"Ughh!" Finishing up on his last make shift spear Domnik grunted. "That was way more work than it needed to be, stars Nai!" Nai's lips only slightly curled up but he did not respond. Tightening his, he got up and unnecessarily dusted himself off.
"Let me see yours again .... " He stretched out his hand to Domnik.
"What? You think me incapable to accomplish a task this simple?" Domnik scoffed.
"Right, it is simple, that is why ... here, look at mine as well." Nai carefully handed his spear to Domnik. Grabbing it, Domnik's lips tightened and rose. "It's all good, mine?"
Twisting the spear in his hands Nai looked at Domnik the calm smile still playing on his face, "Yes, better actually. Seems your hands will be of actual use around here, if not your brain."
"Says the boy heading out to nowhere with nothing to his self. So, in that aspect, I surely rank above you." Proudly and chest raised Domnik's playful voice was a calming sound on Nai.
"You are right, I suppose." Nai's laugh was soft and clipped. Turning to his friend, the same pity like look on his face, "No, Nai, I'm actually being serious. You can't just leave with barely anything. No food even?"
"Unless I plan to go around beating and taking from people around here, I'll try my luck out there."
Slapping his forehead, "Luck, of course, you sure will need it. Lots of it." The taste of fresh air on their tongues and smell of wet soil embraced their senses as they stepped out to the open.
Looking around as they walked, Nai took in the destruction that had befallen Zanzy. This all happened when five human Binadams clashed with two titans here. He did not know of their ranks and tiers but the sight was telling of their devastating capabilities. They could not have been high, this far south from the seat of struggle.
"Thoughts of changing your mind?" Domnik dragged him from his mind.
"No, just trying to picture our new reality, months or even years from now."
"Ah, I see. You and every human in Belman." Belman was the continent where humans had been most dominant in the hierarchy. With the Angels, Dragons, Titans and Leviathans, however, it was not always a comfortable seat for when any of those species set their eyes on Belman and, Alas, The Titans did.
Domnik paused and exhaled, "With Darren and his generals gone, it's as good as over now. I'm more surprised the Leviathans did not try carving out a piece for themselves."
The ever smiling Nai slightly shook his head, "They might still take a chance, now more than ever. No wonder the Titans didn't go around on a slaughtering campaign, they'll need front liners when the others attack."
"So, growing up rich had its benefits. Look at you educating poor ol' me." Domnik laughed.
Nai joined him, "It's your brain. This is all just logical thinking, I do understand your struggle. Besides, my parents had insisted ... " He trailed off and awkwardly twisted the spear in his right hand.
They leapt over more rubbles and now left the town heading towards the river. It had been silent since Nai's last remark. "Shh!" Index fingers to his pinkish lips, Nai warned Domnik. There wasn't much cover in the southern plains, mostly wide stretches of savannah with small forests here and there struggling to form. When it wasn't the rain season like now, it was warm climate mostly through out the year.
Nai and Domnik had left the trail, carving their own path. "What is it?" Domnik's eyes narrowed at being shushed even though he had not been talking.
"Listen." Nai guided. Domnik's eyes narrowed further and he finally heard distant almost echoing animal belting. "What? Weildkritas?" Nai turned to him with a slight nod. Hoofed and horned with black hide and resembled lithe but strong bull cows, the WeildKritas would migrate in large herds.
"Its the rain, they must have come back from the west or south west they had migrated to last season." Nai seemed to be speaking to himself even though addressing Domnik. Domnik nodded showing he knew, this was common knowledge to people living in the south and western parts of Belman.
"By the river?" Domnik asked.
"Yes, unlucky for us!" Nai exhaled, "It'll be tough to draw one out, let alone a young one. Theyre stuck to their mothers. Even if we manage, killing a grown one would be nearly impossible. If it does not kill us, it could just run."
Domnik shook his head, "Then what were you planning on hunting?"
"I don't know, some hares or muzi." Thes were smaller creatures, the largest would grow to the approximate size of a four year old human child.
"Looks like growing up rich reaches its barrier." Shaking his head with a slight chuckle Domnik spoke. "If we had aspect abilities, and were Binadams, it would have been a dozen seconds work for us."
"Not really," Nai interjected, "Unless we were past the low ranks, we could not manipulate much." Domnik's lips pulled back to reveal a teethy smile, "Okay, with combat oriented aspects." Nai turned to him, "Aren't they all?"
With a heavy sigh Domnik spoke, "Fine. What now? Is our little expedition done for?" Nai smiled, "Not for me, no. I still have to get past the river remember?"
Domnik nodded his head, "Right, I keep forgetting. You are actually leaving." With an exhale he continued, "you'll go around the herd then?" Nai shook his head, "We don't know how large it is. That could take forever. Let's just head there for now and observe, if we wait too long we'll have to say our goodbyes then."
Passing through the little forestration that had grown closer to the river, Nai and Domnik were met with the slight river valley. At the stretch of its banks and immediate area, a large herd of WeildKritas had gathered. They must have numbered above five thousand. Their tails striking their hides, constant belting. Some fighting, some mating, some rolling around in the mud, it was all commotion.
With a giving up sigh, Nai spoke, "Well, thats that. It'll be impossible." Just as Domnik had began mumbling a response, Nai's scanning eyes locked with a WeildKrita. It was not anything special compared to the others, on the contrary it looked dead. The flesh on its body sticking to its bones, it's build contradicting it's ability to stand.
That is not what shocked Nai. The WeildKrita seemed to be staring right at them, right at him. From such a distance and from so many of the creatures the coincidence to lock eyes with the deathly krita was also sturtling to Nai. The WeildKrita stood unmoving as it's gaze locked on to Nai, making it stand out even more.
Its exaggerated eyelashes moved with a slow blink. Its eyes an unusual blood clot red compared to the normal deep black. Nai felt the increasing thump of his heart. He shook his head as his left hand reached out to Domnik without moving his eyes from the krita like it would disappear if he looked away.
Domnik's mumbles came clearly to him now but he cared not for what his friend was saying. It was only when Domnik slapped his left arm away that he turned to him for a second. With regret he immediately turned back to where the WeildKrita had been standing still. Confirming his earlier worry, the krita was gone. This only made his heart thump faster.
"Nai .... yo, Nai?" Domnik called out to him. Licking his lips Nai turned to him, "Did you see it?"
"See what?" Domnik had a puzzled look on his face.
"Something's not right, a krita was there, abnormal from the rest ... " he spoke slowly and softly like being scared to be heard by the WeildKrita.
Domnik laughed, "You mean the ones not mating or what."
"We have to leave."Nai did not care for his jest.
"We? so, you are not going?"
"it can wait, I ... I can come back tomorrow or another day." Brows creased and a sweat on his forehead Nai spoke frantically now l, making Domnik slightly worried.
"Nai, relax, what is it?" Just as he said this, both their heads turned slowly to the right along the bank side they were on. An "arm" of the herd had been running almost like to encircle them.
Domnik started panicking, "Wh-What the hell?" Nai rubbed his face his eyes blinking fast, "We-We have to leave, r-run!" Domnik looked at his friend's back his heart beating at his chest like trying to claw out, "R-run? How? they're faster .... "
"Domnik! I ... I don't know, just run." Turning from the herd's "right arms" encircling them, Nai grabbed Domnik's shoulder and dragged him chaotically as they began running. Domnik looked at his unsettled friend wondering what, apart from the herd, could have induced such a reaction. This was not the calm smiling Nai he had come to know the past couple of months.