Chapter 20
Slipping down the steep sides of the river bed, lysaria grasped for a handhold doing her best to keep her feet from slipping out from under her. She slid most of the way as the steep sediment layer crumpled everytime she tried to find purchase. Reaching bottom she was cut from the sight of the Herd of monsters.
Taking in a deep breath she rested against a tree, she couldn't believe how heavy she felt on this continent it was like she had a weight on her shoulders, breathing heavily she glanced back at her tired friends.
Creeping from tree to tree she made sure her companions were not falling behind, Crack! turning she glared at her friends, Dakar scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he stepped off the broken branch.
Lysaria whispered, "we will see if there are any who have drifted from the herd, If there is we will attack it." Hectar said," we haven't even seen what they are yet, Don't just go attacking random monsters." Lysaria decided to just press on, no point in delaying the fight, after a long tense minute she could finally hear the loud splashing as the drum of running filled the air, the clatter of rocks and splashing shook her to her core as a mass of monsters thundered through the water.
Lysaria peeked around a large uprooted tree crouching soo not to be seen, She doubted they would have cared if she was there. After seeing the monstrosities that were crossing the river she judged that they wouldn't even see her as the squished her like a bug. The monsters towered over 10 feet tall their leathery skin covered in 100s of small leathery plates, she felt worried at the sight of the thick barbed spines down their backs.
the monsters ranged from 5 feet tall to what could only be a 15foot nightmare, their long heads with one long horn on their foreheads. Each of the long tails of the monster were tipped with a clumped bone mace coloured a mouldy green sticking out against their brown and black bodies.
Lysaria mouth agape could only watch the madness of scurrying monsters, she turn as Hectar glanced at the herd before turning around and running away, shocked she could hear him saying "nope! Nope! I'm out, light take me I knew I should have stayed home, I'm going back to the house!" Lysaria Thana and Dakar ran after Hectar catching up with him after they were out of sight of the stomping thunder of the monsters. Lysaria shouted, "Hectar wait!" He stopped and turn around his frantic expression making lysaria smile.
Lysaria said," We could make a trap, don't just run away without even trying to kill one of them." Hectar crossed his arms and shifted foot to foot, he said," Oh no I remember fighting that dark accursed being, getting a sword through my gut was bad enough, if I get hit by that tail or that horned head I'm going to be squished. Hectar shook, his arms wrapped around his torso in an imitation of his horror.
Dakar stood in front, he said," don't worry hectar I won't let you get run through again, and look at the bright side none of them have swords, you cant be run through again." Hectar groaned, he said," fine ill come, but this time I'm standing in the back, you three get to experience getting run through if our plan fails." Lysaria grinned, if Hectar had let her go first he wouldn't have been stabbed.
Hectar steps forward he said, "alright what is the plan?" Lysaria said," well those things have protection on everything, their backs look tough as rock their heads and tails look dangerous, i say we make a trap to attack the side of one of them." Lysaria walked to a tree she said" hectar create a hole right here" Hectar looked at her in confusion, he said, no monster in stupid enough to run into a deep hole. Lysaria grinned she said," just do it, i have a plan."
Lysaria helped by channelling her essence into the ground creating a hole twenty feet deep and twenty feet long, she stare at the huge pole of dirt and rock next to the hole, before getting hectar to create a wall to the back of the hole that stuck ten feen into the air leaving only a small ledge overlooking the pit.
Lysaria said," alright" an idea came to her as she tried something new, sending her essence to the bottom of the hole corroding the dirt and rock beneath it. the rock and dirt melted bubbling and sending noxious fumes into the air. she wrapped the molten slag in her essence and pulled it up smiling as the rock created a thin layer that covered the entire opening. Lysaria pulled her essence from the stone, keeping her power holding the rock in place until it cooled and hardened creating a layer of rock over the hole.
Dakar said," well done, who know the accursed dark could be used to make something." Noticing lysarias shoulders slump Thana hit him upside the head She said" Of course it can, Lysaria is crafty." Dakar rubbed the side of his head his smile not wavering in the slightest, he said "what was that for?" Thana shrugged She said," I just felt like it."
Lysaria said," who is the fastest runner here?" Hectar said," Im definitely the fastest one here, which is why im going to be the first to escape, no need to outrun the enemy, i just need to outrun you guys." Lysaria grinned ear to ear she said," im glad you are volunteering, as our fastest runner you are going to be our lure."
Thana and Dakar took a step back allowing the frowning Hectar to step forward, he frowned deeply but realized he had walked right into it. Lysaria said," dont worry, just run across the hole and create a door in the stone wall the monster will fall in the hole." Hectar said," you guys owe me big for being the bait," Thana and Dakar smiled innocently.
Lysaria climbed into a tree, grasping the lowest branch she pull herself up the thick trunk and quickly reaching the top, her arms burning by the time she her goal. She gripped her sword drawing it into her left hand and grasping the tree with her right her feet stable on a thick branch. Overlooking the slope Lysaria watched hectar creep down towards the water, he would only need to run 200 yards through the trees up the hill, but that would be while being chased by whatever he managed to get.
She watched as hectar slowly followed cover to cover before stopping and holding out his hand. She could see a flash as he held up his hand and a ball of light shot out of her sight, she thought he missed but after a long second she hear a long grunt. The trees in front of her started swaying and cracking as something big moved in her direction, Hectar ran back towards her his face red and pumping his arms frantically as he ran in terror.
Hectar pointed back towards the trees and started channelling orbs of essences as he ran hitting random trees in a futile attempt to hit whatever was coming. Wood shattered and branches flew everywhere, the monster charged into the open sending splinters of wood and bark showering the clearing, it spotted Hectar who was running away with all his might. The monster bellowed its triumph before storming up the hill closing the gap.
Lysaria channels her essence into her sword and thrust it forward at the monster, a sharp beam of essence lanced forward from the tree unseen in the choes and punched the front leg of the monster. The monster stumbled, sliding slowing down before, it shook its head bellowed and charged at the offensive hectar. Hectar stopped to watch as the monster stumbled, its blood flowing from numerous holes in its thick hide.
Dakar yelled "run, or its going to eat you," Hectar was frozen for a moment but luckily snapped out of it, he yelled back "it's a herbivore," before he frantically turned and ran to the pit sliding across the gap as his essence crashed into the wall in the shape of a door. The monster stomped up the hill and picking up speed as it ran straight across the flat ground, it lowers its head a haze covering its front horn in a light shimmer of grey essence.
Hectar stood in the door and yelled, "come and get me you ugly turtle." For light's sake lysaira thought Hectar was so dramatic, The monster crossed over the open pit crossing the rocky cover, Hectar screamed as the monster bellowed in triumph as it came in striking distance of its tormentor.
Hectar fell back onto his butt scrambling back, light take her the stone wasn't breaking. lysaria slashed down at the floor a beam of essence crashing into the stone slab just as the monster slammed into the wall. The rock crunched and the monster bellowed, Lysaria watched Hectar roll to the side dodging the massive Horne that gouged a furrow in the ground. The monster slammed its tail on the ground behind it in frustration, the rock crack and the monster's footing suddenly became much less sure as it fell into the hole.
Lysarias heart raced, she scrambled down the tree trying not to cut off her hand with the sharp blade she was holding, She had t been thinking about the decent but put it aside and grinned as she ran over to the deep hole. She stumbled as the furious monster slammed the side off the stone and dirt pit.
Lysaria said," excellent job Hectar, Im sorry i doubted you, now we just need to finish it off." Hectar stepped from behind the stone wall he shouted "run", Lysaria frowned at him, she said," but its trapped, we caught it." Hectar pointed back down the hill he yelled, There is two of them, i hit the first one in the leg, thats why its been taking soo long.
She hadnt noticed the second monster but it was only slightly smaller than the first one, and foamed at the mouth as it glare murderously at them, Lysaria yelled "Dakar we are going to be the bait when it passes you attack it from the side." Lysaria felt her heart race in the face of the horn shrouded in essence, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.