Eclipsed

Chapter 32

The early morning sun was barely making its way through the thick trees when Alric stood at the front, arms crossed, a bored expression plastered across his face. He was at the edge of a military encampment, with Taven standing in front of a small group of soldiers, explaining the plan with a commanding tone. Alric had already tuned him out, more focused on the cool breeze rustling the leaves and the distant sounds of wildlife.

"Alright, listen up!" Taven barked, catching the attention of everyone in the group. "Alric, you're going in front. We'll be right behind you, but your job is simple. Draw the beast out, make sure it doesn't get close to the rest of us. Understood?"

The soldiers behind him chuckled quietly.

“Yeah, sure,” Alric mumbled, half-listening as he picked at a stray piece of dirt from his sleeve. His gaze wandered over the soldiers’ smirks and whispered conversations.

“He’s really sending him out there? That kid doesn’t even look like he can handle it,” one soldier muttered.

“I give it ten minutes before he runs back crying,” another whispered, stifling a laugh.

Taven, clearly enjoying the moment, shot Alric a sideways grin. “This plan involves you too, Alric, so I suggest you start paying attention,” he said, his voice laced with humor.

Alric raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond, his eyes lazily scanning the trees beyond the camp. He was used to this kind of treatment. His role was always the distraction, the one to face danger first while everyone else watched from a safe distance.

“Yeah, whatever,” Alric muttered, leaning against a tree as Taven continued explaining the details of the plan.

It was obvious they thought this was some kind of joke. He could hear the snickering behind him, the mocking whispers. Alric’s expression remained unreadable.

Taven wrapped up the briefing, clapping his hands together. “Alright, Alric, off you go. You’re on bait duty. We’ll handle it from there.”

Alric frowned at the word "bait." His brow furrowed in confusion. Bait? What am I supposed to do as bait? He glanced at the others, but they were all too busy gearing up for the real task. He could feel the eyes of the soldiers on his back, their silent laughter echoing in his ears.

“What the hell am I supposed to do here?” Alric thought to himself, but the answer never came. He was still trying to piece together what was going on when a sudden, low growl echoed through the forest.

Alric’s head snapped up. The ground seemed to rumble slightly, and the sound of something large moving through the trees reached his ears. The soldiers shifted nervously, watching from the safety of their positions, their eyes fixed on the advancing shape.

Alric, however, didn’t flinch. He didn’t show any fear. Instead, he stood perfectly still, almost bored, as the growling intensified.

"Are you actually going to do something, Alric?" one soldier muttered to his buddy, still watching from a distance.

"I think it’s just gonna come straight for him. It’s not like he’s got a plan," the other soldier whispered back, smirking.

Alric looked around, confused. Is this really all they expect from me? His eyes darted back to the approaching threat. It was getting closer, but it still wasn’t entirely visible. He tried to squint into the underbrush, but there was no clear view of what was coming.

Just then, a massive shape emerged from the trees—too large to be ignored. It was a hulking creature, its form towering over Alric, covered in thick, rough hide, with piercing eyes that seemed to glow from within. It took slow, deliberate steps forward, each one causing the ground to tremble.