Snap.
A twig broke.
Axel spun so fast the stack of firewood flew into the air. His hand went straight for the Gishiki, instinct crackling through him, then he froze.
A pair of glowing eyes blinked at him from the bush.
He tensed, then exhaled when the creature hopped out, the familiar purple fur and distinct horn.
"A horned rabbit… of course." He rubbed the bridge of his nose as the bunny stared back, then bolted off. "You guys are everywhere."
He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head as he crouched to pick up the scattered wood. His heart was still thudding, the ghost of panic crawling down his neck. "I'm so not ready for a jungle adventure."
Even with the thread of continuity, he still needed rest.
But readiness wasn't really an option, he had enough food, but he ran into a small hitch.
The cave was freezing, cold enough to make his breath mist, and if he didn't want to die of pneumonia, he needed firewood.
That was how he ended up out of the cave.
But as he searched, he discovered something abnormal.
The ground was still rocky, underneath the leaves, twigs and the forest soil, it was like someone had rolled out a fake forest rug over barren rock.
"That's… not creepy at all," Axel muttered, poking the ground with a stick.
He gathered one last branch and brushed his hair back. "That should do for now."
As he approached the entrance, he stopped, staring at a protrusion in the forest, no not a protrusion.
A massive fang jutted out of the ground, twice his height, lodged deep into the earth. Around it, the trees were shriveled, the soil black and cracked like burnt skin. A death zone.
Axel stopped, a cold shiver crawling up his back despite the heat in the air. "Still can't believe I survived that," he whispered.
He had noticed the fang after leaving the cave to gather the wood.
At first he was terrified, thinking some monstrosity had crawled to him, instantly regretting all his shouting, but something wasn't right, after it didn't move.
That's when he steeled his will and went close but not too close, the stench of decay and venom still hung around it, thick and sour.
The fang hadn't rotted or dulled, rather everything within a meter of it was withering—leaves, moss, even the bugs.
He crouched, studying it from a distance. "You were way too close to my face," he muttered, subconsciously rubbing his face.
"No one would believe this," he muttered, as he continued approaching the entrance.
The fire caught easily with his lighter. Soon, warmth flickered through the cave, the orange glow mixing with the blue, chasing away the chill.
"Still doesn't beat my blanket," he sighed, pulling his hoodie tight. "I sure am a long way from Vostyn."
He leaned back, staring at the flames. All this from a delivery. At least he wouldn't have to worry about college for a while.
Silence.
Then he snorted. "This should feel awful…" he ruffled his hair, "but somehow, I'm kinda excited." His grin crept wider.
"I might be going mad," he chuckled, I bet mum would gloat to death if she found out.
"She always said I was crazy after all," Axel laughed softly.
"But I do hope I get back in time to write a report," He muttered, somehow I feel Vesna is more scary than that snake.
His lips curled to a grin, but this would be some report huh, she did say everything I did, He chuckled.
"And I have to be honest," he smirked, "I am a good student after all."
His eyes drifted to the black egg near the wall. "Eggs have liquid inside, right?" He squinted. "What's the shelf life on 'alien snake omelet' anyway?"
Axel sat up, considering it. If he broke it now, he'd have to cook it all at once. But without salt, or a way to preserve it… it would spoil.
He sighed, the only alternative would be to submerge it in a stream or pond with a leather pouch, he looked towards the glowing pond and shook his head, or submerge it in ash, but I have no ash or at least it's not enough, for now.
Axel exhaled, but basically, I can't break it, at least not yet, I'll have to survive on this junk food for now.
"Well," he sprawled on his back, resting his head on his makeshift pillow, jeans rolled into a bundle.
"That'll be a problem for future me," he muttered tiredly.
The jagged ceiling caught his gaze, dark, uneven, and mostly bare, unlike the walls that pulsed faintly with blue crystals.
He'd tried prying them out, but they clung to the rock like they had roots.
But aside from glowing, it didn't look like they had any other effects, at least not that he had noticed.
He pulled the Gishiki close and yawned. For now, I will explore around the cave first, better know my environment.
But, he narrowed his eyes, this transformation of the wasteland into a jungle is still jarring, it still didn't seat right with him, not to mention what could be roaming about, now that the dragon wasn't around.
"Oh well," he muttered as he closed his eyes, "I'd better be careful then." His voice getting drowsy.
And I have the thread of continuity.
***
A single drop of clear crystalline liquid slid down the smooth surface of the container, it hung at the entrance as if hesitating if to drop or stay.
But it finally decided to drop into the dark abyss of Axel's mouth, it touched his tongue, bringing momentary bliss.
Axel gulped hard, his parched throat lubricated by what little water, no, by saliva he swallowed.
"I really need water," he said, he had slept for a while, waking up to an annoying thirst, his biggest issue at this point, if you don't consider where he was of course.
The glowing pond glimmered in the corner of his eye, teasing him with its crystalline ripples. He frowned. "Yeah, no thanks. Don't even think about it."
He sighed and stood up, "I was planning to explore after all, might as well do it with a purpose,"he muttered, reaching down for the Gishiki.
Axel strapped the Gishiki to his back with strips from his torn shirt, the hilt poking slightly over his shoulder, the plastic bottle hanging at his side.
He eyed the black egg one last time. "You're Plan Z, buddy."
Axel carefully walked out of the cave, looking around warily, observing for any possible danger.
I wouldn't want some monstrosity springing up on me by surprise, he grimaced at the thought.
"What am I saying, not even by surprise, I wouldn't want to meet any monstrosity."
He carefully walked through the jungle, passing the fang on the way, still radiating death, he went further, marking some of the trees along the way.
Just imagine getting lost, his lips curved slightly at the thought.
Axel continued trudging through the forest, searching for water, after what felt like thirty minutes, he abruptly stopped, his pulse thundering.
For there in front of him, was something, a monster.
On the up side, the creature had its back to Axel, not noticing his presence.
He slowly stepped back as he realized this, the creature seemed to be busy, devouring something, its shoulders rippled as it tore at the flesh, the wet sound of ripping and crunching echoing through the trees.
Axel couldn't exactly say he knew what the creature was, from his position, it looked like the creature was a really big wolf, yet he noticed it had a rhino-like tusk at the side of its head.
Plus it's back which looked like a wolf was not covered by fur, rather, it was covered with jagged and spiky rock-like substances, replacing hair.
Then the creature stopped eating, Axel's breath caught, he paused.
The creature shifted, lifting its head. A low rumble vibrated the air as it sniffed, nostrils flaring.
Its head jerked to the side, looking behind.
Axel exhaled deeply, hidden behind one of the trees, he had decided to leap behind the tree when the creature started sniffing and rightly so.
He heaved a sigh of relief, but that was too early, his heart skipped a beat at the sound of a twig snapped behind the tree he was hiding, heavy steps approaching.
A weak smile appeared on Axel's lips, the bastard had not given up, it was slowly approaching, the stench of blood wafting into his nose.
Axel took a deep breath and slowly pulled out the Gishiki, thankfully the tree was wide enough to cover his entire body with enough space left, holding the Gishiki, he decided to replicate his spying method.
He leaned the Gishiki out slightly, angling it to see. The reflection in its blade showed the creature's face, its mouth a nightmarish grin, teeth slick with blood.
It's massive paw lifted, ready to cleave the tree in half, sh*t Axel cursed, it located me.
The massive paw already racing towards the tree about to rip it apart.
CRACK!
Within a split second, its claw connected with the trunk, shattering it entirely, splitting the tree in half, sending splinters flying.