Chimaera's Conquest: The Legend Of The Devourer
Chapter 88: Deja Vu (1)

Chapter 88: Deja Vu (1)

In a ragged uniform, a frantic soldier dashed through the dense forest. His breaths came in hurried gasps as he dodged trees and leapt over roots, careful to not make any noise that would attract more trouble towards him.

However, the ones following him didn’t think the same and kept attracting monsters behind them. The soldier didn’t bother looking behind. The constant growls were enough to remind him of his position as a group of tribals rode on the backs of direwolves, chasing him relentlessly.

The soldier’s worn boots pounded against the forest floor, leaves crunching beneath his feet as he desperately ran for his life. His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst out.

But no matter how fast he ran, the tribals on their fierce mounts were hot on his trail. Their shouts to kill echoed through the trees as they slowly closed in on him.

The soldier’s uniform, worn and torn from battles, got stuck to a tree, forcing the man to reveal his injuries as the shirt was torn from his body.

The smell of blood would definitely attract some monsters towards him. But the man couldn’t risk stopping and getting caught by the Banurs chasing him.

With fear etched on his face, he glanced over his shoulder, catching glimpses of the direwolves closing in. Their howls echoed through the forest, and his heart went into overdrive as the man ran with all his might.

The soldier pushed himself, his tired legs barely carrying him through the maze-like forest. However, the tribals, skilled in the ways of the wilderness, showed no signs of slowing down. Direwolves snarled as they got closer to their prey, their pursuit fueled by the thrill of the chase.

The wolves were merely a couple of inches behind the soldier when his luck ran out, and he tripped on a tree root.

Just as the wolves were about to pounce on the soldier, an arrow zipped past his head, striking the ground in front of the pack. The wolves halted, startled by the sudden obstacle.

The riders exchanged a few words before angrily turning around, leaving the man behind. Though the soldier saw the scene out of the corner of his eye, got up and continued to sprint forward, determined to escape.

However, before he could get far, a figure dropped from the trees and hit the soldier across the face, knocking him unconscious.

***

By the time Adrian woke up after their little run around the forest, he found himself being carried by the Tulkas. His limbs had been tied together, and he had been thrown over the back of a horse-like creature, dangling to the side.

’Banurs had better hospitality than them,’ Adrian thought while acting his part to be unconscious.

Their plan had worked, and how he was in the region of the Tulkas, away from the Banurs. However, it was too soon to celebrate.

’Tulkas, a tribe of dark-skinned savages known for their mastery over black magic and ritualistic practices. It won’t be easy to fool them.’

It took a while, but they finally arrived at the settlement. Adrian, however, couldn’t help but be surprised. The Tulkas were a much bigger tribe than the Banurs, but Adrian had underestimated their population.

Furthermore, Adrian quickly noticed that the Tulkas were much more advanced than the Banurs. While the Banurs still lived in tents, the Tulkas had sturdy brick and wooden houses.

They even had a market there. But the most important thing was the Nexarians. There were quite a few of them, actually. Judging by their gear and how they acted around the tribe, it didn’t seem like they were slaves to the Tulkas.

’Shit! At this rate, my cover would be blown!’

Adrian was a hero, not as well-known as others, but he was still a ’celebrity’ among the Nexarians. There was a good chance someone might recognise him, which could jeopardise his mission.

Thankfully, his destination was far behind the tribe’s ’settlement, and the new place seemed fit for slaves. Unlike the settlement Adrian had seen earlier, this place was in poor condition, and he could see malnutrition affecting the people, all of whom had collars around their necks, signifying their status.

It was in that place that Adrian saw a few familiar faces. It took him some time to connect the dots, but his eyes widened when he realised who they were.

They were the missing ’Hero candidates’ that the Church claimed to have died on their mission. But that wasn’t the only surprise – elves and other races like centaurs, and Nagas were also among them.

But there was something else. The once proud and determined individuals he recalled were nowhere in sight. It appeared as though the heroes had been swapped with their shadows, cowering in fear as Tulkas approached.

Still, Adrian had no doubts in his mind that he’d be recognised there. But considering how many of them were there, they might think Adrian was just as unlucky as them, and that would help him stay unnoticed there.

However, there was a whole other question on Adrian’s mind.

’The Tulkas hated the outsiders; that was the justification they used to exile Banurs. But it doesn’t seem like they hate the Nexarians all that much, given how chummy they behaved towards each other.’

Adrian wondered about possible explanations for their friendliness, but his thoughts were cut short when they reached their destination. He was freed from his restraints and slid off the creature’s back, falling like a sack of potatoes.

However, there was no relief for him as one of the tribals grabbed him by the neck and shoved him inside a nearby building. Still acting his part, Adrian didn’t do anything as the tribals then strapped him into a bloodied chair and stripped him of what little he had on his body before leaving him alone in the dark.

[The Entity, The Maiden Stuck Between Love and War, blows a whistle and sponsors 2 stat points to the User.]

’...thanks, I guess?’ Adrian thought, looking around the dark chamber. ’Now, what’s next?’

Just then, he heard a slithering sound and noticed a pair of eyes shining in the dark, staring at him.

’This won’t be fun...’

***

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