Chapter 8: Beasts

  Julien

  “Get to the Flank!” a bushy bearded sergeant yelled as the captain dove to the side of the beast swinging his sword and barely managing to scratch the beast. Ten of the guardsmen rushed to obey spreading out with their spears to encircle the beast. But the beast paid them no mind its yellow eyes looked up as if smelling his fear locking eyes with Julien.

  For one terrible moment he couldn’t move a terrible cold seemed to seep into his very bones and his legs refused to answer him. The effect was broken when a large figure stepped in front of him blocking off the creatures gaze. He shook his head his mind clearing of the effects of whatever had just happened. One thing remained in his mind however. They couldn’t kill a beast like this. Not without some of the soldiers dying in the process.

  He looked up to see Aramin standing in front of him sword held at the ready. Altaya stepped up beside Aramin and threw a worried look back at him. Julien could really say anything right now his mind still felt foggy so he just smiled and nodded at her before raising his own blade.

  They had no choice in the matter they couldn’t run, So fight it was. Julien hefted his sword and moved toward the right to join the soldiers there. He didn’t know what he could do as he’d never fought with them before. As he moved he almost missed the moment the creature moved as well. It rear back on its hind legs and pivoted facing the tightly packed group of men that they were heading to. It swiped with its massive claws and Julien heard a squelching crunch before a man’s scream was cut short.

  It swiped again and another man cried out before he spotted the captain racing back in sword flashing. Julien lamented that they hadn’t brought shields. Now that he thought about it it seemed like a huge oversight. But then he didn’t have any more time to think about such things as they joined up with the group of soldiers as they pressed in on the Ursine’s flank. The captain vaulted over a sweeping paw and slammed his sword in the creatures left eye.

  The beast howled and struck. The captain pulled his sword out of the beast and up to block but there was no way he could match the strength several tons of beastial muscle could provide. The captain was sent flying blood spraying from an open gash on his side. Julien saw all of this as his own group, his friends included closed in on the creature and struck twelve spears and five swords stabbed into the creatures side. Blood sprayed as Julien’s arm jolt from the beast resistance. It howled again this time weaker. Blood gushed from multiple wounds all over the creatures hide and dripped down to pool on the ground below it.

  He couldn’t believe it they were actually beating the thing. He followed the sergeants lead as they yelled out orders and their group back up drawing the attention of the beast. As they did the group on the other side moved in. Just as Julien felt like it would be over soon another roar sounded from behind them as another one of the beasts entered the clearing. Julien whirled around to see the beast charge in to the clearing a fanatic look in its eyes. It was smaller than the one they were currently fighting but no less fierce. The ten guards that had stayed back split into two groups and advanced on the new threat without a word their spear held high.

  A hand shoved him bodily back and with a shock he felt the wind of the creatures claws as they passed inches from his face. Aramin stood to his side staring at him a angry look on his face.

  “Pay attention! We are in battle!” He yelled. But Julien didn’t need to be told again. He pushed Aramin away just as the Ursine swiped at them again. The curved claws dug furls into the ground where Aramin had just been standing.

  Aramin looked back to him and nodded signalling that they were even. With that they turned back to to fight just in time so see a most peculiar sight. Thin, reedy Carlouse had borrowed a spear from an injured guard and held it high over head as he approach from slightly behind the creature. He waited only for a moment before rushing forward and plunging the spear into the back of the Ursine. It roared in true pain spittle and blood leaking from its maw as it turned to face Carlouse.

  “Shit!” Carlouse cursed as he rapidly retreated leaving the spear embedded in the fiend. Just as the beast turned He saw his opening. He rushed forward ducking a distracted strike from the creature before raising his sword to slash it across its side.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  With speed that was a mere blur to him it turned back to him slashing upward with its claws. Instincts screamed in his head as something more… primal took control of his body for a mere second causing him to tuck into a roll. Not away from the creature, but right under the massive Beasts head.

  Not having the time to analyze what had just happened and very much still running off instinct and pure terror he stabbed upward with his sword. A loud squelching sound and a jarring impact before hot stinging blood cover both his sword and his hand. He went to pull the blade out and jump away but a sudden implacable weight dragged him to the ground. It took his mind a moment to fully catch up and to realize the monster had sagged on his blade. He had in fact stabbed it in the head. He let go of his blade but couldn’t drag his eyes away from the dying hate filled gaze of the Ursine Predator.

  It took a few minutes but finally a hand under his arms pulled him back to reality as Aramin lifted him up from the ground not even grunting with the effort. Julien’s stomach churned this was his first time killing anything. Whether or not it had been trying to kill him he could shake the last lingering look the creature had given him as it died his sword piercing from its jaw to the top of its skull.

  He shook himself a turned away his mind shifting quickly to the next thing. He put his hands down to his sides hoping it would conceal his shake. It was just a beast right? Why should he feel bad for killing it? It wasn’t like he had killed another human. But try as he might that distinction felt… weak.

  He looked and met Aramin’s eyes. The big guy looked into his eyes and an understanding passed between them. He nodded to Julien’s unspoken question. Julien relaxed, taking deep breaths, he couldn’t afford to be this weak. He didn’t want the guards to think he was too weak to be their prince.

  Again he should his head and forced his mind to move on, he could handle these feeling later. He turned and realized with a glance that the other Ursine had fled pushing through the ring of guards and running with deceptive speed until all he could hear was the distant sound of branches cracking.

  Gritting his teeth he leaned down and gripped the hilt of his sword with a grunt and a spray of blood he ripped his free. He wiped the blood clean on leg of his uniform pants. His focus was shifted when he turned and suddenly got a face full of hair. It took him a moment to realize it was Altaya giving him a hug. He stood awkwardly for a moment wondering how he should respond but then the moment was over and she pulled back an embarrassed blush to her cheeks.

  Then she straightened up he face turning serious.

  “I request that the next time you decide to charge a raging monster twice your size you let me know first. As your bodyguard I am responsible for your safety.” Julien just chuckled but Altaya narrowed her eyes in the way she didnl when she was serious. He waved away her concerns.

  “I’m sorry, it wasn’t something I really had time to think about.”

  “Well fought,” the captain’s voice said. With a single sentence all of the guards that had been celebrating or helping the wounded froze and snapped to attention. They turned and saw the captain limping over to them. He had retrieved his sword and the pained expression on his face told of the pain he was in. His tabard was torn but the armor underneath seemed to be intact.

  “Truly worthy of the Crown Prince of Ishtar,” he said with a bright smile.

  “Oh I must agree,” said a new voice echoing out from the forest. The voice was light and teasing almost amused but at once it sent a chill down his spine. The Captain spun around peering into the forest. By this time the sky hard darkened considerably and the shadows were long.

  But even the gloom couldn’t hide the dozens of black hooded and cloaked figures that stepped from treeline swords in hand. At their head stood a figure in a deep brown mottled cloak with green and gold armor underneath. His fair colored hair and pointed ears left no doubt of his identity.

  “Frankly I didn’t think you could defeat a creature of this caliber no matter if you had these peasants or not. Apparently we have underestimated the strength of the Ishtarian military. Maybe it is a good thing that we are taking the actions we are,” the elf said casually drawing a thin curved blade from his back.

  Julien’s heart clenched as he tried to count but there had to be over a hundred cloaked figures. Meanwhile they had just finished a battle and their injuries were still fresh, he’ll their injured hadn’t even been moved from where they had fallen yet or been counted.

  The captain raised his hand and with a signal Julien felt the guards around him move stepping into formation around him their spear up and pointed at every direction.

  He also felt rather than saw his squad mates move surround him as well. Normally he would argue with this but he didn’t have to be a genius to know why the cloaked men were there. In fact he had figured it out even before they left. This was definitely the trap he had been waiting on but instead of the guards ambushing and outnumbering a few would be assassins, the table had been flipped and they were the ones on the back foot. Even through the formation of men Julien saw the cruel smile as the elf locked eyes with him.

  “It’s nice to formally meet you Prince Julien, I’m afraid I will have to ask you to die.”