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“Great lookout spot. You guys are gonna freak.” There’s a cool, lazy canter in his voice that I can see drives Sathior to blush. He takes her over to the lookout hand in hand while I try to help Alice find her head.
“Aren't you coming?”
“Hell no.” Her eyebrows drop in disgust at the idea. “You go. I’m pretty sure I’m glued to the seat.”
I can’t help but giggle at her, excited as she was for this trip. My feet hit the ground, marveling at the soft dense soil under me.
A rich smell catches my attention, begging me through the forest to an abundance of small white flowers growing flush on a small bush. Bending down to take it in, I'm wrapped in an almost dreamlike scent.
The world here is quiet, nothing like Glimner with its bustling streets and gaming halls. This is a melancholy of silence so pure, that someone could get lost here.
It occurs to me that I could get lost here, too. Turning back the way I came, my feet find the clearing and walk back up the hill. From below, I see something that cannot be.
The vehicle is gone.
My breath starts to quicken, searching my pockets for a square piece of technology that makes the difference between life and death. And it’s gone, too.
I rush in every direction, searching for the vehicle, and find that it’s hopeless. Wherever they went, they’re long gone by now with no tracks and no way to trace them.
Stupid me. I fluster trying to trudge what I think is a path. It fizzles in the coming steps, leaving me facing a thorned bush. And another. And another.
Frustration hits me before the anger can and before I know it, I’m sitting on a log with nothing more to do than fight back the tears.
Stupid, stupid me.
Here I thought I had manifested greatness, a budding destiny waiting to be uncovered. And what did I find? My own stupid self, lost in the jungle with no way out.
“Tania,” I ask. “What have you done?”
CHAPTER 4
GARET
The humidity of the jungle clings to my body, giving me a healthy coat of sweat and grime as I run. Although I can hear the sounds of the animals squawking and braying among the trees, I focus on my own sounds.
Heavy breathing, tight and controlled. My feet hitting the damp ground and brushing against leaves and branches. The occasional grunt as I have to climb over an overgrown trunk or avoid a stinging plant.
I’m making great time. I bet I’m even further than Danel. I look up at the sun peeking through the canopy. Even though the foliage is dense, the light illuminates the jungle surprisingly well.
About four hours until dark. I should be getting close to Rockall’s cliff. I slow my pace and stop to rest and get my bearings. I’ve been running for what feels like hours.
My heart beats fast, but I don’t feel exhausted or overworked. I’m not even gulping down air. This is much easier than I thought it would be. I wonder if Danel is nearby or if he’s going the long route. He always liked to take the harder path if it meant better odds at victory.
I pull out my map to verify my location. I’ve heard it’s easy to get turned around in the jungle and wind up going in circles. When everything looks the same, it’s hard to tell if you’re heading in the right direction.
According to the map, there should be a ridge curving toward the east. If I can reach that, I’ll follow it, and it will point directly to the base. I look ahead and try to spot it, but it’s impossible to see more than a few hundred yards with the dense trees.
I pull down a giant leaf above me. It’s covered in dew. I use my knife to scrape off the liquid as it pours into my mouth. Although it’s barely a swallow, it feels refreshing.
Suddenly, I notice a sound among the noise of the jungle. I tilt my head slightly to see if I can pinpoint its location.
Someone is crying.
I whip my head around, looking for the source. Surely this can’t be a trap? We’re not fighting against each other in this test, are we?
I can hear the soft sobbing and moaning ahead of me to my right. I squat down and move through the brush silently. If this is a trap, I don’t want to lose the mission because of it.
Finally, I can see someone ahead of me. It’s a human, and a female from the looks of it. I move closer and see that she’s sitting on a fallen log. Her head is in her hands, and I can see her shoulders bouncing as she cries.
