Chapter 11 - Eleven (1/2)

I was livid.

I have been following them for a week already. I barely ate, I barely slept, and my endurance for those went sky-high. But I didn't even look at them, my focus was on not losing their tracks, no matter what, even when it stormed, even when they set traps on their path, even if I knew that they were aware of me following them.

I didn't care.

I was a pure pool of lava boiling and wanting to explode.

I didn't like needless killing, I really didn't, but this humans were tempting fate.

I talked with the Voice of the Night yesterday, and there was no time to learn new skills; so we review what I had, forming plans on what to do.

We first watched the camp at night; and discovered that first, they had stopped to mount a trap for me, knowing that I would go save my brother.

The few seconds I passed at their presence revealed more of my skills that I felt comfortable with, but no good would come from overthinking it.

Second we discovered that they were drugging my brother meals, the bastards, but he wasn't eating, the smart boy, though it was still bad since he will be weak from hunger…

Focus, focus.

I have been cracking my brain up this past few days thinking how to get him out of there. I gathered information on the humans passing, and most of them wouldn't be a problem, especially for my speed combine with my sneak.

The biggest problem was if any of the humans were higher level than me, and stayed hidden inside the camp, and the other is if they found us out inside and my brother was too weak to move, and last but not least, how to open his cage, which seemed to be made from the same material than the net.

Other thing to search about later.

Bloody hell, there was only one way that I may have any chance in succeeding; and a very risky one at that. Trying to get in unnoticed, even if they were expecting me, and know some of my stealth skills.

Great, just great.

I hunted a little before tonight, staying in the same spot the rest of the day, watching once again the camp; the only good news is that they though I gave up, and weren't exception me as much, after all, I tried my best to not let any tracks around by staying still a lot, and carcasses were few.

When the almost all black moon appeared, I moved. With my belly down, ears to the back, I walked slowly and in synch with the wind.

Step step, stop. Rustling, listen. No movement, paw paw.

The encampment wasn't too well prepared, apparently it wasn't a permanent one, using tents and some rudimentary wooden structures, like towers and whatnot. It was well illuminated though, but there were some blind spots here and there that I already memorized.

I didn't use any of my magical abilities yet, with my MP and the numerous wrong things that could happen, I must be prepare to fight.

Against the entire camp.

Just great.

There were people talking inside the little tents, some snoring while others were drinking around and eating their fill. My brother was right at the center, below the biggest wooden tower out of five, and the most illuminated one as well.

It would be great if I could turn than off now wouldn't it?

Ding – Magic learned – Fire Manipulation 1

Well, some surprises come for good, I suppose. Staring at the flames I was able to low the torches into an almost nonexistence flame, good enough for me to quickly pass.

When I arrived at the cage I used all my willpower to contain a growl. My brother was skin and bones, laying still in the middle of a bronze cage. There were other cages too, and other magical creatures, but most were sedated by whatever they putted on the food.

”Pss. Brother” I said low, receiving a blinking gesture in return from his motionless body. Well, seems like it didn't matter if he ate or not at the end; but why treat him like this? To attract me here? Wasn't he valuable as well?

I went close to the cage, but still far in the shadows. The only way to open it was using the padlock, but the same strange material was used in it. Of course it wouldn't be that easy, otherwise my brother would have escaped on his on a long time ago.

Keys, I need to find them.

”Brother, brother, hey, I need your help little brother, were are the keys? Who has the things that open up the cage?”