Chapter 141: Moonlit Adventure (I)

The night breeze brushed against Joann’s face, carrying a faint floral scent that put him at ease. Suddenly, a piercing, long-drawn howl erupted from the darkness ahead. Though he could not identify the creature, the sound made his scalp prickle. His black colt, spooked by the cry, skidded to a halt and whinnied, unwilling to venture further toward the source of the noise.

Joann dismounted and stroked the colt’s mane, soothing it. Just then, the eerie howl tore through the air again—sharp, high-pitched, and piercing—causing the horse, which had only just begun to calm, to panic once more.

Frowning, Joann took the reins and crept forward, stepping lightly, determined to discover what monster was blocking his path.

Guided by the dim moonlight, Joann peered through a gap in the foliage. He saw a white figure swinging through the spruce trees near the riverbank, its feet barely touching the branches as if it were flying. He moved a little closer and observed more carefully, realizing it was an ape covered in white fur. At first glance, it resembled the common apes of the woods, but upon closer inspection, he saw it was far larger—standing eight feet tall—and, most terrifyingly, possessed four thick, long arms.

Joann held his breath, staring at the beast leaping and howling through the trees, feeling a sense of dread. Known as a "four-armed ape," these creatures were often found deep within the primeval jungles of Alfheim. Joann had encountered one during his stay in the Algonquin Valley, where the Powhatan village guards had treated it as a grave threat, struggling mightily to drive it away after it had broken into the village to steal cattle. Unfortunately, the bandit had still managed to make off with a calf.

The intelligence of a four-armed ape was comparable to an ordinary ape—relatively clever for a beast—but its strength and temper were far greater. With all four arms, it could easily lift a bull and toss it to the ground. They were notoriously irritable and aggressive; a lone traveler like Joann would surely be attacked if spotted.

Joann stroked his colt’s mane, signaling it to lie low in the brush and remain silent to avoid detection by the "king of the mountain." The colt obeyed meekly. Joann tied the reins to a shrub, readied his dagger and shield, and crept forward in a crouch.

Upon reaching the edge of the woods, Joann dared not intrude further into the ape’s territory. He picked up a small stone, cast "Ghost Sound" upon it, and then activated "Greater Mage Hand." He remotely controlled the magical hand to carry the stone to the limit of his reach before throwing it far into the distance.

The stone traced an arc through the night sky, and upon landing, triggered the "Ghost Sound," emitting a loud, joyous laugh.

The four-armed ape, swinging in the trees, immediately snapped its head toward the source of the sound. Its eyes widened in alert, and it lunged away, howling wildly as it sprinted toward the noise.

Seeing the bait work, Joann turned and ran back to the thicket where his colt was hidden. He scrambled to untie the reins, mounted, and bolted, racing through the woods before the ape could realize it had been tricked. He galloped for twenty miles, only stopping when the colt was drenched in sweat.

Joann exhaled in relief, dismounted, and led the horse to a shallow bank by the river to drink. He filled his own canteen with clear water and drank deeply to soothe his parched throat.

The night breeze drifted across the river, and the floral scent that had followed him intermittently along the way grew increasingly rich. Joann took a deep breath, feeling as though gentle, invisible hands were soothing his frayed nerves. Without realizing it, he began to relax.

Joann glanced back at the colt, which seemed influenced by the strange fragrance, trotting toward the source of the scent without his command.

Joann hurried to catch the reins, a vague sense of unease settling in. He had studied pharmacology under Dr. Calandil and knew that some plants emitted fragrances containing specific medicinal compounds; some attracted insects for pollination, while others were toxic, capable of inducing hallucinations.

The scent in the night air made Joann suspicious. He guessed it contained sedative-like properties; otherwise, he could not explain why it made him feel listless and drowsy.

He pulled out a handkerchief, dampened it with water, and tied it over his face to filter the air. His mind cleared instantly. Just as he was about to urge his horse away from this eerie place, a roar erupted behind him. The echo reverberated through the night, startling the birds from their roosts; they shrieked and took flight, swirling above the treetops like a dark cloud.

Hearing that familiar roar, Joann didn't need to look back to know that the four-armed ape was upon him.

The beast’s howls came one after another, closing in rapidly. The colt, terrified, bolted in a blind panic. Joann was nearly pulled from his feet, but he scrambled onto the horse’s back, gripping the reins to force the colt in the right direction.

Ahead of the riverbank lay a valley veiled in lush greenery. Desperate to shake the pursuit, Joann spurred his horse into the valley. He had run for two miles before realizing the valley was carpeted in flowers, most of them red daturas. The sea of crimson blossoms swayed in the moonlight, and the thick, intoxicating scent made him dizzy.

Joann steadied himself, noting that the roars behind him had vanished—perhaps the ape had grown tired or abandoned the chase. More concerning was the colt’s abnormal state; having just been running in a frenzy, it was now succumbing to the scent of the datura field, its gaze becoming vacant and sluggish as its pace slowed.

Joann dismounted, tied the damp handkerchief tightly over his face to create a makeshift gas mask, and then pulled a towel from his saddlebag. He dampened it with water from his canteen and tied it over the colt’s face as well.

Stung by the cold water, the colt regained some of its senses and followed Joann deeper into the valley.

Joann had hoped to pass through the mysterious, quiet valley as quickly as possible, but strange noises from behind forced him to stop. He led his horse into a thicket, held his breath, and peered out through the dense branches.

After about three minutes, a massive white shadow appeared in his field of vision—the four-armed ape. The beast had initially been swinging through the trees, leaping from branch to branch, but as it reached the depths of the valley, the tall trees gave way to low-lying datura bushes. The ape was forced to descend, using its lower arms to assist its stout legs as it bounded across the ground, moving with a speed that rivaled a galloping horse.