by Justin Wayne
Chapter Thirty Six: Cancer
The pair walked quickly along the beach with Outsider taking care to move silently with his padded boots and sure stride, and Cuke with a muffling spell. Together they passed through brush and beneath trees that just thrived with life. The grass was soft underfoot and bent easily beneath them just to spring back up and the white sands shifted like chalky dust without the slightest grainy crunch.
The smell of freshwater and loamy soil hung pleasantly in the air with the lack of breeze and the temperature was surprisingly well balanced by the freezing winter rock and hot spring.
Despite this, Outsider remained cautious. All dark elves were born with an attunement to dark magics as well as evil specters; with demons being at the forefront due to their somewhat common presence in the Shadowverse when called for communion. Even as a half-dark elf he could feel a tingling in the back of his mind that warned him of such a danger.
And it was going haywire right then.
They came free of the small copse of woods between the wall they had descended from and the lake, and now faced the warm water. Steam rose gently from it like a calm fog that remained near stationary in the lack of wind and the unearthly glow hummed with a slight ringing.
Outsider crouched low and scanned the area. Around the lake and among the beach were the largest clearings and most dangerous areas to be, he believed as he imagined he was hunting. He could picture someone hiding in the tall grass or in a tree just waiting for someone to leave the enclosure of the forest to the in-plain-sight-without-cover middle.
He cringed and felt eyes boring into him from somewhere. He turned just in time to see Cuke bend down and reach for the water. “Cuke no!” His hand dipped below the surface and a single ripple cascaded across the glassy lake. They both froze as the water’s surface flexed and bowed as if bent near the center until it reached up toward the sky like half a sphere.
“What did you do?” Outsider whispered through grit teeth as the cleric backed away beside him.
“I just wanted to try some is all,” he muttered and his voice wavered. “I checked it first and the water wasn’t evil or nothing. I thought I—“
The water trembled and shook as it rose more and more until a dark figure within the depths burst from within with a tremendous fountain of water exploding behind it. The figure rose higher and higher as the hot water rained down and splashed across the beach with a torrential force that flooded the grassland.
Outsider leapt up and into a tree meanwhile Cuke latched on to the base just as the water swamped the ground beneath them. The tree swayed against the hit but stood fast as the water washed over. Cuke didn’t even have to hang on as the pressure of the tide alone kept him squeezed against the rough bark.
Outsider climbed higher in the tree until he was at the top among the thinnest branches and scanned the dark sky for whatever had charged through the lake. As he did he noticed the vortex was more than that and actually completed the upper half of the bowl; creating a full sphere.
“I know cages,” he told himself and dropped to the ground with a splash. “And this is a big one.”
Cuke followed him as they made their way back to the lake across the soggy ground. Warm water squished up from the spongy grass and sand with every step before being reabsorbed.
“You think that was it?” Cuke asked and wiped the water from his face.
“I hope so.” Outsider replied as they neared the bank. “I’d hate to come up against this demon you identified as well as something else that powerful.”
They peered down at the water’s edge and into the glowing abyss of the lake. Beneath the churning waves and frantic tide were dozens of dark figures within the water, all of them at the bottom and stationary. Outsider looked closer and couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“That can’t be..” His gray eyes grew wide and his dark skin paled.
Cuke turned to him and pointed with his thumb to the water. “What are they?”
Outsider tried to keep the fear from his voice but found this to be a startling discovery that evaded his experience by a landslide. “I think we’re in way over our heads.” he decided grimly and a line creased between his eyes. “I think those are the townsfolk from Journ.”
The dwarven cleric similarly waned and did a doubletake. He wiped his face again and paced about in a circle debating with himself. Outsider continued scanning the area and deciding if they shouldn’t just attempt to sneak away.
“Of course!” Cuke exclaimed and the elf jumped at the sudden noise. “He needs them alive!” He looked at Outsider as if that explained everything and nodded to himself with hands on his hips; oblivious to the incredulous mask on his friend’s dark face.
“Why?” the elf asked at long last when he saw an explanation wasn’t forthcoming. “Why does he need them alive?”
“To feed of course.” Cuke shrugged and laughed as a plan began to formulate in his mind. “He draws power from suffering, so he puts them in some sort of stasis down there where no one can get to them, while giving them illusions of their worst regrets and memories like some sort of pain farm.”
The cleric nodded and tapped his chest where the silver anvil hung. “Quite ingenious really.”
“Whatever it is, we’re putting a stop to it.” Outsider challenged and drew Darkbane. “Are you any good at swimming?”
“Well no, I’m a dwarf.” Cuke admitted with a halfhearted chuckle. “But I’ve got a spell that’ll let me swim faster than I can run and breathe water.” He cast the necessary spells and laid his extra equipment nearby. “What’re you going to do?”
In answer, a great roar split the quiet and the dark figure appeared in the sky, great black wings flapping to keep it aloft. It cried out again in a furious bellow and a chain of fire flared to life in each hand. It snapped the vicious weapons with cracks like lightning and came forward swiftly on the wind.
“Distraction I assume.” Outsider replied with a nonchalant shrug and Cuke nodded. They stood there a moment in silence when the cleric clapped him on the shoulder.
“Well good luck.” Then the dwarf hopped into the lake and promptly sank with a splash.
Outsider spun around and leapt out of the way as a bright orange light built around him just before the chains collided with a loud sizzle. Steam clouded the area and the elf melted into it and disappeared.
The demon landed heavily and turned its great head this way and that. With an agitated cry it blew the fog away with its bat-like wings. Its flaming chains lashed out here and there in anger and shattered trees in showers of wood pieces. The chains extinguished from existence and the orange light vanished mostly.
Outsider watched the demon curiously from his perch atop a tree many yards away. It was at least twelve feet tall and five wide. Its face resembled a cross between a skull, a dragon, and a man, with a long snout that descended low to a more humanoid jaw covered in scars, adorned with black horns that curved from the top of its head to the sides of the jaw where they jutted out to each side. Crimson flesh rippled with solid muscle that corded and bunched along its great arms and across its bare chest. The only armor upon it was a pair of greaves crafted from ribcages with shattered femurs set into them like spikes, and a leather loincloth embellished with dangling skulls.
Pure white eyes roamed side to side among that hellish face but he noted it had to turn its head to see to the sides.
No peripheral vision with those horns.
He watched the demon stomp around a bit then fold its wings up behind it like an eagle descending in a dive. Its fiery maw cracked open then and a deep, gravelly voice like rocks rubbing together came forth; bringing thoughts of Cleave Rend to mind.
“Come and face your doom, challenger if you are so brave. I, Cancer, the mighty demon of the Eighth Pillar of the Pit just might spare you in favor of servitude.” Cancer boasted with a toss of its head and closed it eyes. “You have nowhere to run…Outsider, is it?” Those pale eyes opened once more.
“I can sense your inner turmoil, half-blood. Every second of pain and hour of suffering you have ever weathered in your life is at my fingertips.”
It sucked its fingers then like one would when eating something greasy. “Ah! And yours are delicious! How much pain you have been through, Outsider the Unliving; how many trials. A demon finds someone like you only once in a thousand years.” He inhaled deeply and spun his head around in the elf’s general direction. “So you’re a close friend of my latest catch? The accursed Merlon Axebringer of Journ; the dwarf who crafts those filthy silver totems!” he spat.
“Oh I took good care of that one, I did, real good.” he laughed viciously and slapped his knees. “You should have seen the way he cowered in fear at the sound of that mine collapse! Course it was really just a few trees exploding, but that was exactly the way the fool always remembered it.” He howled louder then and doubled over. “And his face when his daughter showed up? Classic!”
Outsider scowled at the vile demon as it chortled. Steadily it freed itself of the giggling and wiped a tear from its pale eye. “Alright then,” It clapped its clawed hands with a boom and rubbed them together like scraping stones. “Let’s see what we can do.” Cancer closed its eyes again and wrapped its wings about itself.
Outsider made his move. He leapt from treetop to treetop easily then swung down from a high branch to a lower one in a different tree until he landed with a roll and took off without slowing. Darkbane drawn and glowing he charged the creature before him.
He ran up one wing and jumped up near its shoulder then stabbed into it and slid down with the dagger cutting a deep tear through the thin membrane. Cancer howled and batted him away with a sudden backhand that sent him reeling.
Outsider rolled backwards to his feet just before a foot slammed down where he had been. His eyes widened in shock at the force of the stomp as it shook the ground and created a short blast of air that blew back his hood. He ducked behind a tree which took a felling blow then weaved through the forest as trunks were shattered on either side of him in terrifying explosions of splinters and debris that pelted him repeatedly.
He ran faster and faster, could almost feel the heat from the flames that spontaneously shot up the demon’s length in sudden flares, could hear the impact of the wind as trees were smashed apart. Fear coursed through his veins and his heart pounded in his chest, but the adrenaline gave him speed and the clarity he needed to keep direction.
As far to the basin as he could go, he sprinted up the edge of the rocky slope and curved to the side without stopping to see if his ploy had worked or not. He continued running back the direction he had came when he heard the crash and grunt as the demon, too big and heavy for such quick maneuvers, ran into the rock wall at full speed.
He crouched low in the woods then within a tall patch of thistles and reeds. Hood up and cloak about him for camouflage, he watched as Cuke resurfaced now and again with a body bobbing up beside him.
At least one of us is making some progress.
A bright orange glow flared then and Outsider shouted in surprise as the flame whip bit through his leather armor and along his ribs. He floundered to the side as the tall grass caught fire then realized his cloak was alight as well. With a flick and twist he sent the flaming cloak up and over his head and tossed it over the demon’s face.
Cancer roared as Outsider slashed away at its wings with Darkbane’s enchanted edge cutting deeply and tearing them to ribbons. Hot blood spilled down his arms and he grimaced at the dark color demons apparently spilled.
Cancer tore at the cloak but the material caught on his horns and he pulled his whole head to the side. With a growl of frustration he took a deep breath, his twelve foot frame bowing backwards, then with a great exhale blew flames from his throat that incinerated the cloak to ash.
By then his wings were beyond flying and pained him terribly so he leapt away with a powerful bound that cleared treetops. Outsider likewise took a moment to inspect the burnt gash along his ribs.
“Damn!” he cursed as he tugged the burnt cloth free from the wound. He saw it was mostly a flesh wound and hadn’t cut very deep. Looking around quickly he pulled up a handful of grass and mashed it against his burn.
A high pitched whistling caught his attention.
Cuke!
He sprinted out of the woods and saw the demon making way toward the cleric who was busy loading the incapacitated citizens onto the shore. Outsider flicked Darkbane into his fingers and with a spin, tossed it end over end where it sank into the demon’s shoulder near the base of its right wing.
Cancer wailed and arched its back in agony as he reached out for the blade. Its bulky frame was powerful and strong but not nearly as flexible as an elf. Outsider came up on it then and leapt onto its back. It swiped at him with long claws, even scoring a hit on his forearm that grazed past the side of his greave and cut, but couldn’t reach him either.
A flaming chain lashed out at him but swung low and struck demon flesh.
Outsider gripped the dagger and twisted it violently, jerking it side to side and back and forth; opening the wound. More crimson bubbled and spurted onto him until his hands and front were soaked in it. He spat some of the demonic blood that had gotten in his mouth and wiped it from his eye.
Sufficiently torn, he jerked the blade free from the wound and gripped one of the wings to stay on as Cancer tossed and turned in an attempt to throw him off. It leapt high into the air then plummeted back down with a jarring landing that nearly buckled him.
“You little rat!” It screamed and leapt again with an impact so hard he slipped and stabbed out again to catch himself. Darkbane buried itself just above the waist and he clung to it. He scrambled back up near the shoulders as another claw raked down his leg with enough pull to nearly throw him to the ground.
Outsider cursed and knew his leg was injured by the way it hung heavily. With a snarl he gripped the demon’s wounded right wing and viciously hacked it off at the base. Darkbane cut through bone cleanly and the wing fell to the ground pulsing blood amid Cancer’s growls.
The demon leapt high then and into the lake.
Outsider clung on still and kept his eyes open. He pulled himself down to the creature’s back and began sawing away at its remaining wing. Cancer spun in a barrel roll that caught him off guard and kicked the elf away.
Stunned, Outsider floated back up to the surface knowing the damage was done by the color of the now inky water. Hurriedly he swam for the shore, much faster than before with his cloak and equipment gone, and hauled himself up.
Cuke ran to him gasping and equally soaked. “Are you alright? That thing’s a monster!”
Outsider shook his head too out of breath to speak and pointed to his leg. The cleric took a look and inhaled sharply. They locked eyes and the hunter nodded for him to tell him the bad news.
“He’s severed your femoral artery,” he said slowly and the world around them seemed to grow quiet. “I would need much more time than we have to heal that.”
Outsider nodded and looked to the others. Numerous humans and dwarves alike were strewn about the shore nearby, all soaking wet and pale with eyes closed and faces blank. “What about them?”
“They’re fine for now, they’re all in stasis so they don’t need to breathe, drink or eat.” Cuke replied and sat down heavily. “Thank Reiin it’s a small town!”
Outsider scanned the group and saw a salt-n-pepper bearded dwarf among them. “How about Merlon?”
Cuke shrugged. “Same as the others far as I can tell.”
Outsider nodded again and his arm slipped out from beneath him as leaned back. He lay there and closed his eyes against the nausea. “Tell everything to stop spinning.” he mumbled and his head lolled about limply.
Cuke rushed to him and crouched over his body. He reached into his pockets and removed a few vials. Pouring them one by one into Outsider’s mouth and ensuring he swallowed it, as well as one to his leg. Then he slapped his face repeatedly
until the elf’s gray eyes fluttered open.
“What…what happened?” he croaked and remained still as his head swam dizzyingly. His arms and legs felt like jelly and he didn’t trust himself to stand. A dull weight in his head and stomach throbbed with his heartbeat.
“I’ve given you a few potions; a coagulant to keep you from bleeding to death, a rejuvenating serum to keep you going, and an anesthetic even though you can’t feel anything. They…they won’t save you from this,” he motioned his right pant leg which was completely stained red. “But it will keep you up a little longer as they regenerate the blood you lose.”
“That’s all I need.” Outsider replied calmly. Everything was so slow moving and washed out it didn’t seem real anyway.
Cuke stood and dusted himself off. “Hopefully long enough to get back so Bryn and I can get you patched up and…” His voice broke and he gulped down another vial of liquid courage. He looked up at Outsider and the elf couldn’t help but match his grimace. The dwarf looked around and cleared his throat noisily. “Well let’s get going before it comes back up.”
“Cuke!” a voice called from across the way. The dwarf looked up curiously and was rocked back on his heels when Thom and Natalia ran toward them from the woods.
Outsider stood up unsteadily and grimaced as he felt the weight behind his every movement; a delay from thought to action. He laughed dryly at the thought of dying painlessly in battle; something he wouldn’t have thought possible.
“Thom and Natalia are here!” Cuke exclaimed and Outsider turned to look curiously. “Why the devil they are I don’t know, but I’m glad they are. They can help me get these people out.”
Outsider swayed again and leaned against Cuke momentarily and whispered, “Don’t tell them about me…that I’m going to die or anything, alright?”
They stared at each other a long silent moment until the dwarf nodded and they shook hands firmly. “I’m going to miss you, Outsider.” Cuke said briskly and sniffed. “Just do what you can and I’ll match it.”
“Yeah, it was good knowing you.” Outsider replied distantly and pushed himself off of Cuke’s shoulder to stand unassisted. The hobbit and woman appeared then and hugged both of them.
“Are you alright?” Thom asked them both all grins. His eyes widened as he saw the blood soaked clothing upon Outsider and his grin fell.
“Are they safe?” Natalia followed.
“They’re fine, and we’re alright for the most part.” Cuke replied, a half-truth if Outsider ever heard one. “We just need to get them out, so I have an idea that will require the both of you now that you’re here.”
“What about you?” Thom asked Outsider then looked up and down at his tattered appearance. A line creased his little face between his eyes. “Are you okay?”
Outsider nodded and made sure his hood was low. “I’ve just got to make sure the demon stays back.” he whispered and realized how little he could speak.
“Oh!” Thom removed a wooden bow from his back and two arrows then handed them over. “I found these in the tunnel we took here, thought you could use them.” Outsider accepted them with a curt nod then walked off into the forest; too weak to keep up the pretense of being okay.
Natalia watched him go, wide eyed and pale, for she could see the pain in his eyes even if he couldn’t feel it. She turned back to the others only after her name had been called a few times and then nodded as if she had been listening the whole time.
“There’s forty two of them so we need three carts, one for each of us.” He reached into his enchanted pack and dumped out a pile of materials bigger than he was. “Luckily, I have wheels and axles here from the last time I tried to make…well, never mind; we just need to lay out the planks.” He pointed off to the woods surrounding the beach. “That brute shattered plenty of trees for us to gather the wood together and roll these folks out of here. Alright?”
Thom and Natalia nodded and set to work immediately; following the cleric from tree to tree and dragging lengths of wood back for him to shape with his magic.
Outsider leaned heavily against a tree and watched the trio working diligently to gather long chunks of wood then lay them out in rectangles. It all seemed so strange to him then, like he was watching a group of ants try to carry a leaf together. He closed his eyes for just a moment with a yawn and eased into sleep.
A song, a simple melody really, that rose and fell like the wind entered his mind. Naturally, without even thinking, his movements matched the tempo in perfect harmony. It came on so suddenly, even growing in intensity like a crescendo, until it was all he could hear.
He opened his eyes with a start and looked around slowly.
He saw the carts already completed and half of the people loaded onto them; his friends loading them tirelessly. He rubbed his eyes weakly and wondered how long he had been out as he stood shakily. His wounds were bleeding much slower now until they were for the most part crusted over and congealed. He looked about for the music and turned deeper into the forest; confident his friends were safe.
His footfalls splashing across the drenched grounds were silent and his breathing as well. Only the notes; those pure notes, remained. He watched the forest pass by slowly yet still in a blur. His eyes wouldn’t focus. He tried to keep moving, tried to keep pushing himself to take one more step. But they were hard and only grew more difficult; like wading deeper and deeper into thick mud.
He tried so hard not to let it into his thoughts. Not to let her into his thoughts.
But she crept her way in and his limbs slowed against his will just as the song did.
He came to a gradual halt then froze in place as the song continued on quietly and slow; an exact replica of when she had died in his arms. The trees swayed in and out of color and lightheadedness overcame him. He dropped to his knees, gripping the grass in his fingers, gritting his teeth with eyes squeezed shut and sweat pouring down his face and neck. He felt so hot and cold at the same time but knew he couldn’t be.
He tried to crawl forward, Darkbane still clutched tightly in his hand. He moved forward one hand then knee at a time. He looked up to gauge his distance to the source of music when he came face to face with Saleane.
His heart skipped a beat in his chest and stuttered; sending cold shocks up his arm and neck. He stopped and fell back to a sitting position on his knees with his feet tucked beneath him. His eyes welled with tears and beheld her once more.
This isn’t so bad, he thought. To die seeing the one I love.
He relaxed and smiled as tears spilled over and ran down his cheeks. This was what he wanted, to be with her no matter how or why, and if dying was what it took then he would do so a thousand times.
She smiled back at him and nodded as if she could read his thoughts.
I just want to stay here, with you, forever.
“You can.” she called and slowly walked closer.
Her beautiful face, with those angular features just softened enough to be feminine, with full lips and a sharp, pixie-like nose. Her long white mane blew in the breeze nothing else could feel and trailed along behind her. He marveled at her flawless obsidian skin and the deep navy eyes he could become so lost in without a care in the world. So often he had done just that to escape his Hell and even now wished he could.
“You can.” she told him in her melodic voice that fit her still playing song perfectly.
She moved closer and crouched before him. He stared into her eyes and could feel all his pain and worries drifting away. Those glorious orbs of pure hues unmatched he had watched for years growing up. He began to let go and accept death fully; its cold embrace settling upon him. He shivered and thought of how warm she was. How he wanted to reach out and feel her.
“You can.” she whispered to him and the song continued.
He reached out for her and she took his hand in hers then held it to her face. He felt the smooth skin of her cheek and just below her eye like velvet. He brushed his finger down her sloping jaw line
to her chin where he tenderly traced her soft, warm lips. He hesitated there and smiled again as he remembered her kiss. Then he followed the other side back up to her ear, within her thick, wavy hair, and slid his hand to her long, smooth neck.
He leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers. Her sweet breath washed over his face and made him dizzy. Her natural earthy scent filled his nostrils and he inhaled deeply as his soul began to let go. There was a gentle tug in him beckoning him to leave the pain and suffering behind and come with away with her. Saleane’s song continued in the confines of his mind, filling their solace together, and he felt himself nodding along to it. He could feel her warm skin beneath his hand and he rested his hand just above her collar bone against her throat.
He remembered always wondering how not only her voice and scent could match her song but her heartbeat as well. He felt for it with his trembling fingers before he would let the cold settle in.
Just this last thing and I’ll be on my way, Saleane. He felt a little higher then lower and still her heartbeat, the beat of the song itself, was missing.
The music in his head faltered and skipped a note.
Her hand lifted his face and her eyes were wide. “Calm down, it’s just you and me here, no one can hurt you.” He relaxed again and once more felt the incessant tug of death calling him. She pulled his face close. “Kiss me Outsider, please.”
His hand on her neck stopped and rested against the smooth length of her throat while the other held her hand against his face. They remained just like that as she brought his face closer and closer to hers until her breath and warmth were all he knew. Quietly she whispered his name.
Then both hands clamped down.
She gasped and recoiled as he pulled her hand from his face and choked her. He pressed on her throat with both hands then and forced her to the ground. Her navy eyes grew wide and full of fear; something that would hurt him more than anything else. But he pressed on nonetheless for he knew this was not his Saleane but a fake conjured by Sin.
The song fluttered in and out then with breaks of sound between. The world rushed in around him with color fading and restoring.
He pressed on her fully until she gasped out his name again. “Out..sider…Outsider…why?” she cried and tears streamed down her face. He crushed harder then with his upper half fully supported on her neck.
“She never called me that.” And he slammed Darkbane into her chest with an explosion of sound.
He took a deep gasping breath and lurched to his hands and knees from the wet ground. He rolled over and vomited then coughed repeatedly with a raw throat. His eyes seared and streamed tears as he rubbed at them.
His heart pounded hard but not fast in his chest and his mind felt slow and dragging. His brain raced to catch up with all he had seen, felt, smelled, heard. He felt his chest and when no heartbeat came he gripped his neck, then remembered the numbing poison and dropped his hand.
Slowly he looked up from where he lay and saw Cancer several yards away clutching his throat and kicking out wildly; still within some mental trance.
Outsider turned away and struggled with each step to keep his feet under him. Despite the defeat of the demon’s mind tricks he found the world still out of focus and spinning wildly on an invisible axis; a black and white washout of it remained instead. He could hear his every breath and heartbeat pounding in his ears so loud he was sure the others could hear it too.
He stumbled out of the treeline and fell to all four. He swung his head around and saw the others already gone; all the people of Journ with them. He smiled and nodded, truly content they were safe, and glad he had fulfilled his promise to Merlon.
Then a loud crunch filled his ears and the ground disappeared beneath him. He hit and rolled several feet with the wind knocked from him and the bow lying nearby. He slipped Darkbane from its sheath and then stared in shock as his hand fell from his wrist; a flash of the flame chain passing through.
He rolled onto his back and managed to sit up with the bow in his remaining hand. He looked back and stared at the gloved hand he knew to be his lying there on the ground and spurting blood. His wrist did likewise and he watched it in stunned amazement.
Last of all he looked up at Cancer who towered over him with a devious smile painted on his gruesome face despite the blood running down his chest. He stooped low and lifted Outsider with one arm by the throat. He brought him in close and the odor of rotted meat assaulted the elf’s senses. “I’m gonna make you pay Outsider. Make you regret taking my wings! You are an ant to me! Miniscule, insignificant, measly, tiny, nothing! You think you know pain but I’m going to prove you wrong and kill you in the most gruesome ways I know.
“But you’re gonna feel it first; no quick death for you, oh no.” His pale eyes narrowed and bored into the gray ones opposite him. “What better pain for you to feel than watching your friends die knowing you sacrificed everything to save them?” He looked around then spied a nearby tree; the tallest in the basin.
“But just to make sure you get a good view and don’t try to run off anywhere..” He leapt up and latched onto the tree which caused it to sway and bend. Then climbing near the top, he reached up and snapped a branch off near the trunk until it was a foot long.
Then slammed Outsider down on it; impaling him.
He felt his head fling back and an odd weight near his middle as he hit the tree. He looked down and saw the gore-smeared branch piercing his lower middle and couldn’t breathe.
His mouth tried to form the words to say but his lips only twitched and his jaw shook. Blankly he stared in silent horror as Cancer leaned close and spoke to him though he couldn’t hear over the rushing sound in his ears. The demon sneered and dropped to the ground; shaking the tree.
Outsider slowly looked side to side and waited for the darkness to close around him. He knew his adrenaline would be pumping as well as the potions Cuke had given him, but he’d honestly expected to have died by now.
He laid his head back against the tree and focused on the snowy mountain before him. He longed to be back in the northern wilds one last time before he departed. He could imagine the sweet smell of pine and the cold, snow-carrying gales he had lived within after escaping the darkness; the darkness he would soon be returning to.
A loud crash brought him back to reality and he saw the great demon smashing his way to the small group. He leaned forward as best he could and saw his friends, laden and slowed down with the carts of unconscious citizens. He could see Cuke hurrying Thom and Natalia on and taking up the rear to throw a couple of spells Cancer’s way as they ran.
Outsider tried to move forward but remained stuck, fully impaled on the tree limb. He looked down at his broken torso and tried to wriggle free but his legs wouldn’t move. He twisted and turned but couldn't push himself free and only succeeded in spilling more blood down himself and opening his tunic. His eyes flicked to the pouch tied on his belt and he managed to untie it after struggling to use his fingers for such small movements.
He glanced down and saw the demon closing in on them.
He looked around for a way to pull himself free and noticed a light colored branch with a curve. He reached out for it and it fell away into his hand with little effort. He looked at it then and realized it was actually the bow Thom had given him. He held it close and pulled free one of the two arrows set in the side of the bow’s frame.
He knocked the arrow to the string and strapped each half of the pouch to the arrowheads just in case.