by Jeff Inlo
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Ryson found it almost painfully simple to follow the shag without being noticed. The shag ran with a single minded purpose, always looking forward, moving at a steady pace. It never stopped to sniff the wind or to check its flank. It only ran onward in a northern direction. The monster took to the main roads and traveled with a confidence as if it had journeyed on these streets before. In reality, it simply followed the instructions the serp had placed in its mind, and thus, it gave no care to its surroundings or worries at becoming lost.
As for the goblins that Ryson ventured near, their attention would always fall to the giant shag. Despite knowing that this horrible giant was an ally as opposed to a threat looking to make a meal of them, they could not dampen their own instincts. It was simply impossible for them to remain calm when it bounded past them. The sight of the creature demanded their attention as well as their caution whenever it was near. Every ounce of their being commanded they remain watchful of this natural predator.
The delver used this distraction to his own advantage and dashed by any sentry points with relative ease. As long as he remained a certain distance behind the shag, he could count on extended moments of goblin diversion. Block after block, he moved in a repetitive sequence. He would case the goblin positions, wait for the shag to catch their attention, dart across any open area, take cover behind a new set of structures, and then begin the process over again. Within moments, he closed upon the inner sections of Pinesway and quickly became disgusted with what he witnessed.
The goblins had not raided this town for supplies, at least not yet. It was clear that they had focused solely on eradicating all the human inhabitants that remained of Pinesway. The delver crossed several victims dead in the streets, some obviously pulled from houses, others shot down while trying to escape. He saw no signs of mercy, just the opposite. The goblins’ trail of devastation showed a clear indication of their savage strategy. They entered buildings quickly, breaking through doors and windows. Their progress through town made it clear they spent no time searching for valuables. They simply forced all inhabitants out into the streets, either to be killed on sight or to be driven further into the center of town. Knowing from his initial scout that the goblins completely surrounded Pinesway, he imagined this scene of brutality existed in a full circle around the town.
Still, his attention remained on following the shag that continued its unrelenting trek through the streets. Beyond avoiding their attention, Ryson dismissed the growing numbers of goblins he encountered. He also almost ignored the swirling flight of the hook hawk, but the appearance of this creature changed the dynamic of the situation. It shrieked several times and the goblins were now less concerned with the shag and more troubled by this flying beast. And for good reason as one goblin fell victim to the gripping talons that carried it back up into the dying light of the dusk sky.
The delver watched this riveting scene for only a moment as his own instincts rang a loud warning. Ahead of him, the shag suddenly veered from its forward path and turned to the right. By its movements, Ryson believed the shag was now near its destination. When the monster crouched low and its step altered from a traveling pace to a hunting stalk, the delver knew the situation had altered dramatically. As if to confirm his instincts, an elderly man looking somewhat winded and carrying a crossbow over his back stumbled out directly in the monster’s path.
The shag would have snatched the old man from where he stood in three heartbeats if Ryson had not acted. The delver now completely ignored the surrounding goblins. He bounded out behind his cover and dashed toward the shag in a blur of motion. His hands came over the top of his shoulder to grab the hilt of the Sword of Decree that was sheathed on his back. With a sweeping motion, he pulled the blade free at the same time that he cut across the path of the monster. In one continuous movement, he slashed the blade upward toward the shag’s shoulder as he twisted himself in a midair leap. The tip of the blade struck the matted fur of the giant, and as it cut through the monster’s coat and sliced into skin, the shag screeched in pain as if the small cut had passed through its very core.
Ryson landed on his feet directly between the shag and the old man. He held tight to the sword with both hands as he peered into the eyes of his adversary. The blade of the sword glowed with the brilliance of the mid-day sun, but this was not the only enchantment the sword released in this instant. As Ryson’s gaze locked onto the shag, he felt the link to the serp, and as was its power, the magical sword decreed Sazar’s desires as clearly as if the delver could read it on parchment.
Ryson saw what Pinesway would become under the serp’s control—a breeding ground for goblins, a growing threat to every human outpost, town, and city for leagues in all directions. As the picture of this town in the future became clearer in his mind, he could not fathom the number of monsters it would hold. Like an overpopulated anthill, the buildings of Pinesway would burst near the seams with thousands upon thousands of dark creatures. In this vision, he understood the true power of the goblin horde, a number so large they could simply inundate any target they chose. And this nest of monsters would grow as it overtook each human town. Ryson wondered if anything could stop such a force, and he knew even Burbon might eventually fall.
With such horror, however, there was also hope. Through the sword’s power of declaration, Ryson now also knew what needed to be done to stop this nightmare before it became a reality. He also knew he held in his hands the power to accomplish this task.