Birds Are Dangerous

Kai darted into the direction the child pointed with all his might. Oddly enough, the rhythmical noises of the demon soldiers had soon appeared again. Although Kai didn't seem to be running towards them, it didn't sound like the noises were lagging behind, either. It sounded as if they were being relentlessly pursued.

The giant skeleton ran for a few more minutes yet the pursuers seemed always to be in his earshot. He had long realised his hearing was slightly better than most, but it wasn't a huge difference anyway. The rhythmic movements of the soldiers were always behind them.

"Do I still continue this way?" Kai asked the kid.

"I want some candy," muttered the child, almost dozing off into sleep. It was unknown how this kid managed to almost fall asleep especially with the amount of wind pressure hitting his face on Kai's shoulders. Kai checked the time he had left.

*22:32:18*

What's worse was that Kai's stature stood out like a sore thumb even in this lush forest. He had to move fast if he wanted to run away. He still had to find some sort of potion or valuable stone to stabilize himself.

"Hey kid, speak up! Which way?!" Kai rushed the kid.

"Go this way, now!" the kid pointed in a certain direction. It seemed to be the southeast of where they were going, but Kai couldn't quite tell directions due to the dense trees surrounding him. The kid's guidance was all he had to rely on.

"All right!"

Kai ran until his figurative muscles were aching. Even though his body would not get tired, his mind felt tired due to all the running. It was almost as if he'd feel better if he could "rest" somehow. The child had completely dozed off after a while and Kai had to carry him in his arms. Kai found a cave to rest in until the kid woke up.

"Fine, kid, try to sleep for some time, I'll protect-" Kai almost lovingly finished his words when the kid jumped up in annoyance.

"This place is disgusting!" the kid yelled. "Find somewhere else!"

"What the f-"

"Look, kid-"

"My name is Arthur!"

The kid was about to throw a tantrum. Kai thought it was odd how the kid was already sick of him after admiring him and following himself for so long.

"Look, KID," Kai talked to Arthur, who frowned since he was not addressed properly. "We need to run, or those big bad guys will get us! Which way do we go from here?"

"I want to sleep!" Arthur yelled, almost attracting the attention of something deep inside the cave they were in. Kai didn't know if he could beat a bear if there was one here. The chances were that he could, but he didn't want to risk it harming the kid.

"Take me somewhere else! I am tired!"

This was a tantrum all right. Defeated Kai took the kid in his arms and tried to find some other place where they could rest. Finally, Kai stumbled upon an oasis in the middle of the jungle spanning out as long as his eye could see. The oasis was perfectly hidden by the trees outside, if he wasn't looking for every which way for suitable accommodation for the kid, he would never have found it. There were no large animals around, either.

"Perfect!" Arthur said. He looked almost proud of himself for being a good leader and urging his skeleton to find suitable accommodations for himself. After all, Arthur had always wanted a strong pet like Kai!

Kai was annoyed, but he laughed it off immediately after. It was a kid, not like he could reason with him and explain how he would be dust if he waited too long. But a quick nap should do them both a favour. As the kid found a comfortable patch of grass to rest on, Kai surveyed the area to see if there were other ways anyone else could get in.

"Perhaps this isn't the smartest idea," Kai murmured to himself. However, he was a regular salaryman thrown into this crazy land all of a sudden in a crazy body. Furthermore, the threat of death always loomed over his head.

There were colourful birds flying around and fluffy small animals jumping in the grass. Kai's horrifying visage was the only thing upsetting this picturesque view. This location seemed to have its own ecosystem separate from the forest outside. Considering they were actually underground, everything seemed even more magical.

"Man, I should just build a hut here and take it easy, once I solve the issue of turning into dust."

…

"We have looked around, they are nowhere to be seen."

The scholar demon scratched his head in frustration as he drew another route for this group of soldiers to take yet another look. However, there had been more than a few minutes, and considering skeletons never get tired, they could be gone unless he was willing to expand the area they searched, which had its own dangers.

"I don't believe I can't find one stupid skeleton whose only trick was to act mindless!" the scholar spewed the words out through gritted teeth. "I can't disappoint Lady Naamah, not here!"

He had used the fastest soldiers to establish a perimeter at the edge of the forest while systematically searching through the rest. It was not possible for him to slip by. From what the demon who previously caught up to the skeleton said, they should have found him multiple times by now.

"This skeleton must be an utter genius!" the scholar demon spat out the words in indignance. "Even by tracking him through our best scouts, we simply cannot make heads or tails of where he is headed!"

As the scholar demon talked to himself in indignance, another soldier entered his tent.

"We have been searching, however-"

Scholar handed the demon a paper with a new route drawn on it, "Take these, search again." The scholar then continued talking to himself, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Not only that, but he also managed to lure two of our scouts into the lair of a Skinwalker and we lost them. If we get too close to them, there's no telling what they'll do, either, even with Lady Naamah by our side. However, my mind will not be ousted by a mere undead!"

The scholar, drawing other possible routes, finally stopped due to the commotion outside his tent. He went out to investigate and reprimand the ones making noise. After all, how could he let Lady Naamah be bothered by the noises of these brutes!

"What is happening here?" the scholar asked, "Quiet down!"

It was a battered lower-ranked demon inching his way closer to his tent with the aid of two others.

"Revered Scholar Barbas, we have found him. He has entered the lair of the Crow."