The three explorers had trailed after the Chimera as soon as they spotted it crawl into a dark cave ahead of them in the deep forest they had entered. The even time was getting closer as the once glowing sun had begun to lose its bright essence.
"I once heard Chimeras gain power from the night..." Calqués Van Stromme whispered softly as they carefully walked on the dry leaves spread out on the humid soil. A small rain had wet the grounds some hours earlier forcing them to find shelter under a rock. "Only a scared man sounds that way.." John Hermings turned back and roared a laughter.
A man who was only in his early fifties, his hair although still full was already growing white likewise his scruffy beards. The reflection of the spectacles on his rigid face made it hard to notice the story in his eyes but it remained as brown as ever. "We might alert the animal if you roar like that.." Vandorr had already placed his right hand on his gun holster, massaging it gently, he wasn't taking any chances.
From what he knew, the bite of a chimera could paralyse a man. It was even worse as the animal fed on it's preys while they still lived. The giant lizards weren't to be taken lightly. "Remember Vandorr, we are not killing it. It's scales become useless when it dies. I need those scales for my experiments" John Hermings said as he noticed Vandorr's movements.
They soon approached the dark cave with stealth, each men as cautious as one could possibly be. "They hate light, it might be our only chance fighting it" Hermings whispered as they stepped inside it. The temperature had seemingly increased a little, warmer that what they had experienced outside and as silent as the surrounding grew, the more fearful it seemed to be.
The only sound they could hear was the tiny drops of what on the pools below their feet or even more the sound of their feet rippling into the mud along their trails. As they continued, the darkness persisted, growing with a more distinctive smell carressing their noses. The stench of dead animals wasn't far off as it grew to be dominant in where they had reached.
"All lights come on at once..." Hermings whispered again. Immediately, the flash of lights from their bulbs illuminated the space around them, absorning every void of darkness in its path.
Behold! The Chimera!!....
Hanging on, right above their heads with it's massive tail swinging almost some inches above their heads.
"I hope your sedatives work now!!" Calqués had said before moving backwards. Hermings with the reflexes of a spider immediately pulled out his tranquilizer gun and shot at the direction of the animal. "Couldn't have been much!!" Calqués said again but this time with worry in his voice as the tranquilizer failed to penetrate the green scale of the massive reptile.
Hermings pulled out another shot but this time, the lizard had already gain consciousness and was fully aware of the impeding danger that was coming for it and like an animal with an instinct as murder for defense, it charged and jumped in Hermings direction.
Vandorr immediately pulled him away from the strong bite that was going for his shoulder. "I should take notes, this is spectacular! That bite could have ripped a shoulder" Hermings said with excitement, pulling out a red book from his backpack.
"I'm sure you can do that later, you might as well want to add that the toxins in it's nails can cause a man to go into cardiac arrest..." Vandorr said still looking at the already annoyed Chimera in front of them. Hermings had replugged his Tranq.gun.
"The forehead seems to have no scale..." Calques had said hastily. He was right. While the other part of the huge lizard was covered in green colour scale, it's forehead was just mere flesh. Without hesitation, Hermings took the shot and with a precise finishing, the tranquilizer struck the middle of the Chimera's head. Still with enough energy and willpower, the Chimera charged at them again but soon the effect of the sedative was already kicking it. It had already fallen on Calqués, oulling him to the ground on his back. Summoning the energy he could pull, Calqués pushed its head backwards even as it struggled and forced it's way in order to bite of his head.
"Fascinating! It still manages to stay aggresive even after three minutes of being sedated. This is exploring, people!!" Hermings had put his watch back in his pocket and soon scribbled something on his book. The Chimera finally dropped like a log on Calqués that only with the help of the remaining two, he managed to come out of the submission.
"You are a crazy man, John Hermings" Calqués grunted and shook his head as he dusted his already soiled clothes. "Ain't we all Calqués, ain't we all..." He replied still scribbling in his book.
Hermings had only just taken of the scales of the Chimera when the most unexpected happened. "What we sought--". He had tried to speak as soon as they walked out of the cave when an arrow from nowhere struck him by the side. Not one or two, just like rain, many more had hurled right at their direction. Vandorr, with his hefty physique, unable to fully comprehend what had happened, had immediately pulled him to himself and boost into a run. Calqués had not been far behind as well as the arrows trailed past them as they jumped into a sprint.
"Who could that be?!!" He screamed in terror as he continued to sprint beside Vandorr whose weight wasn't stopping him from running. "Natives,I think..... I might have seen footprints in the middle of the forest" He replied as they arrived at the beach of the island they were on. Their ship was only a distance from them that the only way to get to it was through the boat they had dropped at the shore.
Calqués with a feat of rage immediately turned back and shot blankly into the darkness as it the night was already on them. Their attackers seemed to have fallen back at the sound of the gunshot they had heard. Without wasting more time, they had boarded their boat and soon paddled towards the ship.
Vandorr stared down at the wounded man in his arms. "He's losing blood!!" He said as drops of sweat streamed down his bearded face. "I'll be pulling the arrow now" Calqués said hastily as Hermings groaned uncontrollably in Vandorr's arms. "Do-on't-t w-worry ab-bout me! Arrghhh!!!" He had tried to talk but Calqués had immediately pulled the arrow out of his side that water from within him poured.
"Shut up, you fool!" Calqués said as he covered the spot with a piece of his clothes he had torn off. Hermings grew pale almost immediately. "Yo-you sh-should keep the book!" He stuttered immediately.
"Why are you talking this way,John?!" Vandorr said as tears dropped from his eyes. "Tge arrow... I can feel it's poison eating deep into m-my b-body" Hermings tried talking really fast.
He was right, the arrow had been poisoned, in no sooner than a minute his body had turned extremely pale that he looked no different than a purple hibiscus. "He's... dead" Calqués couldn't have sounded more shocked as he stared into the lifeless eyes of John Hermings, they had already gotten to the ship.
"Vandorr! Vandorr!!" A voice resounded in his ears. "Uhm yea yea!!" He broke free of his reminiscing.
"Gurhum is gone..." Celiona said.
"What in God's name are you doing here?! Gurhum could have seen you! Foolish, you might be if you think I could save you from his grip. The man is a devil in priest clothings" Hermis exclaimed with horror as Vandorr and the rest had rushed out to meet him from where they had been. "Speak for yourself, Hermis. What did you manage to spill about my father this time?!" Armando said spitefully.
"This time...?!" Celiona had looked at him with amazement. Hermis wasn't as brave as he looked, it wasn't the first time he was falling for the fierce influence of others that were power-mouthed than him. He had once spoken ill of Calqués to the Bishop that he was almost charged with treason, once again Ashcroft Targeris had saved his balls.
Hermis cleared his throat and made to sit on one of the sofas in the large living room. "Gurhum is a cunny man but you must trust me, I never said anything to him" He spoke empathetically. "I advise you wait and pass the night, his men might still be lurking around. He seems to be looking for something and I don't think it's the Crest" He said taking up a cup of coffee a maidservant had brought him.
"Exactly that we've figured and that's why i shall ask you this one question and you must answer honestly" Vandorr had walked forward immediately with a dead stare. "Vandorr, the menace on your countenance--" Marionetta had just walked into the room.
"Marionetta, please. Let the man speak" Hermis shushed her.
"What is it you know about the death of Reginald Yerx?!" Vandorr asked.