The Crimson Claymore

The Crimson Claymore: Chapter 39

Chapter 39

When dawn arrived, Searon left silently with Starlyn. He rode his stallion with Starlyn at a trot, enjoying the brisk sunshine that warmed his face. His heavy armor stayed back at camp along with his helm, and he wore only his red-brown leather armor. Starlyn only wore her dark-brown armor rather than gold metal so she would be lighter.

The village gate was open, and so Stripes walked through. It seemed even emptier than it was before without even guards patrolling the streets. They continued on until they reached the village's barracks where he saw the same guard that had sent him out. He was surrounded by at least twenty more guards, and the one closest to him was a captain. Searon recognized the captain as the one who gave him a sack of coin to fight the threat of draeyks the last time. His hair was short and spiked of a dirty-blond hue and he had two large gold hoops in each ear at the cartilage. He raised an eyebrow as he stared at both Searon and Starlyn.

"The draeyk threat is gone now. You can tell everyone it is now safe to come out," Searon said.

The captain only shook his head and smiled as he looked behind Searon. Searon abruptly turned around to see a man with a long black beard with white flecks that hung past his waist. He wore a black cloak with purple robes exposed in the front and gold jewels that pinched his long beard together in three spots from top to bottom. His hair hung down his back near to his rear where it was a curled mess. There was no hood to the cloak, and his red eyes were haunting to stare at.

"It is never safe," the guard whispered from behind Searon.

Searon didn't turn around but continued to stare at the strange man in front of him. He held what appeared to be some form of zylek, but unlike Karceoles's it was metal instead of wood with four spikes that looked like a hand holding a small skull at the tip. The skull's eyes seemed to glow red while the rest of it appeared to glow white. At first, Searon assumed it to be some form of wizard or warlock until he saw the skeleton that stood by its side. The skeleton was a full body of bones completely attached and a head shorter than the man beside it. It held a cleaver in its left hand and a bone shield in its right.

Searon knew what it was as soon as he saw the skeleton. He whispered, "Warlock."

The warlock held a dead scorpion in his pale-white left hand. His eyes seemed to flash and shine brighter as he looked at the scorpion. More than the man's retina appeared red, but it was his entire eye that seemed to take flame. They almost appeared like small balls of fire that seemed separate from his face. He blew a green mist that surrounded the scorpion before waving his zylek about the creature in three turns. The scorpion levitated in front of his eyes and began to glow a dull yellow.

Suddenly, the ground shook all around them, which caused Starlyn to stumble and fall. She reached to Searon and grabbed his shoulder to keep from falling. He was barely able to keep his own balance and held onto her tightly as they both watched in horror as the scorpion grew in size. It continued to grow larger until it reached three heads taller than a human. Six red eyes glared toward Searon and Starlyn before blinking a few times. The creature stood on two thick hind legs with four arms at its front and two pincers. A stinger came from its rear and curled up so it floated near its mid-back.

"Kill them," the warlock whispered.

Searon pulled out his claymore in a stride ready to face the creature. At that moment, his stallion reared and knocked both Starlyn and him from saddle. The horse galloped away from both Searon and Starlyn toward the gate of the village. He stood up next to Starlyn, who already had her hammer held tightly in her grip. Searon rushed toward the creature first, and after two slashes was blocked by pincers. The creature's tail slammed against Searon's chest, causing him to fly backward into a stone building.