Chapter 77: Massive Beasts
The path opened into a wider area where several small ponds could be seen across the landscape. The smallest were mere dimples filled with rainwater, while the largest stretched wide enough that it could fit multiple beings in it.
Beneath the leaves, these pools caught whatever light filtered down, with their surfaces occasionally rippling when disturbed by unseen creatures dwelling within their depths.
Reinhard saw Bumbodusks occupy several of the ponds, their massive bodies half-submerged in the water. They lay completely still with their eyes closed, their breathing slow and deep. The multiple spikes protruding from their backs had water dripping down from them, while their long snouts rested on pond edges or floated on the water.
One particularly large Bumbodusk occupied a pond directly beside the path the trio was walking past. Leading Marie moved quietly and with care while she kept track of the sleeping beast. The Bumbodusk’s breathing continued unchanged, and then Joseph followed Marie’s lead.
Reinhard was walking behind with his attention divided between the immediate path and the peaceful scene of massive predators at rest. There was something almost serene about it, and it helped bring up memories of his little sister Anna showing him paintings of scenes like this. Her favorite painting was countless Phantasm Beasts swimming under a waterfall with humans around, gazing at them.
Maybe one day I can get strong enough to take her to a scene like this.
As they continued on the path, gaps began to appear in the forest floor. The gaps were opening on the ground that revealed darkness below. Some gaps were narrow crevices barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through. Others were substantial openings that descended into shadow, suggesting vast spaces beneath.
Marie’s pace slowed as they passed one particularly large gap. She moved closer to the edge, peering down into the darkness with obvious curiosity.
"I wonder what’s down there." Marie says softly as she slightly leans forward to try to see deeper.
"Maybe an Underground section of the forest?" Reinhard prepose as he stopped next to her.
"There could be entire ecosystems we don’t know about. Maybe beasts and plants have adapted down there... Or might be another path the map isn’t showing." Joseph says while peering down and seeing some flowers on the walls.
Marie’s eyes shine more as she stood there for a long moment, with the desire to explore could be seen from her trembling. But then she sighed, and her shoulders slumped slightly as she straightened and turned away from the gap. "We can’t explore it."
Reinhard smiled as he said softly. "Maybe we can return later one day."
Marie’s head snapped toward him, her entire face lit up with a grin. "Really?"
"Why not?" Reinhard’s smile widened slightly. "Once we’re stronger and more prepared, without anything pressing we need to do. We can have the exploration of the bottom be an expedition mission."
"I am sure the Information Institution wouldn’t mind since the creation of the map down below would be something the Explorer Guild would like." Joseph says with a faint smile.
Marie beamed at both of them as she clenched her fist and nodded. Then, after taking one last look, she continued walking ahead with the others following along. Marie’s steps were noticeably lighter with her platinum blond hair swaying constantly as she glanced around to take in every detail of their surroundings.
Then the area began to shake.
It started with just a tremor that Reinhard first mistook for another herd of Tonothus passing nearby. But the vibrations intensified rapidly, becoming something far more as the ground beneath their feet actually moved and shifted enough that Reinhard had to adjust his stance to maintain balance.
Trees began swaying, leaves started raining down, while small beasts scattered in all directions. Reinhard blinked at the fleeing small beasts before he began glancing around to see the cause of the disturbance while moving close to the bush to hide.
But then, the forest shaked once more.
A massive serpent burst from the earth like a whale bursting through the ocean’s surface. Its body was extremely long, Reinhard could see dozens of feet of it emerging before the head even cleared the ground. The serpent’s hide was smooth, with fins protruding from its sides in irregular intervals, each one as large as a ship’s sail. But its head was what captured Reinhard’s attention as it was bull-like, with a flat snout and eyes positioned forward.
The serpent’s mouth opened wide, revealing rows of inward-curving teeth as its head began to track upward, targeting something above.
Reinhard’s gaze followed, spotting a stream of Bone Wyverns fleeing through the air. The flying Phantasm Beasts were in full panic, their bone-armored bodies flapping desperately to gain altitude and distance.
The serpent’s head shot toward them like an arrow being released. It rushed through the air and closed in on the wyvern, who were desperately trying to get away.
But then the ground trembled again, and it was stronger this time, like an earthquake. A wind blast swept past Reinhard, Marie, and Joseph, strong enough to make them stagger and throw their hands up to protect their faces.
Something golden flashed through the air.
Reinhard’s eyes widened in complete disbelief as a massive beast that resembled a whale appeared through the sky. Its body was golden with two wings extended from its sides, each one massive but proportionally small for the creature’s bulk. Its tail was long and powerful, streaming behind it like a banner.
The golden whale’s mouth opened wide, revealing a darkness inside that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. It descended toward the serpent that was a couple of seconds away from the wyverns, who were running away.
The serpent’s head disappeared into that cavernous maw. Then its neck and more of its body, swallowed in one continuous motion as the golden whale completed its arc. The serpent’s tail was still thrashing and trying to escape, but the golden whale dragged it through the air before lifting it up.
The golden whale continued its trajectory, its arc carrying it back down toward the forest. It crashed into the forest with a terrifying force, smashing through the upper layers of vegetation before disappearing into the depths. The impact shook the entire area, knocking massive trees and small branches down.
Then silence.
The Bone Wyverns scattered in all directions, their screeches fading into the distance.
Reinhard blinked and then blinked again. His hand rose slowly to his chin, fingers caressing it as his mind struggled to process what he’d just witnessed. His gaze shifted to Marie, finding her face split by a massive grin and her entire body trembling with barely contained excitement.
"Do we even want to know what they are?" Reinhard asked, his tone carrying equal parts curiosity and resignation.
Marie launched herself at him, her hands grabbing his shoulders. She bounced on her toes, her face inches from his, and words tumbling out in an excited rush. "Of course you should want to know! The snake was a Seeker Serpent! They burrow themselves into the forest ground and then launch out of it when they sense enough prey and are hungry. While that whale thing is called a Golden Peng, which is said to leap through areas to travel and swallow anything once it opens its mouth!"
Marie’s grip on his shoulders tightened, her trembling intensifying. "I saw their paintings in a book and I always wanted to see them in reality, but I never thought it would be so soon!"
Joseph tilted his head, his expression thoughtful despite the absurdity of what they’d just witnessed. "Why doesn’t the Golden Peng use its wings to fly? Is its body mass too much for it?"
Marie nodded excitedly, finally releasing Reinhard’s shoulders. "It’s believed that until they fully reach adulthood, the Golden Peng must always leap to move around. The wings aren’t strong enough yet to support sustained flight with their body mass."
She turned and continued walking, joy evident in every step while humming quietly to herself.
"I can’t wait until we’re done with everything." Marie said, her voice bright with anticipation. "Then I can record everything I saw and bring it to Professor Brune and the Historian Institute!"
Reinhard chuckled while Joseph shook his head with a faint smile. But both of them followed her, drawn forward by her infectious enthusiasm as they continued their journey through Area 9.