The Fangclaw Inheritance: The Eye of Half Blood

XVI

XVI

Crossing the swampy vine forest wasn’t as tedious to Annabella Fangclaw the second time, Vince leading the group instead of her. She didn’t like him leading the way, assuming his sadistic ways could get them lost, or worse leading them to a trap resulting in all their deaths. He wouldn’t care collecting four more souls for his collection anyway.

Despite the fact she disliked having him as a brother she still thought he could be a powerfull ally, after watching him annihilate most of the Iluminatia marksmen. She thought a scythe wielder like Vince besting a group of gunsmiths was one of the best things of her adventure so far, next to discovering an ancient temple, even if the temple was occupied by bloodthirsty flaming dogs. She could never fight a group of them ever again, at least not without the proper amount of allies willing to fight with her.

She was thankful she and Serastios were enough against an entire pack of Omega Alpha while trapped in that temple, but with Roktu and Hanko’s arms around the shoulder of the injured searchers it wasn’t as quick. Perhaps if the two of them had their hands free they would’ve gotten out of the predicament at a quick rate, but she had to consider what would’ve happened if they did get out of there earlier than they should’ve. The chances of being cornered by Iaosos before Vince’s entrance would’ve been much greater, doubling the risk. This was the work of United Destinies, which favored Annabella and her friends to survive the ordeal.

She would’ve thanked United Destinies if it was the appropriate time, but to know the Adlet elders had arrived here meant there was no time to waste―it was finally time to prove her worth as Duchess.

“Perhaps I should tell you why they’re here,” Hanko said, distracting Annabella off her thoughts. She looked at him, her eyes colored.

“I assume you had something to do with it.”

“You got that right,” Hanko managed a soft smile, but not as full heartedly compared to when they made their way to the caverns. “I was sent back to Adlet Island from Nesiphilip for this particular reason and of course because we felt Marlox’s passing.”

“You can feel when someone’s dying?” Annabella was now compelled to the many abilities of an Adlet.

“It’s part of our instincts and our senses as half dog, half human.”

“It’s a pain in the rear, that much I can tell ya,” Roktu continued to struggle raising her boot and stomping down again. “Not the hardship I’m facing of course, but knowing when someone had died. It’s like a piece of your heart was torn away by a fang.”

“How come you didn’t feel a thing while we fought that Precipice Scorpion, Roktu?”

“Annabella, imagine your life being threatened by a giant monster like a scorpion. I think it’s safe to say I had to ignore my pain and try to kill it, of course which was tedious for me. I had to balance quick reflexes while bearing with the feeling of my heart tearing apart.”

“Must’ve been tough,” Serastios’s smile made Roktu fluster, but she thought of Iaosos when she saw his grin. She thought she was a horrible person for even thinking of comparing him to that horrible General.

“Yeah, well, desperate times,” Roktu rolled her eyes, continuing to sludge their way through the swampy waters.

“The first time I made my way to the Cavern this damn swamp almost got the best of me,” Vince held dearly to his scythe, fearing if he dropped his weapon it would take forever just to pull it out.

“Coming from someone who enjoys watching people get killed,” Annabella had a soft grin, which was a rare sight even for Serastios.

“Different circumstances for different people, little sister,” Vince’s was no longer smiling, rather his straight face was far more intimidating, since he felt like slashing the swamp to pieces with his scythe.