Dharen waited silently, holding his breath. From the treetops above, a violent rustling could be heard. A cacophony of shrieks split the air, only to be cut off - one by one. Soon, the only sound that spilled forth from between the gaps in the leaves was the violent gnashing of teeth and the dripping of blood.

Still, he waited.

Dharen looked to his side, nodding to the single Nulzan that had been chosen to accompany him on his hunt. The chieftain, who Dharen had learned was named Tkzcht (unfortunately, the name didn’t really translate properly), had requested his aid as a show of good faith.

While the humans were assaulting the Nulzan tribe on one front, there was another enemy that was about - one that was perhaps more dangerous. Though Dharen did not know the human term for the beast, Tkzcht had named it with a term that loosely translated to Sky Serpent.

It didn’t take much thought for Dharen to connect the creature to the massive creature that he had hidden from during his initial escape from the jungle. He knew that he would have little chance against such a beast; with its gargantuan growth, it likely possessed a heavily advanced Seed of its own. That, when coupled with what was no doubt a formidable baseline of ability, would have made for a disastrous encounter. Fortunately, the chieftain made it clear that the Sky Serpent that he was to hunt was far smaller, an adolescent that was attempting to stake out its own territory.

Dharen felt a tinge of discomfort in relation to the Nulzan that had been chosen to accompany him. It was likely that the creature was there to evaluate him as a potential ally, but it was quite difficult for him to entirely disassociate from his wariness; he had been running for his life from these very same creatures only a few days ago.

His eyes hardened. Despite his reservations, he knew that obtaining an agreement between himself and the Nulzan would go a long way towards aiding him in exacting vengeance against Duende. The charismatic man had built himself a tower of wealth and influence through his powers; Dharen would be sure to rip it all away before ending the man. He would know the helplessness and frustration of becoming powerless before another. He would know the small death that came in losing everything that he valued, one by one. Then, he would know true death.

His lips twisted into a macabre smile, an evil glint in his eyes.

The gnashing of teeth and tearing of flesh ceased, pulling Dharen away from his bloodthirsty contemplations. Soon, the leaves began to rustle and shake once more, hapless victims of the adolescent Sky Serpent’s passage. Nodding to his temporary companion, Dharen followed in the beast’s wake.

He leapt from branch to branch, clearing huge gaps with relative ease. Behind him, the Nulzan followed. Though it did not have the strength to traverse the jungle in the same manner as Dharen, it had its own methods. The monster swung and scrambled its way across the surface of the Skywoods; its sharp-clawed lower arms gouged into the bark to provide the necessary grip to avoid falling to a sudden and inevitable death below. Meanwhile, it used its more dexterous upper limbs to grab hold of various branches and growths hanging from above, the combination of the two limb types allowing it to journey through areas that would have been impassable for Dharen’s limited hands.

Even so, Dharen began to outstrip the monster over time, as it was slowed by various gaps that he simply leapt past. He curbed his speed, taking a moment to allow the Nulzan to reach him. He held one hand up, clicking softly.

“It is here,” he said.

According to Tkzcht, Sky Serpents were among the strongest monsters that reigned over the nearby jungle. By the time they reached adulthood, they were nigh unchallengeable. However, there was a brief window of time where they were the most vulnerable. When a young Sky Serpent reached early adolescence, it was sent out on its own to stake a claim on its own territory; following that point, the adult Sky Serpent that had fed and protected it would no longer be involved.

It was this very same behavior that led to one of the predicaments that the Nulzan tribe found themselves assaulted by. A juvenile Sky Serpent had chosen their area as its new territory, and was attempting to drive out the Nulzan. Over time, it had been escalating in aggressiveness - it was likely growing stronger as time passed and it hunted more and more creatures.

Having just been witness to the ravenous nature of the beast, Dharen could not argue that point.

They had managed to track the creature over the course of the night. Like the Nulzan, the beast was primarily nocturnal, choosing to spend the majority of its active hours hunting in the darkness. Now, with daylight fast approaching, it had finally returned to its nest.

Dharen had little belief that the Nulzan chieftain valued his life. He saw an opportunity to profit; send the “light-bringer” to defeat a significant enemy for him, in which case he returns victorious, or have him die in the attempt. Either way, the chieftain would lose little. Should Dharen defeat the beast, a large threat would be handled. And should he lose, it would be as if they had never met.

His suspicions were confirmed with the actions of his accompanying Nulzan. The monster had been quiet, nervous. In fact, it seemed to be little more than a youth as well, barely escaped from childhood. It was only the small seed of Fear embedded in its chest that lent Dharen any confidence in his Nulzan ally whatsoever. At the very least, there had to be some manner of competence in an Awakened due to the requisite increase in ability.

Dharen gave himself a final once over. After he had received Tkzcht’s request, he had returned to his buried pack and retrieved a few items that he had acquired. As the Sky Serpent would likely be a highly dangerous opponent, juvenile or not, he had taken it upon himself to upgrade his equipment. Unfortunately, it was more limiting to his mobility than the armor that he was used to, but the size of the creature forced him to make a few sacrifices.

Dharen had taken it upon himself to procure a much-needed upgrade for his armor while he had remained in the city. In order to properly utilize his mobility, and for the purposes of more easily leaving with his newly-acquired gear, he had declined to procure a set of fully metal armor. Even so, he was looking forward to seeing his new equipment in action. Hopefully, the minor enchantment would aid in protecting him from damage.

He replaced his well-worn armor, donning the new gear. He flexed his muscles and moved in various ways, testing the give of the armor. He nodded to himself, satisfied with the exchange of a slight loss in mobility for greater protection.

While still at a manageable distance, Dharen readied Restraint. The heavy warhammer glimmered in the light of the day, defiant of the blood that had so recently consumed it. He frowned, flashes of battle crossing his mind. He activated Miasmic Cloak, taking comfort in the knowledge that his mind was his own. As it will always be, he thought, his mind turning a dark corner.

Despite his sudden urge to slam the warhammer into the nearby trunk in an incandescent rage, Dharen lightly swung it against the bark, exerting just enough force for Restraint’s enchantment to activate. A few swings later, he was ready.

He activated Softstep, careful to prevent any additional sound from leaking with his passage as he approached. The Sky Serpent had formed its nest within a narrow copse of trees, just below the canopy. Branches and saplings formed the aerie, an amalgamation of plant matter that crossed the expanse, coming together and creating a broad platform that floated above the earth.

Dharen stepped onto the makeshift structure cautiously, and then with greater confidence as it fully supported his weight. The Sky Serpent lay just ahead. Sunlight streamed through the leaves, dappling the creature’s scales in a warm glow. The rays reflected off of the surface, forming a shimmering rainbow upon each scale. The beast’s many wings were folded inwards, tucked away as it dozed. It coiled upon itself, its twenty meter length twisted and wrapped into a more manageable size.

Dharen stepped forward once more, weapon at the ready, his Nulzan watcher observing carefully from behind.