LogFAQs > #904002647

Seth frowned, thinking of what he may say or do next, but his moment of thought was broken by a jarring change of tone. Just as the caravan came to rest at the top of the hill, they got a clear view of the ruined hamlet down below. And, at that fine moment, one of those monsters jumped out from beneath one of those local rocks.

It was fast enough that even Zephyr had less than a moment to react.

The little weasel jumped to his feet and grabbed an arrow. They had been sitting in a stack beside him. His bow was already in his hand. Then, before he could draw it cleanly, he locked eyes with the monster below.

It had a green and sickly skin made of dried, webbed flesh and rotting scales that flaked away in the mud. Its torso was fat but its arms and legs were long and thin. That large skull held a pair of large eyes which were fixed on the scout on the top of the wagon. And the insides of his eyes were spinning and shining with a hypnotic light.

"Kkk--Ahhhh!" Zehpyr let out a scream as the strength fled from his arms. He failed to draw his bow completely or aim it, and his arrow shot pitifully into the mud as his legs took their own control. He tripped over himself and turned away, fleeing in the opposite direction as his heart begin to race.

Seth glanced up at the sound of the scream and then a moment later saw a column of light erupt from the face of the enemy. Its eyes were broadcasting some kind of intense heat which burned a hole through the roof of the wagon. It was all Seth could do to throw his arms over his head and bury his face in the grass below as the vehicle jerked to a halt.

Matsuda jumped forward, springing off the angled corner of the outer platform with no weapon in hand and no plan in his mind. He was racing forward on pure adrenaline and was pleased to note that at least Dismas was at his back. Someone had followed. He might not die alone.

The monster snapped its attention below, looking down at Seth, and the air seemed to vibrate as its eyes lit up.

"RAGH!" Matsuda tackled the overgrown fish, throwing his arms around its waist and pushing it back.

Its claws ripped downward in response, trying to pull him off, and raking his back.

At the same time, Dismas came in from the flank and grabbed the face of the monster, putting one hand beneath its jaw and gaining leverage by grabbing the other side of its skull. He felt his hand slip and his finger push into its cheek. Then his vision went white and his ears began to ring with intense pain.

A column of light erupted from its eyes. Since his face was pushed aside, the monster missed Seth. Instead, that beam of heat cut through the front wheel of the wagon. Then, as Dismas shoved its head up and aside, the harness and front of the wagon were obliterated. The horses let out panicked cries and fled in the ensuing chaos.

Seth grabbed a crossbow which had fallen off the wagon when half of it was destroyed. Flecks of fire were raining down on him from above. He managed to roll on his back just long enough to realize that he had no idea how to wind up or fire the weapon correctly. It was something he could likely figure out, but he was not willing to gamble with that. Not in a moment like this. Not when failure meant certain death.

"Here!" Dismas shouted. He backed away from the monster as it swiped at him with its claws.

Seth rose to his feet, stepping forward and spinning as he threw the weapon with all of his might.

The monster elbowed Matsuda in the back and drove him into the ground. Then its foot crushed his shoulder blades from behind. It raised its claw for what would likely be a killing blow. Dismas caught the weapon far too late to intervene. He couldn't load the thing fast enough to make a difference.
---

~* Now I only see your dull imposter ~*
https://imgur.com/tdhOSKc