The sun was blazing high above when Vince woke up. Prince Aiji was sitting against the tree trunk, fondling Red. There were roasted fish, yams, and ripe bananas on the side.
Vince stretched his body then covered his yawn. "I'm sorry, I woke up late again."
"It's alright, Dari, we were exhausted last night."
"You must be hungry waiting, let's eat."
After their late breakfast, Vince took a dip in the river to refresh. Prince Aiji had his bath while fishing, so he stayed and prepared their things instead. Later, they will resume their journey.
Vince came back after ten minutes.
"I wonder where we are now?"
Prince Aiji turned to him. They both traveled outside for the first time, so he also had no idea.
"The traders said that our tribe is located in the middle of the island. Dari, we have traveled this far, so I guess we are a bit closer to the sea. We will just continue following this river."
"Mmm, that's the best thing we can do for now."
Their journey resumed, hiking on the bushy and forested riverside, following the river flow. The thick shrubs and dense dangling vines slowed their pace. The sky was getting dark, the two travelers were searching for a safer place to rest for the night, but the place was too bushy, and wasn't safe, so they continued hiking on the tricky riverside. Prince Aiji, with Red sitting on his shoulder, was leading the way. Vince followed with Gorgeous behind who was annoyed with the hanging vines touching its little head. Vince was amused by the little horse, so he kept looking back. Suddenly, he bumped the prince's back.
Prince Aiji was standing still and cautiously observing the surroundings.
"Prince Aiji, what's wrong?"
The prince's gentle eyes were anxious. He grabbed Vince's wrist and turned to the side, getting away from the riverbank.
"This place isn't safe, we need to get out of here. Dari, follow me!"
"Okay!"
Vince rarely saw the calm and composed prince's anxious face, so he immediately followed, but a vine suddenly coiled his waist and slowly pulled him off to the cliffy river bank.
"Ah!"
Vince yelled. Who would expect such a shocking scene? Not a modern man like him!
Prince Aiji swiftly cut off the vine using his bronze dagger. Vince was thrown down, but other vines caught him again!
The scared little animals were wailing on the side.
"Prince Aiji, what's wrong with these vines! Why are they able to move this way?"
Vince yelled as his body was slowly pulled by another two vines.
"Witchcraft."
Prince Aiji was busy cutting off the wicked vines. He cut one, two crept, and coiled Vince. He cut two, four crept! It was troublesome.
"Witchcraft!? Witches are also real here?" Vince whose limbs were coiled by those creepy vines was initially surprised, but then he remembered the cannibals.
"They are, and they can do extraordinary tricks like this. Dari, hold on!"
It was unimaginable for modern minds. Encountering cannibals yesterday and witches today, it was impossible for Vince, but he didn't have enough time to think more about these shocking facts.
The sun was yet to set, but amid a forested riverside, the night was already falling. In the dusk, the creepy vines turned aggressive. Vince saw the vines surrounding him crept simultaneously.
The vines were crawling towards him. Vince was distressed. He looked at Prince Aiji, and for the first time, he saw the prince's helpless eyes.
"Dari, these vines are controlled by someone below the cliffy bank, we have to defeat this witch to get rid of these vines."
"Okay, but Prince Aiji, there are too many of them."
Vince was hooked by these vines, so only Prince Aiji was the one fighting and the enemy seemed to be stronger than the prince.
"I will go down first. Dari, hold on a bit. I will beat that witch as fast as I can."
Prince Aiji turned to the edge of the cliff, ready to jump. But, before he could, the vines pulled Vince's body towards the cliff!
"Dari!"
A soft, yet terrifying voice yelled, but Vince was pulled to the cliff.
Prince Aiji didn't waste a second. He jumped down, but when he landed, he was immediately attacked by countless creepy vines. A few meters away, he saw someone pulling Vince's tightly bound body towards the river.
"Dari!!!"
An enraged voice echoed. The prince was anxious and wanted to run after Vince, but the vines didn't give him a chance to step forward.
Vince heard the prince's distressed call, but his tightly bound body became too weak after inhaling a strong foul smell. An old, stinky woman with long and messy hair caught him as he landed. Her eyes were red and her smell was unbearable. It took his strength away.
The old woman was gripping Vince's mouth, pulling him to the river. Her foul fingers inside his mouth were intolerable, but Vince was too weak and this wicked woman was too strong. She kept pulling him. In a few seconds, his body was submerged in the water.
"She's going to drown me!"
An imposing captain drowned by an old woman, it would be too embarrassing!