Chapter 95: Why Would Spawn Flee?

Chapter 95: Why Would Spawn Flee?

Katayoun reached Kashtiliash first.

Kash, she murmured, grabbing him beneath the armpits and dragging him out of the water.

Xerxes arrived a moment later and helped. Once away from the water, they turned him onto his back in the mud. Gandash reached their side a second later.

Light a lightning bolt from heaven, Xerxes was hit with the memory of Gem laying in a street on Mannemid, his life blood seeping out of him, and Bel to the side. He blinked to clear the memory.

Kashtiliash was covered in blood, black and red. His arm was torn, and at just a single glance, Xerxes spotted many other wounds. However, his throat didnt seem to be damaged, nor did Xerxes spot any wounds to the abdomen or chest. He had to be alive. Right?

Kash, Katayoun said, jabbing her fingers into his throat to feel for a pulse.

Dont be dead, you bastard, Xerxes said.

Katayoun, shifted the angle of her hand and dug her fingers further into Kashtiliashs neck. His hearts beating.

She opened one of her component pouches, took out a handful of green sand, and traced a rune in it. Xerxes saw the melam gathering, and then the spell was cast. Katayoun touched Kashtiliashs face gently, and the melam swept through him.

The deep furrows on his forearm stitched together. He spasmed as other injuries were healed. Then Kashtiliash gasped hoarsely. He opened his eyes.

Xerxes reached down and clasped his friends shoulder. You made it, he said, his voice shaky.

Guess I did, Kashtiliash responded. He sat up.

Gandash squatted off to the side. Xerk, are you hurt?

For the first time, Xerxes took time to examine himself. Pain was starting to build up. A wolfs jaws had reached one of his forearms, biting down hard. Blood seeped from several puncture wounds. He had a similar injury on his calf. In general, he felt battered. And now that the fighting was over, he noticed the stench that hung over the area.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Im fine.

Katayoun eyed the blood and puncture wounds. No youre not. Maybe you dont need Minor Restoration, but I need to take care of those wounds. Who knows what disgusting stuff is in Abhorrent saliva. Not to mention the dirt. You could get an infection.

I agree, Gandash said. Kat, can you patch him up? Then well catch our breath and keep moving.

He stood, stepped around, and offered a hand to Kashtiliash. Kashtiliash took it and stood.

You fought like a beast, Kash, Gandash said.

Kashtiliash nodded. Thanks.

Gandash turned his head. You too, Xerk.

Xerxes nodded. Katayoun helped him up and took him over to a nearby rock, where there was less blood and gore. She cut away some of the cloth of his garment, then used a rag and some stream water to clean him as best she could. She applied a powder to the wounds, then wrapped them in bandages. The process took about ten minutes.

By that time, the thrill and desperation of the fight had worn off, to be replaced by aches, pain, and exhaustion. Xerxes sagged a bit as he sat on the boulder. Damn, Im tired.

I can imagine, Katayoun said as she worked on the bandage around his leg.

I think you outscored me, Kashtiliash said, approaching them with Gandash in tow. Both of them had cleaned off in the stream.

You were keeping a tally? Xerxes asked with a weak grin.

At first, yeah. Then things got heated.

How bad do you feel, Xerk? Gandash asked.

Xerxes stretched his neck and cracked his knuckles. Ive been worse. Not sure when, exactly. But Im sure theres been a time.

Katayoun pulled the bandage snug and secured it. She stepped away from Xerxes. If we were in an ordinary situation, she said, Id put you on bed rest immediately.

I wish we could all be on bed rest, Gandash said.

In each instance, they ended fights quickly and efficiently. They always wiped out the Abhorrent to the last monster, never letting a straggler escape. Not once did any of them get hurt badly enough to warrant spellcasting by Katayoun.

The mountains were getting closer. They were now distinctly visible on the horizon, and rising higher and higher.

More wolves fell on them as afternoon gave way to evening. The terrain was more in the favor of the High Seers though, and they slaughtered the beasts with impunity. Except, as the fight wore down to the end, for the first time, one of the Abhorrent escaped. Two of the larger spawn turned tail and ran. Kashtiliash and Xerxes, wrapped up in combat with a juvenile, couldnt give chase. Gandash was also fighting. Katayoun ran after the two spawn for a short distance, until Xerxes shouted for her to return.

They wrapped up the fight within a minute.

As Xerxes cleaned his blade, he said, Is it really that bad that two of them got away?

Gandash looked in the direction the stray wolves had fled. I dont know. We havent heard the wolf-types talk, but that doesnt mean they cant.

If they tell one of the bigger juveniles about us Katayoun said, but didnt finish her sentence.

Kashtiliash resheathed his sword. So we keep moving.

Yes, Gandash said.

And they did. However, it soon became apparent that their fears had been confirmed. Abhorrent came at them from the north. Rat-type. They were only spawn, but they were numerous. Dozens upon dozens.

Before the High Seers could dispatch them, another pack of wolves appeared from the northwest.

Two flying Abhorrent dropped from above.

Flying leeches flew out of the trees.

The four High Seers stood in a square formation and destroyed wave after wave of the monsters. Katyoun fought with her short sword. Gandash used a spear.

Corpses piled around them.

The only upside was that no juveniles were present. The fighting turned from grinding violence into gritty desperation. The exhaustion Xerxes had felt before compounded on itself. He didnt think he could keep swinging the longsword.

And then, the remaining spawn turned around and fled. In a matter of seconds, it went from a scene of chaos to one of stillness.

The four High Seers panted and looked around.

Xerxes let his sword tip rest against the ground, black blood oozing off of it. What the hell happened?

Kashtiliashs sword was in a similar position. Fuck if I know.

Breathing heavily, Gandash said, We need to move again. The most likely reason a bunch of spawn would flee is

A crashing sound reached their ears from the west, followed by a faint tremor in the ground.

Xerxes turned to look in the direction of the sound, but didnt see anything. Is what? he said.

Gandash didnt respond.

Kashtiliash and Katayoun were looking in the same direction as Xerxes.

Is what? Xerxes repeated. Why would the spawn flee?

Another crashing sound echoed through the forest. Silence.

Then something smashed through the trees fifteen cubits away, landing hard on the ground and shaking it so violently Xerxes had to take a step to the side. Katayoun dropped to her knees. Broken branches, pebbles, and other debris rained down around them.

Fifteen cubits away was a pale-skinned humanoid Abhorrent, surrounded by a cloak made of countless spider-like legs. Shed landed on one knee, but was already rising to both feet.

Another crash echoed out, and a second humanoid Abhorrent smashed through the trees and landed next to the first one. A third arrived half a second later.

Grk bak losh, Melam-oth? the first one said. She grinned. Then she took a step toward them.