Ch 29: Flee

We have categorized hundreds of common and uncommon creatures across the world, but there are always surprises. Sometimes even within our midst.

• Lenn Braun, Chief Traveler of the Explorer’s Guild

Solomon stood still as he watched a long ungainly limb reach out from the edge of the forest. The limb ended in a large gray hand that reached out with long, triple-jointed fingers, and wrapped them around Mayor Neiman’s body. It easily lifted it, and dragged it toward the treeline. Solomon peered at the edge of the wood and caught only the slightest glimpse of something with a body the same color as the trees around it and eyes that glowed bright white.

Next to the thing in the trees were a number of figures clad in white. He couldn’t discern exactly what they were, but felt that they were distinctly feminine, the white garments they wore seemed to move like mist being blown around by the wind even though he couldn’t feel even the slightest breeze.

Solomon moved in front of the still dazed trapper and raised up his walking stick defensively as he moved his other hand through the starting gestures of a Light spell.

The creature regarded him for a moment, and his head began to pound as if he was experiencing a terrible headache. He focused on his hand holding the walking stick, holding the image in his mind with as much detail and clarity as he could while reinforcing the image with his mana, as he’d been practicing non-stop since he gained mana. The pounding grew more intense, until it felt like one of the rusted picks littering the ground was being driven into his skull, but he kept his focus on his Mental Fortification spell.

The pain ceased suddenly, and Solomon actually stumbled a bit, as if he’d been pulling on something and the other party suddenly let go. The creature continued to look at him for a few moments, then a mouth seemed to appear with the same hollow whiteness of the creature’s eyes. It screamed.

Solomon closed his eyes and unleashed a fully powered light spell in the creature’s direction. He wasn’t sure what would happen next, but he felt he needed to take the initiative. When he opened his eyes the creature seemed to have vanished along with Neiman and its white uniformed attendants. He turned to the trapper who seemed to be blinded.

“Here, lean on me,” he said as he grabbed the man’s arm and put it over his shoulder. He kept his other hand free, moving it through half of the gesture for spark as he began to move down the main path. He kept his eyes scanning the forest as he moved. He could still feel something watching him.

He made it along the main path until he reached an area where several trees had fallen. Luckily he remembered how the trapper had guided him along a side path. He considered trying to clear the trees instead, so that he didn’t have to risk a narrower path with more places for whatever the beast was to attack them, but with the trapper in the state he was in Solomon didn’t think they could take the time.

He moved through the side path quickly, keeping himself at the ready. He felt another headache begin and focused on the mental image of the piece of manarite ore he’d picked up earlier, maintaining it all the way through the side trail. Once he was back on the main path the headache cleared and they made it another fifteen minutes with no problems. Solomon wasn’t sure if the creature was still nearby, but he kept his guard up, especially when walking down any of the other side trails. He was glad he’d paid close attention during the trek.

As they neared the initial entrance to the path, Solomon didn’t speed up, opting instead to stay as alert as possible. It would be too easy to drop his guard in a mad sprint and wind up dead. Colm was holding up well, he was panting, but otherwise had barely broken a sweat. Solomon on the other hand could feel his shirt clinging to him, his muscles roaring at him, and his breathing was ragged.

There was one more side path they needed to take to get around an area where the path had flooded. Solomon kept spark prepared and preemptively began to cast mental fortification as he entered the path. He kept Colm up on his left arm so that he would be closer to the main path. He had nearly exited back onto the main path when he heard a sudden noise behind him.

He turned to face it, a clawed hand whipped out and raked him across the side, cutting him deeply. At the same time he released a spark backed with all of the mana he had available. The blast of heat and flame scorched the hand that had swung toward him and he heard another unholy shriek from the creature as he watched the hand withdraw.

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He grimaced in pain, forcing himself to keep moving even as he infused his blood with mana and clotted it with blood control. Immediately after that he cast another light spell behind himself without looking back. It wasn’t as powerful as mana was still actively flowing into him, but he knew it struck true when he heard another scream from the creature behind him.

He made it back onto the main path and kept moving as quickly as he could. His head was spinning and light, feeling as if it may simply float away from him. He kept moving though, keeping Colm right alongside him until they reached the end of the path.

Solomon looked around and saw Duncan and the carriage waiting for him, the smell of tobacco thick in the air.

The old driver got off the driver’s seat and showed surprising spryness as he moved toward them.

“That looks bad, lord.” he said as he took some of the weight off of him.

“It is. Please, get us to the physician. I don’t know his address, but one of the guards should.”

“Yes, lord,” replied Duncan simply, helping him and Colm into the carriage.

Solomon made sure that the still dazed Colm was settled before leaning back and wincing as the full pain of his wounds seemed to hit him. He sat back and looked at the torn fabric and blood across his side. The wound wasn’t too deep. He guessed he would survive, but it would likely need to be stitched and leave a terrible scar.