Following the rough route sketched by the bald-headed proprietor, Ruboo drove to the vicinity of Grimmry's Haunted House.
Beyond that point, the road simply vanished.
Ruboo signalled to the three young witches, and they followed the dilapidated signposts deeper into the dense forest.
A quarter of an hour later, a dilapidated cottage came into view.
"Is this the famed Grimly Haunted House? Would that crocodile-man condescend to dwell here?" Madison fanned herself with her hand, amused.
Zoe and Queenie looked somewhat disappointed; what they saw before them was vastly different from what they had imagined.
"No wonder tourism hasn't taken off around here," remarked Ruboo.
Embracing the spirit of 'in for a penny, in for a pound', he pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Instantly!
Flutter, flutter, flutter, flutter...
One by one, the bats were startled awake, bursting out of the house and hurtling towards him at breakneck speed.
Ruboo scrambled out of the way.
Over the next few moments, a multitude of bats awoke from their slumber, swarming like dark clouds as they flew towards the door.
Zoe and the other two women standing behind Ruboo were so terrified they immediately ran far away.
Once all was quiet.
Ruboo beckoned the trio back, shrugged, and remarked, "I suppose that's one of the haunted house's special features."
"I suppose so..." Among the three, only Zoe gave him the courtesy of a reluctant agreement.
"Let's go inside. There shouldn't be any bats in there now."
Ruboo stepped inside first.
Inside, everything was shrouded in a grey haze.
Tattered, filthy furniture, dinner plates covered in dust a finger's thickness, blackened, stiff jerky, bat droppings scattered everywhere, and cobwebs...
Nothing out of the ordinary—just a long-abandoned old house. Not a trace of the so-called crocodile people to be seen.
The four of them emerged swiftly.
The others, who hadn't really expected to find anything here, weren't particularly disappointed.
Instead, they were delighted to discover a well-preserved wooden boat while idly wandering near the nearby marshes.
Clearly, this couldn't have been left behind by that Grimmli fellow.
The Ruboo quartet, assuming it belonged to some local, didn't hesitate to make use of it.
Not forgetting their original excursion plan, they boarded the boat, took up the oars, and began paddling leisurely through the marsh.
Unlike the marsh trails already developed by tour companies, this completely untouched wilderness allowed Ruboo and his companions to truly appreciate the marsh's authentic charm.
Soon, Madison caught sight of the crocodile she'd been longing to see.
Following the direction indicated, Ruboo looked over just as half a crocodile's head surfaced, eyes, ears and nostrils visible. Judging by its orientation, it seemed to be observing this group of uninvited guests.
Madison wasn't satisfied with merely watching. She was eager to try something more adventurous. "Shall we catch it and have a go?" she asked.
For ordinary folk, crocodiles were creatures best left alone.
But for a witch like Madison, it was merely a toy summoned at her whim.
"No!" Zoe protested immediately. "I'd hate for the boat to sink."
The wooden boat beneath them was already straining under the weight of four people.
Add a crocodile to that?
Then we'd all have to swim back.
"I can't swim!" Queenie promptly shot down the idea.
Madison could only reluctantly let go.
In the time that followed, relying on his exceptional physique, Ruboo effortlessly wielded the wooden paddle, guiding the girls further into the depths.
What others deemed perilous posed no challenge to them, allowing them to roam freely as they pleased.
Yet they remained unaware that beneath the thick water grasses, a crocodile head far larger than any they had seen before was slowly surfacing. A pair of bloodthirsty, beastly eyes coldly fixed upon the joyful laughter ahead.
...
It was already dusk.
Having spent the day exploring the marshes without incident, Ruboo and his companions returned, drove to a suitable camping spot, pitched their tents, and prepared to spend the night there.
After all, spending the night outdoors is simply par for the course when travelling in the wilderness.
When it came to pitching tents, Zoe, Madison, and even Quini were far more adept than the novice Ruboo.
Rather than risk getting in the way, he retrieved a parang from the boot of the car. He cleared away the troublesome weeds near the campsite and, while at it, chopped some firewood for the evening's campfire.
This crescent-shaped, large and heavy short blade proved perfectly suited for chopping wood.
Ruboo had stumbled upon this blade yesterday while rummaging through the academy's storeroom. He had no idea which senior had purchased it, nor whether it was meant for camping or for chopping people up.
Adhering to the principle of not wasting resources, he had brought it along.
By the time Ruboo returned to camp laden with firewood, three tents had been erected.
One for Quini, one for Madison, and one for himself and Zoe – perfectly reasonable.
Madison had briefly considered sabotaging a tent, thereby joining Ruboo and Zoe's private space.
However, upon second thought, he realised this would likely mean sharing a bed with Quini. Unwilling to endure her considerable bulk and thunderous snoring, he ultimately abandoned the idea.
Still, in such splendid surroundings, leaving no trace behind—unlike during that three-day road trip—felt rather unsatisfying.
Madison's eyes lit up instantly.
...
Night fell.
Under Madison's watchful gaze, flames leapt to life atop the woodpile, illuminating the surrounding area.
Zoe, watching, expressed her envy: "Madison, how did you manage that?"
"Talent!" Madison proudly lifted her chin. "Every witch is born with one or more innate talents. Over time, or through emotional triggers, the power buried deep within a witch's bloodline will eventually awaken."
Queenie cut straight to the heart of it: "Like last time when you nearly got killed by that evil spirit and scared yourself silly—that's when your fire ability awoke."
"Not just that."
Madison arched her slender eyebrows, her gaze flickering as she looked at Queenie.
The next moment, Queenie, mid-snack, paused. She then proactively offered the treat in her hand towards Madison.
Madison gave a smug smile at the sight of the greasy, chubby palm extended before her, then declined with a look of disgust:
"Thanks. You keep it."
With that, she withdrew her gaze.
Quini snapped back to his senses, incredulous. "Bloody hell! What just happened?"
Zoe was equally astonished. She never would have believed Quini would voluntarily offer food to Madison.
"Mind control. Fiona showed me once, and I picked it up straight away," Madison stated calmly, taking a freshly grilled chicken wing from Ruboo as she spoke.
"You've mastered yet another ability?" Zoe's face flickered with shock, envy, and longing. "Could you teach me how to do it?"
Having witnessed her boyfriend in danger last time and felt utterly helpless, she now desperately wanted to grow stronger.
"No problem," Madison offered readily.
Observing Zoe's expectant expression and Quini, who listened intently though looking somewhat pale, Madison's lips curved into a smile. She conjured a crate of beer, patted it, and declared:
"Let's drink and talk!"