“Okay, you know what to do right?” I asked. “Yeah,” Lucy said. “Okay. Let’s do this.” I said. Lucy and I took a deep breath, the magic lantern in hand, I opened the door. It leads into a massive hallway, with stone columns lining the sides. Directly in front of us was a massive stone throne with two large fire pits on either side. And sitting atop the throne was Inka herself, sleeping.

This wasn’t a dream. We weren't playing games. This was the real her. What we were going to do, could get us killed for real. Yet, what truly and completely shocked me, was the fact that Jack, Steven, and Albert were all...fine? They were all partly submerged inside of Inka’s coils and sleeping as well. And Marty was here? What? I saw him get eaten by that slug thing over eight days ago. How did he manage to get here?

I had so many questions that it was making my head hurt. I shook them off, trying to focus on what was important. I walked very lightly and quietly as I could toward Inka. Then, when I was standing about 45 meters or so away from Inka, Steven happened to wake up and see me walking forward. “Aiden?!” he said. I panicked. “Ssshhh!” I said, but it was too late.

Inka slowly opened her eyes and looked up from her pile and directly at me. “Well well. What a ssurprisse. You found me. Not many have found me…” she purred. “I have noticed,” I said. She looked at my arrow and her eyes widened a little. “Are you okay?” she asked. “It doesn’t really hurt,” I said.

I stepped forward. “You know why I’m here,” I said. “Then you know what my ansswer musst be,” she said. “Look, I want to make a quick negotiation. I would like to offer something in exchange for my friends.” I said. “What would you like to offer?” Inka asked. “Well, that’s up to you. You decide what you want to trade in exchange for my friends.” I said. Inka’s eyes narrowed deeply on me, her glare sharp and deadly. “You.” Inka hissed.

My eyes went wide. She wanted me. I mean, it kind of made sense, I just didn’t expect her to say it. I guess my brain is a little fried from the arrow in my head. I sighed. “Okay. I’m willing to trade myself for Marty, Lucy, Steven, and Albert.” I said. “No!” Jack yelled. “Yes, Jack. Yes.” I said. Inka began to slither over to me, her eyes looking hungry.

“Inka, before you take me, can I at least say goodbye to my friends first. It would be beyond cruel to lose your loved ones without at least saying goodbye once.” I said. Inka looked over at them, still wrapped in coils. She looked back at me and smiled. “Okay,” she said.

Inka unwrapped Marty, Jack, Steven, and Albert and they fell to the ground. They immediately ran toward me and tried to embrace, but I stopped them. “No! Let me do the talking.” I said. They nodded and I walked over to Lucy first.

“Lucy, you have been with me on this trip to the very end, so I want to say, that if at first, you don’t succeed...then skydiving isn’t for you,” I said. “Okay…” she said awkwardly. I grabbed her hand and then grabbed Steven’s hand and connected them together. “What are you doing?” Steven asked. “Just do it and don’t let go,” I said, giving him a slight glare. “Okay…” he said.

“Steven, you have been this groups best third wheel we could ever ask for so, I must tell you this, you were born too late to explore the Earth and too early to explore the Universe. Born just in time to explore the Internet.” I said and he reached to hold Albert’s hand. He took it.

“Albert, you were the main comic relief of this group, so I just have to say this. There are some people who just like to eat their boogers. And we have to deal with it.” I said and he reached out to hold Marty’s hand. He took it.

“Marty, you are a huge nerd, so here’s what I’ve got. Those 7 octillion atoms, all them 13.8 billion years old, after being rearranged countless times, have temporarily formed...you.” I said and he held Jack’s hand. He gladly took it.

I walked over to Jack and held his hand. “Wait, where my speech?” he asked. “You weren’t here the last 15 days. I’ve got nothing.” I said. I turned back to Inka, who was looking quite ready. “Well, I guess this is it. All I have to say to you is…” I quickly turned the magic lantern’s dial to the left and grabbed Jack’s hand. “...see you around Inka,” I said.

The magic lantern’s light turned blue and grew brighter and brighter and brighter. Inka quickly launched forward, her tail coming straight at us. I braced for impact. My vision was filled with blue light and then became black…

---

Welcome to the 40th addition to my "The Hunt" series, which is ongoing gift art for the epically talented Inkanyamba.
When faced with a life or death situation, all of us survive or none of us survive. No regrets.

Inkanyamba belongs to https://www.furaffinity.net/user/inkanyamba/
Humans belong to me

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