Kapitel 411: CHPT 411: Our Next Move
Despite how Claude's life had violently been flipped on it's head and dragged up a jagged hill lined with spikes; some things never changed. Like his love for running. He felt like he hadn't truly taken in the enjoyment of it in such a long time-- always running for a strict purpose and function. But life-- at least for the moment, had grown more lax than usual. Claude took advantage of it and enjoyed his perimeter run. Just as he enjoyed his runs under the cover of the circle of forestry around his father's cabin. Just running, pushing his limits, taking in the scenery.
Not just with Frosty anymore.
SNAP.... SNAP!
"Easy!" Claude snapped at the Horse-sized primal running at his side, bile and ichor laden saliva spilled from it's snapping jaws as it tried to take the meat Claude held out to it while they ran, slowly instilling the concept of staying with the pack when running. Not to play, but to follow.
SNAP!
"No!" Claude said again, speeding up some more as they dusted through the desert. The suns rays were strong. Giving the crystal-like accents of crusted double layered scales running over it's head and back a stunning glow. Even it's thick black scales seemed to glow.
Diamondback hissed with frustration and poorly contained excitement causing his slitted nostrils to flare as he gave up snapping at the meat. Perfect timing.
They stopped under the shadow of a medium sized rock formation at the top of a heavy dip into lower ground.
Diamondback stomped to a stop behind him as the rest caught up at his flank. Instead of charging him and the bloody Kobold meat in his hand, it stood across from him watching him with an intense focus. Like a dog awaiting its favorite ball to be thrown.
Claude smiled and tossed the slab of meat to the Primal, "Good job."
Fwoo!
SNAP!
Gone like it was never there.
"What are we stopping here for?" Ursula said as her and Piet walked up to the front of the group. Her breaths barely affected by the three or more mile sprint they'd done so far..... after her intense boulder-ball workout. He still remembered how much she hated cardio warm-ups at the University.
"You're smiling at me.....? Should I be flattered or is your brain about to bust again?" Ursula said as her cheeks warmed faintly, making her sprinkle of freckles fade.
Claude was shaken from the thought, "Nothing. Thinking. Anyway, we're here because this is a viewpoint."
He said while tapping the side of the rock formation looming over them.
"What?" Ursula questioned.
Claude flipped his spear and slammed it into the ground at his side. Frosty and the Glorian Lion moved out to the edges of the group and sat guard as if it were a trained signal. Gil joined the Lion, Canis stayed on Frosty's back holding a stick confidently as if he were trying to learn the ways of the spear.
"Come on." Claude said to Ursula before he was suddenly covered in dense black and green scales and taloned claws that aided him in climbing the rock.
"That's got to be cheating." Ursula huffed as she climbed up after him.
It didn't take more than a minute to reach the top. It was only about fifteen feet high and ten feet wide. Maybe twenty feet high. Who was measuring, though?
At the top, the sun felt warmer on their skin-- hot even, despite it being the middle of winter. And the winds were wonderful. All the heavy sands and bone dust that was usually washed into their skin and hair was absorbed by the rocky platform beneath them. The air was fresh, it smelled of ice, blood, burned wood, and a myriad of other things he didn't feel the need to hone in on. His paranoia forced him to, though. Leading to him sitting in silence, scenting the air aggressively. Ursula followed suit soon after.
"I've got nothing-- what are we looking for?" Ursula questioned after a few minutes of sniffing.
"Nothing. Just being cautious. Sometimes snakes hide in the sand and we need to use more than our eyes to find them." Claude replied, remembering his battle with the Horned Serpent not long ago. All that for the Druidic Markings.
"But..." He added, "You're right. Nothing. That wasn't the main point of coming up here."
Ursula stepped towards the edge of the rock and sat down, letting her legs hand in the wind, "Oh yea, something about a viewpoint?"
Claude nodded and pointed out at everything, "Up here we have a sight advantage. We can see over multiple valleys and dips, there's nothing impeding our field of vision in the three hundred and sixty degrees around us either like there would've been on flat ground. And if we were in combat, our killzone is wider up here."
Ursula made a surprised face, "Killzone?"
Claude continued, "For now, we're just focusing on the sight advantages this position gives us. Our field of view here is massive, and with a little help, we can get a lay of the land for miles out without traveling very far at all."
Ursula looked up at him, "Wait-- that's what Archers do to scout in High Level Tangents."
Claude looked at her, "I'm sure it's a process most learn around mid-level. I mean it only makes sense if we're being real. But how do you know that?"
"Man fuck that, how do YOU know that?" Ursula asked.
Claude shrugged as he held out a wrapped arm for Blackbeak to land on, "Cassidy. He teaches me things in his spare time."
"Right... so what's the deal with the Bounty Hunter?" Ursula asked as Claude used (Beast Boost) and borrowed the greatly increased vision of the avian creature perched on his arm.
Claude scanned the lands beyond as he replied, "His intentions are... pure. He's offered up knowledge and made sacrifices on our behalf. He doesn't seem shaken by how..... anti-status quo our group is becoming.... he finds it funny-- impressive. And he's got serious deductive skills. I don't know his deal entirely, but it won't stay that way. If he decides to be tight lipped than I'll handle him."
"Handle him how?" Ursula asked as Claude looked out at the world beyond.
"However necessary. This group.... this pack. It's full of beings I'm responsible of. People I owe a semblance of solace to-- like you, Ursula. So, as fucked as our lives can be at times. This is one thing I will keep stable to the best of my abilities." Claude said.
Ursula sighed and leaned back while laying the back of her hand on her forehead like a breath taken woman in a play, "To think hearing someone admit homicidal intent on my behalf would warm my Lupine heart."
"Yea, I can be charming sometimes." Claude lied, playing into the joke. Surprising since Ursula's jokes in incredibly serious matter used to unnerve him.
"Only to me though." Ursula said with a shrug that seemed to add, "Unfortunately."
Claude got up and Blackbeak took the skies once more, "I guess you didn't see me at the bar back in FeliAlu City."
Following his words he jumped off the rock.
"HEY-- Why don't you tell me about that, coolface?! Getting free drinks and shit like a hottie in a nightclub!"
The two continued to joke and converse for a while before heading back to camp. Claude didn't leave without planting some seeds into the sands and growing a tree on each side of the rock, marking the area for what he'd found.
A city..... or more.
***
Following his discovery, they returned to camp. Everyone was awake-- and ready to move. Claude pulled Rollan to the side and relayed the information he'd gained for his earlier perimeter run. As a result, their next objective was on que.
Breakfast first.
Freshly flamed Lizardman and skinned snake. It took Claude a while to get to eating such things, but at some point, everyone has to eat. An especially important sentiment when you're rolling with a group of predators that could clear a small forest in days.
After they finished eating, Claude led them to the marked viewpoint.
And for the next ten minutes, he and Cassidy sat at the top viewing the city beyond.
Claude watched with him, studying the lands in the distance. The place was massive-- bordered off by black bricked walls topped with statues that looked like winged creatures standing guard. It was eerie to say the least. But the city within was beautiful. Large square buildings with intricate designs and borders filled the area like pieces in a puzzle. It was cluttered in appearance, but satisfyingly so in many areas. Then there were other areas that simply looked like massive open areas from where he stood. At its back, mountains and valleys ran covered by rainforests. The green of it stood out against the black walls and winged creature statues. In the center of the city, a large capitol-like structure sat, it's shelled top glowed beneath the sun magically.
The place was visibly better off than SkyHaven. He wondered if the Midnight Wardens were hidden within like an infestation of roaches.
"God damn...." Cassidy whispered.
"What?" Claude asked.
"Well, I know where we are."
"What gave it away?"
Cassidy pointed off in the distance, "That right there, wolfboy."
Claude followed his finger with his enhanced vision. In the distance, approaching the gate, a horse led carriage traveled up a hill to reach the walls. The carriage was open, just a wooden case with no top. Armored men and women on horseback guarded it, their blades visibly blooded even from the distance he shared with them. But they weren't the focus. The people inside the carriage were. Dead men, women and Monsters. A trail of red ran in their wake.
"The hell is that?"
"Sanctioned sacrifices." Cassidy said before clicking his teeth.
Then he turned and left as if he didn't just say one of the wildest things Claude had ever heard.
The two hit the ground below soon after and Cassidy began speaking to Rollan.
"What is it looking like, Monsieur?"
"I don't know."
Cassidy stepped forward, "There's only one place that does sanctioned sacrifices of human beings openly. Its for that damn batgod. They worship him, and apparently, he rewards them all."
Rollan nodded as if he caught on, "Oui, that's right. I guess we could have traveled such a distance, no?"
"Sacrifice..... we're in Camaco?" Ursula said, causing everyone to look at her.
"[Ahhhh-- Ursula's father. He was a Vampire Specialist. So naturally, she's probably been in the land of the bat god, Camazotz.]"
The pieces came together in Claudes head, the dead people. The winged creature statues on the wall. They were miles away from a place he knew very little of. Once named after the place of the Mexica people, and newly made as the place of Camazotz.
They've come a long way.
"It doesn't sound like a good idea to go in there." Claude said.
"Eh." Cassidy shrugged, "The place is modern civilization-- they just have different practices. I mean after all, we ain't in New Gloria anymore."
"So, what's the move?" Ursula asked.
"We need armor and items." Claude said, seemingly answering her question fully.
"And after we get that from..... Camaco, let's say it goes smoothly, then what?" Ursula asked. "We can't be Nomads forever."
"I know." Claude said.
"Well..... ehhh... my home is no more. It's too close to the crash site. I need a new grove elsewhere, hm?" Rollan said.
Cassidy found Claude watching him next, "I'm simply going with the flow."
"The flow can be quite eventful.." Ma said as she hovered over Claude.
That left only him and Ursula. Ursula really.
There was only one real destination after all this.
"Once we hit Camaco, we go to back to New Gloria, The Angelos District. SkyHaven to be exact."
Ursula's eyebrows raised at his words, "What about the Detectives-- Ronin??"
Cassidy chuckled, "I'm gonna pretend I didn't just hear you namedrop the strongest Hero on earth."
"The point still stands.... we're fucked." Claude said.
"On land." Rollan said casually.
Cassidy began laughing hysterically, "HAHA-- Y'all never cease to amaze me."
"What do you mean by that?" Claude asked.
"You ever been in a boat, Monsieur?"
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
_Avatar0FFury_
_Avatar0FFury_ UH OH! These boys done made it to mexico. Anyway lmk what you think of this chapter, hope you enhoyed. Thanks for reading and thanks for the powerstones Sonuis, Shazcam, train_master, Demosura, Bored_Soule, Bop_, Alex99, shadowwolf1928, Ominous_Reader, BlackRabbit_4378, Drachenk1nd, NLinCH, Alex_Bsjs, Fuang, TheLucidParagon, and N0X3N_92
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