Chapter 48: Chapter Sixteen
Stone and his men relentlessly made their way back towards the Main Army's Camp. They continued slapping the reigns of the Burrcats, not bothering to stop to recuperate even for a while. Unlike the optimistic Kael, he did not believe those beastmen stood a chance against the humans. There was no way they'll be able to win against those numbers, now that Commander Azura was gone. The best course of action now was to go back and report this incident to the General. Although this may seem cowardly, this was his task as the Captain of the Scouts.
"Captain, can't we rest for a bit?" Molith complained. She was huffing as she desperately clung to her mount. For some reason she could not explain, strength kept seeping out of her entire body.
Stone noticed it too. Even he was finding it hard to keep moving onward, as though an invisible force was sucking away his mana. If this went on, he would eventually lose consciousness and collapse.
"We're not stopping," said Stone. He slapped the reigns, the burrcat neighed, and they sped up through the plains. The grasses swayed westward from the assault of the wind. "We need to reach the main camp as soon as possible and report everything to the General."
There was something peculiar about that town – about those humans.
Damn it. If only Commander Azura listened to me. If only I didn't tell him that the Human Commander is probably stronger than him. Then maybe…
Stone regretted the fact that they did not wait for the reinforcements to arrive. The additional one thousand beastmen would have made a tremendous impact in the outcome of the battle. Against such number, the previous tactic of surprise ambush, using only a handful number of soldiers in the middle of the forest, would have been near impossible to successfully pull through.
So in the end, your foolishness was your bane, Commander.
Stone clicked his tongue. Dead men tell no tales. He had to live and fully recount the details of this battle.
"Salith!" A shout reverberated.
Stone looked back and saw that his men stopped in their tracks. And he immediately saw the reason why. Salith was lying on the grass-carpeted ground, her chest rising and falling down repeatedly. She kept clutching her chest, her body squirming every now and then. He pulled the reigns of his mount and halted.
"Salith!" Molith jumped down her mount and crouched next to her twin sister. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"
Salith turned over and vomited on the ground. "Go on without me. I'll stay here and rest."
Stone approached his men. He crouched down and touched the chest of Salith. He frowned. He turned to the two remaining beastmen. "Tell me, are you two experiencing it too? The sensation of your mana being slowly pulled out of you."
The two beastmen momentarily widened their eyes. The description of their Captain was spot on.
"Yes." They both bobbed their heads.
Stone groaned. He realized that all of them have been poisoned. But how did their enemy do it? He racked his brain but could not find the reason how.
"We'll make camp here," he said finally. "I'm not sure what kind of poison those humans used on us, but one thing is sure – it's continuously sucking away our mana."
Stone took out a vial from his pouch. Molith stared at it.
"Make her take a sip of this thing here," said Stone.
Molith froze. "B-But Captain! That's a paralyzing potion!"
Stone nodded. "Exactly. This thing blocks the flow of mana in the body of those who drinks it. It's the same paralyzing potion I gave that old man before. The poison inflicted on us sucks away our mana. If this is true, then this paralyzing potion should temporarily halt the progression of the disease. It won't cure it, but it'll make us last until we arrive at the Main Camp."
The theory of the Captain made sense. As expected of the Captain of the Scouts – he immediately formulated a solution to the problem despite not knowing the exact poison inflicted on them.
Molith's hands shook as she helped Salith take a sip from the vial. Seconds passed and turned into minutes. The effect of the paralyzing potion became apparent. Although Salith was unable to move, the symptoms from before had significantly lessened somewhat.
It seemed that the mana blocking effect of the potion counteracted the poison inside Salith's body. Molith sighed in relief upon seeing this.
"Thank you, Captain," she said.
Stone looked at the sky. It was already dusk. Although he still wished to move back to the main camp, the current circumstances did not permit him to. He was trying his best to not show it, but he could also feel the effects of the poison inflicted on them. He did not wish to take the paralyzing potion as temporary antidote, since it would slow him down tremendously. He decided to save it as last resort.
"Pitch the tent." He said to Molith and the other beastman. "I'll prepare our meal."
"Understood!"
Despite their sluggish movements, the three started to move.
Stone made campfire and started roasting the tiny piece of meat jerky they have left. He mixed it with the remaining water from his flask and made a soup. This was the last food they have remaining. Unfortunately, aside from the birds that have been hovering above them for quite some time now, there were no animals around. Stone wished the Gods would at least provide them with a hunt – even a rabbit or a frog would suffice.
Inside his mind, he cursed the damnable humans for burning the rations down. Resisting the unknown poison would have been easier with a full stomach.
While they were eating their meal, Molith asked Stone, "Captain, once we get back to the main army…" She paused after almost swallowing her next words, "We'll be executed, wouldn't we?"
Stone stared straight at her eyes. He could see the fear inside. He decided to be honest to the lizard. "Most probably, Yes."
Although they fled the battle for the sake of reporting back, it was still an act punishable by death. Stone already knew the outcome of his decision the moment he decided to flee from that nightmare.
"But worry not, Molith," said Stone. "I will ask the General to spare the three of you. After all, it was my decision as your Captain that made you flee that battlefield."
Stone's subordinates immediately protested. They almost dropped the bowl of soup they held in their hands.
"I won't allow that!" shouted Molith. "It's obviously the fault of Commander Azura! Why should the Captain be executed because of that musclehead's—"
"—Enough!" interjected Stone. "The rules of the Third Legion are absolute! As long as the General receives my message, I don't mind being executed afterwards! This is my pride as the Captain of the Scouts!"
Molith seemed not convinced. Stone reiterated, "Listen. We're still not safe until we reach the main army. Those humans are probably searching for us even now. In the event that I die, it'll be your duty to pass on what we've found out about those humans. Make sure the General does not take them lightly. Don't let him make the same mistake as Commander Azura. Do you understand?!"
Molith willed back the tears from her eyes. Unable to utter a word, she simply nodded her head once.
Stone finally sighed in relief upon seeing it. He wished that his body would last longer. He wished it'll be able to keep going at least until they reached the main army. Even now, he could feel his mana leaking out of his body.
The symptoms are really similar to Magic Poisoning. But it doesn't make sense. How did those damnable bastards poison us?
Several questions kept popping inside his head, but he was unable to answer all of them.
He noticed that all of his men have fallen asleep already. They were probably greatly affected by the poison, more than he thought. He wryly smiled. "I guess I'm tonight's watch."
Stone gently carried the sleeping members of his team inside the tent. Looking at them, he felt like a father. If he had a child, would it be like this?
Stone smiled.
Upon getting out of the tent, Stone heard the chirping of birds above. He frowned. He was sure those things were the same birds from before.
Why do they keep following us?
An idea dawned to him.
He shuddered.
What if those birds have been keeping watch on their group this entire time?
Stone shook his head. Impossible. Animal tamers capable of such an advance skill were rare even in the United Grakas Alliance. There was no way they would encounter a human with those same skills in that desolated town. At most, the best those couriers could do was deliver messages.
I must be getting paranoid. Damn it.
Stone shook off the thought from his mind. He breathed in the cold breeze of the night then sat down cross-legged on the grass-carpeted ground. He closed his eyes as a part of his consciousness stayed awake and kept watch.
Footsteps?
Stone opened his eyes and grabbed his scimitar. He looked around. No one was there. Only the grasses, which swayed left and right from the wind, were in sight.
"Oh, are they sleeping? Those companion of yours." A chilly voice was heard. "What a pity. But I guess this is enough for now."
Stone unsheathed his weapon. "Who are you? Show yourself!"
There was momentary silence. Stone was sure that the owner of the voice was staring straight at him. "Thankfully, the poison's been effective thus far. It would have been hard to catch you guys if you kept moving forward."
"Show yourself!" shouted Stone. Behind him, he could feel that his comrades started waking up.
"You used a similar magic to infiltrate my territory, didn't you?" said the voice. The anger within it was palpable. "Not only that. You dared harm my people."
Without warning, a fist struck Stone's face. His neck bent sideways, his body conceded, and he flew and rolled through the ground several times. The impact was so tremendous that he felt numb all over. It was though he was struck with a sledgehammer.
By now, his men have woken up from all the clamor. They went out of their tents and upon seeing their Captain sprawled on the floor, they immediately pulled out their weapons.
Stone wanted to warn them – to tell them to run, but only inaudible words came out. If only he was in perfect condition, then escaping would be possible.
But I still have to try.
Just when he was about to cast his invisibility magic, vines popped out of the ground and ensnared his legs. He tried pulling them out but failed.
Stone instinctively looked up. He shuddered when he saw several swords made of fire hovering above. He knew to whom those things were pointed to.
"Run!" He shouted.
But it was too late.
The swords of fire shot at his men, piercing their chests. As though that was not enough, their bodies were soon engulfed by flames. Their cries and wails echoed as the flames licked their bodies. Eventually, they fell down the ground, scorched and lifeless.
Stone noticed that the tent where Salith was recuperating was also on fire. For a moment, he heard a cry for help coming out of it.
Stone clenched his fists. He felt powerless. He could do nothing but watch as his men succumbed to their banes. Even now, he could not pull himself out of these shackles.
"The old man you took hostage before," said the voice. "He's someone like a family to me, you see."
Stone could feel the hatred directed at him.
Slowly, a figure manifested himself right in front of him. A human. A young man with short silver hair and cold, blue eyes.
Upon locking eyes with the human, Stone froze. He could not move even his fingertips. Was this magic, or was this absolute fear after seeing those predatory eyes? He was not sure.
"I still need your head so I won't be burning you," the human whispered in his ear. "But the same isn't true with the rest of your body."
The human took out a small seed from his pouch. His hand blurred and it pierced through Stone's chest, along with the seed. Stone tried screaming in pain but no words came out. Inside his body, he could feel the seed forming roots and expanding. It was as though several worms were continuously squirming inside him. It was a disgusting feeling.
"Flowers," said the human. "Bloom for me."
On cue, the roots of the seed expanded further. They pierced through the different parts of Stone's body, eventually forming vines and leaves. Seconds lingered and flowers started blooming. A sweet fragrance wafted through the air.
Aside from the head, the entire body of Captain Stone had turned into a plant. A beautiful one filled with fragrant flowers.
The human pulled out his sword and cut off the lizardman's head. He then placed it inside a small sack.
He sighed. "It took me almost three days to catch these guys, huh?"
He looked up. The night sky was moonless tonight.
"I should head back. It's just about time for my reinforcements to arrive."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone