by Scott Wale
“Probably best to play this safe and give up on the crystal”, Fenrit decided.
“Good idea”, Nevit agreed. “This isn’t exactly the best time to learn new skills.”
“What do you see ahead besides more plains grass?” Fenrit asked.
“No trees, but it appears the grass gets shorter”, Tradok reported. “Assuming we’re headed straight east then I see some boulders way off to the northeast of us that are peeking out from just above the grass.”
“I’ll move in that direction and come at it from behind with my bow”, Fenrit laid out a plan. “I’ll slowly break off from the group and hopefully the petryx will follow you three. The issue is that since I’m in the back he is likely locked on to me. Someone will need to switch places with me for a while before I break off. Any volunteers?”
“I’ll do it”, Nevit offered feeling the need to offset Tradok’s jesting about his cowardice.
The line shifted with Fenrit moving up right behind Tradok and Nevit falling to the back. Nevit trusted Fenrit and Tradok’s read on the situation, but he didn’t dare look back in the direction of the petryx. Nevit was essentially acting as bait for the time being and he had no desire at knowing how close the plan came to failing. If he was going to get pounced on, then hopefully Fenrit would be there to rescue him.
The group carried forward until the rock that had been quite a distance off was now only a dash away. Fenrit broke off from the group leaving Nevit feeling exposed. Nevit was also unsure if he needed to do anything to hold the petryx’s attention. The plan was for the beast to follow the group of three so Fenrit could get a good shot and Nevit had no intention of failing to give Fenrit that opportunity.
Against his best judgement Nevit looked back to get a position on the petryx. The petryx had continued to track him instead of focusing on Fenrit and the beast appeared extremely close. Nevit wasn’t sure if the feeling of close proximity was because the beast was closing the gap or because this was Nevit’s first observation from the back of the line. Nevit knew next to nothing about a petryx, but it seemed like a safe estimate that the beast was more than a leap from springing on its prey.
Fenrit had made it to the boulders and wasted no time in reaching back into his quiver to pull out an arrow. He knocked the arrow setting the charge, but refrained from drawing back the bow string. He let the arrow rest on the shelf of the bow, which he carried with the arms of the bow spread out parallel to the ground. He looked across the grassy plain spotting Nevit and then attempted to trace the position of the petryx based on Nevit’s location.
The petryx was crouched low to the ground as it prowled several paces behind Nevit. Fortunately, the wind was faint which allowed Fenrit to spot the jostling grass that was a result of movement from the petryx. The furry coat of the beast was only a few shades darker than the jade grass making it very difficult to visually track as it lurked behind Nevit. The beast was moving along at the same pace as the group relieving Fenrit of the need to make haste. The plan from this point was simple. Fenrit would hunt the petryx from far enough away that he wouldn’t gain the attention of the petryx, yet close enough that he wouldn’t lose the necessary precision when the time came to take a shot.
The group moved ahead on the trail with the petryx following. Fenrit held still until the group pulled the petryx to Fenrit’s ideal distance where he matched pace forming a parade consisting of members with mixed intentions. The parade scooted along the plains as if everyone was marching to the same beat. Tradok kept pushing forward having already pushed the petryx to the back of his mind. Alejade followed the Sauronoid mindful of the position that Nevit was in while grateful she hadn’t been asked to hold the attention of the petryx. Nevit willed himself to keep his eyes forward and trust that Fenrit would rid him of his stalker. The petryx kept the same distance behind Nevit and still had not caught on to the fact that it was being tracked itself. Fenrit followed the petryx in tow waiting for the ideal moment to draw back the bow string and bring an end to the hunt.
The petryx positioned itself slightly higher out of a prowling position and sniffed at the air. It turned its head, spotted Fenrit and quickly sunk back down as close to the ground as physically possible. With this action Fenrit lost sight of beast itself and the jostling grass that signified movement. The petryx had decided to hold still and let someone else make the next move. Fenrit froze at this realization not wanting to walk into an ambush himself. Tradok, Alejade and Nevit continued hiking their route unaware that the last two members of the caravan had stopped dead in their tracks.
Fenrit didn’t consider himself a master of wild creature calls, but he did possess a few whistles that he considered sufficient at resembling a bird. He had failed to see exactly where the petryx had stopped, so Fenrit tried his first call in an attempt to get the petryx to at least make some minor movements. He was met with no response, so he attempted his second call. The petryx remained stagnant. This was now officially a waiting game. The petryx had already shown extreme patience in stalking the group for as long as it had making Fenrit feel like the burden was on himself.
Fenrit watched as the rest of group slowly made their way to the horizon. He felt a small amount of relief about the fact that none of them were any longer in immediate danger. Premaliers had undergone a fair amount of training about camouflaging yourself with your surroundings and situating your muscles in a stationary position for long durations of time. This had never been a favorite point in the training for Fenrit, but he had mastered the skill like all other premaliers. The confidence slowly began to seep throughout Fenrit that the petryx was in for a challenge.
The day slowed to a crawl as two beings faced off in a battle of patience. The loser would likely forfeit his life and the winner would be allowed to resume their former position in the parade unless the petryx deemed Fenrit a sufficient meal. Fenrit’s eyes kept circling the area where he suspected the petryx had crouched into hiding. The faint wind continued across the plains bringing a hint of diversity to an otherwise homogenous environment. The wind paused for a moment creating a stale air that accentuated the humid climate of this section of the Jade Plains. After the brief pause came a gust of wind that pushed the grass half way to the ground allowing Fenrit to catch a glimpse of the petryx and lock on to where it was crouched even after the grass had returned to its normal position.
Fenrit remained focused on the petryx’s last known location. He closed his eyes and removed the grass from the image in his mind fully exposing the petryx. There was no doubt the beast would at least slightly shift, but Fenrit focused on where its head had been. Fenrit drew back the bow string and released the arrow on a path that would strike the beast directly in the forehead if it hadn’t moved. A yowl erupted from the grass. Fenrit had struck his target, but it was not fatal as he had hoped.
The petryx leaped from its position and bounded for Fenrit on three of its legs. The arrow Fenrit had released was lodged into its right foreleg and the petryx pulled it up close to its torso unable to put any weight on it. The beast made one final leap off the ground with its teeth on course to meet with Fenrit’s neck. Fenrit shifted Scourge to his left hand realizing this was now a close combat situation and reached into his satchel to retrieve his knife while simultaneously sidestepping the petryx on the side with the maimed leg. Fenrit anticipated the landing for the beast would not go well and it’d be difficult to pivot off a single healthy leg. This would buy him the time he needed to fish out his metal knife and set himself for the next onslaught.
The petryx landed with a crash struggling to figure out the new shift in balance from only utilizing three of its legs. It pushed itself off the ground and shook off the daze of a rough landing. The beast relocated Fenrit and locked its eyesight on the target. Leaping had failed, so it was time to keep the attack on the ground. The petryx decided to make use of the wounded leg by pawing at its victim. Fenrit would have to be cautious of both the claws and the arrow that was still embedded within the paw.
The petryx hobbled closer while Fenrit maintained the gap between the two. Fenrit needed a plan and he knew any sudden movements would force the beast to make its move. This left out trying to knock an arrow and fire with a quick turnaround. All he had was his bow to keep the petryx at bay and his knife in case things got too close. An idea suddenly struck Fenrit, but it would require some upfront risk if it were to succeed.
Fenrit slowly pulled his bow back to his body careful not to alarm the petryx into thinking it was in any more danger. The petryx continued growling, but made no other indication that it felt any more threatened than it had over the last few moments. Fenrit kept his eye contact locked with that of the petryx and slowly wound his knife into the bowstring where it met the arm of the bow. The bow string was tight and offered a great deal of resistance, but Fenrit managed to reach a point where he felt the knife was secured. Fenrit slowly returned the bow to its original position still careful not to alarm the beast. He grabbed the opposing arm of the bow with both hands and tightened his grip. He now had what could serve as a spear, which would hopefully deliver strikes from a safer distance.
Fenrit halted his backtracking and the petryx limped forward a few more steps before halting as well. The beast continued to growl, but it was clear to Fenrit that the stalemate would not last much longer. Fenrit pulled the spear back an arm’s length from its original position and then thrust it forward. The drive caught the petryx off guard delaying its reaction and Fenrit landed a hit on the beast’s shoulder blade of the injured leg. The petryx yelped in pain and made a few small bounces in reverse. Fenrit pushed forward with the attack and thrust the makeshift spear a second time. The petryx was ready for this and pawed at the spear knocking it to the side. Fenrit almost lost his grip on the spear as it was batted away. He could no longer afford to be reckless with his assaults. He took one more step forward and then deked a thrust getting the petryx to swing its paw which Fenrit followed with a full thrust that caught the petryx deep into its cheek. The beast once again yelped realizing it had few moves left before its opponent came out the victor. The petryx bounced several times backwards and then charged forward before leaping into the air as a last ditch effort to win the battle. Fenrit lined up the head of his spear with the head of the petryx and let the beast’s own momentum propel its full force into the spear. Fenrit released his grip on the spear and dove to the side once his knife had been fully engorged into the petryx’s throat.
The petryx’s bloody, lifeless body thudded to the ground. Both the actual cause of death and the events that had led to it had not been as clean as Fenrit had hoped. Fenrit walked over to the inert body and tugged on Scourge numerous times before he was able to wriggle it free. Fenrit was relieved to find that the bow was miraculously still intact and would only require cleaning from the gory altercation it had been put through. The knife suffered a worse fate as it remained lodged somewhere in the petryx’s innards. The worst part was not over. Metal was not easy to come by, especially the kind that had already been formed into a blade. Fenrit removed his wooden bladed knife and began to hack apart the body where he estimated the metal knife had become stuck. The cuts were rough and imprecise due to the poor fit for the tool, but it was his only means of retrieving what he desperately needed returned. After several hacks Fenrit retrieved his knife and returned it to his satchel. Before heading off to rendezvous with the others, Fenrit made a mental note that his satchel would also need a good cleansing.
XVI.
The group had gained significant ground on Fenrit while he took care of the petryx problem. They had continued marching behind Tradok as if they had not lost a member. Fenrit had no difficulty following their trail to catch up and if he had any doubt he could always sniff out Alejade’s scent. A lifetime of living together allowed Fenrit to pick out her scent even if it was a faint essence among an aura of odors. A brisk pace allowed Fenrit to catch up to the group in a short amount of time, yet not exhaust himself.
The grass had grown short on the plains not far from where Fenrit’s encounter with the petryx had taken place and, as Tradok had explained, the swamp could be seen in the distance. Bizti Swamp wasn’t much of a sight from a distance, and Nevit had claimed it wasn’t much of a sight up close either. Fenrit took some time to take in the novel scenery while continuing to move at a pace only a premalier could sustain. Fenrit followed the group’s path northeast along the ridge of a hillside that sloped down into the marshes that bordered the swamp. The plains grass was knee high on the ridge and didn’t appear to sink any lower than that as it flowed into the marshes. Fenrit caught glimpses of very few sizeable creatures scouring for food in the marshes, which was a peculiar thought given how lush and teaming with smaller life forms the marshes must be. The trees that marked the perimeter of the swamp served as light blocking barriers that likely made the inner part of the swamp a murky locale. This reminded Fenrit of the Echo Woods and how quickly the inner woods became obscured in the dark. The lack of light also explained the size of Nevit’s oversized eyes, a trait that was common for all Mortopteras.
Fenrit followed the ridge along the hillside for a ways before the trail turned toward the north and receded back into the plains. The swamp began to fade into the distance and the terrain took the shape of the more familiar Jade Plains. Fenrit began to wonder if Jandra had returned from her reconnaissance, which prompted the group to seek an ideal camp location for the night. Dusk would be soon and it was safest to settle into a camp located in unfamiliar territory when it was still light outside. Fenrit could see slight movement on the trail off in the distance. The rest of the group was just ahead and still moving forward. The desire to catch up with everyone sent a surge of energy through the premalier and he dashed forward closing the final gap in an impressively short span of time.
“I’ve returned and without a tail”, Fenrit said rushing up to the group. “You covered quite a bit of ground since we parted.”
“You were weighing us down”, Nevit joked.
“I’m glad you’re ok”, Alejade said. “You were out of sight when we finally checked behind us.”
“I didn’t let the petryx follow you for long”, Fenrit explained. “Once it caught on to me, it abandoned whatever plans it had for you.”
“I take it by how long you were gone the interaction was simply more than you taking down the petryx with your bow?” Tradok inquired.
“After a game of ‘Who makes the first move?’ we had a scuffle that ended poorly for the petryx”, Fenrit explained. “What’s the plan for the rest of the day? Dusk will be here soon.”
“Jandra still hasn’t returned, however, Tradok figured we should start heading away from the swamp to find a good spot to camp for the night”, Alejade said. “As we discussed earlier, it’s best to cut through the strip of land between the lake and swamp towards the mountain pass while there’s light.”
“In all fairness, the path from here has less than optimal overnight spots”, Tradok said. “There are a number of caves in the mountains; however, it’s risky to spend any significant amount of time in them given what else might call the cave home.”
“Could you guess how long it will take to reach Prominence from the mountain pass on foot?” Fenrit asked.
“At least another full day considering the elevation gain you have to battle”, Tradok reasoned. “I’ve been reviewing in my head the few known routes and what will work best for our group and the covert nature of our mission that we’ll want to maintain.”
“What are our options?” Fenrit asked.
“We’ll obviously want to avoid the primary route, which is used by hovers and cymutts alike”, Tradok began. “There are two other routes aside from this that I’m aware of that will get us to where we need to go. The first route is more difficult to traverse, but it’ll put us right at Prominence’s back door. It’s more ideal from the perspective of its ending point, however, saying it’s difficult may be an understatement. The trail takes us through part of a l
arge network of caves where there’s some potential to get lost if my memory isn’t at its best. The cave shoots out just below Prominence which will require some rock climbing. We lack the appropriate gear to safely climb the rock face and I’m guessing all of you lack climbing experience just as I do. I believe it’s still an option, just very risky. The second option is an easy trail, but unfortunately quite a bit longer. There are no difficult parts along the trail, but it takes us to what I guess I’ll call a side door. This entrance into Prominence faces more security monitoring, thus the risk is in being detected.”
“And have you reached a conclusion on what route you’d prefer?” Alejade asked.
“The longer, easier route for the sake of our safety”, Tradok suggested. “We’ll just have to be more careful as we approach Prominence and pay special attention to any changes in the security setup they are now utilizing.”
“What kind of security are we talking about?” Nevit asked.
“Grimtav always refused my recommendations about upgrades and I imagine he upheld his stinginess on the subject”, Tradok started bitterly. “If you remember, the initial design of the cymutts was for defensive purposes and while a larger attack group was later made, there was still a corps of cymutts that served as sentries for Prominence. This was the main security protocol, but the problem was they patrolled the exact same routes simply going back and forth. It took a lot of arguing, but eventually I got Grimtav to go for stationary cameras and alarms at each entrance. It wouldn’t surprise me if this system went out of use as it required at least some level of supervision by a living being, which is why Grimtav fought me on it for so long. Nonetheless, we need to be cognizant of this security setup and consider, even if unlikely, that it may have been improved. I had tried numerous times to sell him on more advanced security measures, so he’s aware of things like wireless motion alarms set outside Prominence’s perimeter, biometric clearance points and the use of shields throughout the fortress similar to what is protecting the controller.”
