Rest In Pieces

22

Airo

It had becoming increasingly clear that they were not alone. Whether it was monsters or people, the woods dividing Ventura and Laszicslav were full of creatures unknown. They had not come across any citizens, but Airo knew there was a strange combination of both countries cohabiting somewhere in the wilderness.

Like cavemen, he thought.

Xadya and Malakhai split up, capping themselves on either end of the group. Those two were the best form of protection they had.

Branches split. The hairs on the back of Airo's neck stood. Their horses whined and twitched nervously.

James inched closer to Airo, twining their fingers together. "You okay?" James murmured.

"There's something in the trees."

"I know." James was scanning the tree line.

"No," Airo said softly. "I think it's—" He yanked James out of the way at the very last minute as a large black shape fell from the sky.

No. They weren't ready.

They should have expected an attack.

Xadya and Malakhai jumped into action immediately, she pushed Finley away and their eyes began to change.

Everyone hopped down from horseback and it was not long before the beasts took off down the mountain and away from whatever being was about to feast on them. The being did not even chase them. It looked hungry for humans.

The darkening of Xadya's hand was spreading up her neck. Black tendrils spiralled up her jawline and she did not seem to notice. She couldn't. Airo watched as she leaned into the power, chaos rippling around her as she moved. Xadya moved differently than she used to, all flickering motion and teeth and talons. Fingers curled together and separated and he wanted to go to her. She did not care for him the same way. He wondered if she even cared at all.

It was selfish of him to think that way. Of course she didn't.

Airo blinked. The figure before them, mid-combat with Malakhai, was impossible to shape, to wrap his mind around. Black robes draped its frail body, topped with a deer skull for a head and ivory antlers spinning up toward the trees. He thought, anyway. The being seemed to move through air as if holographic.

Airo ducked just in time. An antler planted into a tree, sinking into James shoulder. He cried out, the sound of his partner in pain damned near shattered Airo's heart.

The front. What did he do at the front, when a fellow soldier was hurt?

Defend first. Get the upper hand. Attack second.

Airo didn't have time. James was bleeding. Arcane were swarming. It was too damned cold and he'd had too much damned alcohol to think.

He would have been smacked for drinking at the front.

Xadya leaped on to the monster's back, snarling from deep in her throat and baring her pointy teeth. Airo wondered if she would go for its heart.

She did not.

The three humans cowered away as the monster came for them, but Airo hoped Xadya and Malakhai were too powerful a pair for it to defeat. He hadn't fought monsters that wanted to eat him at the front, just fellow humans who wanted him dead.

Xadya's talons gripped the monster's shoulders and she ripped it away from Finley, moments before it tore her in two. The guard scrambled away, kicking up snow as she dragged Airo and James deeper into the forest with her.

"Careful, Fin," James pleaded, breathing heavy now. Was he bleeding out?

It was possible. Airo shook his head violently at the thought. He was not losing James. Not today, not on this stupid mountain. Not any day.

The monster huffed, blowing air from the holes in its skull as it searched for the humans, now hiding behind a thick tree trunk. Airo, holding tightly to James as if it would help keep him awake, peeked his head around the trunk.

Xadya spread her corrupted fingers and slammed her palm into the monster's forehead. It let out a screech, tearing itself away from her but she didn't let it.

What the hell was she doing?

The figure crumpled to dust before her. The air around them was crisp, quiet.

Xadya arched her back, rolled her shoulders. Her eyes were solid obsidian.

"Xadezhda," Malakhai warned. She turned to the three humans, eyes fixing on Airo.

He wondered if he would taste good.

Malakhai hit her over the head with a branch before she could find out.