Charon heard the ring of steel leaving a sheath as Emerius prepared to engage an unknown foe.
Heeding the warning, he ran as fast as he could, swatting aside plants and leaping over a tall log.
A sudden screaming filled the jungle, not quite human but also not far off. It reminded Charon of grinding gears mixed with a child, an unpleasant sound that shook him to his core.
It wasn’t long before he heard steel striking something hard from behind him.
’Emerius must’ve started fighting!’
Charon’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the shaft of his scythe, worry propelling him forward.
Branches started snapping behind him, growing more intense with time until he heard deep breathing just a few feet away.
Stooping low, he grabbed a rock and spun, throwing it at whatever was chasing him.
He only caught a glimpse of three arms reaching for him before he righted himself.
It collided with the creature’s face, causing it to release a strange whine, but only for a moment. It quickly regained its previous speed and began to murmur unintelligibly.
It was like a dozen voices were mixed into one, beckoning to him with a tinge of chaos.
Charon was chilled to the bone, deciding right then and there that being caught was a fate worse than death, and not one he intended to experience.
A strange sensation overtook him, and without knowing why, he drew his new dagger and spun around, slashing at an arm reaching for him before diving to the side.
He was unsure if he even managed to cut the beast, but he didn’t care, standing back up and continuing to try and escape the jungle, to reach the tree and discover the safety Emerius had promised him there.
Rushing past the beast without stopping to give it a look, he ducked under a stray arm and veered back on the main path.
The noise started up again soon after, the creature relentless in its pursuit.
Just as Charon was trying to think of another way to slow it down, a second form broke through the brush to his right, colliding with whatever was chasing him and throwing them both away with a crash. A beastial roar sounded, full of anger and hunger.
A large fern blocked Charon’s path, but he cut it away with a swing of his scythe, somehow managing to keep his pace even as the weapon tried to drag him off balance.
Quickly leaping over a small rock, he spared a glance back.
A dark form was fighting a round shape. Dozens of limbs were struggling for dominance, swiping and slashing at each other. Both constantly moved away from Charon’s trail and into the sides of the jungle, making it impossible for him to identify any further details.
’I hope that’s Emerius, and I really hope he is the one winning!’
His heart pounded, and his head was slick with sweat, but his limbs pushed onward. Despite all the running, he still had plenty of energy.
Years of exploring outside his home had given him good stamina, a fact he had often exploited to play pranks on the other orphans, but now it served him by letting him continue running even as he grew more and more exhausted.
Birds soared in the canopy above, cawing down at Charon as if to mock him before fluttering away.
Emerius screamed somewhere behind him.
It was painful and raw, but full of purpose.
Somehow, it resonated with something in Charon, some need to be more than just a person, but a hero.
Someone who can do more than just win his own battles, but everyone else’s as well.
He paused, just like he did during the battle for his village, but no memory had to convince him this time.
His feet carried him back the way he came, the scythe feeling lighter as he hoisted it above his head. He jumped over the rock, seeing the two objects clash once more a dozen yards away.
Screaming in fury, he sprinted forward and made out a distinctly inhuman shape.
A ball of black fur the size of a bear had a dozen arms extending from it, grabbing various branches and stones as it hurled itself at Emerius, who was clutching his side. Blood dripped from a wound, coating his hand.
Reaching it in record time, he had just enough time to see the ball turn, revealing a humanoid face with a long mouth. It screamed at him, but it was too slow to stop his attack.
His scythe cut through the air, the blade embedding itself into the beast’s side. It went all the way to the pole, cutting through flesh like butter.
The creature shrieked, its face extending to reveal a long neck. Four clawed hands stretched to grab Charon, but were stopped as Emerius’ sword cut them in half.
He grabbed Charon’s shoulder and dragged him away, the scythe being left lodged in the creature’s side.
The shrieking soon turned to laughter, a high-pitched cackle that chased after them.
"Don’t look at its eyes!"
Hearing his words, Charon refused to look back, shrugging off Emerius’ grip and running alongside him.
Even with the cut in his side, his companion moved as fast as ever, showcasing agility bordering on magical as he jumped and weaved through the dense vegetation. Every couple of yards, he would grab branches or rocks, throwing them in the path behind them to serve as a distraction.
It was not long before they had passed the furthest point Charon had made it to alone, and only a minute after that did the jungle begin to change.
The green leaves turned brown, then grey, then vanished, leaving only twisting snags. Patches of black wood appeared on their bark like a disease, spreading up their trunks.
The further they went, the more the plague spread, until the trees had become as dark as the champion, which loomed in the distance.
Without the jungle to hide it, the colossal monarch of the forest was clear to see. It pierced the sky, the sun itself refusing to reveal its top. A fog clung to it, obscuring its spire.
Now that Charon was closer, he saw something else marking the tree.
A purple symbol extended from the bottom to a hundred feet up. It was ten arrows pointing in every direction, with the bottom one faintly glowing. Vines snaked along the other nine, constricting them.
Charon shuddered, but refused to balk, the shrieking reminding him what he was escaping from.
He called out to Emerius as they ran, hoping to make a plan.
"What do we do once we read the tree?"
He didn’t receive a response immediately, but when one did come, it was full of uncertainty.
"We look for an opening. A tree that size has to have cracks somewhere. If we slip in one, we should be safe for now."
Charon’s jaw dropped.
"That’s it? That’s the plan? We ran all the way over here just because the tree might have some cracks?"
Emerius didn’t say anything else, leaving Charon with his thoughts.
’I had trusted him! I assumed he had been taught about magical jungles and trees that can save them, or something!’
He looked to his sides, considering the option of fleeing, but without the dense foliage, he would be easily spotted and hunted down.
’There’s no telling if that beast is smart enough to know I’m the one who hurt it. It could target me!’
It was a shit situation, and one that Charon did not appreciate being forced into.
’Yeah, right. I wasn’t forced into this; I just assumed things. If I survive this, I swear I’ll start thinking things through more often!’
It was hardly the time to consider his own flaws, but he was upset gods damn it!
The shrieking suddenly cut out, almost causing Charon to trip. He had grown used to the constant noise, and the silence felt almost deafening.
He shot Emerius a look, but was surprised to see his companion strangely calm. His gait had even slowed, a small smile on his lips.
Looking behind them, his breath caught as he saw the creature standing over a hundred yards away, unmoving. Its many arms were reaching out in the air, grabbing at nothing. Charon’s scythe was still embedded in the beast’s body, but the shaft was broken, leaving only the blade.
Its elongated face was stretched out, staring directly at Charon. Its inhuman mouth slowly closed, creating a crooked smile that stretched way too far.
Turning back to Emerius, he heard the final sound the creature made.
A deep, dark chuckle.