by Atlas Kane
No, even that is vain. The council voted, and we all agreed, and Gemma went willingly, he reminded himself.
Satemi brushed up against his back, her soft body a familiar comfort. “You don’t have to speak more, Gemma,” she said, her voice filled with battle-won wisdom. “But if you can tell us anything of the great beast, it might be helpful.”
“We fought until we were ragged, and at last broke whatever will was urging the monsters on,” Gemma said at last. “And by that time, night had fallen. We found a shallow cave and hid inside. We’d found the shelter just in time, too, for the monster crashed through the tree line. It… it was the tree line, or a swath of it at least. It was dark, so all I saw was a section of trees fall, and a huge shape emerge. It had a rounded back, and all over spines protruded. Yet its face or any other features, were obscured by darkness. When it passed, we left the cave and fled all night. By the time we felt safe enough to turn back toward Casmeer, we were far to the north in the grasslands.”
“That’s why it took you so long to return then?” Cade asked, grateful she’d at least been wise enough to escape another battle.
Gemma mumbled out a yes, and she wept quietly. Ketzal, he knew, would give her the strength she needed. He was just happy that the fierce tigress had a place to grieve.
They spoke no more that night, and eventually, Cade heard the even rhythm of deep breathing. When the others had at last given in to sleep, he focused his efforts on doing the same.
Cade rolled over and wrapped an arm around Satemi’s hip. Burying his face in her hair, he breathed in her scent and cleared his mind. After all, he’d be no good to anyone if he didn’t get a little rest.
The assault team was assembled in the morning. Cha had volunteered to remain in camp, an odd choice given the crucial nature of the mission. Yet none denied her. If the other members of the Council of Five and the Archon fell in battle, having one leader survive would benefit the village.
The rest lined up behind the battle boar they’d been assigned to. Bellows took seven, including Cade and all the women in his life. Vrin and Fenian rode with them.
Calliope and George, the second and third-largest boars took five apiece. Havasham rode with Dan, another healer and more of the dungeon diving team while Ronden rode with Mole on the other. The final two boars held four and three respectively.
Climbing into place was easy. Waiting for the rest of their party to do so was hard.
Untrained, many of the villagers were nervous about riding into battle atop the boars. Yet when given the choice to run beside them, all refused.
Finally, Cade stood up in his saddle and removed his battle axe. He selected an Explosive Round and fired the mana bullet ahead of them. It erupted in the still-empty limbs of the trees the Earthen Apes once inhabited. All fell quiet and turned to look at him.
“Listen to your team leaders, heed your boar handlers, and keep your head on straight, and most of all, guard one another’s backs.” The creak of leather straps and the morning breeze stirring the tall grass filled the pregnant moment that followed his words.
Cade felt both proud and a little embarrassed by his incredible gear. The pauldrons shone in the sunlight, as did his etched breastplate, and the mothling gauze that held it all together clung to his frame like a second set of skin. The bracers made him feel strong enough to punch his fist through stone, which, he supposed he might be able to, if he only had a matching pair of gloves. In all, he’d gained more Attribute Points from his new armor than he would if he gained another level. Putting it on, piece by piece, made Cade feel like a mechanical warrior, slowly powering up as he did so.
He only wore his linen shirt and trousers beneath, and for the first time since wearing armor in Antinium, he felt truly comfortable, capable of anything.
Yet those around him were well, if not equally, outfitted. On all sides, he saw men and women wearing the armor they’d forged together. Ronden and Dan wore sets of golem armor, slabs of living stone covering their bodies and making them look fierce enough to face down a dragon on their own.
The rogues and lithe fighters among them, Minda included, had been given mothling mail, a pure and breathable mesh that went under their existing leather vests and bracers. And though plenty of soul weapons bristled in their ranks, the Casmeeri forces were equipped with dozens of backup spears, bows, and short swords. They might ultimately fail in this endeavor, but they would not do so unequipped.
Knowing he had to give them a little something more, Cade held Mr. McGregor aloft for all to see. “I am asking everything of you. Life and limb and loved ones. But I will do the same. We march against an unknown enemy, one whose strength we don’t know. And I cannot promise we’ll all return. But me and mine will be with you all till the very end. I promise!”
A cheer rose up amid the troops and from those who stood to see them off.
Cade’s body was covered in goosebumps, and he fought to keep his emotions in check. He loved these people, and if he needed, he’d die for them. But they had miles to trek and monsters to kill when they arrived. So he screwed his head firmly back in place and sat back down.
Ketzal shouted, her once-cowed voice cracking out across the glade with the force of a whip. The chatter died down as the villagers focused on the battle ahead.
And like a pack of hell raiders, the Casmeeri forces moved as one.
Gods, pity those who we meet today, Cade thought grimly. For we won’t be pulling our fucking punches.
17
Convoy Caterwauling
The initial charge out of the glade quickly fell away to a typical convoy. Bellows went first, and Calliope, his prospective new mate, pulled up the rear.
Cade told Ketzal that a hundred meters would be a good distance between boars. It felt like a lot, but moving at speed, the distance was only a few seconds of a gap. If anything happened, a creature ambush or one of the boars turning a hoof, for instance, there would be time to react.
Bunched up was always a good way to make things worse.
Cade thought about his time in Iraq. Roadside bombs were the issue there, but even the practical matters of braking too hard had to be considered. He chuckled to himself as he imagined the perfect metaphor for the situation. If the shit is going to hit the fan, do you really want to make the fan run faster?
After they entered the region of the jungle that neared the Waterfall District, the convoy slowed considerably. A massive boar walked as fast as any humanoid jogs, so they ambled through the dense foliage, sticking to the trail that had formed over the past weeks. Hunters taking trips to and from Camp Casmeer made an effect, but the boars themselves were responsible for most of the destruction.
As they moved through the dense canopy, Cade kept a channel of silent communication between the warriors around him. Satemi sat directly behind, and he knew that anything she saw or perceived would be instantly reported. Minda rode on the left flank saddle, and Gemma on the right. Both of the spry women were perfectly suited for such positions. Every once in a while they’d make eye contact, checking in with one another.
Fenian rode behind Satemi, the healer being guarded by the rest of them. In all, Camp Casmeer only had five villagers with a class capable of healing. Four had come on the journey.
The rear seat was positioned to face backwards, and Vrin sat vigilant as ever.
All around, the jungle spoke its primal language. Insects moved within the foliage, clicking, buzzing, and moving constantly. Occasional scurrying beasts would draw the attention of the convoy. Monkeys howled and sang in the distance, always hidden from view. And birds chattered in their own tongues, lending a variegated and ever-changing quality to the atmosphere.
As had happened so many times since coming to Antinium, it was when the vibrant forest went silent that they knew something was wrong.
Only a few minutes later, they first encountered opposition.
A streak of color flew down from a towering tree. At first glance, Cade thought it a parrot
of some kind, yet its size troubled him. The bird had a wing span of ten or more feet, its body thickly muscled. As it got closer, Cade noted the creature’s legs and belly were covered in fur.
“More ahead,” Satemi called in Cade’s ear and he glanced forward to see five more of the beasts.
Shrill shrieks rippled through the uncanny silence, and when the birds wheeled round, their talons flashing, it became apparent they were anything but peaceful.
He was too far away to inspect them, so he did the next best thing, he fired his blast axe at the nearest cluster, using Double Tap in hopes of knocking down more than one.
The bullets erupted from Mr. McGregor, the first tearing a hole through the bird’s chest. The second round clipped another, its wing injured enough for its flight to be disturbed.
Before Cade could make a command, Minda sent a cloud of daggers flying at them, and three more birds fell. Then Gemma fired a series of energy arrows at their attackers. The minor assault had been thwarted in seconds. Feeling proud of their quick and efficient response, Cade made to thank Minda and Gemma. Another shriek quieted him though, this time, coming from their right flank.
Branches cracked and leaves scattered as more of the avian beasts dove at the Casmeeri forces. “Contact! Three O’clock!” Vrin screamed, his voice loud enough to alert the entire convoy. Immediately, arrows and throwing spears were directed at the incoming threat.
As the mutated monkey bird creatures were cut down, Cade felt a thread of pride at how well he’d trained his troops. One of the first things he’d insisted on was learning to call out contact. The hours in any given day didn’t exactly match to those back on Earth, but it didn’t matter. Anything directly to the convoys right was three O’clock. The rear was six, the left nine and dead ahead twelve O’clock. Every member of the assault team had memorized the simplified clock Cade had carved into the dirt the day before. Now it had paid off.
Knowing Vrin had been facing backwards when he made his call, gave the warrior even more credit.
Cade stood and waited for his blast axe to recharge. Seconds ticked by as the birds dove toward the middle of the convoy. Over a dozen had emerged at first, and already, half had fallen.
The flock moved in a pattern that surpassed simple coordination. Each time they veered to one side, they did so in perfect timing. It was as Gemma had said: the beasts were moving with one mind.
Finally, the timer ran out on his recharge. Cade aimed and fired an Armor Piercing at the lead bird, knowing the denser round would carry better through the intermittent canopy. The weapon kicked, and a blue bullet lanced through the air like a magical tracer round. It missed the bulk of the bird but tore through one of its rear legs. Ripping through the creature’s lower quarters, the wound was still fatal.
A few others tossed spells and fired arrows, and the second wave was defeated.
Silence crept in again, and Cade nearly called for the column to continue. Dismounting, even to loot the potentially valuable creatures, seemed foolish.
Movement flitted through the undergrowth ahead, however, and he waited, poised to attack, for several more minutes. When it was clear that no more attacks were forthcoming, Cade issued the command for the convoy to pick up its progress.
They moved at a half pace. It felt like a crawl, but was still at least five miles an hour.
A thick patch of ferns lay ahead, and beyond, Cade could hear the rushing of distant falls. They were nearing the Waterfall District.
Emerging shortly after, a series of streams came into view. They were shallow enough to be crossed, so Ketzal commanded Bellows to do so. Fish and amphibians scattered in all directions, terrified by the abrupt intrusion.
Beyond, a sprawling tumult of grassy hills led up to the side of one of the great waterfalls. Towards the east, Cade’s right, the hills climbed until they joined with a bedrock plateau. Unsure of where to go at this point, Cade told Ketzal to merely head straight into the center of the valley. If they had any luck, they’d run into something along the way.
Movement to mother fucking contact, Cade moaned internally. Nothing so boring, and nothing so damn scary.
Thinking back to the weeks and months he’d spent overseas, Cade couldn’t help but be reminded of their endless convoys. Usually, their platoon would patrol the city alone. Only four Strykers at a time, Cade’s platoon would drive around until something happened. The tactic was mind-numbingly stupid, yet often the most effective means possible.
If a bomb was planted in the city, it was better to have it go off during a random patrol than during an important mission. Furthermore, if the US forces were to remain buttoned up inside their FOBs, waiting for legitimate intel, then when they emerged the chances to encounter even more resistance would rise. So they drove around Mosul, every day. Some days they’d have two or three patrols in a day.
This incessant grinding presented its own dangers.
Expecting soldiers to remain sharp, attentive, and observant, even though they’d driven the same route dozens or hundreds of hours, was unrealistic.
Thankfully, for the Casmeeri forces, this was their first real patrol.
So as they roamed up and over the hundreds of hillocks, they were sharp enough to shave with.
In the open, Ketzal had called for a mild increase in pace. The boars trotted gracefully in a line, their armor clanging against their rock-hard hides.
Cresting another tall hill, Cade saw the silver gleam of a large lake he hadn’t noticed on his previous visits to the Waterfall District. Checking his map, he saw that it was the largest of its kind here. The body of water was nowhere near as large as the many lakes that stretched across the land north of the great waterfalls.
Several rivers coursed into the lake and then bled out the opposite side.
Pointing, Cade told Ketzal to take them along the east bank, but warned her to keep well away from the shore. The hills continued to roll up into a foggy high country that was constantly being doused by the falls’ unending mist. Perhaps there, they would find resistance.
A shout from the rear of the convoy made him swivel in his seat.
Someone was pointing from the fourth boar back. Glancing to where they were indicating, Cade saw a pack of swift-moving monsters, racing over the grass towards them.
The first thing he thought of were raptors. Moving with jerking head thrusts, the reptilian creatures sprinted upright. A volley of arrows leapt out toward them and one fell. The rest, even some that had been grievously injured, kept coming.
“Turn around! Flank them if you can,” Cade said, knowing Ketzal was close enough to hear him, even over the building din of the battle.
“Dextram!” she screamed, her voice guttural and wild.
Bellows banked right, and began loping around in a tight arc toward the rear of the convoy. Impressively, the boars behind him did the same.
They’d only practiced a few maneuvers, and this was one.
In sync, the boars rumbled around together, all giving one another the space they needed to make the turn. Torn turf flew in the air, and the beasts chuffed out their frustration. And ahead, the pack of monsters came on.
The creatures were close enough now that Cade not only could make them out, but could inspect them.
Grouse Basilisk
Level 10
Predator Fauna Amalgam
Reading the information, Cade noted the oddly rounded bellies to the beasts and the feathers that inconsistently littered their torso. How some poor grouse had been mixed with a basilisk lizard in the first place seemed like a cruel joke. Yet the efficacy of the amalgams as they leapt from the ground and flew toward the Casmeeri forces was undoubtedly frightening.
Again, he recognized the perfect synchronicity of the attacking animals. They didn’t move like the boars had, practiced yet flawed in dozens of minute ways. The front line all jumped at the same instant, their feet pulling back and revealing sharp talons.
Crashing into the rear boar, several more of
the basilisks were skewered on spears held defensively. The boars’ armor had been made with spear sockets built into the saddle itself. So when the monsters hit, they killed themselves more powerfully and decisively than even a throw from Satemi could.
Each of their foes was roughly five or six feet tall, and of that, they were mostly neck, legs and tail. Yet they were moving at break-neck speed and must have weighed over a hundred pounds.
Cade gasped as another of the creatures landed, a spear punching through its ribs. Despite having killed the monster, the spearman was struck so hard by the beast’s body that he nearly fell to the ground.
Ronden plucked the unhappy man from the air and reseated him, then turned and smashed another basilisk with his great war hammer.
Twenty more amalgams raced behind, but by that point, the flanking boars had reached them.
Cade fired an Explosive Shot at the feet of one beast, then triggered his Ratcheting Reach. Relying on the added impact of Bellows’ charge, Cade chose not to use Impact Rod. He wanted his blow to be precise and well-timed. And when the axe struck another lizard, it cleaved through its neck cleanly.
A few more fell to precision strikes and arrows, but the majority of the pack was run through or trampled by the boars themselves. Nothing like a ten-ton bulldozer running over twenty miles an hour to ruin your day, Cade thought, enjoying the grimly satisfying crunch of bones and the screams of their fallen foes.
Ketzal called for the convoy to swing around in a wide circle, and they reorganized themselves in a few minutes. Once more, Cade refused the temptation to loot.
Instead, he pointed to the plateau of black bedrock that jutted out from the cliffside ahead. It was perhaps a mile away, and would provide them with a good lookout. If no further beasts were encountered, they could always come back and loot the basilisks then. No doubt, they would provide valuable materials for the village, not to mention food.