CHPT 429: Eyes Everywhere

Time was relative. And in relation to the moments shared inside the Tangent, it ran slow. It dribbled on in the stillness like molasses in the winter. Claude didn't like it. He didn't like it's extended state spent staring into the eyes of the Nahual Goblin Boss. It's slitted feline eyes burned with icky magic from the helm of it's jaguar pelt. It ran, gross and mucky like oily fog in the air.

The Boss held no weapons aside from a singular hooked claw on each finger. And it didn't look afraid.

A memory of his thoughts before entering the Tangent resurged. "No hesitation."

He could feel Ursula. She was only moments from the her Berserker's Rage. He needed to move— he needed to be the one to test it's might first.

So he did.

As if to show that his powers were on the verge of some evolution like Arne said, he flicked his fingers. Bent them with a well contained violence that only made it to one hand. And the nature in the distance exploded into action as if he'd just called to it from the deepest and most expressive portions of his soul.

FWWWSSHHSH!!!

The vines that once hung over the cave entrance like curtains rose up like snakes and lunged for the Nahual Goblin, wrapping around it's upper body eight times over. The roots beneath the earth rose up to do the same.

Time was no longer so slow.

Claude was comfortable as he moved on the captured Boss with his spears aimed for it's face.

The closer he got, the brighter it smiled. Such a look didn't match the dead eyes of the pelt covering the rest of its face.

His comfortability faltered in the moments, and outright faded as it spit out a cloud of smoke around itself.

Claude stumbled through it. Unintentionally the smell was so horrible it made his ears sting and eyes water.

Not enough for him to be unable to attack.

FWOOM— FWOOM!

He cut fast and hard, splitting and swirling the clouded mist that reeked of greed and foul rotting breath.

He didn't need the smoke to clear to know the Boss was no more, he could hear it running. His Prey Drive pulled him after the Boss. The others followed behind.

With a high jump, Claude landed on top of the cave. Soft grass grounds welcomed his transformed feet, and his eyes found the Boss immediately.

It was different. No longer green skinned and scrawny. It now ran as a massive Jaguar with vibrant golden spotted fur and sabered fangs. It looked like the real thing…. Only it also didn't.

As he ran after the creature, he found it had hands for feet….. goblin hands. And when it turned to snarl at him, it did from a face less feline than normal. It's long curved nose altered the feline maw and made it horrific.

Just like the SkinWalkers, it had its tells.

And just like before, Claude's Prey Drive was in full swing. Even after so much blood pumping violence already. The hunt pulled at his muscles and lengthened his bones, making each stride longer as he grew taller. The world around him lost importance as his peripheral vision was swapped out for the focus of a predator on the hunt.

The Jaguar tail swung like a hypnotic...

Hypnotic. That wasn't good. Not at all.

Slowly— as the chase ran longer, he found himself beginning to hear Arne's voice. Along with the pack bonds return. The feelings— the visions. He couldn't see himself through their eyes yet they were chasing the same creature…

"[Claude— CLAUDE! You're alone!]" Arne's voice boomed in his mind.

A bit more reason made it's way into his mind as he reached out for the Boss with his Element. Seemingly all of the rainforest in his vision responded.

The leaves atop the tree's extended and spiraled down to grab at the bounding Nahual while the dirt ground shifted and roots rose. Even the bushes exploded in growth to reach the Jaguar.

For a while it dodged the assault mid-run, shifting the shape of different parts of its body to barely slip out of the natural grips. But it couldn't maintain its run. Claude was faster.

The Nahual realized this as it turned, prepared to face Claude in his pursuit only to find him dashing ahead.

SHWIP!

The Nahual fell as the back of it's knees felt the touch of his spears. He could hear the popping of things in the distance.

Claude skidded to a stop in front of the creature and lunged in, punching it in the face. With his spell (Second Frenzy) activated, his attack was doubled. Once in the face and once in the throat.

The Nahual stumbled backward with blood spilling from its busted nose. Through the others eyes he could see the Nahual they chased was no more.

"Nahual's are tricksters…." He reminded himself, angered at the mistake he'd made. Then again, his Prey Drive kind of removed his choice on the matter.

"No more running…" He whispered to the Boss, now physically immobilized and stunned. He could hear Ursula's roars in the distance.

It was then that the Nahual showcased some more of its trickster magic.

It began to multiply right in front of Claude. Like a dozen mirages born from its singular frame. And a dozen more from each one. All the way until he was surrounded by bleeding and broken Nahual Goblins. And that was how it had split the group.

Claude shut his eyes and raised his spear as the collection of Nahuals danced around him. It was a gamble. The Boss was out numbered and Claude's physical stats put him above that of a sneaking trickster. But if it was crafty enough it could play on his predatory instincts. The only issue was it had to decide before two things happened.

Ursula was coming.

And the Goblin was on natural ground. That meant no matter what happened…

FWOOO!

Claude threw his spear with his eyes shut. The weapon whistled through the forest, cutting through Nahual mirages like they were made of colored smoke left to fizzle out in the weapons wake.

SHLK—

"HACGK!" The real Nahual screamed after the spear grazed past it's side and cut open it's arm.

He missed.

But Ursula didn't.

"RRRRRAAAAUGG!!" Ursula roared as she exploded from the surrounding woodland, falling onto the Nahual as if she came from the sky.

Her Berserker's Rage was visibly at its maximum. Shown in her full white eyes and veiny hot skin. The magic of her Lupine transformation gave them a light blue glow. It stood out against her tanned and auburn furred skin.

He didn't get to study much as she grabbed the Nahual by the face with a massive bear-hand and slammed it into the floor repeatedly. Each hit harder than the last and freezing it's blood the second it spilled from the cuts and bruises on its face.

If it went any longer, there would be no Nahual left. Only green skinned paste and Jaguar pelt. That was a problem. They needed the Boss alive to stay the night.

Ursula slammed it again, only this time when it hit the ground, the grass and roots below fastened it to the floor causing Ursula to fail to bring it up again. She growled and punched the floor near it's busted face.

Claude approached her, "Ursu—"

The GiantKiller spun around to face him with her body over the Nahual and roared in his face defensively.

Claude didn't move. Or take his eyes off her own. After a few seconds she dropped hers. Claude closed the distance and with every step she shrunk caught between rage and Lupine pack instinct. She swatted and bit at him. He pressed her, knowing they weren't attacks meant to hit him. Just like when he met the Phantom Wolves.

He could feel how much she didn't want to leave the kill unfinished. He focused on that feeling as he brought her to her feet and grabbed her face. Her skin felt like a fire over an endless glacier.

She was taller than him in her current form…. Heavier too. But somehow she still felt small. She also didn't feel so mindlessly enraged as he looked into her full blue eyes. Even with all her deep cuts and bruises. The Tangent was tough for her. But they did it. She did it.

"Follow the rules, and we'll get home. You worked with me….. we kicked ass." Claude said before adding, "Go. Run. I'll find you."

A bear was a solitary creature.

Then he pushed her away. The rustles and quick movements made by Frosty and the Phantom Wolves in the distance drew her attention and she was gone.

Cassidy and Ma emerged from the bushes behind him.

"Another close one. Feels like maybe there's a god on our side, huh?" Cassidy mentioned before looking at the battered Nahual Goblin.

"Well shit…. Definitely no higher power working for that one."

"Hm. Maybe there is. But we are working harder, right wolfman?" Ma asked.

Claude turned to face them. "Uhhh. From my limited understanding on the whole thing…. I don't think many gods work that hard…. anymore at least. There whole thing is getting people here to work hard for them….. I think."

"[Bloody hell….. young man gets one level away from Gold and begins doubting the gods work ethic.]" Arne scoffed.

"You're right. If I stay on this high horse any longer I'll mess around and jinx us." Claude thought in reply as he picked up the bound and unconscious Nahual.

"[Maybe.]" Arne replied as Claude noticed Cassidy side eyeing him.

"What would you know about the gods?"

Claude turned away from them and began heading back to the boat. An invisible map leading him in his mind. Compass Sense was a beautiful thing sometimes.

"Don't tell me….." Cassidy said in disbelief.

"I won't." Claude replied, still walking ahead.

"Which one?! It's a wolf ain't it? Anubis? Set? Artemis?" Cassidy questioned.

"You'd think none based on how long I've gone without seeing him." Claude thought.

"[Speaking of thinking.]" Arne started. "[Did you notice something different about the GiantKiller?]"

"..."

"[She found the Nahual despite its attempted mirages. She saw it through your Natural Vision i believe….. in her enraged state.]"

Claude nodded, "Makes sense…. We were practicing that in against the horde."

"[That one's going to be trouble when she catches up, mate.]"

Claude adjusted the Nahual on his shoulder and smiled.

"Good."