life! I flew across the river in a high arc with a solid margin and landed gently on the opposite side of the bridge. I slightly buckled my knees, countering the inertia, and touched a cool wet rock with the tips of my fingers.

  "I'm sick of you showing off your kung fu all the time!" Sting shouted in my back. "What are we supposed to do? None of us can do that anyway."

  As if in mockery of his words, Doc's zombiepard gracefully leaped over the bubbling stream, scratching the rocks at my feet with its claws.

  "What the hell, Doc? After all, you're a grown man…"

  "I can try too," Edge randomly spat on her hands and rubbed them together. "I just need a good running start."

  "Don't!" I replied. "Drop the rope, and I'll tie it here. You can take turns crossing it."

  We secured the rope to the wreckage of the stone railing of the bridge. It was strong enough to hold any of us, but Daniel had to be persuaded to remove his armor. He went first. Terekhov, Edge, Doc, Sting, and Viper followed. Using their hands and feet, they climbed on the
rope, that was ten feet above the water surface. It seemed easy enough, but I saw that Kata was nervous and procrastinated moving ahead. Until finally she was the only one left.

  "Come on, you'll be fine! If Doc made it, you sure can too!" Sting tried cheering her up.

  "What do you mean, even if Doc made it?" The necromancer sounded offended. "What do you think I'm crooked or something?"

  "I mean, you're a mage, and you're not strong enough. But you did it. So come on, Kata, get over here! I'll kiss you as soon as you get to this side!"

  "I'd rather stay here then!" The sorceress snapped but started climbing the rope, which was sagging by now.

  The distance was short, but she was taking her time because she must have been too afraid to fall into the river again. Anything could be hiding in this murky stream, which should have been a reason to try and get to the other side faster, rather than poking around and swinging directly above the water.

  Oh, Kata, Kata... You gave yourself a formidable name and armed yourself with a flail and spells, but deep inside, you are still the same confused girl in pink sneakers.

  I got a little distracted because Doc's dead leopard was under my feet. Being so close to him was unnerving, especially when the cat decided to sniff my shoes for some reason. I tried to gently shoo him away, and just at that moment, there was a splash.

  My first thought was that she fell down. I turned around and saw that Kata was still on the rope, but a long, nibble creature that looked like a flat eel and was about three feet long, grabbed her. The girl shrilled and almost fell off the rope.

  "Hold on!" Someone cried out.

  Sting leaned forward, pulling his bowstring. He paused, trying to aim—the serpentine creature writhed like crazy. After a few moments, it left Kata alone, taking a big chunk of her bloodstained leather armor. In turn, another one popped out of the water as if launched from a slingshot. It missed, flying in an arc slightly below.

  "Come on, move! Kata, hurry!"

  Either because she was scared or hurt, the girl could not move any farther. She clung to the rope and hung on it like live bait. Swarming under her, dark long shadows were visible even through the murky waters. They seemed to be attracted to the bloodstain, though it was tiny and got quickly washed away by the stream.

  The Hounds were shouting, trying to cheer up the girl and bring her back to her senses. Viper even got on the rope himself, but the rest dragged him back because the rope couldn't hold two of them. Besides, what could he do, throw her on his back? We couldn't help Kata in this situation; she had to get out herself.

  Although…

  I got my chakram and threw it at a stone pillar on the other side of the bridge, aiming at the rope, wrapped around it. At first, I missed. Fifteen seconds of waiting for the chakram to return to the quick access slot seemed like an eternity. During this time, two more eels clung to Kata—one on the leg, the other one on the side. I don't know how she didn't plop down in the water. The pain must have been terrible—the creatures literally bit off pieces of her armor.

  The second throw was successful. I cut the rope, and Kata flew down, sliding over the surface of the water.

  "Pull!" I yelled.

  Dan and Terekhov grabbed the rope and quickly pulled Kata up. The water under her was literally seething with a den of serpentine bodies. When she reached the edge of the bridge, Viper and Bers grabbed her by the collar.

  The next creature that jumped out of the water was much larger than the previous ones. It was perhaps ten feet long and had a head the size of a horse. In one fell swoop, it grabbed Kata's leg up to the knee, and I think I even heard the crunch of her bone. Or it could just have been iron plates on her boots screeching on the teeth of the fish monster.

  "Pull!" Viper howled at the top of his lungs, seeing that the guys were taken aback for a second.

  With a jerk, we pulled Kata onto the bridge together with the stubborn creature. Viper jumped to the eel and cut it several times right below the head, aiming at the same place. Finally, the monster released its prey and heavily flopped back into the water.

  "Hold on, hold on, girlie!" Doc lamented, shamanizing over Kata.

  The Pumping Life spell flashed with a scarlet arc and struck her in the chest. The girl moaned, biting her lip bloody and arching her back as if she were on the rack.

  Expensive healing potions came into play. In a couple minutes, Kata was leaning back against the railing of the bridge. She was pale and trembled, but at least, she was alive. As a last resort to bring her to her senses, Doc slipped her an iron mug with his swill. Staring into space, the girl sipped the brew like tea, clattering her teeth on the iron edge of the mug.

  "Nicely done," Terekhov patted Viper on the shoulder. "You're quick on your feet."

  "Yep," echoed Daniel. "My heart was in my mouth and I didn't know whether I should throw a rope or keep pulling or tear the creature's mouth with my bare hands."

  "I wouldn't recommend tackling it with bare hands," Viper chuckled. "Incanaby's teeth are like scalpels. You'd lose your fingers. But these things have a soft spot."

  He tapped the back of his neck with the edge of his hand.

  “Hit them below the head and try to break the spine. You could also poke their eyes and get to the brains. But that's trickier because their brain is as small as a walnut."

  "I see," nodded Kata. "Just like our Sting's."

  "Glad you're feeling better," replied the archer, grinning.

  "Should we take a short break?" Terekhov offered. "We gotta get off the bridge though. We’re sitting ducks here.”

  "No, we should keep going. I am okay."

  Staggering, Kata got back on her feet.

  "Are you sure? You don't need to play a hero—your wounds were pretty serious…"

  "I'm not bleeding to death anymore," the sorceress irritably responded. "It'll heal itself. Why are you babying me? It's just a game. And it's my fault for hanging on that rope for so long."

  "All right, let's go," Terekhov nodded after a pause.

  Bers got held up because he wanted to pick up the rope. After that, we moved slowly, trying not to make too much noise. The Source was very close—when I stopped and listened, I could sense it even without meditation now. It seemed to be somewhere above us, exactly under the tree that we saw from the opposite bank of the river. We had to almost crawl down on the ground the last thirty yards, going through the rough. When we got to the Source close enough to be able to see it, it took our breath away—it was another altar with three horned skulls on top. The vanara were there too.

  We saw one little guy, a little smaller than the gorillas we had met before. He was covered from head to toe with thick shiny copper-red fur and dressed in rich silk clothes with gold and pretentious braiding. In his hands he held a fighting staff with thickenings on the ends, decorated with gold and red ribbons. With this staff, he was thrashing the altar, methodically destroying it to small pieces. As if it hadn't been enough, when there was almost nothing left of the altar, he kicked the fragments of skulls for a while, stomping on them and constantly muttering something to himself in different voices.

  We hid in the bush, looking at the strange vanara through the leaves. After finishing his act of vandalism, he left the sight with one giant leap, but we still sat quietly, listening to the surrounding sounds.

  "Well, did he leave?"

  "Shhh!"

  "Do you hear anything?"

  "Quiet, you guys!"

  Another couple of minutes passed in intense silence.

  "Do you think it's still there?" I whispered, unable to bear it.

  "Who?" In the same conspiratorial whisper responded a voice on the right.

  "Your mother!" I snapped, turning around.

  I barely suppressed a startled exclamation.

  The vanara was sitting slightly behind me, hunched over, looking at the empty clearing with us. He stared at me with round bewildered eyes and even let out a short squeal of fear.

  "What the…"


  The Hounds jumped up all at once and stood in tense poses with their weapons ready.

  The vanara folded his lips and bulged his eyes, maintaining his position as if he was caught peeping into the women's locker room.

  "Why do these hairless creatures need all these iron trinkets?" He suddenly squinted suspiciously. "You're not going to hit anyone in my forest, are you? It's probably very painful!"

  "Drop your weapons," almost without moving his lips, Terekhov murmured, and the Hounds reluctantly obeyed.

  "He talks..." Kata whispered.

  "Who?" The vanara answered, stretching his neck. The expressions of his face changed like the patterns in a kaleidoscope.

  "You! Who are you anyway?"

  "I think I know," I said. "You're Hanuman, aren't you?"

  "The king! Hanuman!" The vanara proudly straightened and roared, correcting me. "Born of the wind and having known the void! The great sage equal to heaven!”

  With each phrase, he was getting taller, increasing in size right in front of our eyes. In a little while, there was a ten-foot-tall giant hanging over us. His voice grew more and more menacing, and in the end rumbled like thunder.

  "The one who jumped over the ocean! The possessor of mighty strength and great powers! The one who burnt the town of the ten-headed…"

  He stopped talking suddenly, and his face adopted a puzzled expression. At the same time, he began to deflate, gradually decreasing to normal size.

  "Um... I had more titles..." He scratched his head, trying to remember. "Many titles! But I do not announce them very often, and something has been forgotten."

  He moved his hand, and the grass and even bushes around us suddenly lay flat, clinging to the ground, so that we were on an almost flat clearing. He threw his staff on his shoulders like a yoke and started waddling around us—looking and sniffing us over. He stopped in front of Edge and, making a prim face, suddenly bowed to her. Then he fished out of nowhere a huge red flower on a thin stem and stuck it almost in her nose.

  The assassin was shocked but accepted the gift.