‘I’m out of options. I’m in no shape to fight properly, the odds of killing the crux beast were a level field, now it seems the assassin has joined in, I have no hope. Ideas?’ Rex asked, constantly flicking his eyes around the room, backing slowly to a corner in the wall.‘All I have is, do not die before your fighters arrive,’ Fafnir replied after a few tense seconds, his usual growl softer than usual.“It seems you at a loss young prince,” a woman’s voice rasped into the room.Seeing the crux beast slowly closing the distance between them, Rex spotted a display case with a sword resting on a stand. It had a fancy pommel and hand guard that deemed the sword purely for decoration with an absurdly large fat blade, but he hoped with enough force he could still inflict enough pain onto the crux beast to make it think twice about attacking him.Breaking the glass with his elbow, he reached in and picked the weapon up, scowling in dissatisfaction at how badly the sword was balanced and how
Once the two wolves were finally dealt with, an exhausted Rector and Ean both stared at each other, they had to combine their remaining strength to defeat their enemies, something they had not done in many years.“Now the simple task of the wolves has been dealt with, please follow me,” the huntress said, a small smirk showing on the corner of her lips as she strode past both men.“You call that a simple task?” Ean said, waving his hand toward the wolf corpses.“Yes, someone from our tribe half your age could have performed this task easier and a lot less sloppy than you both did, even if injured,” she added, raising one finger up seeing Ean and Rector about to protest.“I am not doubting the strength of the Akani huntresses, but these were fully grown, I doubt your elders are foolish enough to pit your young against one, let alone two,” Rector said, raising one eyebrow, smiling slightly upon seeing the huntress stop walking, turn her head slightly toward them and smirk slightly once
Arriving at a pair of huts on stilts that raised the floor a few feet from the ground, Ean and Rector both climbed the bamboo ladder and fell forward, both panting heavily, soaked to the bone from the storm that was currently raging outside, “I was speaking about the storm currently on top of us,” the huntress announced, entering the hut after them, stepping over their bodies simultaneously reaching into her satchel bag, producing a crystal that glowed a faded shade of gold, shaking it quickly and as it glowed brighter she opened her hand and it raised a few inches over her palm. “Thank you for the obvious call,” Ean shot back, rolling onto his back, groaning loudly as his damaged body protested performing any action. “I haven’t struggled to move this much in many, many years,” Rector sighed, using his elbow to roll himself onto his back, sitting up slowly, raising an eyebrow at what the huntress was doing, “So I know you will not tell us your true name because we are outsiders, but
“I will grant you your stories sound a lot like the ones passed on from our elders, but one fact remains. How could yours be true if those stories I heard as a young huntress almost five seasons ago?” Kita asked, her smile now had faded, and one eyebrow was raised. “Only five seasons?” Ean asked, scratching his head, a slightly confused look on his face as he looked to Rector. “One season is ten of our years Ean, have you already forgotten the basics for this plane?” Rector sighed, shaking his head with a slight smirk. “Your seasons are shorter than ours?” Kita asked her curiosity now piqued. “Considerably, when we arrive at your elders, they can verify what we have told you, and more,” Rector said, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck, a smile appearing on his lips as he inspected his body, “This cream is amazing, I still need a wash to remove the blood, but most of the seriousness of my wounds are settled.” “Most of the savageness from the storm has passed, so before th
“Worst f**kin words ever Rex,” Kealy swore quietly through gritted teeth when they had dodged the tenth pitfall trap while crossing the flats, Rex had just caught her by the back of her shirt to prevent her falling into one he had missed, he was busy scanning the few scattered lights around the camp they were approaching for people.“Hey, I caught you, didn’t I?” he replied, not doing anything to cover his smugness.“Yeah. Thanks, you’re too kind your princeness,” she replied, adding in exaggeration by calling Rex a prince. Feeling a breeze on her upper extremities when there shouldn’t be made her look down, her face went a slight tinge of pink when she noticed the upper buttons on her top had popped off under the strain of Rex’s catch and her body weight and it was staying open, “Swap shirts with me. Quickly.”“Why? What’s wrong with yours?” Rex asked while still smiling, peeling his eyes away from the camp to look at Kealy’s back.“It’s torn, in an inconvenient place.”“A simple tea
Creeping to hide behind a large tent on the top of the only slightly higher mound of dirt that overlooked the entire camp, Rex was straining his eyes to attempt to catch a glimpse of Kealy. Hushed whispering drew his attention away for a second as he heard women, “Teema, we can’t get out now. If they catch us before we escape through the flats and can get around the pitfalls for the hunt, they will kill us this time.”“I’m sorry Venya, I cannot stand around and let them continue to abuse us. You know as well as I do, if we continue to push aside the prince's advances, he will either take us unwillingly or kill us.”“So escape is the best option. You know father will not incur the wrath of him for attempting to rescue us from his blessed son, so it falls to you and me to escape. I know I prefer…”“Shh, they’re coming back,” the other woman hissed, Rex could hear slight clatters from inside the tent. Whoever these women were, it seemed they were captives of the son of his enemy, Sothis,
“Huh?” Ean asked, his brain still a little cloudy from being woken abruptly from sleep. “Your brother,” Kita whispered, looking toward the door, “He speaks to himself.” “He has…” Ean started to say, deciding to choose his words carefully, “A familiar. I think he is checking to see if they can still commune while in this place, if so, his familiar will be extremely helpful getting us through the Donréal forest without incident. I will go and check on him.” “You know of the Donréal forest?” Kita asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yes. I also know what stalks the grasslands and trees in that particular forest too, I doubt the predators have changed even in the time it has been since I last walked the trails,” Ean answered with a smirk, slowly getting to his feet, groaning as he stretched his aching muscles and joints. Kita opened her mouth as if to say something but thought twice and instead closed it and answered with a thoughtful frown and nod. Coming to sit next to Rector, Ean said in a
“What did your brother say about his familiar?” Kita asked, startling Ean as she sat on her heels next to him. “It seems his connection is not fully functional, but said his meridians are healing nicely, he said we were attacked during our portal here and he had to use more power than he could handle safely to escape the beast. Don’t ask me about that, if you can’t tell, I’m not the scholarly type,” Ean replied, letting his hand lower from the pommel of the blade he carried. “I have not heard of any beast being able to attack someone while in the portal space, alas I am not a scholar either, it is a question for the elders. I can tell from your reaction time you are more the warrior type, yes?” Kita asked, smirking slightly after seeing Ean react. “Yes, quite gifted in the heavier weapons and armour, a front-line vanguard” Ean replied with a nod. “I have another question,” Kita said, quickly adding when Ean turned to look in her direction, “If you have no issues answering questions
“Well,” Rex coughed, “How do you know they came with ill intentions?”“They confessed under duress of course,” Queen Ullysarius said, casually waving her two left-sided long-clawed hands dismissively. “Do you wish to unveil the fleshed ones? Or shall I?”Turning toward Cassius for guidance and getting a confused shrug, Rex turned back, “I’ll do it.” Rex noticed the queen seemed to deflate slightly at his answer. ‘Strange response,’ he thought.“Shall I accompany you?” Ullysarius added in, quickly sidling in next to Rex, her eyes shining eagerly.” You know, in case it is decided they will visit the beyond. I would be honoured to send them there myself, blessed one.” Rex noticed she put extra emphasis on the title.Rolling his eyes, Rex moved to the first covered figure, reached under the hood and flipped it back.“Brend?” Rex asked, shocked to see Rosie’s squad leader kneeling before him, a strange black substance stuck over his mouth to prevent speaking, and his hands and elbows were
The moment Rex allowed Karinna to join him, she immediately started to mutter under her breath with her hands outstretched, slowly walking towards the young, downed woman.“What are you doing?” Cassius asked, taking a step forward to attempt to get a better view as to what Karinna was doing.“You need to stay back, the magic woven into this woman is highly unstable,” Karinna snapped, shooting a sharp glance toward Cassius, stopping him in his tracks.Raising his hands defensively, Cassius, along with Grug, retreated a few paces back and away from Karinna and the downed woman.“Grub be thinking how such small girlie make all buggies dead,” Grub asked, squinting suspiciously toward the young woman.“This poor girl has been subjected to a horrific amount of opposing magic. I am surprised she has not exploded already and killed us all, bringing this entire nest down in the process,” Karinna said, pausing her spell-casting to check the young woman’s pulse. “Before she can be moved, I must
Rex, Cassius, Hussin and Grub were on full alert as they moved through the archway and entered into the well-lit, large cavern. The first thing Rex noticed was the amount of crazak bodies strewn around. He estimated there were at least thirty here, all looking like they had died while trying to fend off an attacker.“Be alert of your surroundings,” Cassius said after leaning over and pressing his hand onto the shredded chitin of a downed crazak that was closest to the archway. “It’s still warm, I would say the fight happened only 15 minutes ago.”“These quilix died in fighting circles,” Hussin said, surveying the carnage. “It is our most used tactic for our primarily non-combat nest members. Whatever did this used raw power to overcome all present.”“To slay this many buggies, thing must be strong,” Grub said, kneeling down next to another crazak and running his hand over its limbs, tracing the deep gouges in its tough chitin with his finger. “This buggy was ripped in pieces. With stro
Godking Darius had never slept much in his old life, this habit leaked through to his current reincarnation. This worked well to keep his entourage of close advisors on their feet, as well as not allowing anyone to catch him unawares, which was in his top three of most despised things.He was currently perusing through his latest report papers, lounging back on his large high-backed throne chair, just sitting slightly offset to his large black obsidian desk. He always sat facing the doorway allowing him a good view of anyone who entered into his chambers. Feeling a pulse of energy approaching, he smiled evilly. Darius knew this weasel-featured advisor well. Turning slightly back to his table, he stashed the papers he was reading and turned back to face the door, interlocking his fingers across his chest and waited. A few minutes later, a soft knock on the door could be heard.“Enter,” Darius said, allowing a slight sliver of magic into his voice. He had learnt from his earliest time s
During their trip from the throne room, Paool questioned Rex about his incredible ability to heal wounds.After seeming somewhat satisfied with Rex’s vague explanation about being bonded with an ancient creature and sharing some of its traits, Paool then asked about how he was hiding the presence of other beings, explaining he could sense multiple scents emanating from him.“Why does smart buggy not be asking Grub about him?” Grub suddenly blurted out, appearing next to Paool, startling the crazak.“Uh, this one does not know what to ask of you delicious-smelling one,” Paool replied after a few seconds, his name for Grub eliciting a chuckle from Cassius.Before Grub was able to respond, Paool stopped suddenly, his action not being noticed by the others for another two steps.“Everything ok Paool?” Rex asked, instinctively resting his hand on the pommel of his sword while his eyes darted between both ends of the tunnel they currently traversed.“Yes, blessed one. This humble one was ju
Chapter 104Thirty minutes later, and with great effort, Rex was able to be upright without nausea or a pounding headache and was now seated at a small table in the cavernous room he was placed in.“Uh, I feel worse than ever,” Rex said, reaching out and picking up a strange blood-red coloured food object he guessed was fruit from a stone bowl in the centre of the table he was sitting at, Grub to his left and Cassius to his right. Both men, he could see, had a worried expression poorly hidden in their facial features. Turning the food over in his fingers, he could not attribute the shape nor colour to any fruit he had seen, during his time in Oak, nor even during his time in Dracoterrum and this realm.Clearing his throat slightly before speaking, Cassius broke the silence that came after Rex’s declaration, saying while also looking at the food Rex was studying, “They call it a “Smuur”, whatever that means. I have not been able to ascertain a translation to our tongue, but I believe i
“Now now Dorian,” the younger, gentler female voice said in an almost sing-song tone before Rex could reply, “I remember, gods quite a long time ago now, where a man once told me, ‘A man’s secrets are his very being. The ability to strip a man’s secrets and lay him bare is a travesty to his core.’ With that in mind, how could you allow any of us to assault his mind and take away that which doesn’t belong to us?”“Sounds like Tillian has found herself a young interest,” the older woman’s voice said, almost mockingly.“I can admit, unlike some of us, that this young…I am sorry, Rex was it?” the voice from Tillian said.“Yes, my name is Rex,” Rex nodded, finally being able to have a voice amongst the seemingly ending squabbles of beings unknown to him.“I had forgotten if you classed yourself as an adult or child still,” Tillian’s voice said softly. “I know so little about your race I’m afraid. I doubt even Gillart could shed any light on this.”“Hullans would be the closest to his race
Doing his best to keep his heart rate and thoughts on the correct path, Rex took a step back out of instinct, causing the hive queen to stop one step above where he stood and raise the two eyebrows on the left side of her face.“Do you not intend on agreeing to our deal?” she asked, her voice going flat.“Uh, sorry. Old habit to give myself room for a fight if needed,” Rex said, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead as he realised he had also unknowingly taken an unarmed fighting stance.“Hold out your hand,” the hive queen said, smirking seeing Rex relax from his fighting stance in seconds.Doing as requested, but keeping his muscles taut and ready to react at a moment's notice, the hive queen strode forward, striking the tip of his thumb with one of her claw tips so fast Rex did not even see the queen move her hand. After feeling the pinch, he looked at his thumb, seeing the blood now slowly trickling out from the tiny wound.“Uh, that’s strange,” Rex said, still staring curio
“Balrog!?” Rex spluttered, his mind whirling. “But Fafnir said she was…”“A demon?” The hive queen said, her voice almost like a low growl sending a tingling sensation down Rex’s spine.“Uh, yeah,” Rex sighed, hoping his admission did not seal his fate earlier than expected, “I believed it because he was a dragon and she didn’t look anything like the crazaks that attacked earlier on my journey, or now I’ve seen you, doesn’t resemble you either.”“Do all humans look the same?” The queen asked, raising two eyebrows over two eyes on the left side of her face while looking down at Rex.“Well, no,” Rex replied. Then it dawned on him, “Same race, look differently. I must admit I’m now curious about how that happens. Our looks differ due to quite a lot of things like race, gender, and heritage of the parents, is that the same for you?”“No,” the queen replied with a quirk to the edges of her mouth. “You are tempting and intelligent, quite the tantalising mix indeed. Our looks depend on our l