The Taming

Retrieval

Outskirts of LandingTown, Igonox

Sebastian and Deragan now watched the cottage on the outskirts of Landingtown. Where they'd trailed the boy's scent to.

Bast glanced up gratefully when Lucien arrived. "We need a plan."

Lucien knelt next to them to peer over a pile of logs. Looking to his right and assessing the trees and the number of huts. He checked his left. His eyes worked down the road ahead of them. Moving methodically over the threats and possible directions. Inspecting each hut in detail and tuning into the sounds emerging from each.

"How many?" Lucien asked.

"I've no idea." Bast eyed him askance. "How would I know that?" He glanced at The Alpha crouched next to him. "Would you know that?"

"He's talking to me."

Both Deragan and Bast jumped at the sound of Rhyers' voice from directly behind them.

"I hate when you do that." Even The Alpha was annoyed with his silent movements tonight.

"We can't hear you at all." Bast twisted to glower at him.

"He was at the castle." Lucien explained apologetically. As though he'd brought an uninvited guest to a party.

"Well, I'm happy to help." Rhyers said ruefully. "You have six."

"That's not bad." Lucien said.

"Sarabi." Rhyers finished.

"That's impossible." Lucien slumped.

"I took that boy in when he was barely old enough to walk. We're not letting them kill him." Bast hissed to the others.

"No one said we were." The Alpha stated in his characteristically calm tone. "Be still Sebastian and let us think."

"Two will come from the second road down there." Lucien pointed to the right. "One will come from just next to us. One down there, from behind the hut. And there's two waiting inside. Our best bet is to go in with blunt strength. Rip in and rip out. Retreat behind the hut toward the NetherRunnel, Sarabis don't like water, then we'll circle back later."

"It's a good plan." Deragan commented.

"Ye. But ye fools need some brawn to get through the wall." Mardichi strolled down the road. Not bothering to hide as he looked at them in their hiding spot.

Deragan stood and looked darkly at Mardichi.

Whose chest deflated some. "I meant, thems fools, Alpha." Mardichi nodded toward the rest of the group still crouched.

"How'd you find us?" Lucien groaned.

"Smelled ye."

"From where?"

"Hunting." Mardichi said with a broad grin. "But we need to make this quick. I was hoping for a dram at the Bull's Eye."

Bast tossed him a quick look. Wondering if he was avoiding the hut where he was keeping his woman.

***

Lucien looked over at The Alpha. "He's big and he's clumsy-"

Mardichi scowled.

"But he is just what we need." Lucien finished.

"Mardichi." Deragan said. Making all their heads turn at the sound of his voice. "You and I are point. The rest of you will follow us."

The barbarian nodded his red head.

The Alpha cleared the logs to join him on the road. "We're running straight through. You two go around back." He pointed to Lucien and Rhyers. "Take down that one and keep a path open to the river. Bast, watch our backs."

They nodded. Scattering to position in different directions.

Deragan and Mardichi cracked their necks and rolled their shoulders. Bast stayed slightly behind, drawing daggers from his waistband. There was the slide of metal, as gold scales emerged along Bast's face and shoulders. And black ones over Deragan's arms.

"Move." Deragan said.

He and Mardichi kept pace, side to side despite that Deragan only drew to Mardichi's shoulder. Moving as one like a battering ram, they slammed into the side of the wall. Wrenching through mud and stone.

Once the wall was open Libby screamed. Ducking behind one of the Sarabi. "Much faster than I'd thought!" She squealed.

A man moved behind her. A giant pointed eared, yellow skinned creature, carrying a hammer nearly as big as the woman.

One of the Sarabi leapt toward Deragan's back but Bast, in a hurricane of motion, came in rotating his daggers. Cutting the creature down and smattering blood on all three of them. He spotted the boy in the corner behind the man, tied with cloth.

"We'll clear the way." Deragan said over his shoulder. Giving Mardichi a look had them position and move as a unit toward the demonling.

The demonling swung his huge hammer and it caught Mardichi in the torso, sending him reeling back.

Deragan was able to rip one of the man's arms off the handle of the hammer. Yanking it backward until it snapped. Sounding like a tree trunk breaking.

Bast ran past Deragan. Reaching the boy, he cut the cloth bindings down the side. Freeing him. "Stay." He ordered.

The boy nodded, terrified.

Bast rotated to the other corner where Libby met him.

Standing and screaming like a wild banshee. Eyes turning onyx as she lifted her hands. Long brown nails extended beyond her fingertips and curled into claws. Her face paled around the eyes. Making her look as hollow as a wraith. She launched at him. Managing to rake one hand down his left shoulder and bicep. Gouging deeply into the skin.

Bast soundlessly jerked his daggers. One cutting across the side of her neck as he turned and the other cutting up through her stomach as she wildly raked him with her clawed hands. He watched her fall limply. Clutching her neck as she tried to stop the black ooze draining from her.

***

Deragan brutally punched the Sarabi, and caved in one side of its head, which it swung desperately.

The yellow man punched Deragan, knocking him back.

But Mardichi charged with his crushing fists.

Deragan hit the Cimmerii man at the same time. Making him stumble sideways a couple steps.

Bast dropped to his knees and reached both blades to slice the back of the man's ankles. Making him drop thunderously.

Seeing Bast's back turned, the Sarabi launched from the other corner to clamp down teeth aimed to take Bast's head.

"Bast!" Deragan shouted.

Bast barely had time to jerk his head to the side, so it only sunk teeth into his collar and shoulder. Crushing bone. Bast yelled in pain.

The boy behind him gasped.

Deragan released his grip on the yellow demon's other arm, spinning to catch the jaws of the Sarabi. He found grip, teeth cutting into his fingers as he ripped the jaws apart, folding them back in almost the opposite direction. It thumped limply to the floor. Sending up a cloud of dust as it stilled.