The smell of wet soil, and plants filled his nose causing it to feel cool and unblocked.
Luckily, his body heat was able to keep him warm for the most part, but sometimes a cool breeze would cause him to shiver. Not enough to wake him, but it was no comfort either.
Half asleep, Amaranthus grabbed his thermal blanket and flipped to his side as he fondled his backpack, drool dripping down his left cheek as a soft snore escaped his throat.
It seemed he didn't want to wake up just yet.
*Cold breeze intensifies*
"Fuuuuuck" Amaranthus opened his eyes, as his morning voice rang out with a deep baritone.
His brows furrowed as looked around his little cave, attempting to find where the breeze was coming from, in his daze he was unable to identify where the rogue draft could come from.
The ground began to vibrate while the large rocks shifted two centimeters to the left.
Dust fell from boulders, falling onto the thermal layer and imitating the sound of heavy rainfall.
'Oh shit, it's gonna collapse!' Amaranthus grabbed his weapon and backpack while crouch-running forward. He miraculously grabbed the thermal layer and dragged it like Santa would drag his sack.
*Boom*
The little cave collapsed as dust was thrown everywhere. The ground rumbled and cracked at the impact.
The pile of boulders that resembled a small hill began to shift and roll, completely going against the law of physics. The sounds were deafening.
Amaranthus was startled. He tripped while walking backwards, he was too curious to look away and properly run. The forest floor had scattered roots.
The boulders emitted rumbles as they rolled over each other, some clicked into place with loud crunches.
A humanoid shape was emerging as more boulders were arranged. The boulders split into two long cylinders. The main part composing the body shed three more layers that made up the upper body, arms and head.
Amaranthus realized the gravity of the situation. 'Have I been sleeping under some monster? Was the breeze its breath or fart?' His face had a what-the-fuck-have-I-been-doing look.
He stood up as he turned around, coiling his body in order to burst forward.
But just as he wanted to run, a slow-moving body of fog approached. It started from the ground, and as it got closer, the fog thickened and encompassed his surroundings, easily surpassing his height in the process.
He turned to look at the rock giant. At some point, it seemed to have stood up because it was standing still, staring deep into the fog. As Amaranthus stared at the massive fifteen meter giant, it also looked down, right back at him.
It stepped forward, it's foot creating a resound thump against the ground. It then crouched at a slow pace while extending one hand out in front of Amaranthus. Whether it's motions were deliberately slow or unintentional, was up for debate.
'It wants to give me a ride? Or maybe protect me? Since it's not hostile I'll take the chance.' With gritted teeth, he jumped onto its palm.
Immediately after it stood up, it moved Amaranthus to the dip next to its neck.
Being up fifteen meters in the air was a bit unsettling; It made his arms and legs feel a bit weak.
The thick fog only grew more and more, soon covering everything around them.
The fog itself was cool, and thick like a blanket you could inhale, it moved hypnotically, gently even. As if there were no hurry in its journey.
The Rock Giant didn't move, and was as still as mountain.
Eventually, a shapeless mass of fog that was a bit darker then the rest of it appeared. Two red spheres appeared at the top of the dark fog.
A chill ran down Amaranthus' spine, he knew that what he was staring at, was an apex predator. Capable of turning him into its plaything before becoming its next meal.
A low rumble emanated from the Rock Giant, it fluctuated and warped as it filled the silent air. The Dark Fog almost seemed to have replied. It echoed the same sound but with different fluctuations that resembled oscillating soundwaves.
Amaranthus was able to feel the strong sounds rather then hear them, his whole body vibrated with the changing frequencies.
'Are they communicating?' He was left at a lost. He was confused, and unsettled.
'I wish I could understand what they are speaking.' He subconsciously thought to himself.
Suddenly, He felt weak, it felt as if his strength and energy were being sucked out of him, only to spread throughout his body and then seemingly disappeared.
A few seconds later, his ears, and left hemisphere started to heat up. The feeling of stuffed ears and confusion slowly disappeared.
In his daze, he heard a conversation. But he was very close to passing out.
"-What else could you want." The frequencies now had meaning, even though vocal chords weren't responsible for the communication.
"Even if we are declining. I will not betray my kin for such lousy benfits!" The frequencies were identical to each other, but the intonation fluctuated differently.
"So be it. You are already trapped."
The fog, started to spin, it's hypnotic movement adding a sort of grace to it.