Chapter 12: Crater Investigation (1)

Chapter 12: Crater Investigation (1)

Atop the hills, soldiers and mages alike stood stock still, all of them staring down to try to find the signs of movement Bel had mentioned. Several seconds passed.

Maybe it was just smoke, she said.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

Xerxes eased the ties on his component pouch, just in case.

Rihan, said Sergeant Tamharu, you circle around that way. He gestured to the right. Ap, you go the other way. Both of you keep spears out and shields up. Stay atop the hill, but try to get a better angle of view. Try to see whats inside the crater. Tekinalp and Goran, nock arrows and spread out a bit. Xerxes, be ready for anything. Bel, forget your bow. Have your pouch open and your spell ready, just in case.

As Rihan and Ap drew their weapons and loped in opposite directions, Tekinalp and Goran prepared their bows. Bel loosened her component pouch.

As for Xerxes, he left his pouch loose and ready to access, and unsheathed his longsword. Given the tense circumstances, he wasnt even thinking about the fact that this was his first time going into a potentially dangerous situation with soldiers at his side.

Unlike the other infantrymen, Tamharu had a sword, but not the unusual type Xerxes preferred. Instead, he had a short bronze blade that was perfect when used in combination with a sturdy, round shield.

All of a sudden, the odd odor Xerxes had detected earlier rose in intensity, filling the area with a scent like that of rotten eggs and bile.

Private Tekinalp made a gagging sound, and Sergeant Tamharu coughed.

Disgusting, said Private Goran. Do rocks from eaven usually smell like this?

Aint never been around a space rock, Tekinalp said. Ave you?

Nope.

A breeze sprang up, and the smell faded.

No chit-chat, you two, Tamharu said.

Sorry, sir.

A woman.

His jaw nearly dropped as he realized there was a naked female standing up in the middle of the crater. Both her skin and hair were a creamy white color, creating a nearly blinding contrast to the darkness of the smoking crater around her. It was a different paleness than Bels skin. Bels skin, though light, was almost pink in some ways, compared to the dark olive common to Isinians.

But this woman who had fallen from the sky had skin the color of a maggot and hair like bleached bone. Due to her position, it was only possible to see her from the waist up, as though her legs were curled beneath her in a trough within the crater itself. In fact, that pale hair stretched so far down her back it piled messily on the ground.

She had her arms crossed over her chest, partially concealing her breasts, and obscuring the curve of her waist. As for her face, her features were attractive, and though her eyes were closed, it was possible to see two slips of maroon the color of drying blood that were her lips, her mouth neither smiling nor frowning.

Normally speaking, Xerxes heart would have begun to pound at the sight of an unclothed woman standing right in front of him. But there was something about this woman.

The noxious odor waxed dominant, pushing away all of the smell of the wild hills, and replacing it with something positively vomitous.

Tamharu choked again, and the other two soldiers made spitting sounds.

Xerk, Bel said, her trembling voice barely above a whisper. The smell, its like from back at the castle. Those spider things.

Abhorrent, Xerxes said, almost uncertain if the word had come out of his mouth. He raised his voice. Sarge, its not a woman, its an Abhorrent.

Tamharu turned to look at him, eyes squinted in disbelief. Thats not possible.

It wasnt possible. Or at least, it shouldnt have been. The Abhorrent had been isolated in the Nightmare Cove for millennia. Quarantined. Imprisoned.

Other than those summoned by mages, they were never seen. Never even heard of, outside of stories and the tales spun by bards.

How could one be here?

And yet Bel had spoken the truth. The stench that filled the area, though not exactly the same as that which emanated from the Abhorrent spawn Gandash had summoned, was indeed very similar.

It shouldnt be possible, Sarge, Xerxes said. But Bels right. Maybe theres a mage nearby and this is a summoned Abhorrent. But its an Abhorrent. Rihan needs to get out of there, now.