He asked Yellow, "Is there any way we can communicate without the hunters knowing?"
Ding.
Yellow gave a system notification: Intelligence -1.
Then he explained, "You can communicate with us using your thoughts. That way, no one else can hear you."
Why didn't I think of that before? he thought, feeling a flush of embarrassment.
The hunter ignored him, clearly thinking, This is just the idiot prince. But the baboon Lali watched him carefully, its eyes filled with doubt.
Using his thoughts, he asked, "How far can we communicate like this?"
Yellow replied, "That depends on your aura."
He frowned. "Aura? What do you mean by that?"
Yellow explained, "It's like your popularity count back on Earth. For example, if you're an assassin, your aura is low because most assassins keep their identity secret."
Red jumped in, "Your aura gets stronger when you're near family members, but it drops in unfamiliar places. Like now."
He asked, "So what happens if you go out of the aura field?"
Blue quickly transmitted a wave of panic. "Don't leave us!"
Red growled, "You dare?"
Yellow sighed. "I think we turn back to our original forms." He directed Gana's attention to the small stone hovering above his own head. "Our original forms are these — the symbols floating above each of us."
He looked up and saw the small stone above Yellow's head, the tiny fire flickering above Red, and the water drop floating gently above Blue.
They heard footsteps approaching outside the tent.
The leader of the group entered and sat down on a chair.
He looked at Gana and said, "Do you want to live? Then help me bring the princess out of the palace."
Good. He still thinks I'm an idiot, Gana thought, a plan forming instantly. He smiled inwardly. Alright, let's trick him.
He said aloud, "I want to live. I'll bring the princess out—just don't kill me. But you won't lay a hand on my sister."
He then asked, "How's the white horse? I want to see it."
The leader looked at him closely for a moment, then ordered, "Bring him to see the foal."
They took him out of the tent. He saw they were still in the forest, but now there were more than ten tents like his — and many Lalis were locked in cages nearby.
They took him to an isolated cage where the foal was kept. There was a fresh wound on its neck.
He placed his hand on the cage and promised, "Don't worry, I'll free you soon."
There were no hunters nearby.
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from the forest. The trees started to crack, and the sounds grew louder as the ground began to shake.
The hunters started running, shouting, "Lalis are raiding! Run!"
The leader came out and pointed at him. "Keep him safe—and that foal too!" he ordered sharply, though he gave no reason to his followers.
But before he could finish, a full-grown white horse burst out of the forest and sent him flying.
He was shocked by the number and size of the Lalis that followed. Even the ones in the cages became excited, despite some being badly wounded.
Taking the opportunity, he freed the foal from its cage.
The foal ran into the crowd of approaching Lalis and disappeared.
He started running too, as the wild Lalis began attacking the humans. There were tall monkeys, foxes, wolves, elephants — all charging forward.
With the systems right behind him, he pushed himself faster and faster, running through the dense forest as his breath came in ragged gasps. Thick undergrowth tore at his legs, and low branches scratched his face. Sunlight barely filtered through the canopy, casting shifting, disorienting shadows.
Ahead, the baboon moved swiftly, faster than the hunters pursuing it. Its four arms helped it leap over logs and swing from branches, while he was forced to stumble over roots and rocks. The forest buzzed with the chaos of the raid—snapping twigs and rustling leaves all around—making it hard to focus. He pushed himself harder, heart racing as he dodged obstacles.
Behind him, the leader of the hunters was closing in, injured but fiercely determined. He gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn't afford to slow down.
The injured leader finally caught up, lunging forward with surprising speed despite his wound.
He acted fast, grabbing a handful of loose stones from the ground and sending them flying toward the leader's legs.
The leader twisted and dodged with agility, leaping over the stones. He swung a thick branch like a club, aiming for his head.
Ducking under the swing, he spotted a small puddle nearby and flicked his fingers, sending a splash of muddy water into the leader's eyes.
The leader growled, wiping the water away, then closed in, trying to grab him.
Red's voice flared in his mind: "Use earth — hit hard and fast!"
He scooped up a handful of sharp stones and hurled them at the leader's chest, forcing him to stumble back. The leader recovered quickly and lunged with a wild kick.
He sidestepped and pulled the knife he'd slipped into his pocket earlier. In one quick move, he slashed the leader's throat.
The leader gasped, clutching his neck, and fell to his knees. At that moment, the baboon screamed and collapsed, lifeless.
He watched, breathing hard, as the connection became clear. So that's how the Atmabhand works. Kill the host, kill the Lali.
He suddenly realized he was now surrounded by many Lalis. Oh, shit.
But surprisingly, none of them attacked him. Why aren't they attacking?
He could still hear the sounds from the hunters' camp slowly dying down.
The other Lalis gradually moved away, clearing a path. From the group, a white horse stepped forward. Its mane was golden.
His knees weakened. The rush of adrenaline from the fight was fading, leaving his body heavy and drained. His breathing slowed, his vision blurred, and the sounds around him grew faint.
Too tired to take another step, he collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.