Spirit Taming

Chapter 593: Tracking Rot

"Forget leaving the camp right away, can we really leave it like this? That smell has to be from the spider blood over there. Or maybe something that the spider stored away for later around here." Grace stopped the group before they up and left the area.

While her concern was fair, if the beasts here had stored something away, the others didn't see a reason to dog it up or take it with them. Especially if it was rotting already.

"They might have good materials though. Or they can be used for alchemy. What if they are rare beasts like the poison skin frog? Hm?" Isa thought she had a better idea. However, Clark already knew otherwise.

"I have a feeling the smell is coming from somewhere else. We didn't smell it until this morning. So, that means it's probably nearby and the smell came with the morning breeze and mist." The rest of the group seemed to agree since no one responded otherwise.

"That means we are going to smell like that too…aren't we?" Jerold knew that it would happen. He just could feel it in his bones. Regardless of the smell though, he was also thinking about how tough that would make tracking or hiding from dangerous beasts. They would smell the group coming or hiding. It would not be helpful to them.

"As long as everyone stays covered up we can handle any of the illness that comes with the smell too. I won't let anyone get sick." Maria was sure that whatever was producing the putrid smell would not be good to get on their bare skin. Therefore, she and Lit would be ready to purify and heal anyone that happened to be overwhelmed with the fumes.

While the group was following the odd scents that mixed together to make what had pushed their stomachs to the edge, Brad and Reese had taken different approaches.

Reese had managed to wrap an extra cloth with some tea leaves. While he had been unhappy with packing the tea, he was very glad to find a new use for it.

On Brad's side, he had managed to have his possessed armaments alter the helm portion of its body. Therefore, Brad had a face guard which he covered with cloth effectively making a better mask that helped him. Not that his beast could smell since it was a primarily metal type beast.

"I don't think that the smell is doing anything." Ralph stood still for a step and took a long breath. He was looking at everyone as if they were crazy.

"You are all burned out from forgoing. It's a wonder you can smell anything ever again." Isa snapped at Ralph. She knew well that blacksmiths often had trouble smelling things due to all the fine ash and other things that they got in their noses. Even wearing a fabric mask to block them in the forge would not help a blacksmith at all.

"Ohhh nooo, someone isn't suffering so make sure you get all short and mean to them." Ralph kicked a small twig at Isa in retaliation. The two began to bicker a little which was fine since Clark knew they were both keeping the volume lower to prevent attracting beasts.

"From what I have noticed, we are nearing a stronger source if smell after we cut through the thickets there. The plant roots are showing signs of decay along with larger darker roots that I believe are not a plants." Ella matched Clark's pace sot hat she could speak with him. She had begun studying the area the moment that they had left camp and started to follow an odd scent of rot.

"I see it too. I will try and get some more information for you. I know you have a larger journal that you are using as a guide for the violent jungle. I will help you with it." Ella smiled widely when Clark responded. She didn't think for a second that her violent jungle guide was being missed by Clark. In her eyes, he was the best research partner for her.

Only he would be able to assist her in digging out hidden details.

In this case, Clark had started to use the analysis of the system. He was certain that he could distract himself from the thoughts about Devi's future by bombarding himself with such analysis. That, and he had noticed that Shy had woken up and wanted to be held in his hands where she could see better as he analyzed the area.

"I am just giving the trail we are making a once over. Plenty of decay and rot even though the rest of the plants are healthy and growing. I have a feeling it's a beast. If you could check the shadows and keep an alarm at the ready?" Clark saw Shy send out a few thin shadow threads. She was very clearly agreeing to this and a very happy to help since Clark had obliged to carry her in her favorite way.

'Black mold…

Green ooze…

Parasitic rot…

Dry leaf rot…'

These were just a few of the things that Clark managed to find at a quick glance. A bush where the leaves were rotting in to dust but the plant itself seemed fine at the base and roots. Another where green ooze instead of sap came from a tree. Yet another where smaller worms had dug in to the tree and begun to rot it from the inside out as they ate it.

The black mold though, that was something that the warmth would normally stop from forming. The black mold species that the system showed needed moist and cool air. Not cold and definitely not warm like the jungle air.

"I think there is something causing all if this to grow. None of them seem to be dangerous and like they are killing plants entirely. But they are definitely weakening them and somehow feeding on them." Clark made the comment to Ella who nodded. She pointed right at the small vines with black mold species on them. She had the same theory as him.

"Oh holy beasts of the world!" Jerold covered his face even though he had done so with some extra cloth already. "It got worse over here!" He was caught in a slight breeze that had brought the smell full on to his nose and made his eyes water.

"That means we are headed the right way." Clark smiled a little as he smelled the same thing. He disliked the scent and was able to notice it more. He had not realized just how much stronger this senses got from having the unique dragon and spiritual energies from Crim and Devi move through his body.

The unity of dragon energy being flexible and allowed for his natural spiritual and physical aspects to become closer. Therefore, he was overall stronger and more sensitive than an average human without a beast's assistance.

"You looked happy for a second before your eyes started to tear up too." Maria nudged him while teasing. But she had the same issue as him since she had smelled it too.

However, Isa and Grace had pushed forward ahead of the others and come to a stop. They had found signs that there was something wrong. "There are some purple thorny vines up here. Or maybe they are roots. I don't think they are normal.

Clark took a careful look and noticed that these vines were definitely abnormal compared to the usual appearance for the jungle. "Alright, Ella, time to investigate." The two began to look closely and follow them.

"The scent is coming from these thorny roots. But they are not feeding off of the ground or other plants. They are collecting the things leaving rotting plants. Look here." Ella pointed out a thorny root that had wrapped around the base of a rotting tree. The green ooze that came out instead of sap was being absorbed by the purple thorns.

"Then it has more thorns where the mold is to collect spores or the dry rotted leaves. I believe it is spreading from one place to collect even more nutrients."

"So this is the path to the source then? Basically we are tracking the roots of a plant that might be a beast. And is it able to affect all this?" Jerold cut down a larger bush in front of them showing that there were also puddles where parts of rotted jungle foliage had fallen and begun to rot. These puddles were full of the thorny purple vines.

Between what Ella had just said and what Jerold had discovered by looked further, the group knew that whatever they were approaching was more dangerous than what they had already dealt with. This was also a plant type beast if it was a beast. It would not be underestimating them or being able to be distracted the same ways that a mutated jungle spider had been able to be beaten.

"Let's keep tracking it." Clark ushered the group further.