Calypso Initiate

Chapter Twelve

"How much farther?" I ask between uneven breaths.

"I think we're close," Vincent replies.

He sounds tired. He's been running through the forest for a while now, following the trail of silence left by the Nepters. Sweat streams down his neck and forehead as he pushes through the thick undergrowth. His breaths are quick and heavy. I can tell the exhaustion is getting to him. The man is strong and at times stubborn. He will never admit his need for rest. There's no time for that anyway. We can't afford to stop.

Vincent moves in long and swift strides down a rocky slope where the trees grow the thickest. His boots slip on a few mossy stones and he curses under his breath. I can feel him staggering to keep his pace, and I know my added weight isn't helping.

I am draped over his back like a lifeless puppet. My fever is back. The toxin aid is losing its effect and I can feel the poison slowly working its way through my veins. The more it spreads the weaker I feel. If Vincent hadn't found me, I'd already be dead. I'd end up like that colonist with my face eaten by a Scroff.

"Hold on, Archer," Vincent says, nearly out breath. "We're getting you that cure, you hear me? Just stay awake."

I open my mouth to respond but even that's becoming difficult. "I'm trying."

My head bounces on his shoulder as he moves, and I force myself not to think of the nausea rolling up my throat. I keep my eyes on the trees, trying to see through the darkness veiling over the forest. I wonder how long it has been since light had touched these parts. There's not a creature in sight. I imagine it would be a suitable dwelling for crawling things. I've read that some dangerous insects prefer the dark and damp environment these parts provide, but the forest feels dead. There isn't a sound to be heard other than Vincent's boots hitting the ground. And the silence lay thicker on us as we travel onward. That probably means we're on the right track.

I've never encountered a Bullet Nepter before until today. The Grid keeps us away from them and other deadly forest dwellers. My Entomology professor once mentioned that even the most skilled hunters aren't a match for insects of their type. With their number and speed, no armor is strong enough to protect you. Going to their nest is possibly the smartest choice to find a cure for their poison, and likely to be the dumbest. If not careful, it could end up as a suicide mission.

Vincent stops and I lift my head. I peer over his shoulder. There are trees in our way. Dead old trees with broad trunks that can only come from decades of maturing. But they lay on the ground now as though some giant force had reached down and knocked them off their roots. Chunks of wood have been chipped off. Branches now bare of leaves have been sliced clean. Tiny slits carved on every torso, some of them still fresh.

"We're here," Vincent says.

He slides me gently off his back and helps me settle down on a nearby tree. I lay on its roots and my armor takes its color, concealing my body to make it look like I'm part of the tree.

I'm unable to feel my limbs. The poison is already affecting my nerves. Any longer and it will cause irreparable damage to my organs.

"Be careful," I say, my voice barely audible.

I try motioning him to come closer but I can't lift my arm. He leans in, his ear near my mouth.

"Spray yourself with the repellent and use smoke to confuse them," I tell him. "The hive should be teeming with venom. But the queen won't be affected by the smoke so you won't be able to get close. That means-"

"I'd have to use the extractor gun," he finishes for me. "It should have a long range setting."

"You were paying attention in class."

He laughs. "Of course." He's looking at me now. "You don't expect me to just be exceedingly handsome, do you?"

I manage a smile. "Go."

He takes my pistol and places it in my hand, curling my fingers around the handle and trigger. It's basically useless since I can't even lift my arm anymore, but I don't protest. Useless or not it's better than nothing.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he says.

I watch him run to the dead trees, climbing and leaping over them with ease. Despite his build he moves gracefully, fast and quiet like any skilled hunter would. Unlike me who can't even walk without scaring off nearby prey.

He stops for a moment to look up. Warm light touches his face, and I finally see what the leaves have been hiding. It must be a trick, some kind of tech projecting images. But it looks so real. A perfectly blue sky spreads over the gap where the old trees used to stand. White clouds roll in, light bouncing off them. Are we still in the building? If only I can move to get a better look.

Vincent keeps going and disappears into the cluster of trees on the other side. Their trunks bent towards the center to form an opening like a cave. It's something I've seen on the HoloPod in my Entomology class. Professor Belgarde, our teacher, explained that Nepters and their cousins use trees to conceal their hive. They use plant sap to glue the leaves and branches of young trees together, forming a canopy that protects them from the rain and other elements. The weight of their hive, which looks similar to stalactites in caves, forces the trunks to bend as they mature. The cave-like structure keeps them warm, especially during winter.

Minutes passed and I can feel myself getting weaker. The numbness has made it up to my chest, working its way to my lungs. Soon I won't be able to breathe. I just hope Vincent makes it back before that happens.

A crushing pain suddenly bursts in my stomach, like someone has reached in and began squeezing my insides. My back arches forward and I clamp my lips to hold my screams. The next thing I know, I'm coughing up blood. It splatters all over my face, dripping on the side of my mouth. The metallic taste spreads on my tongue and I almost gag. I shut my eyes, fighting the ache. But it's too much. It runs through me, tearing me from the inside, overwhelming my senses.

Tears sting my eyes. I open my mouth to cry for help but more blood comes out, choking me. I try to draw in air through my nostrils, but it's no use. I can't breathe.

More tears trickle to the side of my face as panic consumes me.

I'm going to die, and Vincent might be too late to save me.