The wind picked up in the gap, and soon our sprinting was reduced to slow marching forward. A battle where the winds barreled at us, battered our fur, and whistled in ourears. All I heard was the roaring of thunder, of gods smiting us for having discovered their secret.
But then we broke through the halfway point and were again running, but now with the wind at our backs. It carried us forward, racing towards the rising light. The sun climbing higher into the sky, calling us forward, calling us on.
We broke loose of the gap and emerged into chaos.
Merls were bombing through the sky at a camp below. Even from here I could tell a Lady Skol squadron when I saw one. But what were one hundred men and a cavalry unit doing out here? Whatever they were doing, death was all they were receiving now.
Merls screeched and dived, careened and swooped through the dusty air filling with screams of agony. My ears pained and I had to keep reminding myself to block them.
But the real action was to our right.
I could see Feyra, battling a Merl.
Damn the girl! Does she not know what the thing will do to her?Roman screamed.
We ran for her, parallel to the death below. More Merls dove for the men, and more blood was unleashed upon the dry soils.
Feyra’s surge was pulsing in immense waves. I could feel her within me, her rage driving me crazy.You must stop or you’ll attract more Merls,I screamed desperately.
But she didn’t hear me. All she knew was fighting a death battle with a demon spawn.Roman roared and I growled as we sprinted across the mountain. Our pads slipped on shale rock and we nearly tore out claws getting to her.
Feyra dodged a wing attack and moved in for the kill. She changed her stance again, another last minute swerve, managed to bat a paw across the monster’s face—but it scratched her back with a wingtip. She howled in pain.
Having distracted her long enough, the Merl got itself into a good position, it readied itself to kill her. It wouldn’t bite and paralyze, this was death.
It roared and leapt–
Just as I gained a boulder and launched myself over Agatha.
We collided mid-air. I felt its ribs crack and the lung deflate as one of the bones punctured its chest. The monster screeched as we tumbled over one another, rolling down the hill. We came to a stop on a plateau and I roared while it screeched for back up.
It stood dazed, unable to balance with one broken rib sticking out of its flesh and through its lung. It screeched again for back up, but only a wheezing whine came.
All I had to do was kill it.
Feyra appeared, surprising the Merl. It turned to face her, just as her paw came that same way. Its neck snapped like dry wood and died as it stood. Its head had been ripped off and spinal cord fountained up blood as it fell. She roared up at the heavens. Eyed me with hate and rage, then turned when a second scream broke the air.
We looked up at Agatha and Roman. Roman was fighting off four Merls trying to protect Agatha. We ran for him, bounding up the slippery slope. Our claws couldn’t gain a purchase though, and our haste only slowed us.
A fifth Merl descended, swooping down the mountain face. The four other merls pounced on Roman. He was overcome and driven from Agatha’s side. The fifth took Agatha without stopping. Her scream carried over us and we watched helplessly as she was carried off.
No!Feyra screamed.Nooooo!
She continued roaring and watching as I scrambled on to save Roman. I gained the hill and batted the bodies before me. One’s neck broke like the other before. Another was unfortunate to turn and feel the full length of my claws along its back. It dropped, twitching and unable to move, butnot dead.
Roman was able to stand and sink his teeth into the neck of the nearest monster. Biting until he snapped the neck, he then swung it. Stopping with a deafening crack that echoed out into the desert. Its wings went limp.
The last fled, leaving us with the paralyzed Merl.
We stood over the hideous monster. It’s tongue lashing up at us, tasting the air and scenting its last moments. We wouldn’t kill it straight away, we needed answers–
Feyra pushed through and slashed its throat with her claws. Blood began to seep out into the ground and it grinned in dying.
You idiot girl!Roman yelled.You’ve just killed the one thing that knew where your friend was!
Feyra looked at us, rage still rolling through her eyes.We need to kill more!
Look around you,Roman said.They are leaving.
