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She points to the large tree that grows in the center of the street. Swirls of bark form a face in its trunk, and a dozen eyes rustle in the leaves.
The last time I saw the creature, skulls had littered the ground around its base, with thick roots winding through them. But now, the ground lies barren, and the roots writhe with new life.
“The ancient one,” Mayn breathes. “It will rise and feast on the souls of all living beings.”
it rises
- Pen -
The ground continuesto shake as I struggle to my feet, my focus on the ancient tree as it sways from side to side. “What do you mean it’s rising? It’s a tree.”
“It feasts on souls.” Mayn’s hold tightens on her sword. “When the food source becomes threatened or scarce, it moves to a different location.”
Sharpe struggles to rise and spreads his feet wide for balance as the ground rolls beneath us like waves. “What are we facing here, Mayn?”
“I don’t know.” She slices through a root that bursts through the ground in front of us, and it falls to the ground. “The last one that walked was before my creation.”
And we don’t have the luxury of time to research before we go to battle. If only we’d made the connection sooner between the roots and this creature.
The tree’s swaying grows more violent, and the earth churns at its base. Then thick roots pull free to press against the ground, and the tree rises, dragging arms and legs out of the earth created by the bones of its victims.
The Bone Man. This is what Berdherst had threatened. And it had been under our noses the entire time.
It rises to its full height, towering over the three-story buildings around it. Leaves rustle, hundreds of eyes hidden within them turning toward us, sending a chill through my body.
It turns and steps toward us, bones scraping against the asphalt with a chilling promise of our fate if it can catch us. My gaze lifts to the face in the trunk, and I find myself frozen, caught in its snare.
The monster hungers, a bottomless pit that can never be filled, but the magic inside me could help ease the pain, help slake its thirst, if only for a moment.
Darius steps in front of me, breaking the connection, and I stumble back with a gasp as reason returns.
I look to the side to see Flint similarly frozen and stumble over to him, stepping into his line of sight.
He jolts back, his eyes widening in fear as they meet mine. “There are so many souls trapped there. How did I never hear them screaming?”
I grip his shoulders. “Don’t look directly at its trunk.”
Face pale, he nods and pulls his gun from its holster.
The Bone Man wastes no time as it lunges toward us, its roots snaking through the ground, seeking to capture and crush us.
Darius summons a wall of fire as a shield, the intense heat fending off the encroaching enemy.
“Marc, focus on offense,” Darius shouts, urgency in his tone.
Marc nods and unleashes a torrent of flames from his hands, the fire crackling and roaring as it strikes the Bone Man’s skeletal form. The monster’s branches crash together, its trunk creaking as its bone-encrusted body smolders.
I grab my batons from the ground where I had dropped them, and a quick tap of their bases against my thighs activates the full power inside.
Heart pounding, I rush through the wall of fire toward the monster, aiming for its right leg. I slam both batons into it, the magic they contain unleashing an explosion that sends bones, bark, and chunks of wood flying, leaving a large hole behind.
Roots rupture from the ground to grab for me, and I dodge and weave, making my way back toward safety.
The stench of burning leaves and decay fills the air with black smoke, making it hard to see as I cross back through the fire.
“Aim for the wounded leg!” Sharpe shouts, and his officers unload their guns at the monster.
Blasts ring out, followed by the crack of wood and bone, and the sharp crackle of burning wood roars around us. Flint flings a magical grenade toward the monster, and an explosion rips through the air.
