The entrance was 16 metres tall, but the cavern was bigger. Though mostly hidden amidst shadows, thanks to some sparse few patches of moss growing on the cavern's inner walls, the silhouette was highlighted.
Reaching a height of 20 metres, sporting a muscular pair of arms that had been created solely for the purpose of attacking something, irrespective of what it was. As it stood, it generated an imposing momentum, even though it wasn't charging anywhere.
The legs resembled a human's at first glance, but the feet mimicked that of a lion. A deep blue body along the sides, with a grey patch in the shape of an 'U' along the chest and back. Stripes of gold arched across the body from head to toe in a symmetric, streamlined fashion.
A thick, gelatinous layer of cartilage covered the joints while the rest of the body was protected by a chitin armour. The right hand was shaped like a claw while the left looked like a warhammer with an axe.
The golden stripes trailing across the body gathered around the neck, forming thick golden lines on it against a thin background of blue. The head was shaped like a rhinoceros with a wider, but shorter jaw.
The horn was tiny, and resembled an aeroplane's rudder. It was grey, while the area covering the eyes, nose, and jawline were gold. The top of the head was pure gold, shaped like a flower bud.
Beginner Gold Grade Pranic Beast-Brully!
Its right claw currently held a hammer that was happening the axe head of its left hand, trying to alter its shape. Blood spurted out nonstop from every hit, dyeing the place crimson and covering the place with its presence.
Staring at the intruder, its three eyes-with the middle one grey in colour, seemingly made out of the same mineral forming its Spirit Container-focused as an overbearing voice resounded, "Why have you intruded my lair, child?"
"Please help me!" The Wean Clansman expressed a curt bow and requested, "Let me just rest here for a while. Once I've healed, I'll be on my way."
"I see," Inala, now as a Brully, nodded nonchalantly, "Well, I don't mind."
"Thank you..." The Wean Clansman had just expressed his gratitude when a group of Free Humans entered the cave, lead by a Gold Grade Free Human.
"He's here!" The Free Human uttered coldly upon seeing the Wean Clansman and barked an order. Before his sentence could end, he launched his attack, accurately severing the legs of the Wean Clansman. "Now, capture him!"
"H-Help me!" The Wean Clansman instinctively turned to face Inala, only to see the later continue hammering his left hand, as if he hadn't heard anything. 'Why? He is strong enough to help me!'
"Hmm?" The Gold Grade Free Human observed the Pranic Beast standing deeper in the cave, frowning for a few seconds in silence before uttering in surprise, "A Brully?"
"Brully?" One of his subordinates blinked in surprise and stared at Inala, "That's a Brully?"
"It looks somewhat different from the imagery in our database."
"Structure wise, it's the same. Only the pattern on its body is different." The Gold Grade Free Human who went by the name of Falrami said and gave his orders, "Well, it doesn't matter. Capture it first. We'll figure out the rest later."
"Its presence is pretty overbearing, but it's a mere child at the end of the day."
At Falrami's orders, the group of Free humans moved to capture Inala, who didn't offer any resistance. Eyes blinking widely, curiosity evident, Inala observed the Free Humans who had captured him, 'They've grown a lot stronger than the last time I was here. It seems Narkahamy has been obediently following my advice.'
A Vara platform was erected, atop which Inala and the Wean Clansman were tied together and transported into the Varahan Empire.
"Why didn't you fight back?" The Wean Clansman whispered after a few minutes of silence, having resigned himself to his fate.
"There was no reason to." Inala smiled in response.
"Bullshit," The Wean Clansman cursed under his breath, "You're naïve."
"You'll simply be consumed and turned into a Nature."
"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that." Inala said without an ounce of hesitation, "I have no plans to die anytime soon."
"Then you should have resisted capture." The Wean Clansman sighed, "I was counting on you to survive this situation."
"You should learn to never rely on unforeseen variables. Did your parents never teach you that?" Inala said in a chiding tone.
"They are busy fighting and didn't have the time to take care of me." The Wean Clansman spoke sullenly, introducing himself a bit later, "I'm DaraBuntara."
|| ||
There was silence between the two before DaraBuntara grew irritated, "It's customary to introduce yourself, you know?"
"Well, I don't have a name. So I can't say that." Inala shrugged, "I'm not even sure where my parents exist."
The Race of Brully were solitary by nature, only mingling to mate and spawn some progeny. Other than that, they were busy fighting the entirety of their lives without rest.
So, it didn't strike as odd that Inala didn't have a name, even if he was a Gold Grade Pranic Beast. Even a child Gold Grade Pranic Beast was way smarter than a Free Human. The fact that Inala didn't keep a name for himself meant he simply couldn't be bothered to do so.
"What were you doing in that cave, by the way?" DaraBuntara asked, thinking he might as well strike a conversation to pass the time since he was pretty much en route to death.
"Beating my hand to better prepare myself to beat up other Pranic Beasts!" Inala expressed naturally, just as how a Brully would talk, if it bothered to communicate with another being.
'Seems there's no hope for my survival.' DaraBuntara thought and blankly stared at the sky, 'Mother, Father, it seems your son will take his leave first.'
He thought maybe by inciting Inala to take action, the resulting chaos would allow him to escape. However, Inala didn't express even the slightest hint of resistance. And after conversing a little, he gave up.
'Good, he gave up.' Inala thought as he behaved nonchalant to the situation, when in reality, he casually observed Falrami for a moment, 'This guy must be listening to our conversation. Seems he has a method to intrude into even a whisper.'
'Anyway, it's a good opportunity. I was getting bored waiting to stumble upon a chance to be escorted into the Varahan Empire.' Inala thought, sporting a smile, 'I am now excited!'