FOREVER KNIGHTS: #15 Insatiable Beasts

Chastain turned from the tree to make her way through the thickly wooded grove. She instinctively made her way towards the cave. Biting her lip. Tossing terrified glances over her shoulder. The creatures closed in. Drool dripping from their chins in long strands at the prospect of a morsel.

She ran faster.

Hearing a howl, she looked back and saw the middle on launching itself in the air. As fear overcame her she shrieked. Sending a swell of energy through the trees.

Making them fold in to block her from the creatures pursuing. Branches stretched to wrap the Sarabi who’d sprouted wings and was flying slightly above the other two.

Chastain looked back again when she heard the dull thump. Seeing the creature being flung violently to the ground. Laying motionless on its side as the other two trampled over it. Falling into a single file row due to the crowding foliage.

Chastain entered the mouth of the cave. Reaching the blockade she spun to confront her attackers, hopelessly cornered.

Then she heard a thunderous sound along the outside walls of the cave. The wall to her right snapped and a thick fissure formed horizontally as far as she could see in the darkness. Then the otherside did the same. The walls giving in both directions. She heard the beasts slamming them over and over.

She didn’t have time to process any escape before sensing the weight of the caves collapse.

She barely glimpsed the barrage of white climbing the walls. Unable to see that it was flowered moss winding in thick vines to pad the rocks and stem the flow of their fall. Vines from the trees crept in through cracks in the top to brace the weight of the cave ceiling. Plants crept in from every direction trying to hold the stones back.

But the collapse was inevitable and finally the stones dislodged under the repeated impacts of the Sarabi. Rolling over layers of moss trying to catch them until they fell atop her.

She gasped as one struck her and she fell. Another landed on her stomach and she felt a painful crack. Her breathing becoming strained.

But the foliage was not finished.

As she relaxed into an unconscious state, falling back. She unleashed her power in a way she never had. Sending a pulse of green light that the plants responded to with a will of their own.

Sneaking beneath the stones in layers the lifted the weight of the boulders off her. Shrouding her from the digging claws of the determined Sarabi. Vines wrapped the stones making a tomb the creatures could not get through. Trees crackled as they strained to reach her. Folding over in arcs to help the vines protect her until an impenetrable wall was formed and it was impossible to see through the layers of trencher sized leaves.

Acharius struggled against Chavias. Every blow he managed, Chavias delivered three with equal ferocity. Acharius tossed him aside several times, attempting to see where Chastain had gone.

When Acharius began an onslaught of magic, Chavias was ill-equipped to counter it. His magic weak and half-hearted.

Acharius gained the upper hand. Unleashing an onslaught of blows to Chavias face before the darker man could react. But when Acharius relented, Chavias rose.

Undefeated. Nearly unstoppable. Yet, Acharius somehow overpowered him several times. But couldn’t do so enough to take Chavias’ life. Only when he came close to accomplishing this would Chavias react violently.

It dawned on Acharius what’s happening. He’s toying with me. Half-heartedly battling me.

“Look at you, Old Friend!” Acharius cried. “Your heart isn’t in this.” Acharius panted as Chavias climbed to his feet again. Seeming unharmed. “What desire would you have to murder me? Never have I wronged you!” Acharius gestured heatedly.

“I know.” Chavias abruptly kicked Acharius’ feet from beneath him. Acharius began to lift his body to stand but the sword at his throat stayed him. He stilled.

When did he collect it? He’d tossed them aside.

“You’d kill your own kind?” Acharius asked. Betrayal apparent in his voice. Hatred burned in his eyes.

“I have already. Many times.” Chavias paled. “Sometimes one must do what they must to protect the many. Sometimes sacrificing one.” Chavias’ heaving chest was his only motion.

Acharius had said his piece. Now he only glowered at Chavias, meeting his gaze unflinchingly.

When there was a sound in the trees next to them, they both turned to look.

Neither completely surprised when Bast strolled from depths.

Night Manor, Mane Country

Sabine was sitting in her chamber, embroidering a skirt when she heard a heavy thump in the chamber next door. Brow furrowing, she set the embroidery aside. Hearing a whisper of movement in the next room.

Chavias’ room.

When she stepped into the hall she saw a gray billow of smoke wafting from the chamber. Filled with shimmering flakes. As she hesitantly approached it, it dispersed in two directions. Folding open for her to walk through.

Walking in, she saw the drawer open on his bedstand. The red journal atop it. And pages fluttering open. Snapping to a stop on the first empty page.

Sabine’s eyes widened when she saw a billow of white light and inked words in Chavias’ thick script began flowing over the page.

She leapt back but curiosity got the better of her and she eased back to the bedstand to read the words forming.

This may be it. I can’t promise you I’ll come back.

If you hear nothing more from me. Get my steed from the stable beyond the needle trees. Go to Mane. Hide from our enemy.

Be safe, Sweet Woman.

Know I’ve cherished every moment I stole, to be next to you.

I fight now a man I cannot kill. A man I’ve no choice but to let steal my life to save his own. Taking him from this world would be too much for me to bear.