Ch. 17

  Demon of the Drylands

  The caravan made its way along the river. The hunters were elated with a successful hunt, their sleds were filled with game. Even Bo’ede’s men were at ease. Cuganwa however looked down at the ground as he clutched his stomach. It felt as though someone was stabbing into his gut. He tried to resist the pain as shallow groans rose from him.

  ‘Great Lord, what is this?’ the boy wondered as he leaned over.

  Odaru then turned around with a confused look on his face. “Cuganwa, are you alright?” The boy smiled and nodded his head profusely. “Don’t lie, Cuganwa. Are you alright?”

  “My, my stomach…” he groaned.

  Odaru raised his chin. “What did you eat?”

  “Ju-ust the jerky and figs,” Cuganwa moaned.

  “Hmm. Well, that’s not good,” Odaru said. “Keep your head up or you’ll fall over.”

  Another hunter took notice. “Aye, Little Charge-horn. Are you sick?”

  “Stomach’s hurting a little,” he grunted.

  The hunter smirked before reaching into one of his pouches on his tool strap. He then presented a small leather roll fastened closed by twine. He then presented the leather making sure he took notice of the item. Cuganwa looked the man in the eye before the hunter tossed the bound leather to him. Cuganwa struggled to reach out as the pain continued but, he managed to catch it. He unraveled the leather finding dried herb mulch pressed into small nuggets rolling about.

  “Chew one and drink some water. It should numb the pain a bit before we reach the village. Just hold out until the elders can see you,” the hunter instructed.

  Cuganwa did as he was told taking a moment to chew the herb before downing it with water. A few moments later, the pain subsided. The boy took a few breaths before he nodded to the other hunter and rebound the herbs and threw the leather back.

  “Better?” the hunter asked.

  “A little,” the boy said as the pain dulled. “Still there but, I’m fine.” The hunter nodded before leading his whip-neck further along.

  “Don’t worry, Cuganwa. Elder Belractu will see you when we get back. Odd to see you hurt. Did you clean your water skin?” Odaru then asked.

  “Yes,” the boy answered as he placed a hand on his stomach. He could feel the pain still as his stomach seemed to radiate. ‘What is this? I didn’t have anything different than usual,’ Cuganwa thought. He then remembered the fermented drink he pilfered from the older hunter out of curiosity. ‘No, it’s been too long,’ the boy thought. Some of the other hunters looked at the boy with strange glances. A few of the whispers within earshot mentioned the witch striking him in the stomach. He looked to the others wondering why they were bringing her up. ‘They think I’m cursed,’ the boy realized as his stomach started to worsen.

  “Odaru, your partner is not looking too well,” another hunter called.

  The older hunter looked back. “Drink some more water, Cuganwa. Try to relax,” Odaru instructed.

  The boy retrieved his water skin and tried to down some more of the water. His teeth were clenched tight as his stomach twisted. Pain racked his mind as his grip loosened nearly dropping the bladder. A strange soundless hum rose from it as the stabbing feeling grew worse pressing into his front before shifting to the side and back. ‘What i-is this,’ Cuganwa wondered as sweat rose from his brow. He looked down trying to ease the pain.

  The boy then looked up staring past the heads of several hunters into the northern distance. A large silhouette shifted as it steadily grew larger. The driving hunter behind Muga noticed the boy’s attention was trained on something else. He looked back narrowing his eyes to the distance as something approached.

  The man’s eyes widened as he shouted, “Something’s coming from the north!” He began to wave his hand and bow calling one of the free-riders. Two free-riders approached. One tore off the front to speak with the hunting leaders as the other turned to the back. Cuganwa struggled to keep his head up. It was dangerous to stay still without a real reason. Yet, he felt there would be one coming.

  “It’s the witch!” came the call from the rear. The others shouted the words as rear archers readied their bows. The caravan continued to move. Cuganwa’s attention returned to the pain rising in his stomach, his body shaking.

  “Halt!” Came a bellowing order from the front. Sutama looked to the rear with Bo’ede and Lamoy turning their mounts to face the approaching figures.

  Nuyani raced on leaping from one side of the river to the other as she conjured small shields where she landed to trip the infected blade-jaw. Despite slashes and bites in the mangled beast it still moved, breathed, and chased her. The creature bound over every construct she made showing no sign of fatigue, unlike Nuyani. Several times, the animal nearly pounced on her. Her vision grew hazed. As she looked at the glistening water as a sign to jump.

  ‘By the Great Lord, just fall. Fall in,” Nuyani prayed as she leaped once more, conjured a barrier once more. The beast leaping further than the defense once more. Several pressures rose on the front of her core. Nuyani looked up and blinked several times to clear the haze. Shock covered her face as she saw the caravan of hunters. “Whuh?” is all she could say in exhaustion. ‘Why are they out here? The storm will be here any day,’ Nuyani thought.

  Her mind was split. Bounding over the river repeatedly kept the creature from catching her but, now more lives were at stake. Nuyani grimaced as her grip on the blade tightened. ‘The other branch of the river. By the Great Lord, I will lead it there,’ Nuyani thought. Fear gripped her knowing it would still take an hour to run for the water. Despite her feelings, she bound over to the west side of the river and sped off. The beast immediately followed keeping pace.

  The hunters were god smacked by the event. The witch appeared to them carrying another blade and closed behind was a large blade-jaw that kept up with her. Sutama looked on, his eyes bulging from his head. ‘Lord Kelvert, why?’ the man thought as he kept his stern demeanor. The hunting leader then removed his bow and readied an arrow as he ordered, “Fire on it.”

  “On her? Your daughter?” Bo’ede challenged as he grew a stern glare.

  “Fire on it!” Sutama glared at the hunter. The others began immediately. “If that demon can make her flee, then what can we do if it turns on us?”

  Aim true!” Lamoy added as she loosed an arrow. Bo’ede nodded his head following suit.

  Nuyani gasped for air feeling her lungs burn from the heat. The animal’s straining presence weighed on her making every breath more labor-intensive. Her body screamed for her to stop. Even her core seemed to start tearing apart as she continued to use the small gem to steady every pulse. She could only manage to reinforce her strength as she traversed the drylands. This time, her reckless race through the drylands was all she could manage as she crashed through the bushes. A thud sounded beside her. A shiver traveled through the woman’s body as she recognized the sounds.

  “Arrows,” she whispered as the world slowed, her heart raced.

  The first missed them both but, the next hundred rained on the area hitting the witch’s back, head, and legs with painful taps. Nuyani nearly tripped as her thoughts turned to the cut through her runner’s gear. Managing some concentration in the hail of arrows, she conjured a barrier behind her back as the arrows tapped against the ethereal surface making the image of rain appear in her mind, the vision lessening her fears only a bit. Tears fell from her eyes and the shivering started to weaken her run. Behind her, the looming beast was riddled with arrows. Its back resembled more of a patch of stiff grass. With its larger size, it took on more arrows sinking into the flesh and weighing the beast down.

  The pain grew stronger and unbearable as Cuganwa had both hands pressed onto his stomach fingers curled as though he were ready to claw the pressure out. The stabbing sensation shifted to his side yet remained deep within him at the center. ‘Lord Kelvert, I beg you, please stop this pain,’ the boy prayed. Sight and sound were taken over by his anguish as he swayed back and forth in the saddle seat trying to find some comfort.

  “Release,” the boy’s voice echoed in his mind clearer than any other sound. Before he could question if it were his own thoughts or a hallucination, a strange sense burst from his stomach washing away the stabbing sensation. Cuganwa leaned over dazed as his fading strength kept him from falling. The boy could feel the grains carried in the wind, the pressures of countless creatures resting on something within his stomach like dewdrops resting on his skin. One other was heavier as if it were a pebble. The sudden feelings twisted his stomach in knots and Cuganwa began to heave.

  Unable to resist, he spewed onto the dirt before blacking out. Without any control, the boy’s weight carried him onto the packing portion of their saddle before he slid off and fell to the dirt. Odaru caught a glance at the child as he fell.

  “Cuganwa!” the hunter called out. He quickly slapped twice on Muga’s neck catching the animal’s attention. “Look,” the man ordered as he pointed to the rear. With her long flexible neck, her head slithered to the side to follow Odaru’s direction. The animal let out two groans signaling for a body. “Protect!” Odaru ordered. Muga continued to watch Cuganwa as she backed up standing over him, something other whip-necks did with their young if stampedes or predators were nearby. “Hang on, Cuganwa Lord Kelvert is at work,” the hunter whispered as he measured his draw, angled, and fired imagining the arrow to skewer the beast.

  Nuyani ran on fighting the tremors hindering her movements. She fought on growing confident as the barrier held the projectiles at bay. ‘You’re blocking them,’ Nuyani repeated. Her speed returned. Slowly the pressures of the hunters faded as a sense of relief started to strengthen her resolve. A thrum then rang through the area shaking Nuyani’s core. ‘What was that?’ Nuyani thought. Her senses were fine. More than fine. Her core felt as if it were tearing apart but, the sudden wave eased its stress a little.

  The blade-jaw also felt the sudden wave and stopped in its tracks. It growled as it looked back toward the caravan. Nuyani stopped as she felt the animal’s pressure lessen. Looking back, she did not see the beast. Stopping completely, she turned back to the east watching as it raced for the hunters.

  “No!” Nuyani said as she dashed toward the group. Murderers, cheats, ungrateful. All the words she described the villagers, the hunters, no longer mattered. Their lives were now in danger.

  “It’s coming this way!” the furthest hunter lamented.

  “Cut the lines to your sleds! Keep firing and ready the whip-necks!” Sutama bellowed.

  The hunters did as they were told severing the lines to their loads before spacing out. The whip-necks took wide stances as their heads rose to the sky and crashed down on the ground in a chorus rumbling the ground. The blade-jaw ran toward the middle.

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  Nuyani kept her barrier up running toward the group as every missed arrow sailed toward her. She was given a start trying to resist flinching as the oncoming projectiles glanced off her defense. Pulses radiated from the caravan reaching her core and steadying each pulse in tandem. Nuyani took notice but, pushed her questions away as the beast grew near. Now the roles were reversed as she sped along catching up to the blade-jaw.

  “Move!” came a call from one of the hunters.

  All the whip-necks in the animal’s direction cleared to the sides as the hunters continued to fire except for one. Muga continued slamming her head on the ground attempting to intimidate the beast as Odaru fired in the heat of the moment. They could not turn idly away from the threat. Odaru cursed himself for not using Muga to pick up the child bringing him back onto the saddle.

  Nuyani saw the lone blade-jaw and a body lying on the floor with steady pulses like a heartbeat ringing from them. Pushing herself further, Nuyani ran faster nearing the beast. Before the beast could attack, the witch pushed her barrier forward and underneath the animal’s hind legs. Taken off balance, the blade-jaw flailed before it went into a roll losing many of the arrows embedded in its back and legs.

  Odaru took the reins in hand and kicked Muga’s side leading her away. The whip-neck bit into Cuganwa’s clothing dragging him away until they were safely out of the tumbling beast’s direct path. Teetering on the edge of the riverbank, the animal scrambled to keep itself steady. Nuyani strained as her arms and legs screamed for relief. Her core beat on with every strike feeling as if the ethereal drum was tearing itself apart.

  The others watched dumbfounded by the scene before them. Stillness gripped their senses as they looked on. Sutama looked at Nuyani wondering where the blade had come from. His eyes then trailed back to the beast as the strange layer of light formed around its mangled body. Torn chunks of flesh dangled about. Blood dripped from the ghastly wounds in strange thick blobs as they landed in the dirt with soft plops. The hunter’s eyes trailed to the blade-jaw’s face seeing the same dead glazed eyes similar to the charge-horn before. Then, he turned to the yellow and gray blemish dangling about it the creature’s shoulder as yellow pus seeped from the arrow holes riddled into the flesh. His breathing grew heavy as his mind struggled to process the event.

  ‘Fall. Fall,’ Nuyani thought as she groaned. The beast struggled to stay on balance shifting to face her instead. But, Nuyani willed the blade to pour energy from its torso up to its chin keeping the beast in place as it rose on its hind legs exposing its belly. ‘Great Lord willing, pleased give me strength for this demon.’

  In the blade-jaw’s struggle, its leg gave way slipping off the edge as several rocks and stones fell into the water. Spurred by the sudden development, Nuyani tried harder. Both arms quivered. A thud then sounded as an arrow sank into the beast’s other leg. Nuyani turned in the direction of the arrows, finding Odaru readying another arrow to fire into the beast. She looked about seeing the other hunters watching her struggle.

  Anger flared in her chest. Her brow creased blinding her from the pain. “Why are you here! Run!” Nuyani lamented. Her voice boomed more powerful than anyone would expect.

  The hunters broke from their stupor. Glares rose in their eyes they readied their arrows. Nuyani was bewildered as she looked to them expecting them to fire on her. The sound of the next string pluck made the witch flinch only to find a second arrow fired into the beast’s leg.

  “Whuh?” she whispered as a chorus of thuds sounded collecting on its limb. Nuyani returned her attention to the animal refusing to let it right itself. “They’re…helping me?”

  The beast flailed as it stood on its remaining leg. Its torso arched forward giving it some balance against her construct. ‘Almost,’ Nuyani told herself as she watched the remaining ground begin to crumble under its foot. Seeing her chance as the arrows continued to fire on the animal’s body, Nuyani tried to conjure another barrier against its limb. A small area of orange light shined against the flesh and arrows. Nuyani closed her eyes as she tried to force a faster tempo from the ethereal drum. As the wave coursed toward the area, she felt her strength wane. The second barrier fluctuated from the size of her hand to the size of her head. ‘No. Just a bit more,’ she thought knowing the beast was close to falling in.

  Yet, the pressure of the beast started to change. She could feel the concentrated presence surge and shift. The low growl of the beast reached her ears. Nuyani’s eyes shot wide open as one last desperate push only sent her stepping back. The animal then roared as the life energy burst from its body washing over everyone. Nuyani could feel the wave of power drown her conscience and stifle her core. The pulses stopped. The barrier disappeared. Each hunter, and their steeds, either fell over unconscious or grew lethargic, Nuyani was forced to kneel as her eyes fluttered. Her core resisted the encroaching cold keeping her conscience.

  ‘By the Great Lord…’ Nuyani thought. The ground shook as the animal returned to stable ground. ‘What can I do?’ She looked on seeing the beast turning away from her.

  Her body moved as her heart slammed in her chest. The beast turned to the boy taking a few weakened steps in the process. Nuyani darted for the animal’s neck as its jaws widened. With a downward slash, she attempted to cleave the animal’s head free. The beast leaned away dodging the cleave by inches before raising a paw and batting Nuyani away. The woman fell to the ground in anguish yet, held onto her blade.

  ‘My boy…’ Sutama thought. The hunter lied in the dirt rolled onto his side a few meters away from his unconscious whip-neck. His body awoke as he saw the looming beast approach Cuganwa. ‘No, Great Lord. No…’ he whispered. Sutama struggled to stand as he saw the witch back on her feet and going for a second attack.

  With so much strain, the core’s pulses were uneven with half receding backward and disrupting her internal rhythm. Even her borrowed strength started to wane as the pain increased. Nuyani went for a wild swing arching to the sky only for the blade-jaw to lean back dodging as the arch. Nuyani followed with another slash in reverse keeping the animal from advancing. It dodged the simple attack pulling its head away. ‘Not one more step,’ she thought using frantic swings to bar the animal, each one was sloppy and unmeasured. With most of her strength gone, she let the twist of her body and the weight of her arms carry out her swings. ‘What can I do? What is the answer?’ Nuyani questioned.

  The blade-jaw raised its paw for another strike. Nuyani brought up her arms defensively as a final barrier erected before her. With its claws coming down, it ripped through the barrier with ease. The construct of light shattered into countless pieces. Nuyani’s core stopped completely. Her body was racked with pain as she fell to the floor beside the boy. The blade fell from her hand the looming beast opened its mouth. Her eyes widened as she looked at the dirt and bloodstained teeth descend upon her. Another pulse then rose, coursing through the area from Cuganwa. The vibrations met her core stirring it from a still state.

  ‘We must leave. I can’t…’ she thought as her core own pulse rose meeting the child’s before the combined waves grew stronger together. Nuyani raised her hands just as the teeth closed in. Black lines appeared on the perimeter of her sight before stretching and twisting to the center of her view. The light then poured into the center in thinning lines as a massive black void took over. The world then went black.

  “Cuganwa!” Sutama shouted as he started running toward the beast.

  The blade-jaw raised his head as loose sand fell from the sides of its torn mouth. No blood. No bodies. Sutama looked to the indented ground seeing both his daughter and son were gone. Rage rose in the hunter as his face creased heavily. He gritted his teeth as his pupils constricted. The blade-jaw looked down at the dirt and sniffed at the area casually. Sutama ran to the side cutting into its neck with a knife. The beast did not flinch as it continued searching. Blood started to spill down his arm with most pieces rolling off to the dirt. The others watched the enraged hunter as they revived. The blade-jaw paid no mind to him stepping forward pushing Sutama away. Off balance and still affected by the roar, Sutama fell to one knee and dropped his knife. Unwilling to yield, he blindly reached for his weapon and rose to his feet. The animal raised its head and looked to the west. When it started to walk, the beast lowered its head ready to run.

  Sutama released a blood-curdling scream as he slashed wildly cleaving through most of the animal’s neck. His senses returned when he saw the weapon was not his knife but, the blade Nuyani wielded. The blade-jaw’s head dropped down and swiveled open on what little flesh remained revealing the inside of its neck and spine. The body continued to lurch forward as if taking off for a run only to collapse before its first step. A loud thud sounded as the creature fell to the ground, now still.

  Sutama fell to his knees looking at the blade-jaw. Its unrelenting will, spurring it through so many wounds. Normal ones were difficult to escape and kill but, this monster never ceased. ‘Lord Kelvert, please guide us with your light. What stirs within the dryland?’ he questioned looking at the large mass.

  The other hunters rose. Many were forced to dismount and retrieve their supplies. Sutama looked past the party to the cliff. ‘There. The beast looked to the gate. Hold on, Cuganwa. You will not be taken,’ the man vowed as he narrowed his gaze to the cliffs. His grip on the blade tightened.

  The hunting leader merely stared back at Bo’ede. “Then we must go.” Bo’ede’s tone was stern.

  “West,” Sutama replied as he pointed the blade tip to the other side. “There in the west. We must hurry…”

  Lamoy then rose forth. “No, Sutama. We must wait. We’ll need council. The elders must know.” Sutama narrowed his eyes. “Sutama, please. This isn’t the time.”

  Bo’ede then exploded, “There are too many questions that need answers. Why was your daughter wielding the chief’s blade? What was that demon after? Which seemed to be the witch and your son. Your party talks about a new village for size but, that blade is giving me another idea about what your intentions really are. Why isn’t she dead, yet?”

  “Enough!” Lamoy said. “Before we start accusing each other of anything, we need to get back to the village. The sun is close to setting.”

  Sutama and Bo’ede glared at one another. Odaru then rode with Muga behind Sutama. The senior hunter then looked up to his second then back to the others. “Fine. You will take the supplies and game back. We will look for our own.”

  Lamoy gawked at the man as Bo’ede turned his head to the side keeping Sutama in his sight. The elder hunter turned to Odaru only to find the hunter falling from his saddle. Odaru grabbed the stirrups of the saddle swinging in an arch as he cracked Sutama in the jaw. With full force, Sutama fell to the ground as Odaru spun on the stirrup. Shock covered their faces.

  Odaru stopped his spin. “Forgive me, Sutama, but this is not the best time to be selfish.” He turned to the other hunting leaders. “We will look for Cuganwa but, the village comes first.”

  “Someone has some senses,” Bo’ede said as he returned to the others.

  Odaru turned to two of his party members. “Tie him to one of the sleds. Take the blade,” Odaru ordered as he climbed up the stirrups once more. “We need to keep him bound or he’ll fight against…”

  Wriggling sounded behind the man. The body of the blade-jaw twitched. All of the whip-necks groaned and backed away ignoring their drivers. Muga moved and bit onto the extra of Sutama’s sleeve and pulled the hunter away. The yellow blemish stretched upward and burst, sending pus flying around the blade-jaw. Loud tapping sounded as several strange worms wriggled from the destroyed blemish. Each of the worms was at least the length of a man’s arm and just as thick from what was exposed. Their bodies were in rounded sections of dark brown shells gleaming from the blood and pus within the animal’s blemish. Between each joint were small black legs like centipedes sticking from the sides. Their heads were covered in blood-red unblinking eyes that looked like small, polished pebbles. Their mouths were at the center with four sharp pincers surrounding the opening.

  “By the Great Lord…” the other hunters repeated as they watched the strange worms wriggle about within the flesh. Their reach never went beyond the body even as one rounded the beast’s side showing there was more to them buried in the carcass and touching the dirt. It returned to the top with the others flailing about as their bodies continued to click and tap.

  “What are those things?” Bo’ede questioned as he looked to Odaru. The man shook his head. “Your party was attacked by a charge-horn with the same infestation. You didn’t see this part.”

  Odaru leered at the man. “The witch took it before it could kill me,” Odaru stated. Bo’ede squinted his eyes. His expression was softer than usual.

  “Whatever the case, It’s just another reason to speak with the elders,” Lamoy interjected. “We need to know what those things are.”

  “I think their witch is the only one with answers,” Bo’ede added.

  “What will we do about those worms?” a hunter then asked. Another attempted to fire an arrow at one of the worms. The arrow glanced off its shell and hit the dirt. Hunters on the other side glared at the man’s sudden attempt without warning. He looked to the others with wide eyes as he held his hands up defensively.

  “Well thanks for answering one question,” Lamoy chided. “Get a flame and burn the carcass. Dump it in the river afterward.”

  “Why not bury the creature?” Bo’ede asked, his tone more curious missing its edge.

  “I wonder why the witch had tried sending it into the river. It might be our best answer for these…worms,” Lamoy answered.

  Shrubs were collected and thrown onto the beast’s body along with several small pouches of lard. Staying clear of the worms' reach, they lit a stick on one end and pressed it to the lard. Soon the blaze roared forth engulfing the body. The hunters waited as the flames consumed the worms as well. They wriggled about in the same manner as if the flames were never there. Their bodies bubbled and popped before pieces of their body turned to ash and fell apart. After a half-hour, all that remained was a large black mound sitting in the dirt. The hunters started using long poles to scatter much of the ashes before collecting the fallen pieces onto one of the spare tarps. Finding no signs of life, they were confident that none of the worms remained. The hunters dragged the tarp to the edge of the river and dumped the charred remains. A school of water bites clamored for the new meal.

  Odaru sat on Muga watching the fish eat, his attention focused on the spine, one of the few bones remaining. Charred portions of the bones had bumps on the surface. The hunter wondered if the shell of the worms melted like resin raising more questions about their nature.

  “Odaru!” Lamoy called. The man turned to the huntress as he bit his lower lip and glared at her almost as intensely as Bo’ede would. Lamoy blinked as she studied his expression. “What’s wrong?”

  “I think that the blade-jaw was dead,” Odaru said. Lamoy narrowed her eyes. She looked at him in confusion mulling over his words. She too looked at the remaining pieces of ash scattered on the floor. “Strange as it sounds, this is the second beast that didn’t die like the others would.” He looked at his quiver finding only six or so arrows left. “We didn’t see what was inside that charge-horn but, it still came for us despite its wounds. By the Great Lord’s light, those worms must be the cause.”

  Lamoy nodded her head as her eyes grew stern. “We will find an answer. Let’s go before night comes.”