章 58: Chapter 56

As we thirteen hunters set out, I couldn't help but feel the long repressed anger, bloodlust, and restlessness I'd kept bottled up as well as I could since Oncli's death. And it wasn't only that, but also a need that I felt outside of my thirst for revenge. I needed to move, to act, to do something other than sit on my laurels and slowly grow. Instead, I needed to find ever more powerful prey and use them to catapult myself ever higher, ever stronger, ever closer to my goals.

As I'd spent more time thinking of what or who Nievtala might be, I realized I didn't mind leaning more into understanding and worshipping this being, given she gave me literal power. If to be a Keel I needed only say "Praise Nievtala" and keep killing things… that was an existence I could look forward to being, even though it was so different from what I had been before. Maybe, as the [Administrator] said, I had a true Keel's mentality, and I could accept that.

Regardless of why I felt that way, I needed to kill something, and if it was a terrorbird, all the better. I needed to hunt either two or three more creatures, and then I would get another [Quest]. My compulsive need to get stronger was beginning to overcome even other desires. I hadn't even been a keelish for a full moon, yet I was beginning to feel my rage towards Viilor cool. Yes, if I saw him, I would end his life, if I could, but no longer was his face twisted in pain the last thing I could think of at the end of the day. Instead, my thoughts revolved around how to grow, how to raise the rest of my pack successfully, and my ever growing desire to conquer.

I knew, without the slightest shadow of a doubt, that I didn't have the slightest chance of being successful, yet I still needed to remind myself regularly that I couldn't challenge Redael for leadership of the swarm. That I had a [Quest] with particularly noteworthy rewards for gaining control over only 15% of the swarm burned within me even more strongly. I couldn't say what exactly it was that dictated these changes within me, if it was just that I'd become a [System] user and could thus see a path to progress, or my keelish body, or whatever else, but as time passed on, I was more and more accepting of that part of me. Perhaps this was a part that the human me had always tamped down, but now, I embraced it, fed it, and caused it to flourish.

Eventually, I pulled myself from my musings to focus on the hunt. No members of the pack had seen any terrorbirds since Oncli's death, and the creatures were migratory within the areas they claimed as their hunting grounds, so it was no surprise. This was where Foire would best be able to shine, though. He had acquired his [Skill] I'd given the briefest advice about, and it would greatly assist him in being able to detect our prey long before it could locate us.

Once we'd entered into the jungle proper where we had been attacked by the terrorbird before, Foire began to climb the tallest tree nearby. As he did so, the rest of us assumed a defensible position, keeping all eyes peeled and looking out for anything nearby. After all, the area also had Martanimis Pythons, and a wolfstag pack wouldn't be totally unimaginable. While a dulgar wouldn't come out and attack us, we needed to ensure we didn't step into any of their pitfalls since their colonies were nearly impossible to spot unless you were attacked by one.

After a couple minutes' wait, Foire descended from the tree.

"I didn't see anything, but there is something in that direction." He pointed, and looking at the position of the moon, we were headed to the west, further away from the den than we had ever been. Foire was now able to "see" further than the rest of us, as well as to pick up impressions of the far off presence of larger creatures. Near as I could tell, he could generally sense the existence of something the size of an adult wolfstag from somewhere from one to three miles away, even through the dense foliage of the jungle, so long as he was able to scale high enough.

With Foire's guidance, we set off in the direction of what I hoped to be a terrorbird. We made our way while focusing more on keeping ourselves hidden than making quick time. Terrorbirds hunted and preyed on keelish frequently, so they must have had some way of detecting a keelish's presence. I couldn't say that I knew if they could see in the dark, smell, or had keen hearing, but whatever it was, ideally we would be able to know where it was before it knew about us.

After about 15 minutes, we had traveled, near as I could estimate, a mile. Once we'd gone that far, Foire once again scaled a tree, and again, after a couple of minutes, he came down with general directions before we set off under his lead. This happened a third time, but Foire returned to the ground quickly, nearly as soon as he'd fully ascended the tree.

"Close. That direction, only one. Something else is further than that, but not close enough to interrupt the hunt." His report given, he looked to me for instruction. The hunt was going to begin.

"Took and Brutus will lead out, with me just behind them making sure neither get picked up and taken away. Foire, you will lead Percral and two others around left, Ilne, you take the rest and circle around the opposite direction. Once the prey begins to engage with us in the front, you two will lead your packs to close in on the flanks. Make sure to come at the same time, and immediately after we engage. Even if you don't see us, you will be able to hear it. The longer you take, the more likely something will go wrong. Now, everyone silent until we engage."

With my final words, there were no questions, just immediate obedience. The three groups stayed together for a short time before Foire gestured for his and Ilne's groups to break off and begin their flanking. Took, Brutus and I slowed, keeping our eyes peeled for whatever it was that remained hidden within the jungle before us. I, preparing myself, began to funnel magic from my sonilphon to my throat, preparing a concussive blast for whatever it was that laid before us.

My magic was beginning to reach its terminal point within my throat when I noted a quickly approaching warm body. Whatever it was, it had noticed us, and a massive body rushed close, smashing through the undergrowth towards us.