Hunting and Phantoms

A small knife carved from black bone lightly cut across the rough bark, leaving inconspicuous patterns upon the lush, towering trees. Blood was then smeared over them, infusing them with the power of spirit and blood. Each mark was anointed with blood three times, over and over again...

Richard followed the procedure for inscribing marks from memory, using the bone carving knife in his hand to leave runes symbolizing abyssal power on the trunks in the forest, then smearing his own blood over them. He then raised his head and looked at Dumont, who was doing the same thing nearby.

He walked over as if intending to greet him.

"These marks are weak on their own," Dumont said casually when he saw Richard approach, "but as long as there are enough of them, they'll have a sufficient effect on Xilantis."

"Not enough... far from enough..." Richard mumbled vaguely, his fingers unconsciously turning the bone carving knife in his hand.

"The effect of these marks alone truly isn't enough, but once the process begins, it will accelerate. When Xilantis 'remembers' that day, it will be time to harvest the fruit," Dumont said with a smile, seemingly full of confidence in the future. "Those 'missionaries' may be unreliable, but at least this time, the intelligence they provided has proven useful."

Richard said nothing. He merely slowly raised his head, staring intently at the great tree Dumont had just marked as though admiring the scenery—so intently that Dumont subconsciously looked up as well, puzzledly gazing toward the canopy above.

"What are you looking at? Is there some—"

Richard suddenly raised his arm at a posture and angle no human joint could possibly achieve—nearly folding his right arm into three segments—and slipped his hand into Dumont's blind spot. He drove the bone carving knife