But that’s not even the most worrying feature. Its talons are so sharp, I have no doubt the Raffia could kill me in one blow.
The mother Raffia looks around, her eyes two slits that seem to scan every little detail of the environment.
By the Seven! How the hell are we supposed to defeatthat?
Moe exhales slowly beside me. “That’s… bigger than I thought.”
“Those books should have had some dimensions,” I add drily.
“Or at least some illustrations,” Moe says with a wry smile.
“Alas, we must make do with the situation at hand.” After a pause, I add, “Are you regretting following me yet?”
“What? Of course not. This is the adventure of a lifetime.” She gives me a sly smile. “How else could I belivingmy puny mortal life?”
My features instantly freeze. “Don’t say that again.”
“What?” She frowns.
“Don’t refer to your life as puny. I don’t like it.”
“But it’s the truth,” she says with a shrug.
“I don’t like it,” I repeat.
She shakes her head at me, but a smile blossoms on her face. “Focus on the task,” she adds shyly.
I chuckle at her but listen to her admonition.
“Let’s find a hidden place to watch and wait.”
She nods and I pull her with me, careful to not make any sounds that might attract the attention of the bird.
We retreat into the cover of thick roots and low brush. We lay low on our bellies and watch.
The bird is mostly static. It stays in front of its eggs, not moving for minutes on end before taking a step then repeating the ritual. It’s a little unsettling the way it’s so focused on everything. The wrong move could trigger it into action.
Moe turns to me, leaning closer to whisper in my ear. “If you take the Zantrax now and distract the bird, I’ll get the blood.”
“Are you sure you can do it?”
She rolls her eyes at me. “At leastthatI can do. Have some trust in me.” She gives me a playful wink.
I find myself smiling at her as I nod. Reaching into the proto-realm, I retrieve the vial of Zantrax. The liquid glows faintly, pulsing with contained energy. I hesitate only for a second before uncorking it and downing the contents in one swift motion.
It burns. My body begins shaking uncontrollably.
My senses heighten instantly. The forest breathes around me. Every shift of air, every tremor in the ground, every distant heartbeat becomes painfully clear.
“Level four,” I whisper just as the tremors subside. “This is much higher than any of the previous vials.”
Excitement courses through me as I focus on the information the vial yields. This level is calledChannelerand it is once more fire-based.
I suppose the books did not lie about fire being one of the most common elements.
As a Channeler, I can create fire out of thin air—similar to how Mr. Denos had been able to control the flames back then. Although I’m using the same level and type of energy, being an immortal will give me an edge.
“Are you alright?” Moe asks, her expression worried.
