Chapter 385: Night battle
Translator:Translation_Nation
Editor:Translation_Nation, chuchutrain
Faced with Mogensha’s inquiry, Sheyan earnestly replied.
“Because, we’ll be worst off if we don’t stay. We killed 3 remnant aboriginal Na’vis, but at least one had fled and had probably informed the others already. If we had left previously after excavating out the pandora crystals, then there wouldn’t be a problem. However after the incident with Lille and Uzel, I’m afraid it’s hard to leave anymore.”
Reef pondered for a moment. Creak! He snapped off the branch in his hands, as he breathed in deeply and said.
“Yes, that should be the case! Do you still remember that final suicidal charge of the last remaining na’vi? When he was reduced to a honeycomb by Makaji’s ‘AMP Suit’, I also noticed something – that na'vi only wielded a bone dagger during his suicidal charge! He completely had no bow nor arrows! Yet do you remember there were clearly 3 arrows that struck the ‘AMP Suit’ beforehand!”
“This opens up two possibilities. The first is, that Na’vi only possesses exceptional close combat skills, and there was another archer disguised in the darkness; however, for a race similar to elves that primarily utilizes archery, that possibility is close to zero. Another possibility is that the Na’vi had already passed his bow and arrows to another person…….I’m afraid even in ancient societies, transferring a personal weapon down as a remnant of inheritance is extremely common.”
“Like those knightly swords of the medieval ages? Sheyan chuckled. “Like how great ancient medieval kings like Henry (England) or Charlemagne (Holy Roman Emperor) bestowed honor to noble knights?”
“Hoi, I don’t appreciate such unnecessary words and your expression!” Reef fumed out.
“Thus we can infer, that old aboriginal handed over his bow to his child, and subsequently charged out. That child probably isn’t mature enough to realize the potential strength of that weapon, and thus fled in search of other Na’vis; finally, reported everything that had happened.”
Mogensha’s heart skipped a beat.
“Then what are they waiting for?”
Sheyan earnestly replied.
“Every Na’vi is an excellent hunter, and the greatest merit of a hunter is patience. Thus I have reason to believe that once the Na’vis are alerted, they would be perfectly waiting in ambush. If we braved through the thunderstorm and darkness for the valkyrie….I’m afraid we would have to engage in a night battle in this damnable forest, against foes with nightvision……”
After Reef heard Sheyan’s analogy, he immediately recalled the electrifying and deadly 2 metre long venomous arrows. He couldn’t help but blurt out.
“Honestly speaking, facing such foes in this disadvantageous terrain, even I have no confidence of surviving. Instead, if we are to remain here, then the passive would have to turn active. If they wish to attack us, they will have no choice but to approach this Hometree. But……..”
Reef suddenly frowned.
“If they are craftily patient, entrapping us here while they lay in wait outside is still an option. Moreover, they can easily gather reinforcements!”
Frankly speaking, this problem was also one that Sheyan had been deliberating. If there were 9 Na’vi hostiles outside; 9 deadly poison arrows, even the protective glass of the ‘AMP Suit’ would shatter instantly. Furthermore, their intellect was not inferior to the humans, they definitely understood the logic of sacrificing one to gain the masses! Reef definitely could not withstand a continuous barrage of arrows! Actually, staying here posed no threat to their safety, they weren’t lacking food nor water. However, are they going to just cower till the world ended? The human trio were simply unwilling!
At this moment, Mogensha licked his lips as he casted a cheeky laugh. His laugh carried a certain wretchedness that would make Jinkuang proud.
“I have an idea.”
Sheyan curiously asked.
“Please tell.”
Mogensha replied.
“This place is just an empty hollow tree to us, but to the Na’vis, this is their home…….I really feel we don’t have to rush, the Na’vis should be the ones panicking. Let us start a tiny blaze, as a symbol of demolishment. I bet they’ll rush in as though their pants were on fire!”
“Or perhaps find an idol of their deity? If not, we can start hacking down their sacred tree, I think it would be a breeze for Reef’s lightsabre, boss your 49 points of strength; chopping firewood shouldn’t be a problem right……..I mean we don’t have to, just something that can agitate them and incite them to charge in as though their asses were on fire. But let’s just wait for daylight first. With the thunderstorm and torrential rains outside, we can’t leave even if we dealt with them. Let them drink their fills in the forest first.”
Sheyan and Reef glanced at each other, laughing loudly as they responded.
“Fine, let’s do it this way.”
But suddenly Reef slapped his thigh and shouted “shit!’. Observing his horrified demeanor, Sheyan and Mogensha’s heart tightened. Instead, Reef answered.
“We are on guard duty for tonight’s shift of the valkyrie’s core engine according to our agreement with Zi. Let’s act now! Then we rush back through the night, I’ve never reneged on my words before, quick! Oi oi oi! Why are you guys feigning asleep?”
*************
Under the pitch-black night sky, several elongated blue figures shuttled through the forest shrubs; surreptitious and nimble like night phantoms. Flashes of lightning bolted down repeatedly, the windy gales were relentless; incisive miserable cries echoed through the forest – the triumphant sounds of a successful predator.
Amidst the starry dome of lightning, one could faintly discern an ash-grey vortex accumulation of dark clouds pressuring onto the ground; painting a false illusion of the gap between heaven and earth. It released an oppressive pressure onto anyone who looked at it, like an apocalypse had happened and there were the sole fortunate survivors. Hence, the atmospheric backdrop was incredulously tense.
From a distance, the majestic crown of the Hometree could be seen, a Hometree that was slowly withering away. Jacques couldn’t help recalling the olden days of glory; where this titanic Hometree was awe-inspiring and everlasting; how did it degenerate till today?
When a Hometree loses its vitality, it wouldn’t wilt but gradually degenerate. Within a short few dozen years, it would gradually shrink...tinier and tinier….finally into a sapling….a seed...and eventually into dust!
Compared to the Hometree’s undying longevity of thousands of years, a couple dozen of years degenerating was insignificant. Admiring the majestic silhouette crown of the Hometree amidst the darkness, Jacques, who hadn’t been here for close to a decade, couldn’t help feeling emotional.
“This mother has shrunk by 20 metres again, I really miss the glory days of old. Before she exhausted her lifespan, the Iklinozee clan had more than a hundred situated here. There were even mighty Ikran Makto*, they were the pride of this Yatiano region! A pity that terrifying plague……..and those ruthless invaders; allowing the Kiwatakin clan to seize the opportunity and annex the Iklinozee clan. Alas, even they have decayed to the point their Hometree is now occupied by invaders. They can’t even deal with it themselves, and can only request aid from our Takji clan……..”
(TN:*Ikran Makto is the Na’vi tongue for Mountain Banshee riders)
From afar, discrete and gentle insect screeching sounds emitted from the forest, it was indeed communicating signals of the Na’vis. Jacques led 3 courageous warriors from his tribe as they swiftly sprinted over, finally grouping up with 5 remnant hunters of the Kiwatakin clan.
These savage aboriginals had their Hometree infiltrated, and were incomparably anxious; it was exceedingly far from what Sheyan and the rest imagined it to be. They wanted to execute their plans swiftly, which was plainly charging in……. The remnants of the Kiwatakin clan were all Na’vis who had suffered under the hands of humans before, repeatedly emphasizing that the human’s ‘bow and arrows’ were mysteriously strange and unfathomably destructive. They must engage them in close combat!
5 minutes later, 9 fully equipped Na’vis begun encroaching into the darkness that was overlapping the Hometree. Their eyes were special, their eyes were like crystal aqua pearls, with precious chartreuse gem like pupils that could dilate at will. During the night, the pupils were at its maximum, capturing any thread of light.
Although they possessed powerful night vision capabilities, the humans were hidden too skillfully; it was impossible to catch a trace of them from the outside. As they trudged through the wild gales of rain toward the Hometree; suddenly, a scorching tongue lashed out from within the tree hollow. Da Da Da! The gunfire of an AK!
The placement and timing of the assault was immensely precise; it was the exact awkward moment where the Na’vis were still deliberating between advancing or pulling out.
Sheyan possessed no night vision capabilities, instead, his perceptive sense was nearly 30 points. If he couldn’t sense a Na’vi that was approaching within a couple metres away, then his perceptive sense would be essentially useless. He observed as the aboriginals crept in, wielding daggers made with beast fangs instead of preparing their bow and arrows. Sheyan then recalled that brain suspended over the fire dyke, he instantly understood these na’vi hostiles had deemed them to be likewise – weak and ordinary humans…...he immediately gestured to his comrades.
But on hindsight, the 3 of them were taking cover inside the hollow of the Hometree. The Na’vi race weren’t Amazons* who possessed impossibly high aptitude for bows and arrows; having ludicrous rangership of delivering guided arrows. Hence, it was simply impossible for the Na’vis to unleash their primitive long range firepower against the 3 humans.
(TN: *Race of female warriors in greek mythology)