AS TRAAX WATCHED THE AWFUL THINGS SOAR TOWARDhis patrol party, his hands clenched tighter around his dreggan handle. Without needing to be told, his seven remaining fighters immediately formed a battle line on his right.
His face grim, Traax watched the oncoming swarm climb to a place well above the Minion position. Darkening the sky with their numbers, they caused a massive shadow to crawl across the ocean surface. The swarm would be directly overhead in moments.
There must be thousands of them, Traax realized. He could run, but his warriors were already fatigued and the enemies’ speed was great. He decided that it would be better to die here, trying to buy time for Axel and Valgard. There would be little hope of that, but he had no choice other than to try. Axel and Valgard simply had to warn the fleet before the monsters and the giant wave that birthed them could reach the Black Ships. Given the wave’s incredible speed, it was the only chance the fleet had. As Serena’s monsters neared, the warriors could finally see them for what they were.
Each was about the size of a man, but that was where any similarity to mankind ended. They were dark gray reptilian things. Their bodies were broad and muscular, ending in long, forked tails that bore rows of sharp barbs along either side. Each beast had two muscular arms and their clawlike hands ended in sharp talons. Two leathery wings protruded from each of their backs, propelling them through the air with amazing speed. The heads were goatlike, with dark, beady eyes and two sharp horns protruding from either side of their skulls. As Traax looked closer he was surprised to see that the creatures bore no weapons.
Just then he saw one advance to a place about ten meters ahead of the others. That would be the leader, Traax knew. His jaw clenched as he watched it near. Come to me, you bastard, he thought. It is only right that you and I clash first.
Knowing it would flash brightly in the setting sun, Traax raised his dreggan blade high. Certain that this would be their last act in defiance of the Vagaries, the other warriors did the same.
Seeing Traax’s challenge, the monsters’ leader let go a menacing cry. A strange cross between a human scream and a bearlike growl, it resonated loudly through the sky. As the leader cried out, its sharp teeth flashed briefly in the setting sun.
The leader and about twenty others quickly peeled off to dive on the Minions, while the remaining swarm continued, accompanying the huge wave. For what he knew would be the last time, Traax looked down at Duvessa’s ruby pin.
Refusing to wait for death, he shouted an order to his fighters to follow him higher. Struggling skyward, the eight warriors rose to meet their fates head-on as the twenty monstrosities plummeted to attack them. With a great clash, the two opposing forces tore into one another.
Three of the enemy and one brave warrior died on the spot, one monster perishing at the point of Traax’s blade. Then Traax saw his trusted friend Brutus tumble end over end from the sky. Brutus’ right arm was gone, and blood poured wildly from his mouth. But he did not scream as he plunged to his watery grave.
Suddenly Traax heard another of the awful things cry out, and he turned just in time to see one lunging at him. But even he could not raise his sword in time. As he glared into the beast’s awful face, his warrior’s instinct told him that he was about to die.
Then he saw a sudden flash of silver cross his vision, and the monster’s face split vertically into two grotesque halves. Green brain matter tumbled from the thing’s split skull as the expertly thrown returning wheel kept on going, exiting the back of the creature’s head. Gurgling black blood from its ravaged mouth, the beast tumbled from the sky.
As the fighting raged all around him, Traax stole precious seconds to turn and see who had saved his life. His left arm covered with blood, Yuri gave him a quick nod. Traax nodded back. But their respite would be short-lived.
Traax heard a strange cracking sound, and Yuri screamed in agony. From about four meters away and behind Yuri, one of the monsters had snapped its tail like a bullwhip, wrapping it tightly around one of Yuri’s legs and burying its sharp barbs into his flesh.
With a vicious scream it flew a bit closer, then snapped its tail again. To Traax’s horror, the thing tore Yuri’s leg away at the hip joint. Screaming insanely, Yuri tried to stay aloft. But massive blood loss quickly overcame him, sending him into unconsciousness. He too plunged toward the sea.
Hovering with its tail still entwined around its bloody prize, the thing stared greedily at Traax for a moment. As it sneered at him it raised its talons and let go an insane victory scream. Enraged, Traax went after it.
But just as he started toward Yuri’s killer, Traax heard another of the awful cracking sounds rip through the air. A searing pain suddenly shot through his left arm. Another beast’s barbed tail had found him from behind. The snarling thing that had killed Yuri dropped the severed leg and rushed toward him, its talons flashing orange-red in the disappearing sun.
Raising his dreggan high with his other hand, Traax turned in the air, purposely tightening the tail’s length. The added pain nearly caused him to faint, but it had to be done. Raising his dreggan, he brought it down with everything he had.
The dreggan cut deeply into the barbed tail but did not sever it. More black blood spurted onto his sword hand, threatening to loosen his grip. Raising the sword again, he was finally able to cut the thing’s tail completely through.
The beast that had entwined him screamed in pain, then tumbled downward. Turning wildly, Traax sensed that the one that had killed Yuri was still coming for him. His vision a blur as he whirled, he knew that the approaching creature would be so close that it would present a point-blank target. As he finished his turn he automatically shoved his blade forward, even before he saw his enemy.
Traax’s guess had been right. The dreggan impaled the creature squarely in the chest, then stopped short as it struck against the thing’s backbone. Screaming in agony, the monster gripped the blade with its talons and frantically scratched at it in an attempt to free itself.
Without hesitation, Traax pressed the hidden button on the dreggan’s hilt. The clanging blade shot forward. Arching wildly, the impaled monster lifted its head, then screamed again. Holding the sword deep in the thing’s gaping wound, Traax viciously rocked the blade up and down, then gave it a savage twist. He felt the thing’s backbone crack apart and saw the light die in its eyes. Sneering, he lifted one boot to push the corpse off his sword.
He quickly looked around. Save for one other warrior, the sky was empty. His friend Aldaeous hovered weakly nearby, wounded badly. Deep cuts from one of the thing’s barbed tails completely encircled his right thigh.
Flying to him, Traax sheathed his dreggan, then produced a tourniquet band from beneath his body armor. He quickly wound it high around Aldaeous’ leg, high near the warrior’s groin. As he cinched it tight, Aldaeous grimaced. Seeing his friend’s blanched pallor, Traax quickly realized that Aldaeous had lost much blood. He then cinched a tourniquet around his own upper left arm.
Traax took another quick look around. Blessedly, the sky remained empty. They had done it! Eight brave warriors had killed twenty of those awful things, and two warriors had lived to tell the tale. When he and Aldaeous were graybeards, what a story they would have to tell their grandchildren! Then his face darkened as he remembered that they were wounded, and a long way from the fleet.
Without speaking, the warriors instinctively turned westward. The sun was setting in earnest, soon to be replaced by the three red moons and thousands of twinkling stars. Traax knew that he could navigate his way back as well by the stars as by the sun. Then he looked far into the distance, and his heart fell.
He could just see the huge wave and its accompanying black swarm as they continued heading west. During the airborne battle, the wave had roared beneath them and traveled far. Traax could only pray that Axel and Valgard were still ahead of it.
Just then he saw Aldaeous faint and start tumbling through the air. Swooping down, Traax caught the wounded warrior. Aldaeous’ eyes fluttered open again.
“Let me perish,” he whispered. “You’ll never get back if you carry me.”
“Be still,” Traax said. “We’ll make it back, I promise you.”
Drooping weakly in Traax’s arms, Aldaeous gave him a knowing smile. “What about your order, m’lord?” he asked. He coughed, spitting up some blood that ran down his body armor and dripped toward the sea. Worried for him, Traax clenched his jaw.
“Should one of you collapse, the other is forbidden to save him!”Aldaeous repeated sternly. Closing his eyes, he smiled again. “That’s what you said, isn’t it?”
“Consider that order countermanded,” Traax answered. He gave Aldaeous a quick smile. “And your insubordination is noted,” he added.
“Privileges of rank, sir?” Aldaeous asked weakly.
“Something like that,” Traax answered. He watched Aldaeous faint away.
Traax could easily have let Aldaeous fall, which would vastly improve Traax’s chances for survival. But he didn’t.
Unsure of their futures, he carried the stricken warrior back toward the unsuspecting fleet.