Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 5:22:03 GMT -5
With a forest that was aa vast as the ones of Riva were, one would think that many different types of life forms would roam across its shrubby covered floor looking for their next meal but the air was only filled by the rapid beats of Anri’s feet as he trekked his way pass the tall trees heading due north, heading straight back home. Already his journey had been going on for a few days as he found himself sick of the woods already, the first time he had ventured out into the grasp of the woods it seem a lot more… adventurous but this time around he barely found anything to be an interest to him, if it wasn’t for the heavy weights that pulled on his body’s structure then it would have been as simple as going for a run through down town. The wonder and awe that the forest had filled him the first two times had seemed to lose it luster, now it just appeared to be training... dull, normal training. Even though it had been around a weak already he had long ago lost track of how much land he had covered, it was difficult to tell distances with the lightning being no more as if he held a dim bulb out from his body during the darkest parts of night time. The really only way he had been able to keep track of his movements was by counting the trees he passed along the way, and with the distance between them being about fifty feet apart the math was simple but eventually his mind began to wander as he ran, losing his count. There was no point in trying to restart from where he had begun, the trees all looked the same as well the rest of the landscape did, flat and covered in small ferns and bushes.
Though he hadn’t seen much in the forms of animal life he knew that they were all around him, surprised by the fact that there was so little plant life to support any large herbivores, regardless of what he saw Anri kept his guard up, for more than just the reasons of a looming threat from a creature lashing out at him… there were worse things than just animals that lived out here. While the Vennor seemed to be a whole organized society things in the recent years had caused small factions to from and break away from the main government, in a since going rouge, the small tightly knitted groups with no real permanent home base were all most impossible to find and with their mobile HQ’s hidden within the jungles it was next to impossible to track them down… slowing in his pace at the idea maybe that was why they were being dropped in the jungle to begin with…. It would make sense in the grand scheme of things, a real mission masked with training, if so fact so a unit was to find such a base then no doubt a fully trained squad of Vennor shock troopers could take it down and then radio back home. If for some reason one of the rebels had managed to infiltrate into the ranks then given orders to find the rebels then that person would direct the other members to know to relocate once the landing zone was given.
It was very all well possible that Anri was over thinking what orders had been given to him but even if it took him a while he could usually see past peoples lies, his brain never seemed to stop going on ideas once they came into his head. With that in mind it changed what his real task now was, it was clear what the training was and most likely the higher ups expected no sign of actually finding said mentioned base, but all the more fun if he was actually able to find it… there was really only one problem with the plan… the jungle was massive. Even if he spent every day for the rest of life trying to explore it he wouldn’t have covered even a tenth of it, not to mention if these Vennor were smart and they were the structure would most likely be well concealed by camouflage if not buried into the ground. As much as the drive filled him to actually find the rebels he knew that the task would be impossible on his own as much as he hated to admit it, he was still only one person even as strong and hard headed as he was. It didn’t mean that he wouldn’t keep his eyes out for it though, there was still a good nine hundred miles of forest to cover in front of him… maybe if he was lucky he would be able to spot something… as long as his short visibility kept at what it was, all he needed was fog bank to roll in now….
With so much distance to cover before him his thoughts seemed best place at the back of his mind, at least for now, he would keep his eyes as sharp as he could scanning the short range of vision he had for any signs of… well anything that was out of norm, though there was a strong feeling of doubt in his chest that he would ever if something. Regardless that didn’t stop him from trying! Picking his pace back up to his full steam Anri torn past every tree that he came across making it look as though the world was just a blur as he moved. Anri surprised himself at his own speed even with the weights strapped to his body it was amazing to see just how fast he was able to go, it had been awhile since he had last done a speed test but it looked as though his training was finally starting to pay off. With training the results never seemed to be noticed until after many, many weeks and months of practice, though he was curious as to exactly how fast he would be able to make it back home without the weights dragging him down. It would have to be something that he would test another day though, that was if he ever managed to snag another mission out here.
Keeping at the same rhythm his feet pounded the gravel beneath his feet keeping his eyes scanning back and forth across the forest for any sign of anything out of the ordinary, making his way out the deepest part of the jungle he began to notice his surrounding brighten some but not enough to really make much of a difference though looking up towards the canopy he could make out the faint line of light that had made their way this far down. It was a refreshing sight to behold after seeing nothing but almost pitch blackness for the last few days, he had almost forgotten the simple pleasure of just seeing sunshine. The flash of light brought his brain back to siting down at the dge of waves letting the warm water of the sea rush over his legs as he watched the giant blue star set over the dark ocean, such a wonderful site filled him with... lust to see the star up close, exploration was in his blood... would his dreams ever become a possibility? It was unfortunate for him though as his mind was looking up towards the skies did a new sound fill his ears, even as fast as his was reaction time it was impossible for him to know exactly where the sound had come from until the creatures teeth was mashed around the thick plating that enveloped over his skin.
Four legged with thick matted scales that ran the course over its body (similar looking to wolf), were its feet were supposed to be at were replaced with long black almost razor looking claws that stuck out at least four inches. Snarling and whipping its long claws into Anri’s plates a sound similar to that of steel clashing with steel did Anri launch his arm forward letting the creature whip down his arm as his teeth torn at his bodily shield. Stopping in his running during the swing did all the force he had built up with his speed did the creature fling off his arm and go flying back into the darkness from which had come. Now with his feet burred into the soil did Anri up his balled up fists up too greet the creature once more, the beasts attack had been superficial at best not even leaving the Vennor with so much as a scratch to remember it by; even now he could hear the small movement of the creature as it encircled the area. Anri was familiar with beast having spent a great time reading over the animals that roamed the world in which they both inhabited just such an instance he would ever meet one face to he would know what to do. The name quickly came back to him but it did little to help him in this case; Nillia’s where there trade name and they always hunted in packs, though those pack numbers varied greatly. Sometimes it was no more than three and other times dozens had been known to show up, luckily he was still in clear for the moment.
From the long black talons that jutted out from the Nillia’s legs it was clear that this one was only a scout, using the long claws they would injure the target, usually rendering the creature and bring back the scent of the blood for the rest of pack if they weren’t nearby. Doing this not only slowed the targeted creature but made it so that its scent could be tracked for miles around the woods, once a creature was targeted it was said that the pack would hunt forever until the creature was found. He had not taken any wounds in the first attack and the last thing he needed was a pack of those hungry beast to be chasing him until he managed to get back home, it would mean having to sleep in the trees and just from a glance that wasn’t going to happen. No, he would need to take out the scout less the rest of the pack be nearby and sense the new prey, killing them all wouldn't be too difficult if he had a clear line of sight but with conditions as they were now they had the major advantage against him and why wouldn’t they? As long as his people as lived in the jungles they had learned to spend a majority of it staying to the high parts, as great as their vision was it was no match to those of the Nillia. Killing the scout was now his main objective at the moment having to put off his main mission off for a few minutes to best the creature before any more trouble was too show up, this encounter; however short it may have been, was putting him behind on his schedule. Anri had no idea just how far ahead he was of the rest of the unit but he needed to get his over with if his plans of being the first one back was ever going to happen.
In the traditional fighting stance he rotated slowly in a small circle keep his eyes ever vigilant on his surroundings, with his range of vision as it was he had a decent line of sight around him but Nillia’s were known to cover great distances in a single bound, if he wasn’t paying attention then the damn beast would get the best of him. No matter the size, or shape of whatever he was put up against Anri never under estimated their abilities, that’s how others fell, under through own incompetence. His skills in tracking sound in such surrounds were not something he had been well trained in, even as far as the trees were from him sounds could play tricks on a person if they weren’t paying close attention, with the addition that these beasts were smart. Not smart enough to build tools but having been trained as hunters for millions of years they had finely crafted the skills of hunting, however the Vennor were the apex predators of the world for a damn good reason and he was going to show the beast what it really meant to fight with one.
Hearing a snapping of a twig nearby Anri snapped is vision over to his left just in time to see a blur of movement as it daze off behind a tree bringing a grin across his face, no matter how well it hid once Anri took a hold of it there was no hope for the creature. Letting out the roar of a madden creature Anri dashed forward with the speed of a bullet and tore through the dense bark of the tree as if he was himself was a projectile. With no defense of its own the organic material gave into his force shattering as if it was paper, sending chucks of wood and splitters into ever which direction. There was a loud whelp following the explosion as the Nillia had obviously been frighten by the suddenness of his charge, of course how could it have been expected to know what it was facing at this point? Scared but not deterred from his stalking the beast slid back on his claws and staring down Anri, it had quickly become clear that the game of hide and seek was coming to a close, with its original sneak attack having proven too be faulty it was time to change up its tactics. With a mad dash of speed the creature jumped from the forest floor, seeming to take flight the creature dived up in the trees. At this point Anri could barely keep up with the creature but he wasn’t about to let it escape his vision once more, seeing the way it had bolted in to the trees gave him an unsteady feeling that this creature had more than what it first had shown him.
Following the creatures lead Anri gathered as much strength as he could muster into his legs and lept up into the air after the creature making a impressive leap as he took off to the branches less trees. At this point he had expected the creature to have fallen back down with no limbs to steady its self on it should have fallen back down, but as Anri came closer in his ascent it became clear what had happened. The dense long claws of the creature were dung into the rough bark giving it a holding while it look back over its shoulder at the Vennor, amazing! He had read great things about the Nillia but nothing like this, with the scouts of the group the only ones with the longest claws he wondered if they were the only ones that could do it or if all of the species had the same ability. The thought quickly passed through his mind but he had to deal with the creature before he would have time too think of anything or the sorts.
Going as fast as he had been in the jump it was impossible for him to change his direction towards the creature, which proved unfortunate as the creature sprung off the trees base, flashing its great white teeth out it barreled towards Anri. Legs pointing out to face its target Anri now had two dangers heading his way, either one just as dangerous as the last, if it hadn’t been for the armor that so well protected his body then the threat might have been genuine, as the creature would soon find that out, though not that it would do it much good. As mentioned before Anri was not practically skilled in the art of midair combat but there was something he could do at this point. Taking his knees too his chest he rolled into a armor plated ball just before the creature and him came into contact with one another, if the creatures had the ability to express shock he would have loved to see the look on its face but all that he received was a loud whelp of pain followed by the dull thud on his shell, it brought a quick smile to his face as he rolled through the air and landed a few feet away on his feet.
Not wanting to waste a second he snapped back around to make sure that the Nillia was more or less crippled, he didn’t need it sneaking back up on him once again. Sure enough the creature lay on the ground looking too be excruciating amount of pain, though any if all the injuries were located internally as he could not see any blood on the creature scales. Cautious but calm Anri made his way towards the creature to deliver the final blow, even now it was possible that the creature was simply faking its pain and waiting till Anri got close enough too lash out once again. As he reached out to take another step did the creatures whines fade too be replaced by a growl as it lashed out with its teeth once more, but Anri was done toying with the beast, he had let far too much time pass by. With the foot he had just stuck out whipping back to his side did he unleash a power round kick to the creature jaw as he watched in slow motion as the bone dislocated from his body and went speeding off into the woods with a trail of blood gushing after it. With his leg still arched high in the air Anri brought it back down in a blur of movement with an axe kick he rammed it into the creatures skull as brain matter and blood exploded in every which direction.
It was a gory site but it didn’t little to effect Anri, he had seen worse and had done much worse to animals that he came across too on the plains, though not as deadly they were all the fun too kill. Feeling no remorse he watched quietly as the creature dropped from his all fours and on to the fern covered floor below. The forest seemed to grown even quieter after the ring of shattering bone let the surrounding area leaving him alone with the fresh kill, a tasty fresh kill. Though hard to get the meat of the Nillia was delicious too all those that could rangle one to its knees, tough yet juicy it would make for a great meal once he set up camp for the night. Stamping across the blood covered plants Anri took a knee over the creatures body as he stuck his finger together like a knife and jabbed them deep into the belly of the creature in one swift movement. Gushing blood rushed from the creature body as he dug his way around the creatures abdomen looking for the best part of all… feeling a muscle beating in his hands he quickly yanked on it, with the veins snapping like thin rope he pulled the Nillia’s heart straight from its chest as even now it gave a slow beat off. Rich in proteins and taste it would make for a great meal along with a slab of leg meat from the creature thigh.
In the Vennor culture it was believed that great power came from a person heart, the source of a warriors strength as whenever in a fight they had said they could feel the power flow from the muscle. The belief goes back to old in days where warriors after a successful conquest would take the leader of the conquered tribe and rip their heart out to be given as a reward for the conquering general, who would eat it to gain the losers power. Though now a days such things are known as not being true and as such the practice as long been abandoned but some like Anri still head it with some merit, though it only pertained to animals. Eating another Vennor's heart sickened him but he liked the idea of sticking to the old ways, a simple time… with a lot more wars and blood. If only he had lived in the yester year… though he didn’t think he could shallow anothers heart if it came down to it....
Taking a hold of the creatures body with one hand and the leg with the other with a quick yank the limb detached from the rest of the body with another bloody display and gushing sound as he held the limp leg in his hand. Though he knew the creature was dead he laughed at the idea of it had been alive, what it might sound like; a gruel idea but Anri gave little fucks about what other thought of his sense of humor. It was a good kill however not a very clean one but some lucky animal would find what was left of the kill and enjoy a good meal itself, ah... the circle of life, Anri killed things and then the jungle cleaned up his messes.
Wiping what little blood he could off his body his strapped the broken leg to his back and put the heart into a small pouch on his waist, he knew that the pocket would be completely ruined afterward but it would be a constant reminder of today and his kill. It had been a nice kill, he wished he time to slaughter the rest of the creatures group but the task at hand beckoned for attention, there was little time to spare and already he had wasted more time on the creature than he had meant to. Already with his body well stretched he took off into a leap and making contact with the ground once more continued on his journey north and what else that might lay ahead of him. He had enjoyed the challeng the creature had thrown in, he wished there was more time in the world to hunt more but the race didn’t pause just because he got into a little scrap, the rest of the unit was still out there, and who knows if he was actually ahead. He couldn’t imagine that they had gotten the best of him since numbers slow people down as a group can only go as fast as its slowest member.
---- Few hours later----
Slowing down in his pace did Arni’s heavy breath come in shallow gasps, having run constantly for the last few hours had proven too be a bit more than he could currently handle though having spent the last week in the jungles had worn him down quite a bit. Slowing to a jog then a fast walk eventually his feet shifted in the soil as his advancement came to a crawl, as seemingly endless as his strength was everyone had their limit, needing rest to fill their power reserves. It seemed like a good as spot as any, with the sun setting visibility had gotten even worse and he wasn’t about to be running blindly through the trees with who knows what out there. He had already seen a few unpleasant creatures out here so far and luckily it had been during the dim day light, he couldn’t imagine having to fight them without anyway to see them. However fire was a good way to keep any unwanted creature at bay during the night, though the larger ones didn’t seem to mind the idea, and it made him visible to other for miles away; it hadn’t stopped him the nights before though and he wasn’t planning on it stopping him once again.
Taking the heavy weights off his body he let them slide to the ground with a loud crashing sound that sent the nearby plants in a shaking fit, with the stress of the weights off his body he felt a new once more, like he could go another hundred miles! The idea made him chuckle but he knew that it would be foolish to try such an endeavor, once he had made it fifty miles he would be wishing he could just lay down and take a nap. No, this would be the spot he would rest for the right, usually he preferred the idea of taking cover in a fallen hollowed out tree that had partly decayed or a small cave but it appeared as though the open sky would be his home for the night. Sleeping out in open was dangerous but he really didn’t have much of a choice, it was either that or the trees but he couldn’t imagine how he would ever sleep up there without having to build a house.
Taking a small stride away from where he had dropped his gear he made his way up to the base of a tree and quickly viewed it, passing his eyes up and down the base of the tree. It was nice tree, they all were really, any that had made it too the canopy had survived the test of time, disease and animals. Placing his hand on the base of the tree he felt the tough bark as it pressed back against his leathery hands, he didn’t like the idea of destroying the environment but if he was going to have a decent nights rest and some protection for the wildness he was going to need to act. With one fast chop with his hand did the tree buckle under having its base sliced in half, seeming to being pulled by an invisible hand the giant fell towards the ground filling the silent air with a towering boom making dust and dirt kick high into the air as all two miles of the trees crashed among the woods. In the reality of the idea he only need a small portion of the tree but if he had only take the low laying bark the tree would have died from diseases later down the road, at least this way he got what he needed and some animal would have a home in future, win freaking win!
Running his hand down the bumpy surface as he walked along its length he found a spot about twenty meters down where it would be more than enough wood too supply him for the night. Following up with another quick chop the bark gave in once more as the chuck separated from the rest of the lumber, a fine even cut it was and without the use of power tools, Anri was becoming quite skilled at working with his hands, if things didn’t work out in the military he could always become a crafts man! Taking hold of it with his power full fingers he dragged the lump of lumber back to his gear and quickly made work of setting up his camp, but the first thing that would need attending too was the fire. If he was ever going to be able to do anything he was going to need light and lots of it. First thing he needed to do was a dig fire pit, already he had destroyed two trees today he didn’t need to be start a massive fire as well.
Starting from the center with his gear was place out Anri counted out twenty steeps at forty five degree angles in a circle around the camp, marking each spot by smashing a giant hole in the ground with his fist. It took a few blows with his hand to manage the size that he was looking for but eventually each whole that surround his camp was about four feet wide and three feet deep making them prefect places for fire pits. Turning his attention back to the massive log he began to take quick jabs at the wood as each strike braking off smaller chucks about the size of Anri’s fore arm, doing this process over and over the massive log was quickly reduced to a stock pile of fire wood in a matter of minutes. Taking a couple steps back Anri admired his handy work looking over all the process he had made, the idea of living permanently in the woods was looking appealing now if he could do this every night. The admiration was quick lived as the light had almost completely faded, leaving him almost blind in the darkness.
Pushing his gear off to the side Anri knelt into the soil as he pounded away at the ground just as he had done the many times before until the hole in the ground matched that of the ones that surrounded the encampment, even now after all the running he had managed to do there still seemed to be work too done. It didn’t bother him much, it beat the idea of laying on his ass and getting sleep without any means of protection during the night, as dangerous as the woods proved during the day time things got even worse with the ever presence of the dim light to fend off the largest nocturnal animals. He hadn’t seen many of them with his own eyes but Anri had read that they could reach towards monstrous sizes, though with a few good punches it wouldn’t stand much up to the strength of the Vennor. Which of course if he didn’t hurry in his workings he would soon just figure out how big such creatures could get as the last droplets of light drained away from the jungle leaving him blinded by the blanket of darkness that swept over. As soon as the light had faded the jungle came a buzz with movement, wings flapping rapidly in the air to stay afloat and the tiny patters of feet across the ground.
Keeping his attention at the task at hand Anri leaned off to one side and took a hold of the firewood he had stacked next to the fire pit, once it was lit it would at least give him enough light to complete the rest of his tasks and then move off too dinner… the imagine of the heart roasting over the flames of the fire made his stomach rubble with the hunger of the day falling upon him, other than the small berries he had found earlier in the day he hadn’t eaten anything else. Dropping the logs into the pit he placed his hand out in front of him as a yellow glow began to emit from his palm, being the part of the population that had Ki control abilities Anri had learned to master the ways as quickly as he could, giving him a great advantage over anyone else he would come up against. Shoot off the ball of energy it impacted the logs with a fiery explosion, igniting them with first contact lighting up the surrounding area around Anri. As bright as the fire was the darkness that surround them only gave a few feet to the light, giving Anri just enough visibility too see out to where he had placed the rest of the fire pits. He needed to work quickly now, anything from miles away would be able to see the spark of fire, looking more like a sun down here where light feared to venture.
Heading over to the stock pile of wood he had set up Anri took a few logs and began to chuck them out to the pit pits landing reach throw with great accuracy, after tossing most of the wood into the targeted holes he raised his hands once more as he took aim and let rip a series of shots into the darkness that lit up the surrounding woods. In a matter of second the fires were all ablaze with life as their flames fought back against the darkness, letting him see out further than he had expected in first place. Already he could hear the shuffling of animal’s feet as they raced away from the light that was brought with the fires, it looked to be keeping the small creatures away but he wasn’t sure how the defense would act against a hunger of a larger animal. Shrugging at the idea he would deal with that situation when the time arose but for right now his attention turned back to the meal he was about to enjoy. With his glance turned back to the central fire pit the woods took on another mood seeming homier than it had a few minutes prior but that might have been given to the fact that he could now see. The slow dances of the shadows, the smell of fire wood burning in the darkness and the idea he was about to set down to eat a hot meal, if it wasn’t for the impending doom of large wild animal crashing through his camp then it would had been like he was home….
Reaching the gear he had cast away on the ground he began to open the pouch to exposed the slumped over heart that rested inside the pocket, it was a tad beaten up from the miles of running but it appeared that it was still in good enough condition to eat, maybe it had tenderized some, he laughed at the idea. Taking a hold of a long strip of bark he had converted into a make shift skewer for the heart, with a gentle jab Anri managed to place the organ on the wood. Shoving one end in the ground towards the fire the heart hung over the flames as they licked at the soft meat slowly roasting it; it’s now cold liquids dripping into with flames creating a sizzling noise, such a pleasant sound to hear compared to the dull flutter of wings that occasional soared above him. Taking the leg of meat he had torn away from the creature he simply placed in straight into the fire letting the flames tear away at the scaly skin that coated it, the thick barrier of the creatures skin would be more than enough to protect the meat while still giving it a solid cook, now all he had too do was sit back and relax and take in his thoughts and sound of the surrounding forest.
It had been so long since his last training here, even now as he sat in the middle of the dense jungle he had almost forgotten just how lonely it really was, he was sure he had gotten at least one hundred miles ahead of the rest of group and no one else lived out here except the wild life. Was he really the only intelligent being around for miles? It really gave him a sense of just how large the jungle was… the times before he had done the training he had stuck with the group, even with as prowess as he was it was still a fresh idea in his head, and he had wanted to get a good grasp on everything before he went off half-cocked into the jungle on his own. The first time around it was simply to get through the training and say he had done it but the second time around was to observe and learn what the jungle had too offer, he had learned a lot but traveling on his own now presented much more than it had last time. In such a large group the wild life hadn’t made much on an attempt to even bother them but now that he was alone it seemed that he picked up much more attention… it was a good thing… at least he hoped.
So far everything had gone pretty well considering everything that happened, he was still breathing and alive which was a plus and had only managed to get into one fight… but… the idea of him having stuck to the group clung to the back of his mind. It seemed like the best thing at the time to prove just how strong he was but that might have been the adrenaline talking, now alone and by himself he could have been the only one left alive here and never know it if he spent his whole life stuck in the trees…. This was always the worst part about being alone at night, ones thoughts bombard oneself like a meteorite storm, not ending until they went to sleep. Right now he questioned his own judgment but once he rose with the sun in the morning he was sure that he would have thought he was just being a weakling once more. Was he really weak and needed people around? Or was it just second nature to questions ones actions?
As the fires danced in the darkness of the night Anri sat facing the flames as his eyes were locked with the flames, though not on purpose just where his eyes had wondered while he was lost in thought, really the only thing else he could do now, sit and think, it was boring but he couldn’t train anymore for the day. If for a fact a creature had decided to show up he would need all his current strength to vanquish it, any more training that night would leave him exhausted and out of commission for longer than need be. If it was up too him though he would have continued to run straight till he managed to get back home, never stopping to rest, the element of darkness made doing so not impossible but idiotic. Running like a mad man through hundreds of miles in the darkness would eventually end up with him getting killed, or worse permanently injured. As tough as the Vennor were they were still mortals, and still able to take wounds just like everything else in this world and being alive without the ability to work or train was a fate worse than death its self.
With the heart turning a darkened brown color Anri gladly took the skewer from the soil bringing the smoking well-cooked heart to his mouth, since Vennor resistance too hot things was high compared to other beings he found no difficulty sinking his teeth into the meat as he tore a large chunk of it away, leaving a slowly oozing trail of blood from his mouth what was left of the organ. Just like mom used to make! Well not really since most people didn’t cook hearts any more but the roasted muscle was tasty though a few spices would have helped greatly in the flavor department; it was food though and that’s all that really mattered. Thankful for what little he had Anri finished the heart after a few giant bites and quickly made his way over to the charred leg that rested in the fire pit. It took him about as long to finish the chuck of meat off as it did the heart but he savored every juice filled bite he could get, even crushing the bone with his powerful teeth, leaving nothing behind but the sharp talons of the creatures paw.
All in all it was a great snack but he had wished he had taken more from the creature though he couldn’t imagine that it would have survived the whole trip here the way he had been running in the first place, regardless it would give him plenty of energy tomorrow once he set out again. The idea of running once again filled him with sense of boredom, as great of training as it was it became a boring task after the scenery never seemed to change around him, looking too be as almost he wasn’t gaining any ground to the jungle, just his mind playing tricks on him he thought. Those were things that he could think about tomorrow as the weariness of the day was finally weighing down on him even the best of warriors needed to rest, including him. With his stomach now filled with animal parts he laid his body back against the ground as he swiped the rest of the fire wood into the pit making burning embers dancing as they rose high into the night sky, with any luck that wood should burn till the sun came up.
With his thick plates covering his body it wasn’t hard for Anri to find a spot that filled him with the most comfort, rolling his shoulder gently in the soil he closed his eyes as he let the sound of the jungle over take him. The small crackles of the fires, the chirping of small insects, and the gentle brushing of the ferns with the weak winds that passed through.
Though he hadn’t seen much in the forms of animal life he knew that they were all around him, surprised by the fact that there was so little plant life to support any large herbivores, regardless of what he saw Anri kept his guard up, for more than just the reasons of a looming threat from a creature lashing out at him… there were worse things than just animals that lived out here. While the Vennor seemed to be a whole organized society things in the recent years had caused small factions to from and break away from the main government, in a since going rouge, the small tightly knitted groups with no real permanent home base were all most impossible to find and with their mobile HQ’s hidden within the jungles it was next to impossible to track them down… slowing in his pace at the idea maybe that was why they were being dropped in the jungle to begin with…. It would make sense in the grand scheme of things, a real mission masked with training, if so fact so a unit was to find such a base then no doubt a fully trained squad of Vennor shock troopers could take it down and then radio back home. If for some reason one of the rebels had managed to infiltrate into the ranks then given orders to find the rebels then that person would direct the other members to know to relocate once the landing zone was given.
It was very all well possible that Anri was over thinking what orders had been given to him but even if it took him a while he could usually see past peoples lies, his brain never seemed to stop going on ideas once they came into his head. With that in mind it changed what his real task now was, it was clear what the training was and most likely the higher ups expected no sign of actually finding said mentioned base, but all the more fun if he was actually able to find it… there was really only one problem with the plan… the jungle was massive. Even if he spent every day for the rest of life trying to explore it he wouldn’t have covered even a tenth of it, not to mention if these Vennor were smart and they were the structure would most likely be well concealed by camouflage if not buried into the ground. As much as the drive filled him to actually find the rebels he knew that the task would be impossible on his own as much as he hated to admit it, he was still only one person even as strong and hard headed as he was. It didn’t mean that he wouldn’t keep his eyes out for it though, there was still a good nine hundred miles of forest to cover in front of him… maybe if he was lucky he would be able to spot something… as long as his short visibility kept at what it was, all he needed was fog bank to roll in now….
With so much distance to cover before him his thoughts seemed best place at the back of his mind, at least for now, he would keep his eyes as sharp as he could scanning the short range of vision he had for any signs of… well anything that was out of norm, though there was a strong feeling of doubt in his chest that he would ever if something. Regardless that didn’t stop him from trying! Picking his pace back up to his full steam Anri torn past every tree that he came across making it look as though the world was just a blur as he moved. Anri surprised himself at his own speed even with the weights strapped to his body it was amazing to see just how fast he was able to go, it had been awhile since he had last done a speed test but it looked as though his training was finally starting to pay off. With training the results never seemed to be noticed until after many, many weeks and months of practice, though he was curious as to exactly how fast he would be able to make it back home without the weights dragging him down. It would have to be something that he would test another day though, that was if he ever managed to snag another mission out here.
Keeping at the same rhythm his feet pounded the gravel beneath his feet keeping his eyes scanning back and forth across the forest for any sign of anything out of the ordinary, making his way out the deepest part of the jungle he began to notice his surrounding brighten some but not enough to really make much of a difference though looking up towards the canopy he could make out the faint line of light that had made their way this far down. It was a refreshing sight to behold after seeing nothing but almost pitch blackness for the last few days, he had almost forgotten the simple pleasure of just seeing sunshine. The flash of light brought his brain back to siting down at the dge of waves letting the warm water of the sea rush over his legs as he watched the giant blue star set over the dark ocean, such a wonderful site filled him with... lust to see the star up close, exploration was in his blood... would his dreams ever become a possibility? It was unfortunate for him though as his mind was looking up towards the skies did a new sound fill his ears, even as fast as his was reaction time it was impossible for him to know exactly where the sound had come from until the creatures teeth was mashed around the thick plating that enveloped over his skin.
Four legged with thick matted scales that ran the course over its body (similar looking to wolf), were its feet were supposed to be at were replaced with long black almost razor looking claws that stuck out at least four inches. Snarling and whipping its long claws into Anri’s plates a sound similar to that of steel clashing with steel did Anri launch his arm forward letting the creature whip down his arm as his teeth torn at his bodily shield. Stopping in his running during the swing did all the force he had built up with his speed did the creature fling off his arm and go flying back into the darkness from which had come. Now with his feet burred into the soil did Anri up his balled up fists up too greet the creature once more, the beasts attack had been superficial at best not even leaving the Vennor with so much as a scratch to remember it by; even now he could hear the small movement of the creature as it encircled the area. Anri was familiar with beast having spent a great time reading over the animals that roamed the world in which they both inhabited just such an instance he would ever meet one face to he would know what to do. The name quickly came back to him but it did little to help him in this case; Nillia’s where there trade name and they always hunted in packs, though those pack numbers varied greatly. Sometimes it was no more than three and other times dozens had been known to show up, luckily he was still in clear for the moment.
From the long black talons that jutted out from the Nillia’s legs it was clear that this one was only a scout, using the long claws they would injure the target, usually rendering the creature and bring back the scent of the blood for the rest of pack if they weren’t nearby. Doing this not only slowed the targeted creature but made it so that its scent could be tracked for miles around the woods, once a creature was targeted it was said that the pack would hunt forever until the creature was found. He had not taken any wounds in the first attack and the last thing he needed was a pack of those hungry beast to be chasing him until he managed to get back home, it would mean having to sleep in the trees and just from a glance that wasn’t going to happen. No, he would need to take out the scout less the rest of the pack be nearby and sense the new prey, killing them all wouldn't be too difficult if he had a clear line of sight but with conditions as they were now they had the major advantage against him and why wouldn’t they? As long as his people as lived in the jungles they had learned to spend a majority of it staying to the high parts, as great as their vision was it was no match to those of the Nillia. Killing the scout was now his main objective at the moment having to put off his main mission off for a few minutes to best the creature before any more trouble was too show up, this encounter; however short it may have been, was putting him behind on his schedule. Anri had no idea just how far ahead he was of the rest of the unit but he needed to get his over with if his plans of being the first one back was ever going to happen.
In the traditional fighting stance he rotated slowly in a small circle keep his eyes ever vigilant on his surroundings, with his range of vision as it was he had a decent line of sight around him but Nillia’s were known to cover great distances in a single bound, if he wasn’t paying attention then the damn beast would get the best of him. No matter the size, or shape of whatever he was put up against Anri never under estimated their abilities, that’s how others fell, under through own incompetence. His skills in tracking sound in such surrounds were not something he had been well trained in, even as far as the trees were from him sounds could play tricks on a person if they weren’t paying close attention, with the addition that these beasts were smart. Not smart enough to build tools but having been trained as hunters for millions of years they had finely crafted the skills of hunting, however the Vennor were the apex predators of the world for a damn good reason and he was going to show the beast what it really meant to fight with one.
Hearing a snapping of a twig nearby Anri snapped is vision over to his left just in time to see a blur of movement as it daze off behind a tree bringing a grin across his face, no matter how well it hid once Anri took a hold of it there was no hope for the creature. Letting out the roar of a madden creature Anri dashed forward with the speed of a bullet and tore through the dense bark of the tree as if he was himself was a projectile. With no defense of its own the organic material gave into his force shattering as if it was paper, sending chucks of wood and splitters into ever which direction. There was a loud whelp following the explosion as the Nillia had obviously been frighten by the suddenness of his charge, of course how could it have been expected to know what it was facing at this point? Scared but not deterred from his stalking the beast slid back on his claws and staring down Anri, it had quickly become clear that the game of hide and seek was coming to a close, with its original sneak attack having proven too be faulty it was time to change up its tactics. With a mad dash of speed the creature jumped from the forest floor, seeming to take flight the creature dived up in the trees. At this point Anri could barely keep up with the creature but he wasn’t about to let it escape his vision once more, seeing the way it had bolted in to the trees gave him an unsteady feeling that this creature had more than what it first had shown him.
Following the creatures lead Anri gathered as much strength as he could muster into his legs and lept up into the air after the creature making a impressive leap as he took off to the branches less trees. At this point he had expected the creature to have fallen back down with no limbs to steady its self on it should have fallen back down, but as Anri came closer in his ascent it became clear what had happened. The dense long claws of the creature were dung into the rough bark giving it a holding while it look back over its shoulder at the Vennor, amazing! He had read great things about the Nillia but nothing like this, with the scouts of the group the only ones with the longest claws he wondered if they were the only ones that could do it or if all of the species had the same ability. The thought quickly passed through his mind but he had to deal with the creature before he would have time too think of anything or the sorts.
Going as fast as he had been in the jump it was impossible for him to change his direction towards the creature, which proved unfortunate as the creature sprung off the trees base, flashing its great white teeth out it barreled towards Anri. Legs pointing out to face its target Anri now had two dangers heading his way, either one just as dangerous as the last, if it hadn’t been for the armor that so well protected his body then the threat might have been genuine, as the creature would soon find that out, though not that it would do it much good. As mentioned before Anri was not practically skilled in the art of midair combat but there was something he could do at this point. Taking his knees too his chest he rolled into a armor plated ball just before the creature and him came into contact with one another, if the creatures had the ability to express shock he would have loved to see the look on its face but all that he received was a loud whelp of pain followed by the dull thud on his shell, it brought a quick smile to his face as he rolled through the air and landed a few feet away on his feet.
Not wanting to waste a second he snapped back around to make sure that the Nillia was more or less crippled, he didn’t need it sneaking back up on him once again. Sure enough the creature lay on the ground looking too be excruciating amount of pain, though any if all the injuries were located internally as he could not see any blood on the creature scales. Cautious but calm Anri made his way towards the creature to deliver the final blow, even now it was possible that the creature was simply faking its pain and waiting till Anri got close enough too lash out once again. As he reached out to take another step did the creatures whines fade too be replaced by a growl as it lashed out with its teeth once more, but Anri was done toying with the beast, he had let far too much time pass by. With the foot he had just stuck out whipping back to his side did he unleash a power round kick to the creature jaw as he watched in slow motion as the bone dislocated from his body and went speeding off into the woods with a trail of blood gushing after it. With his leg still arched high in the air Anri brought it back down in a blur of movement with an axe kick he rammed it into the creatures skull as brain matter and blood exploded in every which direction.
It was a gory site but it didn’t little to effect Anri, he had seen worse and had done much worse to animals that he came across too on the plains, though not as deadly they were all the fun too kill. Feeling no remorse he watched quietly as the creature dropped from his all fours and on to the fern covered floor below. The forest seemed to grown even quieter after the ring of shattering bone let the surrounding area leaving him alone with the fresh kill, a tasty fresh kill. Though hard to get the meat of the Nillia was delicious too all those that could rangle one to its knees, tough yet juicy it would make for a great meal once he set up camp for the night. Stamping across the blood covered plants Anri took a knee over the creatures body as he stuck his finger together like a knife and jabbed them deep into the belly of the creature in one swift movement. Gushing blood rushed from the creature body as he dug his way around the creatures abdomen looking for the best part of all… feeling a muscle beating in his hands he quickly yanked on it, with the veins snapping like thin rope he pulled the Nillia’s heart straight from its chest as even now it gave a slow beat off. Rich in proteins and taste it would make for a great meal along with a slab of leg meat from the creature thigh.
In the Vennor culture it was believed that great power came from a person heart, the source of a warriors strength as whenever in a fight they had said they could feel the power flow from the muscle. The belief goes back to old in days where warriors after a successful conquest would take the leader of the conquered tribe and rip their heart out to be given as a reward for the conquering general, who would eat it to gain the losers power. Though now a days such things are known as not being true and as such the practice as long been abandoned but some like Anri still head it with some merit, though it only pertained to animals. Eating another Vennor's heart sickened him but he liked the idea of sticking to the old ways, a simple time… with a lot more wars and blood. If only he had lived in the yester year… though he didn’t think he could shallow anothers heart if it came down to it....
Taking a hold of the creatures body with one hand and the leg with the other with a quick yank the limb detached from the rest of the body with another bloody display and gushing sound as he held the limp leg in his hand. Though he knew the creature was dead he laughed at the idea of it had been alive, what it might sound like; a gruel idea but Anri gave little fucks about what other thought of his sense of humor. It was a good kill however not a very clean one but some lucky animal would find what was left of the kill and enjoy a good meal itself, ah... the circle of life, Anri killed things and then the jungle cleaned up his messes.
Wiping what little blood he could off his body his strapped the broken leg to his back and put the heart into a small pouch on his waist, he knew that the pocket would be completely ruined afterward but it would be a constant reminder of today and his kill. It had been a nice kill, he wished he time to slaughter the rest of the creatures group but the task at hand beckoned for attention, there was little time to spare and already he had wasted more time on the creature than he had meant to. Already with his body well stretched he took off into a leap and making contact with the ground once more continued on his journey north and what else that might lay ahead of him. He had enjoyed the challeng the creature had thrown in, he wished there was more time in the world to hunt more but the race didn’t pause just because he got into a little scrap, the rest of the unit was still out there, and who knows if he was actually ahead. He couldn’t imagine that they had gotten the best of him since numbers slow people down as a group can only go as fast as its slowest member.
---- Few hours later----
Slowing down in his pace did Arni’s heavy breath come in shallow gasps, having run constantly for the last few hours had proven too be a bit more than he could currently handle though having spent the last week in the jungles had worn him down quite a bit. Slowing to a jog then a fast walk eventually his feet shifted in the soil as his advancement came to a crawl, as seemingly endless as his strength was everyone had their limit, needing rest to fill their power reserves. It seemed like a good as spot as any, with the sun setting visibility had gotten even worse and he wasn’t about to be running blindly through the trees with who knows what out there. He had already seen a few unpleasant creatures out here so far and luckily it had been during the dim day light, he couldn’t imagine having to fight them without anyway to see them. However fire was a good way to keep any unwanted creature at bay during the night, though the larger ones didn’t seem to mind the idea, and it made him visible to other for miles away; it hadn’t stopped him the nights before though and he wasn’t planning on it stopping him once again.
Taking the heavy weights off his body he let them slide to the ground with a loud crashing sound that sent the nearby plants in a shaking fit, with the stress of the weights off his body he felt a new once more, like he could go another hundred miles! The idea made him chuckle but he knew that it would be foolish to try such an endeavor, once he had made it fifty miles he would be wishing he could just lay down and take a nap. No, this would be the spot he would rest for the right, usually he preferred the idea of taking cover in a fallen hollowed out tree that had partly decayed or a small cave but it appeared as though the open sky would be his home for the night. Sleeping out in open was dangerous but he really didn’t have much of a choice, it was either that or the trees but he couldn’t imagine how he would ever sleep up there without having to build a house.
Taking a small stride away from where he had dropped his gear he made his way up to the base of a tree and quickly viewed it, passing his eyes up and down the base of the tree. It was nice tree, they all were really, any that had made it too the canopy had survived the test of time, disease and animals. Placing his hand on the base of the tree he felt the tough bark as it pressed back against his leathery hands, he didn’t like the idea of destroying the environment but if he was going to have a decent nights rest and some protection for the wildness he was going to need to act. With one fast chop with his hand did the tree buckle under having its base sliced in half, seeming to being pulled by an invisible hand the giant fell towards the ground filling the silent air with a towering boom making dust and dirt kick high into the air as all two miles of the trees crashed among the woods. In the reality of the idea he only need a small portion of the tree but if he had only take the low laying bark the tree would have died from diseases later down the road, at least this way he got what he needed and some animal would have a home in future, win freaking win!
Running his hand down the bumpy surface as he walked along its length he found a spot about twenty meters down where it would be more than enough wood too supply him for the night. Following up with another quick chop the bark gave in once more as the chuck separated from the rest of the lumber, a fine even cut it was and without the use of power tools, Anri was becoming quite skilled at working with his hands, if things didn’t work out in the military he could always become a crafts man! Taking hold of it with his power full fingers he dragged the lump of lumber back to his gear and quickly made work of setting up his camp, but the first thing that would need attending too was the fire. If he was ever going to be able to do anything he was going to need light and lots of it. First thing he needed to do was a dig fire pit, already he had destroyed two trees today he didn’t need to be start a massive fire as well.
Starting from the center with his gear was place out Anri counted out twenty steeps at forty five degree angles in a circle around the camp, marking each spot by smashing a giant hole in the ground with his fist. It took a few blows with his hand to manage the size that he was looking for but eventually each whole that surround his camp was about four feet wide and three feet deep making them prefect places for fire pits. Turning his attention back to the massive log he began to take quick jabs at the wood as each strike braking off smaller chucks about the size of Anri’s fore arm, doing this process over and over the massive log was quickly reduced to a stock pile of fire wood in a matter of minutes. Taking a couple steps back Anri admired his handy work looking over all the process he had made, the idea of living permanently in the woods was looking appealing now if he could do this every night. The admiration was quick lived as the light had almost completely faded, leaving him almost blind in the darkness.
Pushing his gear off to the side Anri knelt into the soil as he pounded away at the ground just as he had done the many times before until the hole in the ground matched that of the ones that surrounded the encampment, even now after all the running he had managed to do there still seemed to be work too done. It didn’t bother him much, it beat the idea of laying on his ass and getting sleep without any means of protection during the night, as dangerous as the woods proved during the day time things got even worse with the ever presence of the dim light to fend off the largest nocturnal animals. He hadn’t seen many of them with his own eyes but Anri had read that they could reach towards monstrous sizes, though with a few good punches it wouldn’t stand much up to the strength of the Vennor. Which of course if he didn’t hurry in his workings he would soon just figure out how big such creatures could get as the last droplets of light drained away from the jungle leaving him blinded by the blanket of darkness that swept over. As soon as the light had faded the jungle came a buzz with movement, wings flapping rapidly in the air to stay afloat and the tiny patters of feet across the ground.
Keeping his attention at the task at hand Anri leaned off to one side and took a hold of the firewood he had stacked next to the fire pit, once it was lit it would at least give him enough light to complete the rest of his tasks and then move off too dinner… the imagine of the heart roasting over the flames of the fire made his stomach rubble with the hunger of the day falling upon him, other than the small berries he had found earlier in the day he hadn’t eaten anything else. Dropping the logs into the pit he placed his hand out in front of him as a yellow glow began to emit from his palm, being the part of the population that had Ki control abilities Anri had learned to master the ways as quickly as he could, giving him a great advantage over anyone else he would come up against. Shoot off the ball of energy it impacted the logs with a fiery explosion, igniting them with first contact lighting up the surrounding area around Anri. As bright as the fire was the darkness that surround them only gave a few feet to the light, giving Anri just enough visibility too see out to where he had placed the rest of the fire pits. He needed to work quickly now, anything from miles away would be able to see the spark of fire, looking more like a sun down here where light feared to venture.
Heading over to the stock pile of wood he had set up Anri took a few logs and began to chuck them out to the pit pits landing reach throw with great accuracy, after tossing most of the wood into the targeted holes he raised his hands once more as he took aim and let rip a series of shots into the darkness that lit up the surrounding woods. In a matter of second the fires were all ablaze with life as their flames fought back against the darkness, letting him see out further than he had expected in first place. Already he could hear the shuffling of animal’s feet as they raced away from the light that was brought with the fires, it looked to be keeping the small creatures away but he wasn’t sure how the defense would act against a hunger of a larger animal. Shrugging at the idea he would deal with that situation when the time arose but for right now his attention turned back to the meal he was about to enjoy. With his glance turned back to the central fire pit the woods took on another mood seeming homier than it had a few minutes prior but that might have been given to the fact that he could now see. The slow dances of the shadows, the smell of fire wood burning in the darkness and the idea he was about to set down to eat a hot meal, if it wasn’t for the impending doom of large wild animal crashing through his camp then it would had been like he was home….
Reaching the gear he had cast away on the ground he began to open the pouch to exposed the slumped over heart that rested inside the pocket, it was a tad beaten up from the miles of running but it appeared that it was still in good enough condition to eat, maybe it had tenderized some, he laughed at the idea. Taking a hold of a long strip of bark he had converted into a make shift skewer for the heart, with a gentle jab Anri managed to place the organ on the wood. Shoving one end in the ground towards the fire the heart hung over the flames as they licked at the soft meat slowly roasting it; it’s now cold liquids dripping into with flames creating a sizzling noise, such a pleasant sound to hear compared to the dull flutter of wings that occasional soared above him. Taking the leg of meat he had torn away from the creature he simply placed in straight into the fire letting the flames tear away at the scaly skin that coated it, the thick barrier of the creatures skin would be more than enough to protect the meat while still giving it a solid cook, now all he had too do was sit back and relax and take in his thoughts and sound of the surrounding forest.
It had been so long since his last training here, even now as he sat in the middle of the dense jungle he had almost forgotten just how lonely it really was, he was sure he had gotten at least one hundred miles ahead of the rest of group and no one else lived out here except the wild life. Was he really the only intelligent being around for miles? It really gave him a sense of just how large the jungle was… the times before he had done the training he had stuck with the group, even with as prowess as he was it was still a fresh idea in his head, and he had wanted to get a good grasp on everything before he went off half-cocked into the jungle on his own. The first time around it was simply to get through the training and say he had done it but the second time around was to observe and learn what the jungle had too offer, he had learned a lot but traveling on his own now presented much more than it had last time. In such a large group the wild life hadn’t made much on an attempt to even bother them but now that he was alone it seemed that he picked up much more attention… it was a good thing… at least he hoped.
So far everything had gone pretty well considering everything that happened, he was still breathing and alive which was a plus and had only managed to get into one fight… but… the idea of him having stuck to the group clung to the back of his mind. It seemed like the best thing at the time to prove just how strong he was but that might have been the adrenaline talking, now alone and by himself he could have been the only one left alive here and never know it if he spent his whole life stuck in the trees…. This was always the worst part about being alone at night, ones thoughts bombard oneself like a meteorite storm, not ending until they went to sleep. Right now he questioned his own judgment but once he rose with the sun in the morning he was sure that he would have thought he was just being a weakling once more. Was he really weak and needed people around? Or was it just second nature to questions ones actions?
As the fires danced in the darkness of the night Anri sat facing the flames as his eyes were locked with the flames, though not on purpose just where his eyes had wondered while he was lost in thought, really the only thing else he could do now, sit and think, it was boring but he couldn’t train anymore for the day. If for a fact a creature had decided to show up he would need all his current strength to vanquish it, any more training that night would leave him exhausted and out of commission for longer than need be. If it was up too him though he would have continued to run straight till he managed to get back home, never stopping to rest, the element of darkness made doing so not impossible but idiotic. Running like a mad man through hundreds of miles in the darkness would eventually end up with him getting killed, or worse permanently injured. As tough as the Vennor were they were still mortals, and still able to take wounds just like everything else in this world and being alive without the ability to work or train was a fate worse than death its self.
With the heart turning a darkened brown color Anri gladly took the skewer from the soil bringing the smoking well-cooked heart to his mouth, since Vennor resistance too hot things was high compared to other beings he found no difficulty sinking his teeth into the meat as he tore a large chunk of it away, leaving a slowly oozing trail of blood from his mouth what was left of the organ. Just like mom used to make! Well not really since most people didn’t cook hearts any more but the roasted muscle was tasty though a few spices would have helped greatly in the flavor department; it was food though and that’s all that really mattered. Thankful for what little he had Anri finished the heart after a few giant bites and quickly made his way over to the charred leg that rested in the fire pit. It took him about as long to finish the chuck of meat off as it did the heart but he savored every juice filled bite he could get, even crushing the bone with his powerful teeth, leaving nothing behind but the sharp talons of the creatures paw.
All in all it was a great snack but he had wished he had taken more from the creature though he couldn’t imagine that it would have survived the whole trip here the way he had been running in the first place, regardless it would give him plenty of energy tomorrow once he set out again. The idea of running once again filled him with sense of boredom, as great of training as it was it became a boring task after the scenery never seemed to change around him, looking too be as almost he wasn’t gaining any ground to the jungle, just his mind playing tricks on him he thought. Those were things that he could think about tomorrow as the weariness of the day was finally weighing down on him even the best of warriors needed to rest, including him. With his stomach now filled with animal parts he laid his body back against the ground as he swiped the rest of the fire wood into the pit making burning embers dancing as they rose high into the night sky, with any luck that wood should burn till the sun came up.
With his thick plates covering his body it wasn’t hard for Anri to find a spot that filled him with the most comfort, rolling his shoulder gently in the soil he closed his eyes as he let the sound of the jungle over take him. The small crackles of the fires, the chirping of small insects, and the gentle brushing of the ferns with the weak winds that passed through.