Emerging from n0v@lbin☆, this material harbors clandestine details.
Chapter 82. Nose-walking Natives
Upon hearing Charles' words, the others scanned their surroundings to find that their companion, wrapped in his distinctive bandages, was nowhere to be seen.
A ripple of dread surfaced on their faces. How did their comrade vanish without a trace?
"When was the last time anyone saw Bandages?" Charles asked in a calm tone as he tried to suppress the rising anxiety within him.
"I saw him." James raised his hand in hesitation before he continued. "Five minutes ago, he was right in front of me."
"I don't think so. I haven't seen him since at least ten minutes ago," Lily interjected and poked her head out of Charles' collar.
The crew had varied accounts, but they could collectively infer that Bandages had disappeared within the last ten minutes.
Studying the thick mist that surrounded them, Charles' brows subconsciously pressed together, and he turned to Audric. "Turn into a bat and follow the arrows I inscribed on the walls. See if Bandages lost his way somewhere."
Audric nodded affirmatively, and his cloak billowed out as he shapeshifted into a bat. Bats could use their echolocation to navigate, and the thick fog did nothing to obstruct them.
Very soon, the vampire returned. Audric's despondent shake of his head confirmed Charles' worst suspicions—Bandages' disappearance had something to do with this island.
Leaning against the wall, Charles frowned as he thought of countermeasures.
Charles disliked this kind of situation more than battling horrifying monsters.
At least with monsters, they could still fight the creatures head-on, but against an unseen and unknown threat like now, no amount of strength could offer them a solution.
Just then, a resounding boom echoed from within the fog, startling everyone.
Charles immediately opened a Mirrorbox, and the sunlight from within penetrated the mist once more. However, there was nothing to be seen where the sound had come from.
Following the series of events, the thick fog around them started to thin. However, Charles felt that the change was malicious rather than kind.
Under everyone's intense gaze, Charles instructed, "Let's get out of here first."
Seeing no result from further ascension, Charles decided to descend.
"Captain, how did it go?" Dipp asked anxiously as Charles drank from a plasma packet.
"It doesn't work. I flew a thousand kilometers up, but the walls kept rising with me."
Charles' reply cast a gloom on everyone's faces. They couldn't find an exit despite following the arrows, and the walls stretched more than a thousand kilometers high. They were evidently trapped.
"Don't panic. We have another way." Charles fished up a packet of explosives from James' backpack.
Boom!
A spray of rubble erupted as the labyrinth wall was blown open. With the illumination of their fire torches, they could make out the other side of the wall that was shrouded in fog.
If they couldn't find the exit, they could simply make their own exit. Straight lines were always the quickest way through any maze.
As continuous blasts rang out, the crew moved swiftly through each opening. Charles initially thought that they would soon return to the marsh.
However, reality didn't progress as per his expectations. As they emerged from another hole, the distant pitter-patter of water droplets hitting the water's surface reached their ears.
The drip-drop sound rapidly grew in frequency and volume and very soon echoed like rain on a silent night.
With his guard up, Charles looked in the direction of the noise. A peculiar group of creatures moving toward them gradually came into view.
The beings looked like hairless rats standing on their forelegs. Every organ on their bodies was deformed and elongated. Their noses resembled elephant trunks, curved as they tapped on the water's surface rhythmically. They were walking with their noses.
The pitter-patter sound from earlier was created as these creatures navigated through the murky waters.
The near-meter-tall nose-walking oddities were multitudinous. Clustered together on the black, murky waters, they looked like corn stalks densely packed in a field. Encountering such creatures in such a cursed place was definitely unsettling.
Dipp drew a dagger from his boot; the weapon's design was similar to Charles' Dark Blade. Swallowing a gulp, he turned toward his Captain as he awaited instructions.
"Hold on. Let's see what they're up to," Charles ordered as he pressed down on the gun barrel of one of his crewmates.
1. I think Mr.Author forgot about the vampire...Let's just assume Audric is hidden safely or outside of the Mirrorbox's AOE.