Chapter 9: Tarzan in the Jungle

August 23

The group sees ahead that big head-like stone, which is full of runes of different ages. In addition, ahead on a stone platform are some stone wheels, etc., which Ertak recognizes as some kind of calendar. Usually these are apparently much smaller.

Ertak wants to go through the bushes, but the others aren’t enthusiastic about it. The bushes are very dense and difficult to get through. Agnarr recognizes that those bushes are there because at that spot, the nature level is clearly elevated, while next to it, it’s declining. Agnarr tries to look for traps in the gateway arch but doesn’t find traps, though he notices there’s magic in it arch. He can’t figure out what kind of magic it is. Ertak desperately tries to signal to Agnarr that they should go through those bushes, while Agnarr tries not to notice this until Ertak starts slapping Agnarr on the head when he doesn’t react.

Agnarr signals back to Ertak that they should go through that gate, with Ertak first. Ertak doesn’t think it is a good idea and tries to start pushing through the forest. He decides to try to get through the bushes acrobatically by swinging on lianas. The first attempt ends up straight into a tree. The second attempt goes successfully for quite a while; he gets through the bushes avoiding trees, he gets almost all the way through, but the release from the liana is somewhat unsuccessful, and he lands in the middle of the bushes in a considerably awkward position. He ends up forty feet inside the bushes and at a height of twenty five feet in a tree. Ertak hangs by one hand and the foot on the same side from a liana, and the other foot and hand are stuck in a branch. He tries to shoot the liana apart with a magic bolt but hits his own hand. So he tries to drop safely on his liana but doesn’t succeed. Next, he just starts swinging and tries to get off the branch. He succeeds and falls to the wrong side of the branch, ending up hanging entirely by his hand. A real man doesn’t feel pain, though. Next, he takes out his sword and strikes the liana apart. The liana breaks, and when he’s left hanging by his foot, the liana on his foot breaks, and he falls downward twenty five feet.

Just as he’s coming to the ground, he notices that he’s about to crash eye-first into some branch. Ertak spins around acrobatically and lands fairly softly on the ground. After that, he examines the area and notices he’s in a clearing about seven feet in diameter, surrounded by a really dense forest. He recognizes that this is a fairy gate area.

Neiia casts a walk-through-plants spell on herself and then starts walking to Ertak. She goes to Ertak and casts a walk-through-plants spell on him too, and after that, they start walking into the area. Ertak starts walking determinedly in one direction, and Neiia takes a completely opposite direction, not trusting Ertak’s navigation skills.

Ertak gets out of the forest to the inside, and he calls Neiia in the same direction. Neiia starts walking toward the gate, but when she gets within ten feet of the gate, a couple of shadows attack her. Ertak doesn’t say anything other than “Enemies”, so the others order them to bring them here, because the others can’t see where Ertak is. Ertak comes into the others’ field of vision but not close enough for the others to hit the shadows. Ertak comes out of the area, and so the shadows move to attack Neiia.

Neiia runs to the others outside from that area, and instantly the shadows disappear. Ertak stays to rest, and the others think about what to do. Agnarr and Ertak conclude that shadows don’t like light, so Agnarr makes a really bright light for himself with the help of Ertak’s magic cloak. The guards have run to the side after one shadow and are looking for it there. About five minutes later, the group decides to move forward. Neiia casts a speed spell on Agnarr and Kieron, Kieron spreads ghost oil on her weapon, and finally, Neiia creates a portal and collects a cold portal from it.