THUD THUD THUD

The ground quaked with each thunderous step of the approaching titan. It moved like a fragment of the mountain range that had broken loose and started swaying ominously in our direction. The glaring sunlight made it impossible to discern the beast’s details, turning it into a colossal silhouette.

However, towering above everything—the mountains, the Grootslang, and us—the gigantic pillar of earth dominated the horizon. Ahead of us, Baldred’s Pillar stood like a god.

Baldred’s Pillar appeared miles wide, stretching across the entire skyline from where I stood. Yet, its height was even more astounding. It soared high above the mountains and pierced the clouds. Impossibly tall, it looked as if the very planet had been upended. The earth itself towered high above us.

THUD THUD THUD

Dirt on the ground danced with each step the beast would take. I shook my head to focus away from the giant tower of earth. Laska stood in front of us staring down at the Grootslang when she turned around quickly.

“Corporal, Captain, your bags. Al, you’re with me. Captain, you’re on wyrm duty. The rest of you,” she said, turning to the nine of us. “I need five volunteers. Be strong, be fast.”

She slid her hand down to her belt and grabbed the rope that hung opposite of her sheathed sword. Hopsander and Al tossed their bags at her feet. She grabbed the extra rope.

THUD THUD THUD

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

—Time to prove myself. Ready Fern? I thought.

Before Fern could answer, a wide clammy hand jerked my shoulder back. Hopsander’s mucus coating made my skin crawl.

“You’re sticking with me, lad. I’ve got plans for you.” He pulled me away from the group.

THUD THUD THUD

Hopsander led me behind the group. I heard several of the kids volunteer for Laska’s mission. I felt a bit disappointed, but was more focused on what the frog-man had prepared for me. After stepping about thirty yards away from the group, he pulled out a handful of the white Pillardust he used earlier at the bridge. Hopsander swung a cloud of dust, cutting a line between Laska’s group and us.

I raised an eyebrow, “Uh…boss, what are you doing?”

“Just doing a brief experiment. You see, lad, something about you hasn’t set right with me since I watched you walk in that inn.” He pulled out his rope-dart and began swinging it slowly. A low humming noise came out.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I took a step back to the group.

“No, no. Don’t go doing that. We’re the appetizers.” He looked up and cracked a toothy grin.

“I-I don’t understand.” I slowly reached under my shirt, seeking Lightcutter.

“Ah yes, go ahead.” He nodded towards me, eyeing my hand. “Grab your weapon now. The wyrms are coming.”

My arms twinged with nervous electricity.

“Wyrms?” My pulse quickened. I grabbed Lightcutter’s hilt, unhooked the sheathe, and drew the long dagger.

“Oh? It’s wyrmsteel too?” Hopsander laughed, eyeing the shimmering metal. “That’s even more perfect. Oh, I am really liking this year’s new recruits. Now, enough of that boy. Focus up. We will continue our discussion later.”

Hopsander’s eyes squinted and stared at the ground.

The hum from his rope dart grew louder. I looked around frantically, feeling the ground vibrate, not from the Grootslang, but from something else.

“Here they come! Now’s your test, lad. Channel that inner beast of yours!” He stood up and his rope-dart erupted into a whirling whistle of death.

Before I could even ask him about the unseen threat, the ground opened up into dozens of melon-sized holes.

Chittering noises, like a thousand chalkboard scratches, screeched around us.

I stumbled backward, almost dropping Lightcutter.

A dozen meter-long centipedes crawled out from holes in the ground. Their brown husks shifted with each step of their hundreds of legs. Four sharp, long pincers protruded out from their mouths. Dozens of them crawled out around me. Three quickly focused in on me.

I felt the panic rise in my chest.

—‘What do we do? What do we do?!’ Fern shouted.

This was do or die. But, my body wouldn’t move. My legs shook with hesitation.

TWEEEE

A loud whistle whirled above my head. Hopsander’s rope-dart smashed into the charging insects. The hard brown shells covering their segmented bodies shattered like broken plates. Hopsander severed seven of them, clearing a path between us. Green goo spilled out from their bodies.

Reality came rushing back to me, causing my frozen state to vanish. I caught my breath and shook my head.

“You sure you need me?” I asked wiping the splattered guts off my pants.

“These things work with the big one.” He thumbed a large thumb at the slowly approaching Grootslang.

THUD THUD THUD

“These wyrms will overwhelm us with numbers while we run. When that happens, miss longneck over there will crush us and suck us dry. These guys get the scraps. I need you to get the ones I miss. Won’t be hard, lad. I believe in ya. I have an eye for these things.” He gave a wink with one of his large, bulbous eyes.

I pinched my thumb with my forefinger on my free hand.

—Focus on the pain, you can do this. I told myself.

I had to do this. Think of it like a video game. You can do this. Dozens of disgusting, man-eating bugs surrounded us.

Fern was my responsibility. I promised to keep him safe. I clenched my teeth, stopped pinching myself, and took a deep breath. My muscles tightened, and I felt every fiber constrict and harden. I opened my eyes, and the world felt…clearer.

Hopsander laughed. “That’s it, lad! Now, release it!”

His rope-dart whirled above me. I sprinted. Dust exploded behind me and I barreled towards an exposed wyrm. My grip on the dagger tightened. Fern’s strength infused with mine. I could feel him running with me.

I learned quickly that Lightcutter was a special kind of sharp.

The first wyrm fell in two clean cuts. I ran between the severed body parts like swinging doors. Another wyrm twisted towards me. I slid Lightcutter down the body of a second wyrm.

A centipede to my right lunged, pincers snapping, but I sidestepped effortlessly. Time seemed to slow as I sliced the blade through its side. The hard shell crumbled like tin foil. Green ichor spattered my face and clothes. A bitter scent wafted up to my nostrils.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Around me, Hopsander’s rope-dart whistled and shrieked, a metallic banshee’s wail. It crushed insects in its path, each impact sending dirt and guts through the air.

I slid to the right, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws of an emerging wyrm. I swung my arm sideways as I passed. The centipede caught the blade on its side and convulsed as the wyrmsteel slid down its body. Each beast fell one after the other.

“That’s it! Ah, brilliant!” Hopsander called over the chaos.

I ignored him. My focus was on the wyrms. I never lost balance. My instincts were in tune with my body. Each movement was precise, controlled, and powerful—an extension of our ‘doubled strength’. My heart hammered the fear away.

Even with well over fifty wyrms killed, more poured out of the holes from some unknown hive.

“Captain! We are ready! Fall back! Fall back!” Laska’s shout cut through the slaughter.

I glanced back to see her waving urgently. Hopsander bounded over, grabbing me by the scruff of my tunic.

“Time to go!” he grinned.

With a powerful leap, we soared through the air, landing beside the others. My head shook with the rough landing.

Ahead, Al climbed onto Gora, who spread her titan-beetle wings wide as Laska and Tevin tied a large boulder to her for her to drag.

“Why the boulder?” I asked Silas as I stepped up next to him.

“Believe it or not, it’s a— burning hell, you smell awful, Erik.” He whisper-yelled, holding his nose in disgust. “What happened?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Did…did you not just see me and the frog-man go on a wyrm killing spree? Seriously?”

“No— oh god, it smells so bad. No, I didn’t. We were too busy helping with that.” He nodded towards Gora. “It’s not a boulder she’s dragging. It’s an empty shell of a titan-beetle. She and Al are gonna be a distraction to draw the Grootslang away.” He lowered his head.

“They are gonna be bait?” I whispered.

“The second course,” Hopsander said quietly, stepping up behind me.

Silas leaned over to me. “They are going to be okay, right?”

“They have to be…right?” I said.

Then, a familiar, grating voice broke the silence.

“Ahem. Sergeant?” Lucius addressed Laska, his tone clipped with judgment. “Shouldn’t you be able to take down that creature? Cinders are supposed to be the best at monster slaying. That’s what you do. Or is that reputation just a rumor?”

He wasn’t being snarky; there was a sternness in his voice as if a rule had been broken.

“You sure know a lot about the Cinders for someone who’s constantly mocking them,” Zenobia remarked. She elbowed him lightly. “What’s the matter, Lucius? Secretly aspiring to be the best Cinder there is?”

Lucius turned to retort, his expression taut with indignation, but before he could speak, Tevin stepped forward after securing the rope on Gora. The towering boy gazed down at Lucius, his presence imposing yet calm. Lucius hesitated, then looked away, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Recruit Lucius,” Laska said sharply, not even sparing him a glance. “No more questions for the rest of this journey. Is that clear?”

Her no-nonsense tone left no room for argument. She was the embodiment of discipline. Turning towards Al, Laska gave a formal salute.

“Don’t wait up! Gora and I will lead Ms. Grumpy away!” Al called out with a cheeky grin, giving a playful salute. The bearded man looked up at Goro who wanted to come along. “Eggs come first, Goro. Stay put with Laska!”

Goro hummed in response, his antennae drooping sadly. His wings vibrated softly, gently cradling the eggs beneath them. As Al and Gora charged toward the looming Grootslang, Laska turned to us. Her blue eyes flickered a fierce sky-blue.

“There are times we kill and times we don’t,” she declared. “The Grootslang is a precious guardian of this desert—a vital barrier protecting Ash. Without her, we’d be far more exposed to goblin armies, monsters, and Magebloods. Not everything deserves to be slain. We run.” She eyed Lucius with an annoyed look.

I slid my dagger back into its sheath, my body still buzzing from the fight. Fern’s presence hummed in my mind; our shared excitement seemed to have steadied his nerves.

—Ready? I whispered.

—‘Ready,’ Fern replied.

We took off running behind Laska’s lead. Al had veered southward with Gora, and we continued straight ahead. Hopsander ran alongside me at the back. My endurance was fading slightly after that fight. Silas and the other kids were further ahead, spread out in a bunched line, keeping pace with Laska’s swift strides.

Sure enough, the Grootslang, now closer, noticed Al, Gora, and the decoy titan-beetle shell. The titanic beast turned its massive head, changing direction to lumber after them. The plan was working.

THUD THUD THUD

I could make out its otherworldly features. The beast towered above us. She was as tall as a ten-story building. Her long neck stretched high above the armored hide body. Half-snake, half-elephant, and all muscle, tusks, and fangs.

THUD THUD THUD

It passed closely as it turned to chase down Al and Gora. We all ran as quietly as we could. Al was standing on Gora several hundred yards away banging something metal together to get the attention on him.

Unfortunately, the tail of the Grootslang was long. And it was swinging towards us fast.

“Shit, get down!” Laska shouted.

I jumped forward and covered my head, crouching next to Hopsander. The ground shook as the Grootslang’s long tail scraped against the hill we ran on.

A loud crash of rocks raining down on us was the first sound I heard. The second sound I heard was the pained moans of everyone pushing off the fallen debris. The third was Silas’ screams.

He wailed on the ground ten yards away from me.

The dust cleared, the Grootslang followed Al, and the rest of us slowly rose. We looked over at Silas screaming. A large rock pinned his arm to the ground. His brown short-sleeved tunic was dark red at the sleeve. His skin was a deep crimson.

Silas twisted and tried to pull his arm free. But his sharp yelps proved the fallen rock trapped him.

I shook my head and sprinted towards him.

“Silas!” I shouted. I looked at the other side of the pierced stone. My body shivered, and a queasiness threatened to crawl out my throat.

A red lump of Silas’ flesh lay on the ground by the large disc-shaped rock. His forearm.

I twisted away and held my hand to my throat, swallowing down my urge to vomit. Silas’ mouth contorted in a knot of pain and desperation.

Then, he looked up at the sky and closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and twisted his body. Blood spurted. Another pained screech came from him. He had ripped his arm free.

“I can’t feel anything! Help!” Silas screamed, clutching his right stump. He curled up into a ball. Dirt fell from the sky and formed small islands on his wet face.

Hopsander pushed past me and kneeled in front of Silas. He poured some of the white Pillardust on Sila’s severed forearm. Silas moaned in pain and then passed out.

“He’ll be alright...if we hurry.” Hopsander looked up at Laska and gave her a quick nod. He stood up and slung Silas over his shoulder. The captain tied Silas to his own body, keeping him secured.

“Let’s go. Now!” Laska shouted.

The kids gave concerned looks to Silas, who slumped and passed out on Hopsander’s back. Some eyed the severed hand left in the gray dirt. We ran again.

“You sure he’s gonna be okay?” I asked, huffing air down my lungs to keep up with the Frog-man’s long legs.

Ahead of us was a vast gray stretch of land into the mountains where the Grootslang had come from. A handmade path led us straight ahead.

“Of course! A frog never lies, he just tells croaks,” Hopsander let out a loud laugh at his joke. “Look how comfortable the young lad is on my back,” He smiled, nodded, and pointed his yellow eyes to the collapsed Silas. The bleeding had stopped. It seemed Pillardust had various uses.

We reached a small mountain pass after running for about twenty more minutes. We filed in one by one, slowing our pace down to a walk. The inclined road made even Laska huff and puff. After another hour, when the sun had set, Laska signaled us to stop and rest.

We all collapsed on the ground, grabbing out canteens and drinking the water like our lives depended on it. Even the strong ones like Mel fell to their knees and embraced the rest.

Laska had chosen an outcropping against a mountain wall. A small, previously used campfire lay in the middle of the area. Another previous Cinder’s camp?

Hopsander set Silas down against the rock wall and forced him to drink water. The rest of us sat in a circle as Laska got a fire going. We each snacked on what we still had: jerky, bread, and lots of water, courtesy of Hopsander’s large water skin in his pack.

I leaned back after having my share and looked around at the exhausted faces. Even Laska looked slightly ragged.

—‘I’m sure she’s nervous about Al. They are teammates,’ Fern said.

—You’re probably right. I said to him.

—‘Do…do you think Silas will be ok?’ Fern asked.

I looked back at our first teammate in this world; he was sleeping now. Hopsander sat next to him, fast asleep as well. Everyone was exhausted.

—He will...if he keeps fighting, I replied.

—‘What do you mean?’ Fern asked.

—It’s up to him. If he can push his spirit through losing an arm, he will move forward. He can’t let this give him a reason to give up.

Fern didn't reply.

“What are those?” Sora, the blue-haired girl, was pointing at the wall above Silas and Hopsander.

In the firelight, I noticed what I should have noticed earlier. Large crude figures were painted across the mountainside.

—How did I not see those? I said to myself.

There were four large paintings of four individuals of all different colors. Green, Blue, Orange, and purple. The four colored figures looked humanoid in a way, but they each had several extra limbs.

“Ahem, welcome to your first history lesson of Ash,” Laska said through a mouthful of jerky. She swallowed hard and drank a big gulp of water before continuing.

“Baldred’s Pillar protects Ash. A large 100-mile barrier surrounds the pillar. The barrier shields the land we call Ash from Magebloods. If anyone who can use magic passes through the barrier, their insides are burned almost immediately. Therefore, we have a sort of…treaty with the Royals of Stylos.”

“We don’t know if it’s ancient technology, magic, or nature, but the barrier has existed throughout history. However, one aspect we know about the pillar is that these four beings, known as ‘guardians’, come down from Baldred’s pillar.” She held up her hand, pointing to each of the four paintings.

Laska continued. “During their respective season, one will come down from their grand tower and patrol the lands surrounding Ash. They hunt down foreign forms of magic to keep their giant pillar safe. So, we don’t need to worry about them. They act as an extra precaution against Magebloods. A backup security plan if the magic-wielding bastards ever made it past the barrier.”

“What happens if we run into one of them? Are they strong?” I asked.

Laska laughed and took a big bite out of the jerky stick she held. “If one of those runs into us, well, we are as good as dead,” the Cinder woman said.

—Right, I should’ve guessed that. I thought.