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The Drif swiftly formed into a herd each member of the herd acting in perfect harmony with the others. With Aloe standing closest to them, they charged forward, their powerful limbs propelling them with incredible force. Some lashed out with razor-sharp claws, while others drove their bone-like antlers forward like spears, aiming for any vulnerable spot they could find.
Aloe, caught off guard by the sudden attack, scrambled desperately to evade their ferocious attacks, his movements frantic and erratic as he tried to dodge the slashing claws and piercing antlers. But the Drif were relentless in their pursuit, their determination unwavering as they closed in on their prey.
As he scrambled Aloe let out a shrill cry that echoed through the valley, summoning a group of ghouls to his aid. These twisted creatures emerged from the shadows like specters and with Aloe's command ringing in their ears, they converged on the group with a primal hunger, their twisted limbs flailing wildly as they sought to tear their enemies apart.
Amidst the chaos, Aloe attempted to mount the back of the largest ghoul, hoping to escape the fury of the Drif. But a sudden strike caught him off guard. With a swift motion, one of the Drif managed to use its antlers to cleanly sever Aloe's leg, causing him to cry out in agonizing pain—the first since the start of the battle.
Despite the archers in Brandon's group attempting to pick off Aloe as he fled, the ghouls proved their worth to their master. Their resilient forms absorbed the arrows with little effect, their twisted bodies shrugging off the blows as they continued to press forward.
Aloe's cries of pain echoed through the area, as his twisted form covered in obsidian and bronze arrows disappeared into the distance, his voice echoing as he fled, his twisted forms disappeared into the cliffs as his ghouls scampered up before charging into the forests.
The Drif huddled together before in an instant, the entire herd of Drif charged off over the steep hills, their powerful limbs propelling them effortlessly over the rugged terrain. With each thunderous stride, they covered vast distances, disappearing into the dense foliage of the distant forests with a speed and grace that belied their massive size.
"Shit." Brandon rubs his forehead. "Even with arrow fire, he does not die."
"My King. More ghouls are on the way." An eagle screeches overhead.
"Let's go, after Aloe."
As the sun dipped lower into the sky, Brandon and his companions continued their relentless pursuit. The canopy above grew denser, filtering the fading light and cloaking the forest in a dim twilight.
Shafts of golden sunlight pierced through the foliage, illuminating patches of moss-covered ground and tangled roots that snaked across the forest floor. The air was cool and still, carrying the faint scent of pine and earth as they forged ahead. Birdsong filled the air, a chorus of chirps and trills that seemed to echo through the trees always followed them as they travelled.
As they ventured deeper into the east woods, the terrain grew more rugged, with rocky outcroppings and gnarled tree roots jutting from the earth. The ground beneath their feet grew uneven, forcing them to pick their way carefully through the tangled undergrowth.
With each passing moment, the winds became colder as they pelted against their faces despite being in a thick forest. As they journeyed further east, the trees became shorter and gangly, shaper branches stuck out from trees, and were always at the right height to hit passersby.
Then suddenly the air grew colder, biting at their skin and a chilling wind whispered through the branches like a hiss. From the shadows of trees emerged a horde of ice spiders, their crystalline bodies glinting in the dim light. With predatory grace, they skittered down the trees towards the group, their icy mandibles clicking hungrily as they closed in for the kill.
Reacting swiftly, Brandon and his companions drew their weapons. Arrows flew through the air, finding their marks, while swords and axes slashed and hacked at the arachnid assailants.
The forest echoed with the sounds of battle, the clash of obsidian and bronze against chitin mingling with the enraged chittering of the spiders. The battle was quick before the spiders realised, they were not easy prey and disappeared back into their trees.
They were about to continue before Hawthorn stopped them.
"Stop." Hawthorn grabs the shoulders of Brandon. "You can't go further. You'll be too easily spotted by the east grove. We will have to part here."
"And you think that you can take on Aloe by yourself, that did not work out well last time. I won't allow you to go by yourself and get yourself hurt."
"I'm not giving you a choice." His eyes sharpened.
Edric flared his nostrils. "Anyone smell burning."
"My King." Theon pointed towards a rising smokestack, flames flicking the air just above the treeline.
Brandon and his party charged towards the billowing column of smoke rising against the horizon. As they drew nearer, the acrid scent of burning wood assaulted their senses, mingling with the oppressive heat that seemed to engulf them with each passing moment. The fire raged voraciously, consuming entire trees in its fiery embrace, casting an eerie glow that danced ominously in the thickening smoke.
As they reached the heart of the inferno, the heat became nearly unbearable, starting to sear the ends of their hair, as the air was heavy to breathe. The crackling flames licked hungrily at the surrounding vegetation, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.
Amidst the chaos, the sounds of battle echoed through the smoky haze, drawing Brandon and his companions toward the source of the conflict. They discovered a scene in the aftermath of a grueling clash between humans and the Children of the Forest. Lifeless bodies lay strewn across the scorched earth, some charred beyond recognition by the relentless blaze, while other bodies were chopped and hacked up.
Their attention was drawn to a group of men standing over a lone Child of the Forest, they held him down whilst it snarled at them. Without hesitation, Brandon and his party charged across the clearing, but it was too late.
In a swift motion, one of the men raised his axe, its blade gleaming wickedly in the flickering light of the flames. With a single stroke, his head was separated from his body, the echoes of its final breath lost amidst the roar of the raging inferno. Brandon and his companions could only stand in horror.
"Another to add to the pile, your Gods won't save you now." The executioner wiped his sword on his cloth, disgust across his face as he spat on the child of the forest.
"That's the last one, My King." His men call, dragging away the body adding it to an already going inferno of bodies, both human and children of the forest.
"A proper announcement for a proper king."