"You're lying."
I said in disbelief, staring at the frog in astonishment. The frog leisurely halted and faced me.
"Maybe I am, but is there a way to prove it? Regardless of me lying or not, you clearly can't hit me."
I gritted my teeth. This frog was being so annoyingly smug, but I couldn't refute it's words. The frog was right. I can't hit it and if what it said was true, killing this thing is an impossible task. I cant wait too long, otherwise my dehydration and hunger will get the best of me.
"What are you planning? Randomly showing yourself?"
The frog didn't respond for a few seconds, but it answered.
"That reckless fool is dead. Can you guess what we are attempting to do?"
I narrowed my eyes.
'We, huh? Looks like Morgan has met the animal who is the cause of this loop....'
They also seem to be attempting something. I knew it was suspicious when they decided decided show themselves immediately after the death of the tiger. Clearly, these two animals are much more cunning compared to the tiger. From what I have gathered, the tiger must have been following their orders.
"Trying to make us fall into despair? Is that it Want to make us give up?"
I asked. I wasn't fully convinced of this answer. No matter what, I won't give up. Even if the odds were stacked against me. There has to be a way to win. Such an unfair ability can't exist. Do I exploit it's curse? I will have to try and figure it out first, but that won't be too easy. Animals that can talk are resourceful. Take that tiger for example, it hid it's curse perfectly and the only way I managed to kill it was by using a bait.
But compared to the tiger, the frog was clearly more cautious and intelligent. It won't be easy.
Eventually, the frog responded.
"You got me. Isn't it obvious? We can't kill you, so we might as well starve you to death in the loop, then feed on your corpses."
I blinked in surprise. That was an interesting plan, but why did the frog so readily admit it to me?
"....Okay? Thanks for telling."
The frog didn't say anything else and spun around, hopping away. I didn't dare let it out my sight and followed closely behind. Once again, I attempted to strike it— but as expected, I hit the invisible wall once more. I repeated the action, growing more frustrated, but there was nothing I could do.
"Dammit! How is this even fair?!"
I exclaimed, kicking the frog— the invisible wall— and hurting my own leg.
"Where are you even going?"
I inquired, prompting the frog to speak.
"Don't you want to meet my pal? We are going to meet him."
'Pal?'
I raised an eyebrow. Is this frog talking about its animal friend or someone else? I had a feeling it was someone else, but I didn't jump to conclusions yet.
"Who's this 'pal' of yours? Is he also part of the starving scheme?"
The frog didn't spare me a glance and answered leisurely.
"You want to know? Then follow me, I guess."
I despised cryptic answers like that, but at the moment, I didn't really have much of a choice besides following the damn frog. So, I did exactly that.
______________________________________________
On the other side....
"Dammit! Come back here, you stupid bird!"
I continued running after the annoyingly fast parrot. My speed has been greatly increased after all that I have experienced these past few hours. Im sure by now that my physical attributes would seem enviable, for most Mulligan Players, of course. Not to mention, my body was also pumping with adrenaline, so I hardly even felt my own hunger and thirst.
Thus, I kept running after the bird recklessly. I attempted climbing up a tree and swining a vine to capture the bird, but it predicted my very obvious plan and just moved out the way with ease. How frustrating. I didn't even have the time to think about where it was taking me. As that thought appeared inside my head, the speed of my steps slowed down into a jog.
'Where is it taking me? It's definitely trying to lure me somewhere, without a doubt.'
The parrot had stopped, settling down on a branch of a tree once again, once it realized I was pondering something.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
It asked in perfect english, it's tone similar to how a parrot would mimick human speech. But it still, it never ceased to surprise me.
"Where exactly are you taking me?"
The parrot titled it's head.
"You were the one following me. Im not taking you anywhere."
I gritted my teeth at the coy response.
"Then, where the hell are you going?"
The parrot shrugged, or atleast I thought it was similar to one.
"Who knows? Maybe I'm trying to tire you out, so that I can come down and finish the job. You don't think much using that head of yours, do you?"
I took a deep breath. It was trying to provoke me. I cant let it get to my head. Already my mental defenses were weak and its ability to influence others is pretty strong. But with a blessing like that, it's direct combat ability must be lacking. That must be why it's trying to avoid direct combat with me and simply flying around.
That's a totally reasonable assumption. But then, why do I feel so uneasy? The parrot randomly showing itself after the Tiger's death, provoking me and trying to lure me somewhere. There has to be something im missing in this. Something isn't adding up. My intuition is telling me not to follow the parrot.
I was silent for a few seconds, then said:
"Why did you show yourself after the tiger died?"
The parrot didn't respond. It flapped it's wings and soared into the sky, almost beckoning me to floor using a finger.
'Like hell I will!'
.....Even as I said that I was already moving my legs, rushing towards the parrot. I had to get to it before it's mental attacks destroy my mind, removing all rationality. With the last bit of lucidity I have, I need to kill the darn parrot. No matter what it took! It didn't matter if it had a plan in store, or an unpleasant surprise waiting for me.
That didn't change anything. Because regardless, I had to get rid of the parrot. Otherwise, our loss to the animals is pretty much guaranteed the moment the mental attack of the parrot grows in potency. It will be the end of me and Isabella. I cant let that happen.
So, I ran after it with all the speed I could muster.
"I'll get you, you smug bird!"
____________________________________________
On the other side....
"I find it a little strange. How did you learn how to speak English so perfectly? Did meet other humans and mimicked them?"
I asked the frog, my voice curious, but at the same time trying to claw out some secrets through conversation. This was something I have been genuinely wondering about, though. From my despicable father, I knew that some Unbound Creatures can learn how to speak and mimic human behavior after receiving their blessing and curse.
But the only way they could is by having a human to mimic. You can't learn English magically, or even understand the language without having a teacher or a medium to mimic. That is simply not possible. So, either these animals had other victims before, or they are special.
The frog didn't stop. It continued hopping, with me following closely behind, opening it's mouth to respond.
"Maybe we did. Can you tell?"
I raised an eyebrow, frustrated by the coy answer, but also curious about the phrasing. What exactly is this frog trying to tell me?
I pondered for a few seconds, then answered.
"No, I can't tell. You clearly don't have much experience working together. You three teamed up just the other day, no? Otherwise, this surprise attack wouldn't have failed so miserably and you wouldn't have lost your only offensive animal."
I paused, then adding in a more provoking manner.
"Are you trying to lure me to meet your other friend? Because let me tell you, Morgan may be an idiot, but I bet he has already taken care of it. By taking me to your pal, your taking me to Morgan. We both will destroy you."
The frog remained silent. It showed no reaction and continued on its way. Making me let out a frustrated grumble.
"You foolish frog—"
My words abruptly died down on my throat, as I felt a presence. We have gotten quite deep through the path. The loop wasn't broken, so this must have been an area we haven't explored— the place the loop was placed inside the jungle seemed pretty vast, with more secrets.
This particular one made me uneasy.
The moon was hanging up in the sky. Well, im not even sure if it's a real moon in The Mulligan, but that doesn't matter. Because of no Sun, it was dark and I couldn't see well. However, I felt saw a faint glistening light. There, right in the middle was an obsidian throne. A figure was sitting upon it, leisurely leaning against their fist, in a relaxed posture.
The figure seemed human.
"Who....is that?"
I looked down at the frog, who was slowly approaching the figure obstructed by the darkness. Then, the frog bowed down before it. That's when I saw countless lights light up from behind the throne. No, they weren't lights.
They were eyes.
'Oh, God....'
I heard growling, roars and howling. All of them. All of those eyes that numbered more than fifty was a vicious Unbound Creature with their own unique Blessing and Curse. For a moment, I was stunned into fear.
__________________________________________
On the other side....
I jumped from a log to another, from a boulder to another. Occasionally climbing onto a tree and swinging using a vine— I have gotten pretty good at it. It was also very fun. But you know what wasn't fun?
Chasing the stupid alluring red parrot. My anger was rising. A testament to how close I am to eventually succumbing to the mental attack of the parrot. Meanwhile, it was avoiding me trying to capture it with practiced ease, almost like it knew what my attacks will be no matter how unpredictable I try to be.
'How is this even fair?'
I grumbled under my breath.
Eventually though, we reached the darkest part of the area the loop was placed on. I never explored this far, mainly because I assumed Isabella already did, perhaps im placing too much trust and reliance on her.
"Where is this place?"
I asked the parrot that had suddenly slowed down in the air, flapping it's wings and coming down. Without hesitation, it sat on my shoulder.
"Huh? What are you doing?"
I raised an eyebrow, confused. But I didn't hesitate. I grabbed the parrot using my one remaining hand by the "throat" and began choking it, my eyes burning with a dark glee.
"You reckless fool! Did you think I wouldn't kill you? That I would spare you?"
I pulled at it's feathers, enjoying the way it's face contorted in pain and agony. Eventually I threw it to the ground and stomped on the parrot.
One stomp.
Two stomps.
Three stomps.
Blood splattered across the grass, as the parrot died. No, it hasn't died yet. I haven't heard the voice announce the elimination yet. So, I continued. Stomping my legs on it over and over again, until....there was nothing left by a torn piece of a little birds corpse.
'Huh?'
I was certain it died, because at the moment the parrot was squished to pieces, my mind suddenly became clearer. The mental attacks have worn off, but it's strange. I didn't hear the overseer announce the elimination in my ear.
'What does this mean?'
I turned my head and peered into the darkness. That's when I finally saw it. A glistening obsidian throne with a figure leisurely sitting on it. Behind it was countless glowing lights. No, all of them was an eye.
An eye for a different animal.
I realized this pretty quickly once my rationally returned. My head turned towards the right, where I saw Isabella not so far away. Even she seemed to have noticed. She turned her head and faced me, we both locked eyes— filled with fear and panic.
"R–run!!"
I heard her exclaim. She didn't have to say it twice. I was already running, following closely behind her.
The animals were on the move, already following us. The human figure sitting on the throne moved slightly, standing up. Their lips moved, a gentle yet masculine voice echoed.
"....Enjoy you're meal, my dear servants."