The village lay quietly at the edge of the tropical rainforest, where towering palms and banana leaves cast broad swaths of deep shade. The air was hot, humid, and heavy, mingled with the scent of soil humus, the distinctive freshness of transpiring plants, and a faint trace of cooking smoke.
Every house was a crude thatched hut, supported by wood and roofed with thick layers of dried palm leaves or straw. Their domed or conical structures helped drain the frequent rain.
Several brightly feathered birds, impossible to name, warily glanced at the intruders before swiftly vanishing into the deep green backdrop.
Led silently by Liang Chen, Amon and Finn crossed the village toward its tallest and most conspicuous thatched hut. It stood nearly half again as tall as the surrounding houses and covered roughly three times as much ground, clearly serving as the village's central building.
In the middle of the hut, a crude stone fire pit burned with a weak flame. Several military ration cans sat in the fire, while two people were seated nearby.
One was a blonde, blue-eyed woman with a voluptuous figure. Even in the dim light, her striking beauty was impossible to conceal.
The other was a man with the typical features of North Indian nobility. His skin was a healthy dark honey color, his features sharply defined and handsome, with a high nose bridge and firm, resolute lips.
Most striking were his eyes. In their deep black-brown pupils, it seemed as though the sands of the Ganges and starlight were contained within. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, and every glance carried an open, righteous air.
His gaze fell first on Finn, and a smile curved across his lips. "It's good to see you again, my friend."
"It's you..." Finn's eyes narrowed