outnumbered," he replied.
Azrak closed his eyes for a moment. He knew his men would fight to the death for the king, but this time none of them knew what they were up against. It didn't seem fair, and all for some orb that the king wanted.
"Let's get this over with as soon as possible. I don't want to waste any time," Azrak said. "Ralti and I will assemble a team to extract the vessel while, Brigdon, you and Helios plan for a distraction. We need to draw them out and keep them busy while we get in and get out."
"Yes Sir," Brigdon and Helios said, bringing their fists to their chests with a thud. They spun on their heels in unison and left.
"Azrak, are you willing to die for this?" Ralti asked. He knew it was inappropriate, but Azrak had always reassured him that if he felt the need to say something he had better.
"I am," Azrak simply said.
Helios worked his way quickly back to his camp, stopped at his satchel, reached in and took out the mushroom. He spun the trumpet-like fungus in his paw while admiring its furry yellow-orange center. It was two of his paws tall and about one paw wide at the top. He took out his knife and slipped it down the outside rubbery surface, letting out thick clear goo.
Helios was instantly attracted to its sweet aroma. Helios remembered one professor explain the hallucinogenic natures of different fungus's that grew in their natural surroundings. He decided it would be wise to put small pieces of cloth in his nostrils.
"Helios, Jaxton and I were just thinking," Pontos said, walking up behind him.
Helios jumped and spun around.
"Here, you must put these in your nose," Helios said. Pontos burst into a rumbling laughter at the sight of his comrade with cloth shoved up his nostrils. "You will want to put these in your nose. Trust me."
"Ok, ok," Pontos said through laughs. He took the cloth and stuffed it in his nose. "Like this?"
This time Helios grinned. He cleared his throat and sliced off a small piece at the bottom of the mushroom.
"Where did you find whatever-this-is?" Pontos asked.
"I found this mushroom near the Selket's lair and I have never seen one before. I brought one back to study it," Helios said.
"And, have you found anything?" Pontos asked, still trying to keep his amusement at bay.
"Ah, now that's interesting?" Helios said.
The tubular tunnel came to a point at the bottom. Small fibrous gills encompassed the inside. He ran his talon over them which caused them to sway back and forth.
"What?" Pontos asked, stepping in closer to take a peak for himself.
"Do you see the gills? They sway back and forth when I brush against them," Helios said.
"What does that mean?" Pontos asked.
"I don't know, but I have never seen one do this," Helios said.
"Do you study these often?" Pontos asked.
"I have studied all that are known to us in our lands," Helios said, taking the slice and cutting it into smaller pieces.
He grabbed a cup and poured a small amount of water from his water bag, put the piece in the cup, and waited. Pontos too, crept closer trying to get a glimpse inside the cup.
"Is it doing anything?" Pontos asked.
"Not yet," Helios said and took another piece and smashed it against a flat rock.
The goo oozed out and as it mixed with the outer shell, turned a greenish color and started to glow.
"Oh my! It's changing colors!" exclaimed Pontos.
"It would seem that the two chemicals, when mixed, create a sulphuric reaction, causing it to illuminate," Helios said. He scooped the mush onto his knife and lifted it eye level.
"That's amazing," Pontos said. "I had no idea this stuff was so interesting."
Helios gave a small grin.
"What in the –" Jaxton asked, making the two jump.
They were staring at the glowing ooze like a couple of children. Jaxton burst into laughter when they turned toward him with the small pieces of cloth sticking out of their noses. Pontos was about to respond with his new found knowledge, but a loud bang startled them all.
The three jumped
Azrak closed his eyes for a moment. He knew his men would fight to the death for the king, but this time none of them knew what they were up against. It didn't seem fair, and all for some orb that the king wanted.
"Let's get this over with as soon as possible. I don't want to waste any time," Azrak said. "Ralti and I will assemble a team to extract the vessel while, Brigdon, you and Helios plan for a distraction. We need to draw them out and keep them busy while we get in and get out."
"Yes Sir," Brigdon and Helios said, bringing their fists to their chests with a thud. They spun on their heels in unison and left.
"Azrak, are you willing to die for this?" Ralti asked. He knew it was inappropriate, but Azrak had always reassured him that if he felt the need to say something he had better.
"I am," Azrak simply said.
Helios worked his way quickly back to his camp, stopped at his satchel, reached in and took out the mushroom. He spun the trumpet-like fungus in his paw while admiring its furry yellow-orange center. It was two of his paws tall and about one paw wide at the top. He took out his knife and slipped it down the outside rubbery surface, letting out thick clear goo.
Helios was instantly attracted to its sweet aroma. Helios remembered one professor explain the hallucinogenic natures of different fungus's that grew in their natural surroundings. He decided it would be wise to put small pieces of cloth in his nostrils.
"Helios, Jaxton and I were just thinking," Pontos said, walking up behind him.
Helios jumped and spun around.
"Here, you must put these in your nose," Helios said. Pontos burst into a rumbling laughter at the sight of his comrade with cloth shoved up his nostrils. "You will want to put these in your nose. Trust me."
"Ok, ok," Pontos said through laughs. He took the cloth and stuffed it in his nose. "Like this?"
This time Helios grinned. He cleared his throat and sliced off a small piece at the bottom of the mushroom.
"Where did you find whatever-this-is?" Pontos asked.
"I found this mushroom near the Selket's lair and I have never seen one before. I brought one back to study it," Helios said.
"And, have you found anything?" Pontos asked, still trying to keep his amusement at bay.
"Ah, now that's interesting?" Helios said.
The tubular tunnel came to a point at the bottom. Small fibrous gills encompassed the inside. He ran his talon over them which caused them to sway back and forth.
"What?" Pontos asked, stepping in closer to take a peak for himself.
"Do you see the gills? They sway back and forth when I brush against them," Helios said.
"What does that mean?" Pontos asked.
"I don't know, but I have never seen one do this," Helios said.
"Do you study these often?" Pontos asked.
"I have studied all that are known to us in our lands," Helios said, taking the slice and cutting it into smaller pieces.
He grabbed a cup and poured a small amount of water from his water bag, put the piece in the cup, and waited. Pontos too, crept closer trying to get a glimpse inside the cup.
"Is it doing anything?" Pontos asked.
"Not yet," Helios said and took another piece and smashed it against a flat rock.
The goo oozed out and as it mixed with the outer shell, turned a greenish color and started to glow.
"Oh my! It's changing colors!" exclaimed Pontos.
"It would seem that the two chemicals, when mixed, create a sulphuric reaction, causing it to illuminate," Helios said. He scooped the mush onto his knife and lifted it eye level.
"That's amazing," Pontos said. "I had no idea this stuff was so interesting."
Helios gave a small grin.
"What in the –" Jaxton asked, making the two jump.
They were staring at the glowing ooze like a couple of children. Jaxton burst into laughter when they turned toward him with the small pieces of cloth sticking out of their noses. Pontos was about to respond with his new found knowledge, but a loud bang startled them all.
The three jumped
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