IRON GOD | 2: Empyrean

[12] Kolo: Song of Innocence {II}

 Jai-Lag sniffed the ground, then the air. Pine needles crackled as she flexed her claws into them. Kolo put her hand on the sabretooth cat's back. Jai-Lag chuffed. A cold wind swept through the understory. Kolo's white hair blew back. She shivered.

Azvalath came up beside her. "You scared?"

"Of course not." She was only cold. Wasn't that obvious?

Aza stared ahead. "You should be."

That didn't make any sense, so she ignored him. When Jai-Lag picked up a scent and started walking again, Kolo put her hood up and followed without hesitation.

"My first hunt was with Master Xigon." He looked over his shoulder to make sure Dras and Wymer were still following them. Then he picked up his pace. "Our target was nothing short of nightmarish. I was afraid. I felt bad about it, too. I thought a strong warrior wasn't supposed to be afraid."

"Hm." Kolo tried not to even think about being afraid. It seemed about as safe to be afraid as it did to expose a wound to a hungry predator.

"What he taught me that day is what's won me many battles since then." Azvalath smacked his elbow against Kolo's torso.

She stared at him. It didn't hurt, thanks to the armor Rizval had made for her, but she still didn't like it.

"Master Xigon said that if determination is your weapon, fear is your armor." Azvalath tried to smile. "It takes both to see another day."

Dras tried to close the space between them. "Who's Master Xigon?"

Azvalath actually smiled at that. "Someone I'll be very happy to come home to this time around."

Dras squinted.

Wymer tapped him on the shoulder. "Mind your business, lad."

Jai-Lag halted. She sniffed the air and snarled.

"She won't go any farther." Azvalath stopped and stroked the cat. She kept snarling. "Now it begins."

"Right." Kolo extended four phantom arms, one for each of her companions. She grabbed each of them tight.

Dras shouted at her. "Ow! What are you doing?"

"Quiet!" She barked back at him. "I'm holding onto all of you now. I'll stay right here with Jai-Lag. You three move in the direction she's looking. Got it?"

Everyone nodded.

"If I see one of you acting strange and think you're hearing Slaaek, I'll give a command to be silent," Azvalath added. "He likely can't target more than one person at a time."

"What if he chooses you?" Wymer asked.

"That's where Dras comes in." Aza looked at the younger man. "He should be able to get me out of striking range without injury."

"In any case, I have all of you tethered," Kolo reminded them. "You shouldn't be able to wander close enough to him no matter what you see."

"Which means he'll eventually have to get up out of the ground and investigate." Wymer held out his axe. "Let's go."

Kolo stood steady and let the men move forward. Jai-Lag's head turned slightly to the right. Kolo used her ghostly hands to guide them in that direction. The air grew still. Her shivering stopped. The wood was silent.

Wymer led the group. He walked with the certainty of a man who'd spent his entire life in the forest. Kolo tightened her grip on him. He crouched down and brushed aside some of the pine needles. "There are bone shards here. We're close." He beckoned to Aza and Dras. "Here, come look."