Chapter 63: Hunting (2)

Chapter 63: Hunting (2)

Sergeant Stratos was loping in their direction. Captain, you should see this.

What is it?

Not sure.

Xerxes and the other First Lieutenants followed Gandash and Stratos as they jogged to the line.

Vadamerca, tell the Captain what you saw, Stratos said.

The wide-nosed infantryman said, You can see it in the trees. Right there. She pointed.

The surrounding soldiers murmured.

Gandash pulled a spyglass from his belt and put it to his eye.

Meanwhile, Xerxes squinted as he tried to see what Vadamerca had pointed out. All he saw were trees and shadows.

But a moment later, Gandash muttered a curse. I see it. Well-spotted, Vadamerca. You have the eyes of an eagle. He took the spyglass away from his eye.

What is it? Xerxes asked.

See for yourself, Gandash replied, handing him the spyglass.

He put his eye to it and found himself looking at nothing but trees. Looking away to gain his bearings, he shifted his view and then pointed the thing in the direction hed seen Vadamerca indicate.

He saw it. Lurking at the base of a tree, obscured by vegetation. A furred creature, hunched over, with human-like arms.

Damn, he muttered. So its following us.

Soldiers cursed. People threw off bedrolls and climbed out of tents. They stared up.

The meteors streaked in and out of the clouds in wavestoo many to count.

Xeres heard screams. He looked over and saw that an Abhorrent had somehow gotten over the fortified mound and into the line of troops. It loomed over the corpse of a soldier, its mouth and hands dripping with blood. It was looking around. It was the size of a large dog, but of course, was strong and fast enough that it could chase down any dog and rip it to shreds in seconds.

Xerxes component pouch was at his belt like always, and his sword was in its sheath next to his bedroll. He loosened the new pouch, took out the stibnite talc, and started casting Minor Augmentation.

The massive rat-like things nose twitched and then it lunged toward Ningal, who was the closest mage to it.

Kashtiliash intercepted it, having already cast Singular Lethality. He roared as his burning fist hit the rat Abhorrent in the side of the head, burning fur and muscle. The thing slammed into the dirt and rolled over three or four times.

Xerxes finished with his spell and grabbed his sword. Brilliant light replaced the metal of the blade, from the tip downward about three fingers. He gripped the hilt one-handed and turned to the fighting.

The Abhorrent was back on its feet and lunged toward Kashtiliash, only to pull back and then jump toward Ningal again. It hit her, slashed at her forearms with jagged claws, and opened its jaws to bite her neck.

She shrieked and shoved.

Kashtiliash bowled into them, and then went to the ground. The bearded mage swept out with his burning hand. The furred thing avoided it, then lashed toward him with snapping jaws.

Xerxes was walking toward it, and it wasnt paying attention to him. He gripped the long hilt with his other hand. The smell of feces and mold made Xerxes nose twitch.

Kashtiliash lashed out again. Missed.

Xerxes lip curled. He was now only a few paces away. He lifted his sword overhead. Slashed downward.

The Abhorrents head flew off its shoulders.

The meteor shower hadnt ended.