Chapter 2,

Drowning in Mud

“Dezzlin, why is she following us?” asked Mekov.

Dezzlin looked back to see Kira marching after them. She had a large backpack filled with leather from the scavs. Her sword was strapped to her belt and her shield was on her arm. They’d shown her the way back to the road in the morning, but she’d refused to go home. Kira followed them silently while staying a good twenty feet behind.

“I don’t know. Why do you keep asking me?”

“Because she’s following you.”

“She’s not following him; she’s following us,” stated Sakien.

“Fine, but why?”

“You know, I can still hear you!” yelled Kira.

“Shhh, the adults are talking,” said Diake. Kira gave him a dirty look, but Diake missed it.

“It’s a free road,” said Sakien. “She can walk wherever she wants.”

“Thank you,” said Kira.

“Oh don’t thank him yet,” said Mekov. “He says you can go wherever you want; doesn’t mean he’ll help you when the trouble starts. He’ll let a sipi eat you and keep looking the other way.” Kira scowled at Mekov and looked to Sakien.

“He’s better than that.” Mekov laughed and let his cloak slide off his arm and untied a piece of his armor. Along his elbow there was a long scar.

“Yeah, he just couldn’t be bothered to help me.” Sakien grinned.

“You had it under control.” Everyone in the group laughed, including Mekov. Kira laughed nervously behind them as they walked. She wasn’t sure if Mekov was serious or not about that joke.

“So why are you following us?” asked Sakien. Kira saw him look back to her and met his strong gaze.

“Because you’re going after something bigger than a scav den mother. There should be some good supplies at the attack site you’re going to. I want in on this.”

“What makes you think we’re going to share?” asked Mekov.

“I really don’t like him,” said Kira, dryly.

“Join the club,” said Dezzlin.

“You can follow us,” agreed Diake, “but any loot we find we’re taking. If you’re getting anything, it’s the scraps we don’t want.”

“I’m okay with that. Judging by the way you’re all dressed, I’m betting you won’t want a lot.”

“Girl has a point,” said Dezzlin.

The caravan they were searching for had been stopped at a small oasis when they were attacked. It wasn’t much; just a few trees, a tiny pond which created more mud than clean water, but it was a fantastic place by desert standards. The only problem with small paradises is more than humans enjoy them.

Instead of the little oasis; what they came to find was a site of destruction. Multiple carts were torn apart and supplies were scattered everywhere. There was food, minerals, weapons, and armor. The corpses of the drivers were laid all around. Their bodies were swollen under the sun. Kira had to hold her nose as they looked over the scene.

“That’s foul.”

“It is,” said Diake grimly. “Something very big came through here.”

“Let’s take a closer look,” said Dezzlin. He took only a few steps forward when his path was blocked by both Mekov and Sakien.

“It’s still here,” whispered Mekov.

“How can you tell?” asked Dezzlin. Sakien pointed to the debris.

“Piles of food and dead bodies left free for the picking. What’s wrong about that?”

“Everything,” said Diake. “Something should be picking through this, but not even the birds will touch it.” Sakien and Mekov nodded.

“Let us go first,” said Mekov as he hefted his shield. “Watch our backs.”

“You stay out of this Kira,” said Sakien. “Whatever is here is out of your league.” Kira started to say something, but Diake put a hand over her mouth. She smacked it away, but he just shook his head. Now was not a time for loud noises.

Mekov crept through the wreckage with his shield in front of him. Sakien had his axe up high and stayed a few steps behind him. Mekov pointed with his lance to anything out of the ordinary. There was a giant print in the mud far too large for anything they knew in this area. The carts were smashed apart from the side and overturned. Whatever had hit them had a lot of weight behind it. Back up on the hill, Kira prodded Diake to get his attention.

“Those two are really from the north?”

“All the way from the Frozen Isles. They said they’ve been traveling for a bit. This is their first trip through the desert.”

“Really?” asked Dezzlin suddenly. Diake looked at him in surprise.

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“Yeah. You didn’t know that when they signed on?”

“They don’t know the monsters then.”

Dezzlin looked over the attack again. He’d been distracted by the devastation and the smell before, but now he pushed those aside. It had to be big to do this, and if it was still hidden, it could only be one thing.

Mekov and Sakien looked back as Dezzlin whistled loudly. He was pointing past them and shouting something as he came running.

“In the mud! Riktor!” They both looked back to the sinking mud piles.

“What’s a riktor?” asked Mekov. Sakien tried to shrug when suddenly a cart was knocked towards them. They both rolled aside and saw a giant monster rising out of the mud.

“I’m guessing that,” said Sakien.

It was huge. It stood almost fifteen feet tall and was easily twenty feet long. Its entire body was a giant armored mess. It had long thin arms made for sweeping sand, but its legs were enormous, each larger than two men. The mud it came out of draped it from head to toe, making it even larger. It lowered its head towards them and they found themselves staring down an armored ramp. It was suddenly clear how it’d knocked over the carts.

Sakien shouted in alarm as he rolled away from the charging beast. He avoided its great head, but as soon as he came to his feet, its tail took him in the chest and sent him rolling further. It started to turn on him when Dezzlin slashed at its face. His blade barely made a cut in the beast’s tough armor, but he gained its attention.

“What’s up big guy? I’m wearing your brother,” said Dezzlin, beating his arm against his chest.

Mekov had no idea what this creature was, but he knew now what Dezzlin’s armor was made from. The riktor smashed its head down repeatedly, forcing Dezzlin to leap backwards. Mekov took the opportunity to stab into its less protected underbelly. It turned to him and Diake, and Dezzlin immediately slashed at its legs. It brought its head around in a broad sweep and clipped Mekov’s shield.

Mekov was sure he’d be dead if he’d taken such a hit straight on. The blow threw him back a few feet regardless of his shield and made him drop to a knee. The riktor actually dug its head into the ground and showered him with dirt and mud. It spun in a circle and swiped both Dezzlin and Diake away before turning on Sakien again. It lowered its head and started a new charge. Sakien met its charge head on.

“Don’t be stupid!” shouted Mekov.

Sakien roared and dropped his axe as hard as he could into the riktor’s head. The blade bit into the armor and stayed there. Sakien screamed in surprise as the riktor continued to push him across the ground. His feet burned through his boots as he skidded backwards, staying up only by the handle of the axe lodged in its head. His hands and arms went numb, but he willed himself to hold on. The moment he let go, he’d turn into a red smear underneath its bulldozer like head.

The riktor stopped suddenly and threw its head straight up. Sakien found himself still going backwards without his axe. It stayed lodged firmly in the riktor’s head while he went flying. It roared loudly and looked for the defenseless Sakien.

It roared a second time and fell face first into the sand. Dezzlin and Diake slashed it across the back of its legs, and this time, they made it through the armor. It cried out in pain as it struggled to its feet. The pair made it pay for every second it took. They moved up and down its sides, breaking armor and cutting flesh. It swung its body in a full circle again. Dezzlin went down, but Diake dodged the clumsy attack and brought his sword in a powerful swing upwards.

The riktor stumbled and howled in pain as part of its tail fell free. Diake leapt after the riktor intent on finishing it off. Before he could get there, Kira flashed past him. She ran up its side and grabbed hold of Sakien’s axe for support. Diake had to admire her agility, if not her stupidity.

“What are you…” Diake started to shout until the riktor turned. Its head clipped him and threw him aside.

Kira held onto Sakien’s axe and went to work with her sword. Normally she would’ve enjoyed the thrill of a fight, but this creature was too dangerous to mess around. Kira slashed as hard as she could and even then, she was barely able to pierce its thick armor. The riktor roared and thrashed as she hacked.

“Don’t stab armor!” shouted Mekov as he waded through the thick mud towards the riktor. “Go for flesh!” He jabbed up hard into the riktor’s throat and pierced it easily. Dark blood ran down his lance, and he grinned as he pulled his lance out for a new strike. The riktor turned and threw its head backwards. Kira shrieked as the axe came loose and tumbled off of its back. Mekov saw the incoming smash and tried to leap aside, but the mud sucked at his boots.

“Oh shit.”

There was a deafening splat and mud was thrown everywhere. The area went quiet as the riktor’s head came up and Mekov was no longer visible.

“Mekov!” screamed Sakien as he charged the riktor. He didn’t even have a weapon. The riktor heard his cry and met him with a charge. Sakien rolled under it and kept going for the mud. The riktor turned to start again when Dezzlin flew into its leg. He slammed his sword in as hard as he could before tackling the beast. The creature trembled at the sword cut and when Dezzlin hit, the leg gave way. The riktor collapsed with a roar, and Dezzlin went with it.

“And stay there!” he shouted as he rose to his feet.

Sakien stopped in the mud and began digging frantically. The mud was much deeper than it looked. Sakien was almost up to his waist in filth when he reached where Mekov had been. The mud was already starting to sink back in. There was no sign of his friend. Kira came to help him, and soon, mud was going everywhere. Sakien’s hand hit something solid. He parted the mud to reveal Mekov’s shield.

“Clear the sides!” he demanded. Kira moved as quickly as she could and Sakien took the shield in both hands. He groaned and there was a loud sucking sound as the shield slurped out of the mud. He pulled it free with a loud shout and threw it aside. Underneath was a groaning Mekov covered in mud.

“You alive?” asked Sakien.

“That really hurt,” whined Mekov. Sakien laughed and took his outstretched arm and pulled him up.

“I can’t believe you’re alive,” said Kira.

“The mud probably saved his life,” said Sakien.

“I love my shield,” said Mekov. “Where’s my lance?”

“No idea.”

Diake’s cry brought their attention back to the riktor. It had risen to its feet and thrown Diake aside. Dezzlin leapt into the air and dug his sword in deep, but the riktor bucked him off. It was bleeding all over the place and still somehow had the strength to fight. Sakien looked to Kira.

“Axe!”

She pulled his axe out and couldn’t believe its weight. She threw it and Sakien caught it one handed and climbed out of the mud and back onto dry land. Once he had good footing, he ran towards the riktor.

“There you are,” said Mekov proudly as he yanked his lance out of the mud with both hands.

“Incoming!” shouted Kira.

Mekov turned to see the riktor charging all three of them. Its charge was slow, and the beast weakened with every step, but it was still heavy. As long as it had the strength to step on them it could still kill. Mekov brought the lance around with both hands and looked for his shield. Kira dove in the mud for it and brought it up in front of them. She felt how caved in it was and wasn’t sure how much more abuse it could take. Mekov nodded and leveled his lance.

“Do or die, Sakien!”

Sakien brought his axe up high and met the riktor’s charge again. It came at him blindly, not noticing Sakien stepping out of its path and swinging his axe into its knee. Before Dezzlin and Diake’s onslaught, this might have failed. However, its armor was weak now. The axe broke through, shattering bone and tearing muscle.

The riktor roared and began to stumble. It hit the mud and its charge faltered. Kira braced for impact and Mekov stepped past her for the shot. Its head came up for one last smash but not before Mekov’s lance struck.

The riktor’s own attack drove the lance in. It pierced its neck and went straight through the skull, exploding out the top. The riktor gave one last hiss before it fell into the mud. Mekov let go of his lance and took his shield from Kira.

“And that is how we hunt.”