Page 91 of When Eden Falls

At the top of the vast incline, a towering face of yellow rock protruded from the ground, creating a natural fork in the path. To the left, the ground began to descend deeper into the forest, following the line of the rockface. To the right, the ground rounded down a couple of metres before levelling out to a flat plain of yellow and red soil.

Following Zamya and Oz through the trees, we headed down the bank to the right. An opening appeared, and as we stepped into the late afternoon sunshine, I realised we were in a wide ravine. The ground beneath us was cracked and rippled, as if it had once been the bed of a fast-flowing river. The area was sparce expect for the odd lone tree. Either side, tall trees loomed at the very top of the rockface high above. The rockface itself was at least ten metres high, stretching along the area for miles. For some reason, I didn’t feel safe down here. It was too open, too exposed.

The ground crunched under foot as we followed Rooke and Kobe. They were a fair distance ahead. The two Akquarian warriors, who had been heading the group with Llexzus and the guide, passed us, heading back to Dybgo, rotating their position as they constantly did.

A cool breeze whipped through the ravine, cooling my sweaty forehead. Oz stopped to take a swig of water, whilst Zamya and Cora bent down over a cluster of plants. Vaguely registering their conversation about the flower being an unknown species, and why it had been left uneaten when everything else had been devoured, I noticed Rooke and Kobe standing up ahead, peering up at the rockface in front of them.

“Where’s Llexzus and the guide?” I called to Rooke.

“Up there,” he gestured to the top. “He must’ve sensed something. They told us to wait here while they check the area.”

“We’re going up there?” I shouted, eyeing the looming rockface. The surface wasn’t completely vertical but there was a lack of obvious footholds and areas to easily climb, especially near the bottom.

“The river is a few miles on the other side.”

I glanced along the dried-out riverbed, wondering if it led to the river we were looking for. Surely, that would be the easier option. But before I questioned it, a hissing yelp caught my attention. Zamya was peering at her finger as if she had pricked it on the flower stem.

“I told you to put gloves on,” Cora said, kneeling on the floor with her backpack open. “It could be poisonous. I thought you were the one who’s overly paranoid about those types of things.”

“Ha ha.” Zamya stuck out her tongue. “I’ve got antiseptic cream somewhere. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Amused by their behaviour, I walked back to them. Watching Cora pull thick gloves over her hands, then delicately placing the strange purple flower into a glass pot, I noticed movement from where we’d emerged from the forest. I frowned, realising Dybgo and the Akquarians were nowhere to be seen. Flicking my eyes back to the top of the rockface, I scoured the trees wondering where Llexzus was.

Paranoia struck me hard. This didn’t feel right.

“Where are the Akquarians?” I said to nobody in particular. I glanced back to the forest opening and could’ve sworn blind I caught a glimpse of Llexzus and his scheming grin, disappearing moments before two large, yellow scaled-backed Igknamai stalked down the bank towards us.

I froze, trying to find my breath. “Cora. Get up. Now!” My tight tone caught her attention more than my words did. Following my gaze, I heard her curse on a sob.

“Rooke!” I shouted, aware Oz was now aiming his large gun in the direction of the beasts, taking slow, steady steps backwards.

“What do we do?” Oz called back to Rooke.

We all paused in suspense, watching the beasts slowly amble their way onto the flat plain. More appeared behind them.

We did not hesitate when Rooke told us to run.

Reacting to our sudden movement, the Igknamai roared. I grabbed Cora’s arm and launched into a sprint, but Cora’s small body seemed to drag.

“My bag,” she cried.

“Leave it!”

Oz shot a cluster of lasers towards the monsters gaining on us, turning to run as soon as we made it past him. Rooke, Kobe, and Zamya had reached the same rockface Llexzus had climbed minutes prior. Giving her height to access the ragged, overhung area of rock, I watched Rooke lift Zamya up, but she struggled to climb any higher. The yellow stone was brittle underfoot, showering fragments of dust and sand down onto Rooke and Kobe.

The ground thundered beneath my feet. I didn’t dare look back to see how many Igknamai were chasing us down. But Cora did. She whined a sob at the sight, moments before she tripped, taking me down with her.

Hitting the floor with a jolting thud, I flipped my body over, placing myself between Cora and the approaching monsters. Dislodging my gun from my belt, I shot several bullets at them, trying to halt their approach long enough for Cora to get back on her feet. Thankfully she righted herself quickly. I heard her boots accelerating away from me, leaving clouds of dust in her wake.

I smelt the stench of Igknamai breath as one came too close for comfort. I only just made it back onto my feet when its jaws snapped at my backpack. It forcefully tugged at the fabric and for a split second, I was moving backwards instead of forwards.

Fighting the panic overcoming my rationale, my fingers fumbled for the harness around my waist. Unclipping the fastening, I released my arms from the straps and sprinted for my life, leaving my bag in the jaws of the Igknamai.

As I ran, strange wisps of wind passed by my ears, causing me to flinch. I could’ve sworn something was being hurled at me from the sky. But I didn’t look up. It would only slow me down, and I could hear another Igknamai hot on my heels.

Relief jabbed at me as Rooke and Oz pulled Cora up onto the rockface. She was safe. But from the look Rooke threw me, I knew the Igknamai behind me was too close to outrun. He pulled out his gun, but the reluctance to use it was evident, not wanting to hit mein the attempt to stop it. Not that guns seemed to be of any use against these beasts anyway.

Remembering my gift from Havav, my hand reached down to the dagger at my side. As I ripped it from my belt, I heard the beast’s galloping feet leave the floor. Projecting onto the sparce ground beneath me, its shadow engulfed mine. I tried to ignore how colossal it looked in comparison; how close it was.