Page 35 of Of Blood & Stone

Deadly.

“Their eyes as well as the space where their legs connect to their bodies are the softest and easiest to slice,” Kharis instructed through harsh breaths, “But dodge whenever you can?—”

A large obsidian body crashed into Kharis. Propelled forward, the warrior thudded against a tree, the crooked elm toppling over and landing with an earth-trembling shudder.

Elnok skidded to a halt, sword raised.

Yellow light pulsed into the darkness, revealing eight long legs as they struck into the earth like spears, the limbs connected to a large bulbous body. Glossy eyes blinked at him, as if the light were foreign in this perpetual darkness. The monster—the arachni—clicked its pincers together, the fangs as long and sharp as short swords. Dark liquid dripped from its points.

Elnok gripped his sword, digging into his instincts as the memories of escaping Vutror’s dungeons flooded him, stoking a ravenous flame inside his body. The same ferocity he’d used to kill those guards consumed him. He may have never fought a monster before, but he knew what it took to become one.

He knew how to survive.

The arachni launched forward. Instincts threading through his muscles, Elnok jabbed for the arachni’s glowing eyes. The monster dodged his attack, rushing past him and slamming intoa tree. A dark hiss splintered the air as the monster crunched bark in its mouth.

A metallic chitter breathed down his neck.

Hot panic sliced through his veins as he immediately dodged left, spinning around to see nothing but forest—until it appeared out of thin air.

The arachni lunged, sharp fangs aimed for Elnok’s head, but instincts overcame fear; he struck up into the creature’s mouth. The sword pierced through its jaw, the tip of the glowing weapon splitting the arachni’s mouth. Elnok’s breathing was ragged as he ripped the sword out, hot blood spraying his face. Dark fear rushed through Elnok’s veins as he stepped back, numerous beady eyes glinting against the glow of his sword—in front of him, in the trees, skittering closer and closer…

“Kharis!” Elnok shouted, his hilt slipping out of his grasp.

Light burst from behind the countless arachnis, the spectacle so sharp Elnok shielded his eyes. Blinking rapidly, Elnok jumped as Kharis stood in front of him—smile wide, eyes glimmering like the sun. Yellow beams of light crackled along the veins of the Dynami’s legs, up his arms, and down his neck.

His orodyte shone the brightest.

“I’m impressed,” Kharis said with a wink as he spun his sword in a single arc. “You almost killed one.”

Before Elnok could take a breath, the warrior flashed before his eyes.

The only sign of his person was left by streaks of light, like ripples of water after the toss of stone. Horrific shrieks filled the air. Elnok kept his sword in front of him as he backed up against a tree, watching in awe and terror as Kharis tore the arachnis apart with his blade, long pieces of tree limbs twitching on the ground?—

Not tree limbs.

Arachni legs.

Dozens of their appendages had been dismembered by Kharis’ sword, the arachnis’ large bodies rolling onto the earth and screaming into the mildew air as they bled out.

Bile rose in Elnok’s throat; he turned to the side and emptied his stomach.

“Hold out on that sickness until we’ve made it through,” Kharis’ voice called through the trees. “We best keep moving.”

Elnok wiped the soured mess from his mouth, the metal of his armor mixing with the acid on his tongue. He ran through the graveyard of arachnis, their legs still twitching, screeches piercing the air until their glossy eyes froze over.

Kharis stood over a dead arachni, twirling his sword as if he hadn’t just slain what must’ve been at least twenty monsters in only a few moments.

“Let’s go,” Kharis said as he turned, “that wasn’t even the whole nest.”

The rest of the journey was quick, Elnok’s fear driving his body forward despite his exhaustion. He couldn’t imagine why anyone would attempt to cross this forest without magic, even with the promise of Estea’s provisions on the other side.

Surely, there was no worse way to die.

Warm sunlight caused Elnok’s skin to pimple as they made it through the last line of trees. Relief washed over him like a salty wave on the shore as they approached a sandstone wall, towering at least five stories high and stretching as far as Elnok could see.

“Kharis,” a man yelled, “we were beginning to worry!”

Kharis waved as they approached the man at the base of the wall. The guard wore the same green and brown leather armor as Kharis, with a glowing orodyte on his chest to match.

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