Back at the Scavenger camp, the air was thick with the smell of stale sweat and damp earth. Vorden sat slumped against a jagged stone wall, his breathing shallow and rhythmic. He had been sedated and now he slept a heavy, dreamless sleep, his wrists bound by reinforced earth chains.
Around him, the others were beginning to stir. The hypnotic fog of the mind control was lifting, replaced by a throbbing, "hangover" sensation that made every movement agony. As the haze cleared, the horrific memories of their own actions began to resurface.
"Oh no..." Amy's voice broke the silence, a strangled sob escaping her throat. "I tried to hurt Quinn... I didn't mean it. It was like my body was possessed by something else."
"It was a nightmare," Ray added, his voice raspy. Michael nodded beside him, his face pale as he looked at the raw, bloodied skin where he had tried to force himself through the stone bindings while under the trance.
"What do we do now?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling as she struggled against the restraints. The earth chains were cold and unyielding, reacting to her every twitch by tightening further.
"Where did Quinn go? Is he... is he okay?"
"No idea," Erin spat.
She wiped a smudge of blood from her lip bringing her chained hands, her eyes burning with a cold, focused fury.
"Those bastards... I saw her.. the one who did this.
The woman with the needles. I swear, if I ever see her again, I'll kill her myself."
"Careful what you wish for, Blondie," a silk-smooth voice echoed through the hall.
From the shadows emerged Marr, the woman with the mind-control ability. She toyed with a long, thin needle between her fingers, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "You're lucky the Boss found a use for your friend. Otherwise, you'd all be feeding the local wildlife by now."
----
Miles away, the hunt was well underway. The landscape had shifted from the harsh, arid desert to a surreal forest of silver vegetation that shimmered under the pale light of the two moons.
Quinn moved in th front, edged with caution at the preying eyes of Grazer and the others.
he was emotionally exhausted and throughout the march, he had been using his Dragon Eyes in short bursts.
The ability allowed him to see the "intent" of those around him just by the mere shift of their energies.
Suddenly, a chime rang out in his mind.
Notification: Your [Dragon Eyes] ability has leveled up!
Range increased to 100 meters in all directions.
The world immediately expanded and Quinn could suddenly "see" the terrain, the different energies in the vegetation.
Well, that's helpful, he thought. He checked his status window. He was only 5,000 EXP away from leveling up his system.
One more level up and he would evolve, yet he was not ready for the next evolution simply because of the current situation, if he evolved suddenly among these people he would not be able to protect hinself.
Coming to the hunt itself was a daunting prospect—he had only ever fought up to Advanced-tier beasts. Now, he was skipping the king and the Emperor-tier entirely, heading straight for a Legendary hunt.
"No point in worrying now," a voice vibrated in his mind, making Quinn flinch.
"You've been awfully quiet, System," Quinn muttered under his breath.
"Ohh.. so you finally remembered my existence", the system said in a humourous tone
.
"I was observing," the AI said in an unusually thoughtful tone. "You're doing well for yourself, Quinn. Better than I expected."
"I'm not doing enough. I have to kill this thing and get back to my friends before Grazer decides something else."
"Then stay sharp," the System warned. "These people are vipers. They'll use you as a shield the moment that beast shows its face."
"I know," Quinn sighed. "But... thanks. Even if you're just an AI, I'm glad I'm not doing this completely alone."
The System went quiet for a moment.
"Actually, Quinn... to tell you the tru—"
The System's voice cut off as Quinn's Dragon Eyes suddenly flared. A massive, cold presence was radiating from just beyond the next ridge.
"Everyone, stop!" Quinn commanded, raising his hand. "We're close."
The Scavengers instantly fell into a combat-ready crouch. Grazer stepped forward, unsheathing his golden longsword. He turned to his men, his expression one of pure, unadulterated greed.
"Listen up, you mammoths! I want that Legendary Crystal. If anyone hesitates, if anyone flinches, you'll die—either by the beast or by my blade. Is that clear?"
"We prevail for Lord Grazer!" they shouted in a hushed, fearful unison.
Grazer turned his cold gaze toward Quinn. "And you, boy... you better get ready to earn your keep."
"Just hold up your end of the deal," Quinn shot back, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.
The terrain had become treacherous. The silver trees gave way to slick, blackened rocks that formed a natural cliffside. Quinn could hear the rhythmic, heavy thrum of moving water nearby.
"Grazer, what exactly are we fighting?" Quinn asked, his voice low. "You haven't told me a damn thing."
"Watch your tongue," Grazer hissed.
"It's a Silver-Scale Serpent. And we are standing in its front yard."
Everyone together scaled the wet rocks, reaching a plateau that overlooked a dark, subterranean lake. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and rotting fish.
"Take your positions!" Grazer yelled, his telekinetic aura beginning to ripple the air around him.
I don't like this, Quinn thought, communicating internally with the System. We've walked right into its lair. This is its territory. We're at a massive disadvantage.
"If I were in charge," the System said enthusiastically, "I'd blast the lake with everything I had, clear the rocky terrain to remove its cover, and force it into the open where my traps are set. Direct confrontation here is suicide."
Well, that's a great plan, Quinn thought grimly, watching Grazer move toward the water's edge with reckless confidence.
"But this idiot is going to get us all killed first".
As if in response to his thought, the dark water of the lake began to swirl. A massive, triangular head, covered in scales that reflected the moonlight like polished mirrors, rose slowly from the lake, as if just sensing it's next meal.