I shuffled my feet weighing the odds of a head-long rush to rescue the poor man.

“Hold. There is nothing to be done for him now.” The Northwoman chided at me in a low voice filled with strain. She didn't enjoy the words she spoke based on the tension of each syllable.

I grit my teeth as the man's final whimpers die out. The pack of beasts paced in front of us, close enough to smell the fresh blood on their breath.

This left six Northmen standing along with Robert and me. We had a numerical advantage, yet the dread emanating from the group made it feel otherwise. I was beginning to realize the monsters had no intentions of charging. The line of spears leveled at their snouts enough to hold them back for now. Their slow chuffs of communication and false charges kept our party on constant edge. The stalemate drew out for minutes that drained like hours. Our death would be a slow one if this continued. We had little chance in the open against these beasts. Let alone after a sleepless night of constant vigilance.

Something needed to shift the tide back in our favor. I never perceived myself as some sort of hero. It seemed that's what we needed for survival. I would answer the call or die trying. Anything to avoid the slow suffering death I had seen. The shake in my knees betrayed my true feelings on the matter. Though I convinced myself otherwise.

As my eyes feverishly glanced for any opening to take advantage of I noticed an odd phenomenon. Something I'd witnessed once before. The dead bodies of the Carcals were emanating the same smoke that I'd seen from the Goabin not a week prior. The vapor was slightly different. The density seemed thicker than I remembered. Though that could have been the night playing tricks on my eyes. There had to be a significance to it. The similarities between what I had seen Clay produce, and what was in front of me were too obvious to ignore.

But how does it help me kill the two-hundred-pound murder machines in front of me? Wait, don’t tell me.

Looking closer, I realized it was not only the monster bodies producing the smog. The slain humans glowed in the night. My gut twisted in pain at the realization. This was not natural, I remembered how the corpse of the Goabin had shriveled and dried. Imagining the same fate for those poor men caused nausea throughout my body.

Calm down, that doesn't change anything at the moment. I can question the moral ambiguity of it later. First survival.

My errant thoughts were interrupted by a commanding voice.

“We must attack. Waiting will only guarantee our deaths.” The head Northman intoned. The men around him nodded in grim understanding. Shuffling their feet into a rough triangle formation with the lead Northman at its head. It seemed I was not going to be the one saving the day. Something in me would not allow these men to continue fighting on my behalf. They may have been my captures, but nobody deserved to die the way I'd seen.

Come on courage, see me through one more day. One more.

I slide my feet across to the rear of their formation alongside the familiar North woman. I felt Roberts's hand on my arm for a moment. He released it after I looked back into his eyes with a small smile and nod. I would die fighting on my terms. His own eyes expressed fear and concern without whispering a word.

I glanced away to see those deep blue eyes glimmering with what I'd hoped was respect. That felt like wishful thinking.

“Fear is no chain to us. Show them our strength. Let them taste fear at its purest!” Another pulse of energy washed over the surroundings at the man's voice. Unfortunately, its effect seemed muted compared to earlier. The fact that the phenomenon seemed finite in some way was appeasing for the mind. I sought to make sense of as much of the insanity surrounding me as possible.

There was no time to consider it further. My feet were rushing alongside the roaring formation now aimed at the ring leader of the pack. A smart move considering its obvious intelligence throughout the fight.

Not to be outdone it responded with its deep baritone growl spurring its pack into action. They were too close to run from our charge after the effects of the war cry halted them for a moment. Thus a brutal impact occurred as they charged in return meeting spear with claw and tooth.

Watching the man in front of me stab up into the maw of the oversized mutt elevated my spirits. Only for his spear to snap a moment after impact. Claws raked down through his shoulder to groin sending him sprawling back into me. Thankfully my spear had not impaled his back on accident. I stood my ground taking the impact and letting him slide down off me as well as I could manage. I had no time to check his condition before the beast locked its dreadful eyes on me.

Sweat poured out of my hands as the battlefield devolved into utter chaos. Everything faded to the background, leaving only those sickly yellow eyes. Our movements almost mirrored each other as it rushed to my left flank away from my allied forces. Sweeping a clawed arm out at my chest attempting to bat my spear aside for an easy kill. The roof of its mouth was bleeding through its canines dripping onto the ground. The spearhead still wedged within its confines.

I expected a measured response from these intelligent creatures. I also launched towards the left with my spear lowered enough to almost touch the ground along with my body. Taken off guard by my brash maneuver, missing its swift strike mere inches above my head. Not letting it recoup its balance I half stabbed, half ran into the enormous dog-lizards chest. My body weight lent some power to my strike though my was technique lacking. I felt it separate flesh before coming to a stop against hard bone. Its solar plexus stopping me from injuring something vital.

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It howled its anger as I inhaled its grotesque scent through my nostrils. Pumping my legs forward one agonizing step at a time. I couldn't let it rebalance.

I didn't realize I was screaming into the night air while holding the beast back on its hind legs. The spear in my hand bent at an alarming angle creaking its displease but holding by some act of god.

Die! You! Bastard!

Then the spear snapped.

Its entire body weight lurched forward onto me sending us flying in a sprawl of limbs and blood. Its claws sank into my shoulders increasing the volume of my roar to new heights. It settled its fangs above looking down with gleeful yellow eyes knowing it had won. Its snarling lips parted and descended for my neck looking to end my existence in one movement.

The next moment those eyes were full of confusion as I looked deep within their depths. My hands gripping the slick surface of the broken-off spear inside its decrepit mouth. Leveraging every ounce of strength a man facing death could produce. Clenching my teeth so viciously I could hear them creak in my skull. I pushed forward, inch by inch sliding the spearhead deeper.

“Die!” I screamed into its open mouth. Staring into the soul of those haunting eyes with a final push, feeling something give. The unnatural glow that illuminated its retinas faded until I felt the slack weight of its body. Heaving with all I had left, tossing its head away from my own. The rest of its torso remained, pinning me down to the ground.

I sucked in lung full after lung full of air, never seeming to get enough. Finally noticing the eerie silence that had fallen over the camp.

Is it over?

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"Shome! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Roberts worry stricken face came into view. His spear trained on the oversized mutt laying over the majority of my body.

"I'm alright, a little help with this thing would be great." My arms shook like leaves in the wind trying to push it off. The dump of adrenaline working its way out of my system and leaving me exhausted.

"Of course, of course. I thought you were a goner when it fell on you. I didn't know what to do!" His words came out faster than ever before. His expression bordering on happiness and guilt in equal measure. Using his spear for leverage he was able to pry up enough of the creature for me to slip out from underneath. Scrambling away from the carcass and taking in air not contaminated by its musk was heavenly.

"It's alright Robert. It's over now." I reassured him while glancing across the silent battlefield. Spotting the Northwoman sliding her spear from the neck of the pack leader. Its massive body let lose one last shudder before stilling completely. Something extraordinary happening in my vision.

Hazy energy drifting off the cooling corpse began to shape its way toward the woman's chest. Most of it rebounded off, scattering into the night sky, but a small amount sank into her. The effect made her body glow for a moment in my sight. Dancing smoke ran across her skin, changing hues. Going from the familiar dark grey to a soft green, before returning to her chest. Above the location of her heart and sinking in, disappearing from view moments later.

What the hell was that? Is that what I did with that Goabin? But... the body of the monster isn't withering the same way. She also doesn't seem to notice the energy at all.

Prying my eyes from the confusing sight I spotted the remaining Carcals. All lay in pools of expanding blood. Joined, sadly, by two more of the Northman's own. Including the body of the labeled leader of this expedition. His throat was torn out, vacant eyes staring up into the night. The look of grim determination was still displayed in his final expression.

Looking away and dropping my hands to my knees the urge to vomit almost took control.

Keep calm. Breath.

My eyes landed on the corpse of the Carcal laying only a few feet away. Grey smoke rising off its body calling out to me, a hunger growing not in my stomach, but somewhere deeper.

Robert having returned to Melisa's side was still glancing nervously into the forest. A reasonable reaction after tonight's proceedings.

Acknowledging that I didn't have much time to act, with the fear of more beasts arriving I moved with purpose. Crouching down to the slain creature I placed my hand over its body. Not quite touching its skin, but close enough to feel the residual body heat it was letting off.

Soon the smoke began to move in a similar pattern as before. Gaining purpose from my outstretched hand it consolidated. This time I didn't yank my hand away. The yearning in my chest guided my actions.

I don't know if this is a good idea. But fuck it. Can't make this situation worse. Right?

Pushing forward through the fear the energy began to move faster than ever before. Clenching my jaw pinpricks of pain began shooting up across my arm, but I persevered. It was following the same track I'd seen on the Northwoman but with far more speed. It was captivating. My eyes follow the flow of energy riding across my arm and up into my chest with fascination. The fear I felt was replaced with wonder.

Is this? Magic?

My results emboldened me. I began pushing for more. Feeling the pull originating from my chest, and basing it on the visual guide I'd seen not long ago. The next logical step was trying to control these mysterious energies.

Please don't blow up.

Closing my eyes I dove into the sensations running across my body. Willing the tingling I felt towards the area right above my chest. It's yearning for the substance became clear immediately. Like plugging in a vacuum it sucked up the smoke with unending greed. Pulling more and more from the deceased Carcal into the hungry void that resided over my heart.

Gasping in shock I opened my eyes to the shrunken appearance of the dog monster. Somehow it was even uglier when dried out like a raisin.

The next moment my world exploded in pain. Shock traveling up and down my body. The blood in my veins felt like it was boiling. Collapsing to my knees I grit my teeth while letting out a groan. Weathering the storm of super-heated energy that was running rampant in my system.

Fuck me! What am I supposed to do?

For a moment I thought to push the energy away similar to how I'd pulled it in. The pain continued to intensify. Frantic searching for a solution wasn't necessary after all. My vision blurred as pain wracked my body from head to toe. Not an ounce of me was left untouched by the rampaging smog.

At some point, the Northwoman had walked over to me during my experimentation. The vague sound of her voice far away trickled into the background of my mind. Finally, after what felt like an eternity the pain stopped in an instant. The energy all across my body stopped as if frozen in time. Then with an audible whoosh, it came slamming back into the gluttonous void that resided over my chest.

I found myself on my back blinking up into the starry night. Witnessing the trailing paths of energy that permeated every aspect of the world. The light blue tracing the cool breeze. The dark greens and browns emanating from the forest and mountains. The stars burning with crisp white brilliance I'd never noticed before. It was beautiful to witness. Almost worth all the pain.

A nap would feel splendid right now. Maybe...I'll rest my eyes.