The operation to find the large beast took on proportions not seen since the bandit subjugation request. The adventurer guild immediately launched scouting quests to scour the surrounding northern forest and southern planes for any sign of the escaped creature. For three weeks adventurers found nothing of note until an obscure comment by Melody changed all of that.
“Repeat to me again what you just said.”
Asked Grud of Melody when she delivered a weekly report on the status of the adventurer guild.
“I said that at adventurers are not having much success hunting beasts in the north-east sector of the northern forest.”
“How much has the success rate diminished?”
“I can't say exactly, but at least by half. In some cases, subjugation rewards have dropped to a third of the usual.”
“Does that strike you as unusual?”
“Definitely. Either of two things have happened in the last few weeks. Either the beasts have moved out of the area, in which case we should have seen increases of subjugation rewards in the surrounding sectors, or the beasts have been killed.”
“I'm assuming there wasn't an increase of beasts in the surrounding sectors?”
“Correct.”
That beast had to have a voracious appetite. Anything living within striking distance of it would become an instant meal. That would explain the lack of animals or beasts in that sector.
“Refocus all scouting activities in the north-east sector until further notice. Make sure they cover the entire region. We are looking for every cave, den, and dense thicket of trees where that beast could be hiding. I don't care how careful that creature is, if it's eating that many beasts, it's definitely leaving behind something.”
People combed the forest and for a while, scouting quests were the quick money to make. Naturally hazards came with the job. Scouting in an area suspected of harbouring a massive monster held certain health risks.
Coincidentally around that time, the Sunkiss team finally recovered from their ‘little’ ordeal and found themselves sitting with Melody and the guild master, talking about themselves and their future plans. Sunkiss sat there looking a bit like fishes out of water, even Bula sat bolt upright, a sure sign of stress in an orc.
Grud wasn’t too sure why they looked so uneasy and tried to put them more at by asking Bula a simple question to lighten the tense atmosphere a bit.
“How is it going with you?”
“Fine. Mother says you must visit her again.”
That unexpected left-field response caught him totally off guard. Coupled with Bula’s terse response her whole reply made the situation subtly worse.
Melody rescued the situation when she commented on Bula’s reply.
“I’ve told him how many times to go, but there’s always an excuse as to why he can’t go.”
“It’s because my parents will find him a wife.”
That got the rest of Sunkiss snickering at Grud’s obvious discomfort. Everyone realised that when orc parents organised an arranged marriage, it wouldn’t be with a human partner. Grud avoided visiting his parents because they wanted to get him hitched as fast as possible, and preferably to an orc because they never thought of Grud as a human.
“I’m sure they’ll find you a fine orc wife.”
Melody said calmly as she patted his shoulder. Elves were notorious for their emotionless demeanours, but Melody couldn’t hide the dripping sarcasm in her voice. Grud however, didn’t take it personally, he was already numb to that constant treatment from Suryman. Not wanting to delve into that topic any further Grud changed the topic.
“Have you made up your mind yet about going to Northport?”
Grud asked Keegan.
“I’ve decided not to go to Northport anymore.”
“Why the change of heart, were you not dead set on going with Suryman?”
Keegan felt a bit sheepish at the question.
“I admit, that at the time I wanted to leave Hafeld and get as far away from here as I could. I don’t think like that anymore and I believe we have a good team that can make it work. And if i do eventually leave, it will be as part of Sunkiss, and we will support each other no matter where we go.”
Grud liked his answer.
“Does everyone feel the same way?”
All of the Sunkiss team nodded, and surprisingly included Bula who seemed to integrate well into the team.
“I’ve got a few things to say first. As you know, we haven’t given you any quest rewards as yet. That hinged on the outcome of our investigation which we have now concluded. Thanks for your patience and I’m glad to say that you will all receive fifteen gold plates as a quest reward.”
He let their excitement bubble over until he called them to listen again.
“Naturally that reward is far higher than the quest compensation, but I made an executive decision to upgrade the value based on the level of risk you were exposed to. I personally thing that you all deserve that money, but I would like to thank Bula for protecting you with her earth wall at a time when you almost certainly would have died without it. We lost a lot of good people at that time and losing you would have made the outcome even worse. Having said that, I keep my promise that I made to Keegan that you could keep all the subjugation items and since you discovered a veritable gem mine, you will also keep the gems you found there. There is a lot of money there, and you will not be able to spend it all in a long time.”
They broke out into conversation, and he allowed them the opportunity to speculate amongst themselves as to how much it was. He didn’t tell them because they would find out soon enough for themselves, but it lay in the realm of hundreds of gold plates for each of them.
“That gem mine will pave the way for Hafeld to subsidise bigger project for our city and attract more investors here. Where other adventurers will pay a tax to enter that dungeon in future, all of you will have free access for the rest of your lives provided you stay as the Sunkiss team.”
An audible moan told him the Sunkiss team didn’t take that last bit of news too well.
“Suck it up people. You have it better than any other newbie team ever, notwithstanding the large reward you already received. If you invest that money wisely, you may find yourself far wealthier in a few years’ time than you’ll ever get from the little money you’ll eventually harvest from that overworked dungeon.”
He let that information sink in for a little while. Judging by their thoughtful looks he could see they were taking him seriously.
“I don’t normally give financial advice to people, but if you would like someone to help you invest that money, I’ve got a couple of contacts that will leave you in good hands.”
“Does that mean we are now adventurers or something?”
Asked Keegan, confused about the all the rewards but still uncertain about their initiate quest.
“Good question, I was coming to that. We are officially accepting you all as adventurers. Wie think that your exemplary behaviour during the dungeon break in not only surviving but also helping the impacted families have shown you to be more than capable of an adventurer career. Of course, we will hold a celebration soon to welcome you to our fold. I think you will all make good additions to our family.”
They erupted in cheers putting smiles on everyone’s faces. Their palpable relief made all reflect their joy at finally making the grade. Truthfully, they far exceeded the pass requirements. Death and near-death experiences were close friends in their business and Sunkiss proved they could work through them all. Keegan changed the subject about something that puzzled him still.
“What ever happened to that dungeon beast?”
He asked a little curious about any news relating the creature that nearly killed them.
“We’re still waiting for scouting teams to pick up on its whereabouts. Are you interested in a quest?”
They looked surprised.
“What, did you think I wasn’t going to send you there because it’s dangerous?”
“Well yeah.”
Said Josh.
“Well think again. I’ve said it before that think your team has got what it takes, but you won’t become the best adventuring team by digging gems out of cave walls and stop looking so disappointed.”
Digging gems out of a dungeon wall seemed a far better prospect than putting their lives at risk. Grud could appreciate their lack of enthusiasm, wealth naturally listed high on the priority list of newbie adventurers. He probably thought the same when he was first starting off, he mused to himself. Best not to give them too much time to think about it.
“Which brings me to my last point. Since you are so eager to stay in Hafeld, and dangerous things seem attracted to you, I’m personally going to train your team.
“Melody will arrange a quest for your team. Speak with her as soon as we finish here. I would like to see you out there first thing tomorrow.”
“Wha… tomorrow?”
Josh was the first to complain for some reason.
“Coming from you, I thought you would be champing at the bit to get out there again.”
Josh wanted to comment but Macie gave him a slap on the head whereupon Josh shut up, not wanting to garner any more attention than he already attracted. Grud accepted Josh’s silence as his compliance and everyone else didn’t comment.
“Good. Have a good rest, enjoy the rest of the day and be ready for tomorrow. You’ll need some horses for this job something one of the administrators can help you with. Keegan, see me first thing tomorrow morning to go through your planning before you leave.”
Keegan nodded. It would take some getting used to having the guild master looking over his shoulder, but considering the top person in the guild personally took an interest in what he was doing boded well for their future. He could be certain that the guild master would cherry pick specific quests. Just a pity that they might not become much wealthier from his choices.
Early the next morning when the horses’ breath still hung in the air, the team waited for Keegan to finish his preparatory meeting with the guild master. Josh tightened his horse’s saddle and fired a question at the top of his mind at Bula.
“Hey Bula.”
She looked up at him.
“How big do female orcs get?”
“Big enough that the males start getting interested in them. Are you interested?”
That shut him up like a clam. Bula understood people like Josh were not bad people and despite all their bravado, they still led with their chins in a fist fight. Unfortunately for Josh, orcs grew up ready for unruly comments, making her sharper than most humans.
“You know that’s not what I was getting at.”
Josh fumed.
“Even in orc society, asking a female about her size is asking for a whopping followed by a marriage proposal.”
“Seriously.”
Josh didn’t realise that with orcs, the woman chose the man.
“Seriously.”
Fortunately for Josh, before his poor choice of conversation subject could lead to more serious marital consequences, Keegan finally appeared.
“I hope you’re ready because we’re leaving straight away.”
“What, we’ve been waiting for ages. What did you guys do, drink tea and talk about the weather?”
Josh jested, glad to change the topic.
“No, but at least I’m not harassing the other team members with marriage requests.”
“You mean you heard that?”
“Who didn’t. I can still hear the ladies in the guild hall laughing.”
Their travel to the northern forests took less than two hours at a canter and from there they started trotting deeper into the forest. The area they were tasked to investigate was a section of the forest not too deep into the interior, nor was it inspected before by other teams. The guild coordinated each team to inspect areas not covered but still allowed some overlap of neighbouring completed sectors as a double check. This way, the guild systematically covered the suspected territory.
Although they entered the beast infested forest, their intention wasn’t to interact with the creatures, rather to quietly make their way through making as little noise as possible. They dismounted their horses near a convenient break in the trees to rest and complete another unsavoury task necessary for their successful quest completion.
“Alright everyone, you know what to do. Put as much blue on as you can.”
Keegan instructed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, knowing what was coming. Taking a vial containing a blue liquid out of his satchel. Blue, the colloquial name given to a horrid smelling ointment, was instrumental in removing human’s odour so that beasts couldn’t detect them. The problem with said ointment was that effectively removing human scent with it, required a copious covering of the stuff on one’s hair, face, any exposed skin, and all clothing. Even the horse wasn’t spared.
Keegan considered his team for a moment. Looking at their faces of disgust as they smeared on the lotion reminded him of how far they already come as a team. If it wasn’t for them, he would have already been halfway to Northport by then.
“Hey, are you just standing there enjoying the show, because if you’re expecting us to put this stuff on you, you’re got another thing coming.”
Macie complained while trying her best not to gag. He couldn’t help laughing at them, they might be full of it sometimes, but he couldn’t imagine spending a day adventuring without them. He trusted them and they trusted him. It was that simple.
“He, he, you look like a little blue fairy.”
Josh mocked Macie, notwithstanding that everyone looked like a blue fairy family, even the horses seemed unhappy with their latest look.
“Okay, everyone. From here on out we only talk when needed and use hand signs. Macie will walk ahead because she needs to watch for beast sign. William, you follow her in case she needs protection at short notice. Josh and I will take centre and protect our flanks, Bula will act as rear-guard defence. Remember, observations only. We are not looking to engage the enemy, only confirm its presence and leave. Anyone got anything to add?”
“Yeah, I do. You stink.”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Said Josh pinching his nose closed.
“Well, you smell too and your mother dresses you funny.”
And that’s why Keegan loved them all. Without any more bantering and somewhat more serious, the Sunkiss team proceeded single file into the forest.
Melody remained something of an elf enigma to Hafeld adventurers. Few knew about her background or how she came to join the Hafeld Adventurer Guild in the first place. Even the administrators, who worked with her on a regular basis didn’t know her that well. Her professional work ethic meant she never divulged anything about her private life, and no one knew what happened when she left for home. Some in the guild even went as far as to say she slept in the guild in some elf room hidden in the attic or in the cellar. Others, perhaps more familiar with the work Melody, still couldn’t work up the courage to ask her.”
“You ask her.”
“No, I can’t. You ask.”
Both Suri and Renata were dying to ask Melody something about her private life, but they knew so little about her they couldn’t even ask how her family were doing, since they knew little to nothing about them and Melody never divulged anything they could use as a conversation starter.
Elves didn’t occur naturally in human settlements. They didn’t like associating with humans the same way orcs wouldn’t generally associate with humans. Humans however, seemed to hold a fascination with elves, perhaps due to their perceived beauty although no one could say if an elf saw a human in the same light, although it’s doubtful that would be the case because at least one of them would have already said so.
Despite the visual aspect, elves were generally reserved in nature, preferring to stay in their own communities, not engaging in human activities unless absolutely required to. They didn’t like living in large populations because their sense of community restricted them to a limited number of family and close friends. One would think that living for as long as they did, an elf would accumulate many friends, but that wasn’t the case. If anything, time showed them that fewer but genuine relationships made better arrangements than creating friendships just for the sake of it.
Perhaps for those reasons humans found elves to be elusive and remote. However, when an elf rarely befriended a human, it was for life and a relationship they treasured.
Melody busied herself with the usual assortment of paperwork that made up her job at the guild. She coordinated many of the guild’s activities, although she avoided the detail simply because there were only so many hours in the day and that is why they had Suri and Renata there. Talking of whom, Melody was particularly aware that the two seemed preoccupied with her for some reason.
She didn’t have time nor the desire to fraternise with them other than what work required of her. Nonetheless she kept up a friendly response with them. Melody missed her family. She didn’t feel comfortable telling others that, so she hid inside her which sometimes made her come across as a bit cold. Only one thing kept her in Hafeld, the one person she cared about the most, Grud the guild master.
“What are you doing?”
Melody got a fright as she noticed the very person of her thoughts standing uncharacteristically close to her. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings. Not that she minded his closeness, but her two observers were not even hiding their observing at that time.
“I’m doing my job. I think the question is more what are you doing, since you normally call for me?”
“I thought I wanted to surprise you, after all, you are a hundred and thirty-three today.”
Melody lifted an eyebrow in surprise. He remembered her birthday. Humans typically liked to annually celebrate their birthdays for some reason. Elves didn’t celebrate birthdays. When years rolled into hundreds, then birthday celebrations seemed superfluous for an elf. But she recognised that Grud singled out the day especially for her and she accepted the friendship in that.
For the briefest of moments, time slowed down around them as she looked at the aged face of the person she loved. Sounds diminished and activities ceased to concern them as she fell into those kind brown eyes she adored.
“I was thinking about you.”
He said softly so that others couldn’t hear.
“I was thinking when we first met all those years ago, when I was much younger and foolhardy.”
“And less intelligent.”
She added dryly.
“We could say that. But then if not for my brazen attitude, how could we have met in the first place?”
Melody first met Grud two decades ago, during his quests into the northern forests when a large, unchecked dungeon break threatened to destroy many northern elf villages. Uncharacteristically, the elves realised that they were incapable of dealing with the break on their own and asked for help from Hafeld City. The adventurer guild was approached, and quests issued to help the elves. The guild didn’t suffer for male applicants, they needed to turn a few of them down because local quests still needed to be dealt with. Grud, a young and strapping adventurer, decided to join the quest, keen on gaining more experience in the north.
Melody’s village was attacked a few hours before, when Grud’s team first arrived there. Although the elf elders knew of the impeding attack, they underestimated the sudden speed and severity of the beast hoard that suddenly overwhelmed them. Before they could withdraw to safer locales, the beasts circumvented the village forcing the elves to stay and defend their village. Some were able to hide in the trees, Melody being one of them, but many of her friends and family died while trying to hide.
Grud formed part of a large rescue team, instructed to break through the surrounding beasts and retrieve what survivors they could find. Their hard punch through tactics worked and they reached the village. Melody was one of those elves he rescued. When he found her, she was severely dehydrated, weak and hadn’t eaten for days. She was touch and go for a while as she teetered on the edge of death.
Unfortunately, Grud’s rescue party were unable to retreat to a designated safe haven as another wave of beasts suddenly overwhelmed the region. To survive, the rescuers opted to fight their way towards a group of rocky mesas in the forest they hoped could be easily defended. After constant fighting and two days hard traveling, they barely made it to their destination. There, they precariously climbed halfway up the sheer cliff face of one mesa towards, a large, open faced cave and landing. It became easier to defend the cave from above the approach where the beasts found little place to hide or run on the narrow accessway. But it took a while for the adventurers to escort the elves from the base camp at the foot of the mesa where the heaviest fighting took place. Many adventurers Grud knew died in those days.
When they finally moved the last people into the cave, and they could rest from their fighting. They could only imagine the devastation the beasts wrought under the green canopy. Although exhausted, Grud managed to help Melody recover from her ordeal. Physical trauma could be treated and bandaged, but her emotional trauma took far longer to heal. Through her time there, she came to know Grud better, and to rely on him for emotional support, something she lacked since none of the surviving elves knew her, and they were also dealing with their own loss.
It still wasn’t for three months before they could return to the safe haven and Melody, through a surviving friend she met up with, discovered that none of her family survived. It devastated her and she found her only solace in Grud, who came to love her.
“What are you thinking now?”
Melody asked Grud, concerned at his silence.
“I’m thinking we need to get out of here. To celebrate somewhere, more appropriate. Although I’m not sure where.”
He smiled, not wanting to burden her with old memories he didn’t tell her his true thoughts.
“There’s a lovely small restaurant on the east side of town called the Pigeon Café, if you’re interested?”
Said Renata’s young voice, drawing Grud and Melody’s attention. Both her and Suri stood nearby, the latter giving moist kitty eyes, like she was watching a theatrical love drama.
“What are you two on about?”
Asked Grud gruffly, not sure what to make of them.
“Are you kidding me? Look at you.”
She pointed to the guild master and the chief administrator who were holding hands and quickly let them go as if realising they were caught doing something illegal.
“I’m not sure what is going on between you two, but it’s obviously more than you pretend.”
Grud sighed, he didn’t like to blatantly show affection to Melody in front of others, but he hoped the others hadn’t seen. Unfortunately, the worst lot did.
“Please keep this to yourselves, we don’t want everyone gossiping about this.”
Melody asked them.
“My lips are sealed.”
Said Suri.
“You do realise that you are in the middle of the guild hall, and everyone can see you, right?”
“Come.”
Said Grud, taking Melody’s hand.
“I believe there’s a quaint little restaurant called the Pigeon Café just east of the city. Should we take a carriage, or are you perhaps amenable to a walk?”
He said in a tone reminiscent of something Valence would use.
“My dear sir, I do believe I would prefer to walk on such an agreeable day such as this.”
Melody replied in her finest noble voice.
“You two can lock up when everyone’s gone.”
Grud didn’t even look back when he said that. Renata realised that not only they witnessed the spectacle, pretty much everyone else did as well. Speculation ran rife for the next few weeks as everyone guessed about the surprising relationship.
“How long has there been something between those two do you think?”
Renata asked Suri.
“I wouldn’t know, but they sure kept it well hidden if they did.”
“I wonder. I heard that Melody and the guild master went to the same adventuring team.”
“Then they already know each other from then. What if this has been going on from then already?”
They looked at each other with shock at the revelation. None of them thought Melody and the guild master were an item, and yet it seemed so natural…
Melody held onto Grud’s hands as they walked side by side down the street.
“We should have done this a long time ago. Why did you suddenly change your mind about being more open about our relationship?”
Grud rolled his eyes.
“You know I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of all the adventurers.”
Melody laughed freely, as only she could in front of him.
“You know that’s a half truth.”
“You know, I thought about letting everyone know about us all these years, but I never seemed to know how to do that. I always felt bad about it. Today, as I sat in my office looking at the goings on in the guild when I noticed you sitting there. You looked so alone.”
“You make me sound like I was lost.”
“After we came to know each other, I didn’t appreciate what you sacrificed to be with me.”
“Remember that I already lost my family and most of my friends. I didn’t have much more to sacrifice.”
“I know you couldn’t get your family back. You could have decided to stay and make a life within your own culture again. Surely there were people who suffered and also needed new friends.”
Melody looked a bit forlorn when he said that. She stopped walking and turned to him, looking him in the eye in a way he knew she was being serious with him.
“I made a choice to be with you. Grud, you are my family now.”
He rubbed his head in embarrassment.
“I know, I’m sorry. You know me, I’m just stupid sometimes.”
“I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Something about you made me feel wanted and loved. If it means I need to live in Hafeld City and work in the same office as you, then I do so willingly.”
“Melody, I’m not worried when you are with me now. You know that I will always care for and love you. What you will do in fifty years, when I’m no longer in this world? What then, where will you go?”
Melody paused for a moment, her fears briefly reflected in her azure blue eyes, but just as quickly they disappeared.
“I will worry about that then. Somehow, I believe it will work out in the end.”
He put away the bitter smile he wanted to put on her brave reverie, and instead he gently took her arm in his.
“How about we leave future talk to the future and enjoy the day for what it is, a celebration of your birthday? Walk with me, my lady and I will take you to places you have never been before.”
“I remember a much younger man saying that to me a long time ago. You realise that you’re only taking me to a restaurant?”
“And what an experience that will be. Imagine discovering the cuisine you never experienced before!”
She could only laugh at his platitudes. People walking down the streets would only notice a couple that seemed deeply in love. Women smiled at the two’s obvious love for each other, wishing their husbands could learn from them, and any men watching them, wished they were that man walking next to that beautiful blond woman.
Four hours into their scouting quest, Sunkiss were just about running out of time for investigating their sector of the northern forest when Macie dismounted from her horse indicating that she found something worth a closer look. She carefully inspected an impression on the ground, partly hidden underneath some dead foliage. Suspecting that impression to be the footprint of that large dungeon beast she searched the surrounding area for any further signs and soon found what she was looking for… another impression just a few paces away.
By that point the rest of Sunkiss understood she found something important but watched in puzzlement when Macie suddenly paced out a few steps in a seemingly random direction. They realised her actions were not random at all when she found another impression exactly where she stood.
Confirming their thoughts, she signed that she found the footprints of the beast heading in a specific direction and pointed further north, deeper into the forest. All of Keegan’s senses told him that death lay deeper down that path, and old doubts started resurrecting themselves. Memories of the dungeon where Aryan died accused him of taking selfish actions, but without evidence pointing exactly to where that beast waited, they couldn’t go back to the guild and unleash the inevitable hoards of destruction. But before the conflict in his mind raged any further, he quelled it by recalling that there were many signs he ignored the last time. On this occasion, every decision he made was done by re-evaluating their situation and taking everything into account. Yes, the risk was high, but they would be careful.
as Keegan nodded and indicated for them to continue travelling in the direction Macie pointed out.
Following the beast’s ever-increasing spoor for nearly half an hour. The longer they travelled the more evident the beast lay in the direction they headed. More evidently and worrying was the total lack of any of the usual forest noises. To all in the Sunkiss team it felt as if something sucked the very life out of the nature around them. They heard that the creature probably ate everything in the area, including other beasts which probably explained why they didn’t run into a single beast, but a person expected at least some birds to be around.
As if offering them some repose, the sunny shores of a large lake beckoned them through the trees. Keegan knew better than to rush out into the open and halted the team some distance from the tree edge line and disembarked the horses while they still had cover under the deep forest shade. Quietly, they approached the tree line from inside the forest until they could clearly see the lake. They watched their environment for a few minutes looking for any signs of the beast. The sandy shoreline stood about a hundred paces from where the trees ended.
Keegan signed for Josh to scout ahead and for Macie and Bula to cover him. The rest stayed back as a rear guard and backup. Josh moved around quickly, looking at the spoor on the ground and where it led to. He quickly returned and in a quick group huddle, whispered a report.
“There’s lots of tracks around travelling up and down the shoreline. I think we should scout out the right-hand side of the lake. Lots more tracks heading in that direction.”
Keegan nodded at Josh’s recommendation and indicated for them to move out in standard formation. After half an hour’s walking they found themselves travelling along a quickly narrowing forest because of an enclosing cliff running parallel on the right and the lakeshore on the left.
They followed the shore under the cover of the forest until it ended abruptly. Only the shoreline and the cliff continued ahead to the point where the two seemed to touch somewhere on the horizon.
Josh and Macie confirmed with a flurry of signs that the tracks continued further along the shore but for them to progress required Keegan’s instruction. Once again, he indicated for Josh to scout out the situation, but to take Bula as backup and defence.
The rest watched as the two figures receded into the distance while keeping close to the sandstone cliff face. After a brief time, they returned to the main group under the trees. Josh reported in a hushed voice.
“No sign of the beast, but we found a small cave hidden around the edge of the sandstone cliffs. We didn't go in because it might be hiding in there.”
Keegan still didn't feel they could report any positive sighting of the beast. Tracks alone didn't account for much, other than to say the creature had been there at some time in the past. They needed more evidence before leaving the area. They were running out of time, there wasn't much daylight left.
“Okay, let's go quickly have a look and come back. We only need to go a short distance into the cave, but if there is some evidence of its existence, we need to get it and get out.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, Keegan didn't think anyone wanted to go back after spending so much time tracking down that beast. But by the same token none of them wanted to hang around either.
Josh led the group longer to face following the same route he took earlier. True to his word they walked around a short alcove that led to a small cave. It didn't take a genius to see some tracks led into the cave. Keegan also noted they couldn't continue further along the shore if they wanted to because the cliff face cut into the lake further down, about fifty paces ahead. It looked like a dead end. A perfect place for an ambush. They stopped at the entrance to the cave, taking cover behind the cliff face. A sixth sense warned Keegan that something wasn't right about the cave. He decided to try something out first. Signing to Macie instructed her to fire an arrow into the cave first.
Her first arrow disappeared into the blackness whereupon a loud clacking noise indicated the arrow hit the back of the cave. They all looked puzzled. The cave didn't seem that deep. Not much would be able to hide in there, never mind a large beast.
Keegan was about to instruct Macie to release another arrow when Bula pointed behind them. It was the fearful look on her face that sent an icy chill down his spine before even looked at the attack he instinctively knew was coming. There stood the massive beast halfway out of the water, slowly crawling their way. They had been ambushed.
“It’s the b, beast.”
Josh managed to say. In the full sunlight they could appreciate all the creature's vicious facilities in its gory detail. Like a lizard, four large, muscled legs straddled a velvet black body. A massive bulbous head too big for its body, contained tiny, recessed eyes and a large mouth extensively brimming with sharp teeth. The fact that it stood already two storeys high didn’t detract from it looking like it could outpace them in only a few strides. No one doubted for a moment that the creature was designed to kill.
With their backs against the wall, Keegan felt their options were limited to two options. They could make a run for the tree line, but that didn't even offer any hope, or they could head into the cave and hope to find a way to escape the creature. But they had to do something and fast.
“Bula! Wall!”
A sturdy wall erupted in front of them, blocking the creature from exiting the water. However, the huge black body hurtled over the wall as if it were only a minor hindrance. And that highlighted the problem with earth skill, in the open it lacked the capability to block beasts with the ability to manoeuvre or fly. Keegan wondered if they should rather consider creating a dome or blocking off the entrance to the cave. He chose the latter.
“Everyone, run for the cave. Bula, block the cave when we get in there.”
They barely made it inside when they noticed the creature rapidly approaching like a large cat chasing little mice. Bula erected another wall, this time enclosing the entire entrance. Barely had the wall enclosed the mouth of the cave when the creature's claws ripped a chunk of the wall away. Light suddenly streamed into the darkness as another swipe of the beast’s paw removed yet another chunk.
Keegan couldn't think of anything else they could do to stop that creature. It was so much larger than he remembered, how had the thing grown so big in such a short time?
Bula looked exhausted after creating two large earth constructs. None of the weapons they held could stop that creature. Macie shot arrows through the holes in the wall, but even if they hit, they never even slowed down the creature from ripping two thirds of the wall to pieces.
Keegan swore the beast took its time removing the wall as if savouring their efforts to stop it.
Despite their best efforts, the beast finally prepared to lunge when a large shadow darkened the sun followed by a scream forcing everyone to hold their ears followed by a blast wave that knocked them off their feet.
The beast collapsed onto its chest, its legs collapsing underneath it as huge nails embedded themselves into its flanks. Something huge yanked the beast backwards is it desperately clawed at the ground allowing the Sunkiss team to see the new attacker in all its leviathan glory.
“It’s a red d, dragon!”
Josh screamed like a little girl for the second time in as many minutes.
A massive red dragon pinned the beast down with its clawed talon, like a bird of prey holding a rat. The Sunkiss team watched in abject horror as the dragon deftly placed its mouth around the beast’s neck and snapped it spine with a loud cracking sound, killing the beast instantly. They heard the air in the beast’s lungs escape for the last time, never for it to breathe again.
Everyone watched in morbid fascination as the dragon proceeded to tear the beast to pieces and swallow them in slurpy gulps. In a few minutes little remained of the creature that moments ago threatened their lives. The dragon burped in an almighty growl that rattled their teeth, and then turned to watch Sunkiss team, all still sitting on their backsides not daring to move. If they thought they had no chance with the beast, that dragon could first toast them like a kebab and enjoy them afterwards.
None of them ever saw a dragon in their lives, but if anyone were brave enough to interview them at that moment the Sunkiss team would undoubtably agree that none of them stood a hope of surviving whatever came next.
All of them felt hopeless. And then the dragon spoke.