Chapter 32 - 32: Making Enemies Part 3

The sun had just began to set when Aron, Jagu and Jin finally began roaming the forest below the airship for the exact coordinates they were looking for.

"The coordinates aren't very clear either but I assume we're within five hundred meters of it." Aron paused for a little while they were walking and pointed out as he closed the map Scarlett had roughly sketched for them.

"That's not a bad distance, we can split up and cover more ground until one of us gets lucky enough to find whatever it is we're looking for." Jin suggested and Aron began to ponder while looking around for any clue he could use but suddenly Jagu stepped forward and began sniffing the air around them.

"It's eighty seven meters that way,do you not smell it?" Jagu asked causing Aron to turn in the direction he pointed out. Aron then looked in the air from that direction before furrowing his brows.

"A pungent smell of blood." Aron answered Jagu causing him to smirk and nod.

"Not bad human, you have a good nose." Jagu complimented him before he began walking in the direction of the scent he had picked up.

Unknown to Jagu and Jin, Aron like most beast mongers had incredible senses. So much so that in his case most of the time he'd dull them himself, leaving only his sight and hearing while dulling his touch, smell and taste for convenience.

The closer Jagu, Jin and Aron get to the origin of the pungent smell, the more alert they became. No one had pointed out about the change in the atmosphere but it was very apparent from everyone's change of expression.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the source of the pungent smell, a cave. On the outside it looked quite beautiful and even homely but if one paid close attention they'd notice something was off about the area and that was exactly the case with Jin who always paid extra attention to his surroundings.

"Talk about creepy, I found it a bit odd that a forest this rich in vegetation didn't have a single animal in sight. But the more I look at that cave the more I want to go in, like it's drawing me in some way." Jin's explanation caused Aron to only ponder for a moment before he came to possible conclusion.

"If it's what I think it is, then everyone may want to be on high alert and stick close.

Until we're sure we can only proceed cautiously, however if you feel anything that is as much as that it's close to you...strike first" Aron advised before removing one of his arcane guns from their holster and proceeding forward towards the cave with a small smile on his face and a faint glow in his eyes.

Jagu's ears flattened and his fur seemed to rise a bit all over while the pupils of his eyes became thinner as he followed Aron from behind. Jin only took a deep breath and muttered something in a low tone before performing an odd hand gesture and following as well.

Upon entering the cave, a cool wind breezed by the group causing them to each glance at each other for moment before proceeding.

Despite the inside of the cave being pitch black, none of them bothered to mention the need for light and continued walking nonetheless.

As they went deeper into the cave, they began to see more traces of blood and dead animals parts hung all over, from the ceiling to the walls. The source of the pungent smell now becoming clear.

"Not exactly welcoming, I don't think I've ever heard of a creature that does this." Jin commentated while letting out a sigh.

"Quite a few do this actually but not so openly, there's definitely something odd here." Aron replied in a unfazed tone as the group continued to delve deeper into the cave, passing numerous diverging tunnels and only going where the smell of death was strongest.

After walking for about two kilometers, they came to a halt near two large stone doors with many strange markings written in blood on them. By the side of the door there was also two dimly lit candles, the only light Aron and the group had come across since entering the foul cave.

"Seems we've reached our destination." Aron muttered momentarily before continuing forward towards the two large stone doors.

"I'm not sure what to say about how calm you are about this situation should be reassuring or worrying." Jin added before following him while Jagu shrugged and chuckled confidently.

"I doubt we'll find anything we can not kill." Jagu uncaringly commented before all three held the two large stone doors and pushed.

The stone doors moved slowly and with much friction against the ground as they slowly revealed a dimly lit hall.

Aron was the first to enter and upon doing so immediately began looking around the strange room. Everything present within from large odd pillars to a strange altar at the centre was made of the exact same stone material that covered the entirety of the cave.

Soon Jagu and Jin walked in as well and went to stand beside Aron while also scanning the room. The most obvious feature present was the many animal and human body parts scattered and hung all over. The largest heap being the one on the strange altar at the centre of the room.

"This... doesn't look like somewhere one goes to find treasure." Jin began to feel more uneasy about the room the longer they stayed but Jagu simply saw this as being cowardly and laughed.

"You humans fret over the littlest of things, so what if there are dead bodies all over. Whose to say I'll join them." Jagu confidently declared when all of a sudden the large stone doors they came through slammed shut.

At that exact moment, all three turned around at the exact time and wore serious expressions while reaching for their weapons. Their gazes however weren't focused on the stone large doors but instead two pitch black circles on the ground near them.

The circles continued to expand until suddenly a pale white hand with darkened spots emerged from each one. Not long after that, an entire body crawled out from one circle while another soon emerged from the other.

Both figures had slightly humanoid appearances. The one to the right was roughly 8 feet tall and had its back arched. Its face had only long curved horns where one would expect to find its eyes with no nose but it did have an oddly shaped mouth that exposed its sharp teeth.

It's hands looked like that of a human but much larger and held a pitch black bell with a long rope attached to it of the same colour. Then for its legs, they were joined oddly like a deer's hind legs then lastly a long reptilian tail with a spiked end.

The figure to the left was more or less the same except it stood upright and its face was completely covered by a bloody cloth with a spiked wire crowning its head. Another feature that separated these two odd creatures was that the one to the left had four arms, the two lower ones held two pitch black blades while the left upper hand held a strange ceremonial object while it's right upper hand had a long black staff that was even longer than it's body with a cross at the helm.

"Krish.....Sha....Su....Graku...." The two creatures voices echoed through the room in unison as they muttered these strange words while looking at Aron, Jin and Jagu.

"What are those things." Jagu asked as he gave them an odd look and prepared to attack. Jin only shook his head before turning to Aron who had his eyes dead set on them.

"They don't match any creature I've read about in any index and the ring isn't responding either...' Aron pondered before firmly gripping his arcane gun.

"I've never read about such a creature and it's mana is... just fight like your life depends on it. Never underestimate an unknown.." Aron advised before pointing his arcane gun forward and pulling the trigger.