Chapter 28 - CROSSING THE RIVER (1/2)

As they climb down they could see some weird palm trees and bamboo tress sprouting like mushroom after a rain.

Instead of coconut in the palm tree, there is something red as its fruits. The bamboo tree on the other hand…..is quite normal, like a normal bamboo tree.

'Weird' Azief said whispering under his breath.

But Azief couldn't have the time to check the palm tree instead he arrived at the bottom and begun examining the shores.

The sandy bank of the river overlooking the city.

He climbed down to the bank and look at the city across from where he is standing. He looked at the clear water of the river.

'It has always been brown' Azief said

Sofia nodded as she walked three steps behind Azief, maintaining a lookout. Azief on the other hand is admiring the view.

This is the first time he saw that the Pahang River could be so beautiful.

His mother once told him that when his mother was a child, the colour of the river was clear, blue and beautiful.

But Azief did not had the chance to see the scenery that her mother always talked about because by the time he was born the river turns cloudy and brown.

'So, how do you swim?' Azief asked looking at Sofia. Sofia was dumfounded.

'You don't know how to swim?' she said realizing why Azief is asking her this question.

He shakes his head, confirming Sofia confusion. She could not help but be shocked. This guy is clearly intending to cross the river but he does not know how to swim!

Is he an idiot!

'I thought you said we are going to swim across.' She said trying to calm herself again, by taking a deep breath

'Yes, I did say that.' Azief said as he walk around the sandy bank and his eyes look around left and right, searching for something.

Sofia follows from behind.

'But you don't know how to swim?' Sofia said, her annoyance can slightly be heard in her trembling voice.

'I can learn' he said.

'Now? Right at this instant?'

'Now. Right at this instant' he said. But his eye is still looking around. Azief is of course is not that stupid but he doesn't want to give the satisfaction to Sofia that he is incapable of swimming.

He already has a plan if he could not swim across. Seeing the threat in the river, he of course thinks of other alternative in crossing the river.

He is just messing with Sofia. Looking at the river he also realized a life threatening problem and sooner or later, Sofia would realize it too.

When that time comes he will let Sofia choose. This is his quest and if Sofia get caught up in it she might die, so…..he will ask her later.

When it matters.

'You're insane.' She said exasperatedly

To be honest, Azief once attend swimming lesson when he was in college. It was mandatory really, since his course obligated him to learn swimming.

But he was never any proficient in it.

As long as he keeps paddling his feet and moves his arm he would not drown…..but floating himself on water, he never did get a hang of that.

Azief look at the river again and sighed

Not to mention there is the crocodiles looking at him and Sofia, like they are its meal. At times like these, Azief wanted a skill to know the level of his enemies or at least their rank.

By now, Azief has some understanding of beast. They do not have levels like human but rank.

Ordinary would be like his pet. He could only imagined Ultimate rank beast.

'AH!' Azief remembered something.

'What?' Sofia said shock suddenly hearing Azief yelling. Sofia was looking at the water and thinking how to get across.

She is still annoyed at Azief. She realized that Azief is messing with her, so she focus her mind on other thing, namely on how to cross the river.

'Couldn't I just ask my pet to swim?' Azief said a flash of inspiration. Why couldn't he let his pet swim and he rides from behind.

His pet is also large and could accommodate him.

'Swim' he said to Badge. The badger nodded and then jumps into the water….only to drown.

The badger struggles to move forward and struggle pitifully and Sofia began to worry about his pet.

'Azief' she said, her eyes glaring at him. Fine he thought inwardly

'Return back' Azief said and the portal opens and Badge was sucked into the portal. The portal could be activated if the beast is not that far with the owner.

The higher the rank, the wider the range of summoning or unsummoning.

Summoning would always open a portal behind the owner back but unsummoning could be done from far away depending on the rank of the beast.

'So, that didn't work' he said nonchalantly. Sofia chuckles.

'Did you look at badge face? It was so pitiful.' Sofia then broke into laughter. Azief also cracked a smile.

He also sees the desperate look of his badger. It is kind of funny.

'We make a raft then!' Azief declared and Sofia just nodded. Seeing that Azief gaze always linger round the bamboo tree near the river bank, Sofia already guessed Azief thoughts.

And that is exactly what Azief is thinking

There is bamboo tree nearby so he could just cut that. It also helps if they are attack by the crocodiles.

At least the raft could provide at least some type of protection….no matter how miniscule.

Of course Azief is not entirely ignorant on how to swim it just that he is not confident he could swim that far to the city.

'Can you swim?' Azief asked Sofia. Sofia smirked and then floats.

'I do not know how to swim but I can levitate' she said. One of her skills she got before when she was fighting alongside Azief in the bridge.

One of the skill she got was levitation. She smiles arrogantly, a smug smile, she one upped Azief.

'But you can't move when you levitate right?' Azief said and the arrogant smile in Sofia mouth faltered.

She floats back down, looking annoyed at Azief. Azief just chuckles in satisfaction

'Now, help me make the raft.' Azief said as he walks to the bamboo trees, readying his blade to chop the bamboo shoots.

'Fine' she said.

For hours they worked alongside each other. Azief cut the bamboo shoot while Sofia arranged it.

Sometime the crocodile would try to come to shore but usually Sofia would deter the crocodile by attacking with her rain of arrows.

Then seeing that Sofia does not a thing about how to build a raft Azief orders her to be the lookout.

Sofia was impressed. She didn't know Azief could build a raft since no one teach this in school.

And Azief don't strikes Sofia as an outdoor man or the type of man who likes to do stuff like building stuff.

If anything Azief looks like he hasn't seen the sun for a very long time.

And she is right.

But Azief is a writer, albeit, an amateur writer. Azief had a lot of things in his mind and sometimes the best way to release what he felt in his mind is to write the stuff down.

He joined an amateur writing sites and active in it for a few months before shutting down his account because of the negativity about his story.

He just makes a love triangle and the people flames him from it so he stopped writing….at least he stopped posting it in the site.