The stench of the swamp filled his nose making him want to gag as he sloshed through the hip deep water. Josh was ten feet away keeping his end of the vine down to ward off the Crocidads. The vine is poisonous to most of the creatures in the Moores. He learned that trick actually from his brother's journal so Alex was glad he read it. It took another hour before he and his friend trudged out of the dark viscous water. Alex checked himself for leaches and looked around. He knew he had at least another two hours of walking before reaching the other side of the Moores. Josh was the only other person he could see or even hear. Part of him shivered thinking of who could be stuck or needed help or even who had already died.
Pushing the thought away determined to finish this course he continue lining up his sight with a large tree that was so tall it towered above the Moores' trees like a compass for him to follow. There under its ancient branches with moss and vines hanging down the Oracle and Clerics would be waiting.
The next obstacle they came upon was a dark section of the swamp. Like someone had blotted out the sunlight just in one section. The trees weren't blocking the light it just didn't make it through to the ground making an ominous hole of evil things and fears like poison emanate out from it. Most would be afraid and indeed that was the point of this section of the Moores but Alex only looked to Josh thinking of his family and friends who he could protect if only he had the strength to follow this path.
"Ok Josh remember what I told you?" He said keeping his voice light seeing his friend's hands shaking and his steps becoming sluggish. Josh's head bobbed up and down absently as he stared into the darkened hole.
"Yeah straight line, don't stop even if you hear your mother calling you." He recited numbly.
Alex shook his head with a slight smile that touched his mouth. His friend was scared but he felt his blood rushing in his ears. He was excited.
Entering in Alex went first. It's a strange thing to have one of your senses suddenly taken away. A part of you numbed like when a limb gets cut off you don't feel anything for a while. Alex opened up his other senses to replace his sight. There was nothing, no sounds or feelings, no crunching under his feet of leaves or branches. As he walked he stepped carefully to make sure he went in a straight line.
He heard Josh behind him groaning. "Come on Josh you're doing great only a little further." He encouraged. His voice echoed and he heard a rustling sound like his voice had disturbed something.
"That's easy for you to say. You're not scared of anything. Besides, how do you know we're almost there I can't see anything. No light at the end of the tunnel no nothing." Josh complained and Alex heard more rustling and this time it was closer.
"Shh!" Alex hushed stopping in place. He listened carefully as the sound came closer. Slowly and carefully he took out a dagger from his belt and waited patiently. The sound was like a snake slithering in oil mixed with tiny pebbles. It was a wet sound that turned Alex's stomach.
A smell wafted up from the ground like rancid meat and dried blood and he felt a movement. It didn't touch him but he could sense it as if it had. He gripped the hilt of his dagger firmly and stabbed down. A piercing scream made him pull back his hand to cover his ears as a slimy animal was flopping at his feet like a fish out of water. After the screeching stopped Alex reached down ad felt for his dagger. The creature lay dead its tail was smooth just as he imagined up with sharp barbs along the spine. Alex was careful not to prick his skin with them unsure if it was poisonous as h ran his fingers delicately up to find the dagger’s handle.
It had pierced through the center of the creature along the spinal cord severing it. A true aim and he smiled in the pitch black feeling satisfied with his aim.
"Alex, what was that?" Josh asked hushed.
Pulling the dagger free Alex held onto the blade unsure if the blood was a danger. In the Moores you never knew so he looked over his shoulder automatically. "It's ok I got it. Remember straight line."
He began forward again listening intently for an other creatures. He heard Joshes breathing becoming labored. "Josh are you ok?"
Almost able to hear the boy's hands shaking Josh answered. "Alex, I don't think I'm going to make it." The unfamiliar tone in Josh's voice made him stop.
"Of course you are. Remember, I won't leave you behind." He said cautiously hearing his friend coming closer.
"You won't?"