CHAPTER 11: THE BOATMAN AND THE RIO OF THE LAMENTS

HAFU understands the human's grief, he is actually an old man, eager to see and know what life puts in front of him.

The few days he's been by his side have made him appreciate it.

He is a vivacious man, a man who has awakened from his long lethargy in the position of councillor.

He also recalls his conversation with King DRAKO.

Which, knowing that HAFU offered to go specifically with DWYER, had a closed-door conversation with him.

The king spoke of his concerns with the human.

The human can be very bold intelligent and curious, however, he is also more susceptible to get carried away by his emotions, unlike other species, humans worry that their lifetime will not reach them to obtain their desires.

He fears that his recklessness will cost him his life, so he was entrusted with the life of the councillor, but, also fulfilling his wishes, the king's wishes were clear, making this human have the adventure he desires or in his fault, that he has a full death.

The king entrusted him with the safety of the human, but also, to meet his expectations.

HAFU, you're convinced that, this is one of them.

So, accept, as soon as the group is reunited, DWYER and HAFU talk to the group leader, who respects DWYER very much, despite setting an objection for DWYER to think better about it, DWYER, lets others know the decision to find a new group.

The leader of the group accepted the councillor's response.

The rest if they will return, have been wounded, and there have been many casualties in humans, half the group will return alongside humans.

The other half will check the last island nearby.

DWYER will return with them to the first island, where they saw the kraken.

The group takes the flight, taking MUSTELUS' body with them.

Just before leaving, HAFU is a little late, he addresses the human seriously, he only puts a condition on the human DWYER, he will support his decisions on the expedition, in exchange for not separating again, no matter if they enter any enclosure, if HAFU cannot enter, then they will overlook it.

Also, HAFU, it clarifies to the human that the king entrusted him with his life, under his care, so whatever he has to see with DWYER, is his responsibility.

DWYER looks at him moved, understands that the king has thought about his safety at all times, is happy for them, he also thanks HAFU for his concern, his support and understanding.

They are already taking off the last of the group, it is then that they also join the traveling group, heading towards the council kingdom, they will say goodbye on the last island, where the first group stayed.

When they are in the waters where they stop swimming fish, they feel they are in the territory of that beast, HAFU and DWYER separate from the group.

Remaining to be seen again in the realm of the council.

HAFU asked DWYER why did he decide to come to this first island and did not want to go further into the territory of the new world?

Likewise, that island is dangerous because of the presence of the kraken.

To which DWYER replies that, it seemed safer to be in territories where it was more likely to find another group, perhaps they would not go deeper and like them, they would return without going further.

For this reason, he chose that island sheltered by the kraken as they are the closest, they go in cautiously, guarding the waters, the shadows in the sea, they have not seen anything, as they approach the island, the pigmentation of the plants is darker, hiding whatever is inside, they follow their path, just when a few hundred meters are missing, the kraken attacks again , from the bottom, HAFU, does its best to dodge its teeth and as it advances, the backbones of the kraken, losing its balance in flight.

Even when they are persecuted, backing and falling, they manage to head towards the island.

Barely avoiding the bite of the beast.

In the fall they have hit some trees and rocks on the shore.

And the rider has let go of his faucet.

They're still for a moment, sore.

Hearing the noise the kraken makes as they stamp on the sand and continue in their direction, they rush into the thicket of the forest, thus coming out of their sight.

They're not far from each other, they look around.

A long walk up awaits you, you must reach the temple that is half above, there you should meet the others.

With difficulty, since HAFU is hurt from a wing, and in the forest there are many trees, the faucet finds it difficult to move, they have taken a few hours, finally, they arrive at the temple.

The facade of the temple seems normal, although perhaps not, it looks too clean, without sign of the passage of time, made of impeccable marble, with a path of torches lit up to a certain distance within it, HAFU and DWYER entered that temple, however, behind that facade, it is as if you enter another world, as you cross the threshold, there is an immense cavern , with a path stung as if it were the sty of that deep cavern, covered in darkness, within which you can strangely see the stars in the sky as in a perpetual night.

In contrast to the outside climate, the climate inside it, is strenuously hot, it hurts the throat when breathing from how dry the environment is.

After a few hundred meters down, there is a very long road that, leads to a river that emanates sounds of wailing, that is an extensive river that is lost in the infinite of that cave, which, is lost in the darkness of the same cavern, the water that carries this river, is not normal, steams as if its reddish water is boiling.

On the bank of that river, there are forms of mists shaped like people wandering all over the shore, they do not walk, they float away from the ground as they have no feet, as if the fog moved with the wind.

Also, you will find a lump of something on a cloth, near it, you will find a small boat of paddles, sitting inside it there is an extremely tall and thin man sitting on his back, inside the boat, is covered by a layer of worn cloth, dark brown, he is on his back... HAFU feels tense, there's something about that man who doesn't think it's good or normal, he asks DWYER to be cautious, this place doesn't look good.

But DWYER, curious by nature, although he also feels a sense of danger, wants to get closer, feels that man hides something and he wants to know.

You also want to know what's inside the dusty fabrics on the floor, as the DWYER and HAFU councillor approaches behind it.

The boatman, without turning around speaks to him: human... what do you do for these places while still in the realm of the living?

The human, shaken by that ultra-tomb voice, dares not seek the face of that man.

HAFU asks DWYER to wait.

The two of them are watching the boatman, which doesn't move.

Then the boatman asks you to take that girl.

The two turn towards the lump near the boat, on one of the edges of the cloth, they can identify a bare foot.

The boatman declares that that girl was abandoned to perish there.

END OF CHAPTER 11