The Venerate Order

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Strafe

We walked for hours. I climbed up a hill and saw a huge waterfall cascading down a small mountain. I could sense Roya's aura in the cave.

"This is going to be a nandai," Zon said.

"A what? A band-aid?" I asked.

"No, nandai. I forgot the word in your language, ah, it's like a very hard thing to do," Zon explained.

"Nandai, if I remember correctly that means a challenge," Rousseau answered.

"Ah, do you speak Shinji?" Zon asked.

"I studied it for a little while; I have a thing for all the comics from your country," Rousseau replied.

"You'd love Japan if you like comics," I joked.

"Is that a country in your world?" Rousseau replied.

"Yes. Zon, you'd fit right in there with your warrior-code," Brutus explained.

Zon looked to change the subject, "Are you telling me she is up there?"

"Yes, sir! I sense her beautiful yellow aura!" Rousseau sang.

We made our way to the base of the waterfall and looked up. All the rocks surrounding the waterfall were slippery, yet cold and hard as steel.

"There's no way we can climb it. These rocks are too damp," I pointed out as I slid my hand across the rocks.

"That was sharp, my man!" Rousseau teased. I ran over and put him in a headlock and gave him a knuckle-rub across his head.

Before I could react, I felt a pinch in my shoulders. I turned around to see that Brutus had bit onto my jacket and had me in his grasp. "Hey, I've got a solution."

His aura was glowing bright orange and with a quick snap of his head, he tossed me all the way up to the waterfall cave.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!" I screamed as I flew through the air.

Brutus had tossed me perfectly up to the mouth of the cave. I got to my feet and looked down at the others. I waved and let them know I was okay. Brutus jumped over to Rousseau and did the same thing, only Rousseau kept screaming even after he made it to the top.

Zon backed away from Brutus when he was about to toss him up. We saw Zon activate his aura as he pulled out a weird looking chained weapon. It looked like a rope with a hook on it. He threw it about 15 feet up the wall and it stuck into the rocks. He then jerked hard and pulled himself up to where his weapon was hooked in the wall. After he reached the hook-point, he spun around and used his teleport ability to pass through the waterfall and hooked himself higher on the wall. Zon kept zigzagging his way up the waterfall until he teleported himself right in front of us. It was a sight to see, for sure.

We looked down and saw Brutus pacing back and forth.

"Woof!" Brutus barked.

"Give us a warning next time you do that, okay?" I yelled at him.

Brutus then looked up at the hill we occupied. It stood much higher than the waterfall and being as intelligent he was, Brutus bounded to the peak.

"What's that bugger up to?" Rousseau said.

Brutus ran toward us as fast as he could before he jumped in the air. He then glided using his Whitecloud ability all the way to the cave mouth. He landed perfectly.

"Damn! I can't believe how intelligent you've become, Brutus! Must run in the family," I said as I rubbed his head.

"Somebody's gotta watch out for you," Brutus joked.