by Wolfe Locke
“Potatoes are fine,” Terra said. “I’ll take them.”
Caroline dumped them at her feet, and she started cutting them up with her knife. Meanwhile, Zander spitted the rabbits and got them cooking over the fire. He caught the dripping grease in a pan under the spit. The smell of roasting meat and potatoes soon filled the air, and his stomach growled.
“So, Caroline,” he said, watching the rabbits turn. “What’s your story. You’re clearly a clever fighter.”
“I’m actually a huntress,” she said, sitting down next to him. “I’m not a warrior. Yet. Meoxia can only support so many warriors, and all the slots were full. It’s sad what happened, but—”
Zander nodded in approval, “But it’s an opportunity. I understand.”
“But it’s by hunting that I learned the tripwire trick,” she said. “I know I’m not that strong. It’s something I want to work on, but I’m not there yet. But I’m smart, and I can outwit even a crafty enemy. Those are good skills to have.”
“Yeah,” Zander said. “You can always get stronger. In fact, we can help you get stronger, if you like. There are some exercises you can do. But you can’t get smarter. It’s good to be clever.”
“And I am good with a spear." She replied with a fierceness. "Next battle, I hope I can show you that.”
“I believe you,” Zander said. The rabbits were ready, and he pulled them off the fire. “Dinner’s ready!”
Caroline handily ripped a haunch off one of the rabbits and shoved it in her mouth. “Delicious.”
They ate in silence, with Rocktooth standing watch over them. He didn’t need to eat, and he stared blankly into the woods.
“Everything all right?” Zander said. “Do you see anything?”
I can’t tell. Something’s moving in the distance. I don’t know if it’s malicious or not. That tree is similarly inclined.
“Hmm" Zander muttered feeling a little unsettled, but didn't want to worry the rest of the team.
The tree and I will keep an eye on it. Hopefully it’s nothing.
“I can’t do another battle right now,” Celeste said, looking pale. “I’m sorry. I just don’t have it in me.”
It’s still a ways off. I think there’s time for everyone to get some rest. Especially you little sister. Let Zander fight more, he needs the experience anyways.
Terra joined Rocktooth and the Forest Titan. Soon they were deep in conversation by the time Zander drifted off to sleep. They spoke a language he’d never heard before. It sounded like rustling leaves and branches swaying in the wind. Whatever they were talking about, it seemed important. Terra’s brow was furrowed, and her expression was grave.
Wake up. WAKE UP NOW.
He was jolted awake. Rocktooth was standing right next to him. A giant rock hand ready to shake him if needed. The summon's magic core bright in the dark.
Wake up. Now. Something’s coming. Something bad.
“What?” he said groggily. “Like, Draugr bad? Or wizard bad?”
I don’t know about the wizard. But whatever’s coming is horrible, and it’s malevolent. It wants us all dead.
That woke him up. “Celeste,” he said. “Celeste!”
“I’m up. I heard him.” She responded, half away
Terra and the Forest Titan were still awake, as was Caroline.
“I’m naturally nocturnal,” she explained. “I stay awake days because it’s more convenient, but I try to keep nights when I can.”
“We need to gear up,” Zander said. “Now. Whatever’s coming is bad. Way worse than anything we’ve faced up to this point.”
“Worse than the Wendigo?” Celeste said.
Worse than the Wendigo. Much worse. It’s one of the most powerful beings I’ve ever felt. We cannot avoid t his.
They stood back to back in the darkness around the dying fire, looking into the woods anxiously. He could hear footsteps in the forest now. Rocktooth was right. Something was coming closer.
“It doesn’t sound that big.” Celeste tried to be positive.
Size isn’t always an indicator of power. Trust me.
“It’s almost here,” Celeste said. “Can anyone see it?”
The cat peered into the forest with her big green eyes. “Yeah,” she said, sounding confused. “I can see it. But it’s—it doesn’t look like I would have expected it to—”
“Alms!” A voice rang out, dry and creaky with age. “Alms for a poor old man! Please! I’m wandering alone in the forest. I’m so far from home.”
Don’t trust it, Rocktooth said. This is no old man.
The Forest Titan chuckled to itself. Isn’t this entertaining?
No. Do not.
“Alms! Please! Alms for an old man!” A wizened graybeard stepped out into the camp. He was wrapped in a ratty old cloak, and he hunched and shuffled as he walked. He didn’t look like a threat to anyone.
“We don’t have anything,” Zander said, shooting an uneasy look at Rocktooth. “Sorry.”
“Alms! Please! Or just a little food. Help!” The old man continued as he came closer.
He sounded pathetic, and Celeste crossed her arms. “We’ve got to help him. Why can’t we help him?”
Believe me. You really don’t want to. It's a waste.
“Alms?” the old man said, looking up at them pitifully. “Nothing? Seriously? You’re not going to give me anything?”
The party looked around at each other helplessly. Rocktooth shook his head.
“Well in that case,” he said, and his voice was different now. It was low and charged with power, and he laughed as he threw his cloak to the ground. "I won't take your charity before killing you Zander. You've been marked."
Chapter Twenty-THREE: Dagon
They stared at the old man for a moment.
“He’s way more muscular than I expected him to be,” Caroline said.
Rocktooth rolled his eyes. You fools. That’s Dagon!
“Dagon?” Celeste said.
One of the grand demons that roam this land. He’s incredibly powerful.
Adorable, the Forest Titan said with a sarcastic chuckle. She didn’t even know who Dagon was.
“I’m new here,” Celeste snapped.
“This isn’t really what I expected him to look like,” Terra said. “I’ve never seen him—but I have seen other demons when they passed through my forest. They were all—I don’t know—bigger. Stronger-looking.”
“Interesting,” the demon said. “I’ve never encountered anyone who’s met my sisters before. I look forward to asking you about them as I’m ripping your body apart limb from limb.”
“Not a chance!” Zander said, raising his sword high. “We’ll banish you first.”
Careful, Rocktooth said, stepping his body in front of him. This is not going to go the way you think.
Dagon shuddered, and his eyes glowed red in the night. Then it started to transform. The sight was hideous, as if it were turning its entire body inside out. Its viscera were dimly visible through the darkness, pulsing gently as they moved up and down his chest.
“This is disgusting,” Celeste said, making a face.
Zander gritted his teeth and charged. The demon was vulnerable mid-transformation. This was the perfect time to attack.
Don’t! Rocktooth said, grabbing at his cloak, trying to pull him back. He missed. Zander barreled toward Dagon at full speed, sword out to strike—and ran into a solid barrier that knocked him back into the trees.
He knows how to protect himself, the Forest Titan said, as Zander sat up woozily, clutching his head. That one’s been around for centuries.
Dagon was still changing. He was growing taller and stronger, and extra legs were sprouting from his chest and abdomen. He roared, snapping at the air, and his breath was foul.
“You’re going to taste delicious,” he said as his transformation completed. He became a hideous insectoid monster with a black exoskeleton. He scuttled toward them on four legs and waved his four hairy arms in
the air. Each arm ended in a large black claw like a lobster’s. His face was pig like and his teeth were long and yellow.
“That’s what a grand demon looks like?” Celeste said. “He’s hideous.”
It gets worse, Rocktooth said as Dagon advanced on them. Red foam dripped from his mouth and spattered on the ground. He has dark and terrible powers.
“Dark and terrible? More t han turning into a bug monster?” Celeste had to suppress a gag.
He’s a summoner too. The worst kind of summoner. He can summon the undead versions of the people he’s killed.
“How many is that?” Caroline said.
Uh. A lot. I don’t know the exact number. Dagon’s older than I am.
The demon lunged for Zander, and the elf leaped back away from his jaws in panic. Dagon laughed.
“Pathetic,” he rumbled. “In the old days, I would have had better adversaries.”
“Are you the one who destroyed my village?” Caroline said. “The wizard who demanded the sacrifices?”
“Obviously. Though I would have come for you regardless." Dagon laughed.
“Why? Why would you do that?” Caroline demanded.
He shrugged. “Because I could. It’s what I do. I killed all your warriors, too.”
“ What?” she said, clutching her spear, eyes welling up with tears.
“Yep. And I ate them, every last one." Dagon hit himself in the chest once and burped. "Sorry, That was rude of me. They were very tasty. Obviously well fed and meaty—”
The cat charged, swinging her weapon wildly. Dagon dodged easily out of the way, snickering. It was clearly moving slowly on purpose, staying just out of her reach to taunt her as she slashed at it in a fury.
“Caroline!” Zander said. “Careful! He’s—”
The demon swatted her out of the way lightly, as if she were nothing more than a fly, and she flew across the clearing and slammed against a tree. Terra raced over to her and crouched at her side.
“She’s okay,” she shouted. “Just unconscious.”
“You know I can kill you all easily, right?” Dagon said. “I’m just toying with you. This battle is just child’s play for me.”
Zander rolled his eyes. The demon might be powerful, but he was also tiresome. “Yes. We’ve noticed.”
“Just checking.” Dagon muttered.
Demons, the Forest Titan chuckled. They’re so egotistical. Charming creatures, really.
You could help us fight it, Rocktooth said. Or you could just stand there and watch this play out.
I don’t believe in wasting effort. I’ll wait until I get an official command from the boss.
They all looked at Zander. “Uh,” he said. “Forest Titan. Attack Dagon.”
Before it could do anything, Dagon threw his head back and roared. The noise was ear-splitting, and they cringed back from it, staggering back against the trees.
Here we go, Rocktooth said.
They could hear the sound of many feet running toward them through the woods. It sounded like a massive army was rushing toward them. Soon Draugr looked out at them from the tree line.
“You wanted to know how many people I’ve killed?” Dagon said malevolently. “Well, here’s your answer. As many grains of sands are found near the ocean. And this is just from this area, too. There are plenty of Draugr who were too far away to heed my call.”
The creatures appeared among the trees, their eyes fixed on the party hungrily. Some of them were missing limbs, as if something had feasted on them repeatedly.
“They’re my servants, and also my snacks,” Dagon snickered. “It’s great. They come to wherever I am.”
“Gross,” Celeste said, wrinkling her nose.
“Caroline!” Terra said, still bending over the Catgirl. “Caroline. Wake up. Now!”
She groaned and sat up—then stared around her in panic at the horde of undead that were slowly closing in around them.
“ What—” she said. “When—”
“Dagon brought them here,” Terra said. “Get up, or you’re going to die.”
“There are so many,” she said, eyes wide. “Just like—just like my village—”
“Yeah. Just like your village." Terra snapped. "And remember, you said you were going to do things differently the next time you encountered this many Draugr gathered in one place. Show us what you can do.”
It was tough love, but it worked. Caroline shakily got to her feet and hoisted her spear to her shoulder.
“I’ll do it,” she said, although she didn’t sound certain. “I can do it.”
The Forest Titan stomped over to Zander and bent down to talk to him. Do you still want me to try to attack Dagon? This old man and I go back centuries.
“Yes!” Zander said. “Forest Titan! Attack!”
The demon chuckled as the Draugr swarmed around him. “I’ve learned one or two things since last we met, old friend. You might be surprised.”
The Titan stomped toward him, its dry roots digging into the leaf-covered soil. Let’s try, then.
It swung a massive branch at Dagon’s head, and he ducked. “Nice attempt. But completely ineffective.”
Again the Titan struck out, and this one hit, throwing the demon back toward the far side of the clearing. He roared with fury, and his undead slaves gathered around him, slavering. It almost looked like they wanted to eat him. Maybe they did, Zander thought, and they were just waiting for him to be weak enough that they could take him down.
See, the Titan said smugly, turning toward him and half-bowing. I know his tricks, child. We’ll make short work of him.
Dagon lurched to his feet and lashed out with his massive claws, but the tree sidestepped him and kicked out with his trunk-like feet, knocking him flat on his back. Celeste and Terra cheered.
“Go Forest Titan!” Terra shouted. “Tree power! That’s what I like to see.”
The Titan took a moment to acknowledge what she was saying, nodding politely in her direction—and that was its fatal error. Dagon got to his feet, eyes burning with malevolent power, and grabbed the tree’s right arm in one claw.
“You’re gotten old, my friend,” he said contemptuously, “and you’ve forgotten how to fight. Your loss. Not mine.”
And with that, he ripped the limb off in one easy motion. The Forest Titan roared and battered Dagon’s back with its spare arm.
“How terrible!” Caroline screamed, eyes wide.
It’ll grow back, Rocktooth said calmly, striding toward the battle. It’s a tree. And it’s a very old spirit of the Nether. This is just humiliating for it.
It’s not humiliating, the Titan protested. I can recover the battle. I’m behind right now, but—
Dagon rushed forward and ripped off its other arm, cackling, and threw it toward the army of waiting undead. “Dinner’s served,” he snarled. “Hope you like salad.”
The Draugr sniffed at the Titan’s severed limb, but they didn’t seem particularly interested. One that was more burley than the rest, bent down and took a tentative bite of one of the leaves, but spat the mouthful out in disgust. Zander had never thought much about it, but it made sense that the Draugr would be strict carnivores.
Dagon was continuing to beat on the Forest Titan, smashing its limbs and trunk against the ground. The clearing was full of splinters as the creature broke apart, piece by piece. It was a brutal fight, but at least the Titan didn’t seem to be in much pain. It maintained the same mildly irritated expression on its face throughout the entire battle.
My turn, Rocktooth said. The rest of you, try to take out some of the other Draugr creatures. They’re clogging up the place.
They jumped into action and did as Rocktooth said. Celeste started her transformation, and Terra, Zander and Caroline started hacking their way through the sea of Draugr around them. It was a brutal fight. They were all still exhausted from their ordeal in Meoxia and the battle of the underpass, and none of them had gotten a full night’s sleep since they started their journey.
The Draugr didn’t need to rest, and they didn’t need to recover. All they needed was fresh meat, and there was plenty of that around here.
“Do you think any of these are the same Draugr who killed our warriors?” Caroline said softly. “Who destroyed my home?”
“No idea,” Terra said. “I can never tell these things apart. They all look the same to me.”
“Less talking, more fighting!” Zander said, neatly slicing the head off two creatures in one stroke. “Maybe if we clear them out we can help with the fight against Dagon.”
It wasn’t going well. The Forest Titan had been reduced to a pile of branches on the ground. The nature summon was trying to put itself back together. The torn pieces of its body were slowly crawling across the clearing toward each other, and its head and shoulders were already back in one piece. But it was clear that it would take a while to complete the process.
In the meantime, Rocktooth was getting clobbered by Dagon’s powerful claws. Every time the golem tried to fight back, the demon launched a shockwave that pushed him out of striking range. The Forest Titan watched and laughed.
Not so tough now, Rocktooth, he said as he reattached his right arm to his shoulder.
You’re the one who thought this fight would be so easy, Rocktooth snapped. I always knew it would be terrible. And I tried to warn you.
Terra was still holding her own against the army of Draugr, but Zander and Caroline were fading quickly. No matter how many Draugr they killed, more kept pouring out of the woods, and they were all ravenous. More than once, Zander narrowly escaped being dragged down into a pile of undead, their mouths churning as they tried to take a bite out of his side. He shuddered at the thought of being torn apart while he was still alive and turned into food for the Draugr.
“Where’s Celeste?” Caroline shouted as she stabbed a creature in the throat with her spear. “We need to bring in the big guns.”
“I’m ready!” Celeste said, floating over to them. The light emanating from her spirit form illuminated the entire clearing, and the Draugr flinched away from it. “How can I help? Where am I most useful?”
“Draugr,” Zander said, panting. “Too many Draugr.”