“Kill, kill, kill. It wants to kill.”The whispered voices I recognise as the wind carries the forest’s words to my ears, and I turn to look at the gloomy shadows just as a giant Jarkoreth, alive, bounds towards the Sur’gos. Its gaping maw and razor teeth seem to hinge back as it collides side-on with the monster, cutting off its attack.
A piercing shriek booms off the side of the mountain as the two creatures begin to fight.
My heart freezes as I watch on as we all watch. The Jarkoreth seems to have an obvious advantage, and my loyalties quickly align with the creature. The very alive creature. I step forward, wanting to help—wanting to help it defend us.
“What are you doing?” Kalan stands in my way.
“I want to help. It’s here because of us. I won’t let it stand alone.”
“It’s not alone.” Calix nods towards the forest, where a dozen other beasts emerge from the trees.
One by one, they join the fight, taking each of the Sur’gos on. They stand. Fight.
I might have pulled mud and gore from the decaying depths below, but I didn’t awaken the Jarkoreth from their slumber.
That has to count for something.
forty-three
. . .
Aten
Watching as the Jarkoreth tear into the Sur’gos, I’m reminded of why both are part of our bedtime stories and warnings as children. Calix and I might have risked seeing a Jarkoreth in the forest, but we wouldn’t have climbed up to the Sur’gos.
We all track as the Jarkoreth race from the forest, out of their usual cover, to fight the ancient creatures.
They are both as ruthless as each other, tearing into flesh, attacking with no question that their intent is to maim and kill. Teeth sink into skin and claws dig into flesh as they fight.
But it’s not just the Jarkoreth that keep coming. The Sur’gos, now granted passage by the winds and storm that brought the snow, seem eager to join us.
I glance at Calix, who just nods, and I see Ever, Raiden, and Capella behind us. As long as they stay there, I’ll be fine.
Calix steps into the attack coming for him, and arcs his sword high, clipping the Sur’gos at the neck and along its pointed beak. The shrill it lets out is deafening, but he doesn’t stop.
Two Jarkoreth step to the other flank.
“No, don’t hurt them,” Ever calls, and she drops her sword and nods to one of the giant beasts. It snaps its teeth at her and then turns, pushing Calix and me out of position and taking up defence of the girls, blocking anything from reaching Ever, Raiden, or Capella.
“At least they’re on our side, this time,” Calix calls.
As a few final Jarkoreth arrive, I wonder if they’ve all come. They aren’t often seen anymore, keeping to the depths of the forest. I doubt if any of us have ever seen a Sur’gos, and there can’t be many more of them.
The Jarkoreth keep any of the monsters from reaching Ever, but as I glance back, she doesn’t look happy.
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re protecting us. They’re dying. For us. Where’s the Usher? We need to stop him, and we can end all of this.”
The Sur’gos push us away from reaching the clearing and the Transference stone and pull the Jarkoreth from the forest. A litter of carcasses of both creatures lie in our wake. Every time one of the grey-skinned creatures gets close, the Jarkoreth roars, baring its teeth, and pushes it towards Calix and me, happy in its role to protect Ever and the Naturals.
They don’t seem to have the same concern for the rest of us.
As long as they keep Ever safe, they have my support.
Since we came out of the forest into snow, my adrenaline hasn’t eased, forcing me on high alert.
I’ve never ventured high up into the mountains, never been in the snow. Now, seeing Ever traipse through the white stuff, seeing her grow colder, seeing the stage set for the vision to come to fruition, makes me fucking furious.
