208 Sage (1/2)

Karla turned toward Surgit. Her hair had changed color. It was wet and slick from the beast's blood. Her face was smeared too. A fat chunk of meat was stuck beneath her eye.

She wiped it away then smiled at the hunter. Her pearly white teeth were a great contrast to the thick blood that covered her from head to toe.

”I owe you one,” she said, breathing heavily.

Surgit didn't return her smile. He was looking at her arm, frowning heavily. Karla noticed his troubled look then looked at her own arm.

It was still furry. Sharp claws extended all the way to her knees. It looked as though it was retracting, but the transformation was slow.

”What's happening to me?” Karla whispered. Her eyes fixated her beastly arm. Her chest heaved, panting as she struggled to keep her composure.

”Don't panic. I've had this issue before. Only I'd slain many beasts before reaching your stage,” Surgit replied. He tried to sound comforting, but his words only amplified Karla's distress.

”What do you mean it happened before?” she asked in a hysteric voice.

”Later,” Surgit dryly cut in. He sniffed the air then turned to the door behind him. ”There's more trouble beyond this door.”

Karla opened her mouth to speak, but only a cry of pain came out. She shot a sharp look at her arm and saw it retracting. Soon enough, she was back to normal.

After she finally calmed down, Karla looked at the door Surgit was observing. ”It smells worse than ever in there,” she complained, holding her fingers to her nose.

Surgit pricked his ears. ”I hear splashing in the distance. I think I know what lies ahead.”

They went through the door, Surgit holding his sword on one hand, and a torch on the other.

Karla followed closely after him. She was holding her Saif and a pistol.

The door led them to a narrow tunnel, which branched off left and right. Surgit, using his nose as a compass, pointed to the left. ”Through here,” he said in a confident tone.

Karla raised an eyebrow at him. ”How can you be so sure?” she asked.

”The strongest beasts have the foulest scent,” he explained then rushed through the narrow tunnel.

Karla let out a frustrated sigh then hurried after the hunter. ”Why are we looking for the strongest beast again?”

Surgit grunted. ”They guard the lever to the door. If we don't open the door, we can't go deeper into the dungeons.”

The tunnel led them to some kind of sewers. A wide river of blood welcomed them. The putrid smell of blood and rotten flesh made Karla dizzy. It was difficult to breathe in there. Surgit brought the cloth he kept by his neck to his mouth and nose.

Karla, not enjoying this advantage, had to fight to breathe clean air. Inhaling deeply, she almost fainted. The smell had invaded her entire being, making her head turn and her eyes roll to the back of her head. She had to slap herself to stay focused.

Oversized rats, twice the size of the hunters, roamed the bloody river. Their heads tilted from one side to the other as they rubbed their front paws, much like a fly before departing.

Karla winced at the sight. The rats were also emitting eerie clicking sounds that made her hair stand on end. They turned to look at the hunters and screeched.