26 Strange Noises (2/2)
SSSSShhhhhssssssss....
The long dragging hiss came again! Lineir became a statue as he listened intently, trying to figure it out.
”Whatever it is can't be that large... there's no room” He started taking small steps, quietly making his way around the corpse. Eventually, he found his way around and saw... Nothing! There was nothing behind the corpse. But where the hell was the sound coming from then?
SSSSShhhhhssssssss....
Lineir paled. The sound had come from behind him. Whirling around, his bone scythes came out to find... just the scaly hide of the dead False Water Serpent, riddled with gaping holes.
”There's nothing here, the False Water Serpent is clearly dead. What is making that noise!” Frustrated, he delivered a thunderous kick to the dead serpent's hide.
”This is your fault!” he shouted aloud.
”Why'd you have to try and eat me huh? I was just trying to hunt a first tier magical beast and you had to go and eat me alive! That hurt!” He slashed the hide with his scythes, but it was to little effect, even dead the scales were hard as rock.
CLANG! The bone blades bounced off, but they made a loud noise. At the same time, the hissing came again only to cut off abruptly.
SSSSShhhhhssssssss....hhhaaaaah!??
Lineir unable to tell where the noise was coming from backed up from the corpse and crouched next to the wall, ready for anything. Strange popping noises appeared, and the corpse began to shift and wriggle as if something was inside it.
”Mei, please help me out, I could really use a sword right now!” As Lineir entered legitimate danger, black liquid quickly flowed out in small streams and the sword appeared once again in his hands.
”I hope whatever it is eats you!” No advice came from Mei, though it was clear from her actions that she wasn't angry enough to let him fight weaponless. Lineir however already had his own plan of action. Inching on tip toe, he made his way with utmost care around the corpse. If he could just get to the entrance of the cave, he might be able to climb out! While it was a steep and sheer cliff, with his bone scythes to stab into the rock, let alone Mei's sword, and his increased endurance, he felt with reasonable confidence that he wouldn't fall to his death.
”Even if I fall... it's still better than getting eaten right?”
As he had almost made it past the corpse, he had just reached the gaping hole where the neckhad been torn off, the corpse suddenly rippled violently from a great force.
SQUELCH, SQUELCH, BOOM!