Chapter 144: Beast's Settlement

Sasani sweeps a hand on her face. She frowned and looked at Ned.

"I've known it a long time," Ned said. "Who's Land?"

Sasani blushed for a moment. Ginger and silky hair ran messily along her tightened chest. And as if he remembered something, her thin and curvy lips quivered. "No," she muttered, looking at the muscular man with the neck slashed open. Blood fully dried, making a red plaster on the ground.

"Do you know him?" Ned said, looking at Sasani back to Rickart.

The Quickfall scout moved by limping toward Sidric, holding the dagger in his left, and the vials in his right.

Ned stood and dashed—almost dashing but stopped as he saw Rickart bent beneath Keesha.

Must be due to the fiery hot of the bonfire that Keesha's blood, oozing out her eyes and crushed head, was now fully dry.

Rickart bent, throw the dagger on the ground, and yanked open the vial of healing potion. He then poured it atop Keesha's—assorted—head: a white lump of meat, curly hair, red flesh, and some chips of crushed bones along with her eye.

The vial did nothing but hiss. Against the muffled voices surrounding the settlement, and some wood snapping inside the bonfire, Ned could hardly hear Rickart's mumble. Must be a 'no', or 'why', maybe just a quick whimper.

It was a 'no' as Rickart bellowed with the top of his crying lungs.

Sidric stood just across the two. Bastard-sword stood like a post. His shoulder withdrawing up and down. Breathing as nothing had happened to her partner.

"It was Lambert," Sasani said, breaking Ned's silence. "Our warrior."

"And the other one?" Ned said nodding toward the tore-limb lanky hunter. "The one together with the kid."

"Land," Sasani said in reply. Her rounded eyes went red, and a bead of tear hung at the tip of her eyes. "Our party leader. He is... He is... Was " She said ruffling her voice.

"Yes," Ned said. Under the soft beam of the bluish moon. Ned saw a quick gleam of light beneath a dried grass, almost hiding under the mixture of grasses and pebbles. Ned stood. Walked toward the gleaming object.

Still rubbing her neck, Sasani gazed at him with teary eyes and confused. She leaned with her back against the stone, legs spreading.

Rickart yanked open another vial. Pouring it with care on Keesha's paling and near to the flattened head.

It was Sasani's mask. Glossy and black, looking more like ceramic. Ned stretched and pulled it off the ground, brushing grasses and pebbles along the way. The mask now has two holes instead of one. Tiny holes bore at the mouth. Overall it was still black. Ned raised it above, showing it to Sasani.

"Your mask—"

"Haloomans, zwar zoopeeds."

"Ka!"

It was clear. The mumbling of voices. Hoarse, guttural, and cracking. Echoing outside the settlements, along the edges of the forest.

Ned flashed toward Keesha. Raising his sword. To his left was the mask. He was quick, calm, and composed. He focused, injecting mana into the short-sword and hoped to use it this time.

"What are those?" Sasani asked, stretching to receive the mask.

Net let go of the mask as Sasani yank it back to her possession.

"Magical beasts," Ned said under his warm breath. "But... "

The settlement has been watched by the beasts from the beginning. A red speck of light, yellow, others were green—these were the eyes of magical beasts. They were surrounding in circles.

Slowly, under the dimming light of the moon. The magical beasts revealed themselves: creeping, smiling, but mostly laughing.

"Ka!" Cried a green humanoid beast. It was clear, furry hair on its back. Green eyes, brawn body but a rounded stomach. It holds a war-ax with broken edges. A goblin, but bigger, and older from the rest Ned had seen.

"Khun Sas Koron kirll bi smatz!" It was another humanoid beasts: four purplish tentacles wiggling under its jaw, inside this tentacle was its mouth ( hundreds of tiny teeth circling its jaw). It was bald, flat nose (or no nose at all ) with white and blank eyes. Its body was that of humans; only purple. Muscles made it appear bulkier and stronger. Lines of dark blue scattered on its body and oversized head. Its finger was only four with black, pointy, and sturdy nails.

According to the questing board, Ned had seen with a glimpse. It was a Shoon. One of the rarest magical beasts that were hunted for almost a hundred years inside the Du'kki mountain. Shoon's weren't supposed to be outside the mountain. They were supposed to be inside the mountain.

"Ka!" Another beast howled or growled. Looking humanoid, or once was a humanoid. Looking like a caterpillar but only filled with raw meat. Legs crawled like a crab. To its sides were humans arms (rotting) six of them, three on both sides. Having a big human nose and abstracted human eyes. Top of its fat head were cylindrical glasses filled with viscous green liquids having a human head, connected with tubes attached to its fat neck. "Ley eb oood sakraperemit."

The rest, behind them, were dozens of Wargs, Butrikis, Swamp Goblins leashing Sinking Hounds: feral eyes, long snouts like a crocodile, spines growing its canine back, it howled likes wolves but louder and rounder.

They were surrounded. No time to escape, no place stay. Aside from one. Behind Sidric, it was deep and dark but no trace of magical beasts.

"Ned!" It was Sasani.

Parasitic beasts forcing itself to Sasani. She fought the parasitic beast with hands. Yanking it left and right, and pounding it to the ground.

Ned bent and grabbed the lump of the parasitic beast. With a quick flash of his hand, he pulled the beast away from Sasani. He then slashed it, dividing the parasite into two. It twitched, without its mouth, it shrieked dying.

After Ned slashed the parasite, ICE's notification chimed.

[Ned.]

[Behind.]

Ned spun, but too late, he was distracted. Has been distracted, more like planned. Ned felt needles poking his back. Prickling hot, like a wound soaked with salt and vinegar. Ned dropped on his knees. Letting go of the short-sword. He reached the parasite on its back. It was sleek and soft. And cutting. But it was quick. Ned hissed for a moment then the pain and burning sensation were gone.

Gone like his dusky blue eyes. Same as the rest, impassive. Ned crawled toward the leaning Sasani. He then reached for his short-sword and pointed it towards Sasani.

Her eyes trembled.

Yet, the muffled voices still echoed in the settlement. They laughed. But something was off. It was the parasite fixing itself behind Ned's back. The beasts surrounding the settlement. Their voices: vivid and clear.

"Queen Sas Koron will be pleased."