Day Four: Early Morning

[Aero]

“Fuck,” Aero muttered as he stared at his map. He pointed a finger at their current location and then ran it up to where the temple was supposed to be, letting out a sigh. “We have to cover a pretty far distance in six hours,” he said, glancing at his ally and then back at his map. “Six fuckin hours. That’s all we got to make it. We’re cutting it close, ya’know?”

Kirano said nothing.

Aero tucked the map back into one of the compartments in the backpack and then grabbed the water hide from the side compartment. “We’ll have to rush there. No time to play jack-off buddy, kay?” He drank some of the water and then pouredthe rest on his glistening forehead, washing away the salty perspiration. “You don’t seem like much of a talker, but that’s cool,” he said, carelessly littering the ground with the empty skin hide. “The finale is here, homey, and I’m glad I got you as a partner, regardless if we don’t seem to click on the same page.”

Kirano said nothing.

Aero didn’t mind the silence of his partner. Kirano had demonstrated his integrity, and that was all that Aero cared about. Though he did enjoy the company of the intoxicated blondy much more than the stonewall edition. And he approved of the calculating stonewall edition more than the maniacal Kirano, however, but trusted both of them.

“Well, let’s be on our way then,” Kirano finally spoke, in that precise and calculating tone that Aero adored. “We’ll make haste, cutting through the hills and over to the temple. It’s most efficient way.”

Aero nodded.

Kirano pulled out his own map and slid his finger across it in his intended path of travel. “We’ll cut up here and then just take that route straight up to the temple.” He said, examining the last of the available spaces to travel. “If there weren’t so many danger zones we could’ve cut across here.” He pointed, but then put the map away. “We’ll be able to make it in six hours. Hopefully when we arrive not many people will be standing in our way.”

Aero smirked. He wanted people to be there to greet him and Kirano. That’s what he craved for the entire competition—a true fight. The prior battles did not matter, only the ones that were before him. Only the strongest survived to this point, and only the strongest were going to survive further. He salivated at the opportunity to fight the strongest. He salivated at having the opportunity for a rematch with the golden haired fighter from earlier, matching his speed and cunning with the goldenboy’s might and wrath.

“Yeah,” he replied, “I hope there aren’t many people left in our way.” He grinned mischievously as he looked at the shotgun slung on his back.

They both peered ahead at the wall of trees before them. They towered up as high as skyscrapers and seemed to be the entrance into an entirely new world. It was the forest. It was the forest that the temple was concealed in (like a rabbit inside of a magician’s hat). The forest was going to be the resting grounds for all except for one. Except for that one man or woman that proved they were the best—the forest that was going to determine the victor of Dante’s Abyss 2008.

Kirano and Aero looked at each other. They both had eyes full of fire and determination. They were both ready. As Aero would’ve said, it was time to grab the bull by the horns and take control.

“You do know that eventually we’ll have to fight each other, right?” Kirano asked with a subtle smile spread across his face.

“Yeah,” Aero replied. “But I say that we save that to be the last fight, yo. I say we stick together until we’re both left in a puddle of blood or forced to battle one another.” He gave the same smile back, running a hand through his turquoise hair. “Whatcha say, partner?”

“Let's do this."