Baleful Wings (Dragon's Dogma Fanfiction)

Chapter 29: Ferocity

The Black Cloaks traveled relentlessly. Arya could only remember getting a blink of sleep before they were back up and afoot, the sun hadn't even risen. They walked at a swift pace, conversing about past skirmishes and ex lovers. They traveled through the mountains, it was apparently a path that only they knew. Edward stopped them at a cliff, and drew some type of rope. "Arya, hold on to me."
The other men joined him, tying their ropes to random boulders across the landscape, and slowly treading down the mountain while holding onto them. As they descended the slopes, Arya noticed they were back in the grove not far from the Shadow Fort. Edward quickly hung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. At this point, though, she was used to it.

"The invasion may have very well begun," said Caellach. "We should hurry, lest we miss out on the killing."
Edward shuddered, but quickly masked it with a smile. Arya was glad not to be the only one that found Caellach's mannerisms to be cringeworthy. A pack of Saurians occupied the small lake now, and didn't hesitate to raise their spears at the Black Cloaks. There was a bit of silence, and without warning the knights charged the beasts. The mages fired elemental blasts at the creatures, quickly dispatching some of them. The other men followed-up with a relentless assault. Arya was amazed at their conditioning. They looked like dancing shadows, leaving only blood and slain beasts in their wake. Suddenly, the lake bubbled and more of the reptiles came out of the water, followed by a giant of a saurian. Its roar was mighty, causing the Black Cloaks to stumble backward. It looked around, and grumbled menacingly.
"Maker's word.. What in blazes is that thing!?" Said Garcia, amazed at the incredibly size difference between it and the other saurians.
"It must be their queen," said Lyon, slowly stepping back.

It slithered quickly through their ranks, knocking them aside as it snatched up Rennac, thrashing about wildly before standing upright. Franz drew back a strange bow, and started firing bolts of Magick at the beast.
Edward and Caellach quickly rushed the enormous monster.
The giant saurian leapt and dealt a ground-shaking attack with its spear, which served mostly to separate the knights.
"Gah..! H-hurry, my..!" Rennac could barely scream before a loud cracking sound coursed the air. "Aggh!" He screamed as both his arms broke.
"Damn it, Rennac!" Caellach yelled before hurrying to face the lizard as it hurried back into the water. He jumped and blasted forward, dancing off the sky. The saurian met his blow with its spear and sent him flying to the ground.
The monster quickly dashed back toward the water before an icy arch blasted from the ground over the lake. "She's only trying to score a quick meal! We have to hurry and end this!" Said Gerik, his archistaff still frosty from the devastating ice spell. Arya grabbed onto the creature's scaly hide and slashed relentlessly. The saurian squirmed and fought ferociously before Arya let go. The beast roared, Rennac coughed up blood before falling unconscious.

The reptile raised its spear, a bright flash cackled against the ground, stunning the creature.
"Good job, Valter!" Exclaimed Lyon as he struck the saurian like a raging whirlwind, forcing it upward. Orson threw implicating snares at the creature, and yanked it back to the ground. As it struggled to stand Edward savagely lunged at the monster, hacking off the arm holding Rennac. Caellach dashed in right afterward, as if he was inspired by the blood that sprayed from the monster's wounds and cracked his hammer across its face. The giant saurian became wroth and charged directly at Gerik.
-clang!-
Arya guarded him just as it extended its spear, redirecting its force to the side. She was thrown back by the extreme force of the blow. Garcia quickly joined in, slashing at the monster in a skillful array of attacks, striking like the bite of the Duke's entire Legion. When it fell to the ground, sparkling bolts came down from the heavens, hunting the beast into the dirt. Arya watched in silence as the beast was pierced repeatedly by the Magick Bolts. It laid lifelessly as the shining blades rained into its body. The grass became stained with blood, seeping from the lizard's many wounds. Arya walked over to Rennac, who was being tended to by Edward and Gerik.

Rennac's body was pale, his skin was almost blue. Lyon ran over, and pounded his stomach with both palms. Another bout of blood streamed from Rennac's mouth. Gerik whispered to himself, reciting quiet incantations. "Anodyne," a bright green sphere bursted in front of them, creating a glowing mist.
Arya knew it was all for naught. His eyes were looking at something that no-one else can see, the same thing the bandits in the forest were looking at.

Oblivion.

"GRUUUAAAGHH!"
Everyone looked over quickly, Garcia was in front of the Saurian queen laughing before it sprung forth. Franz froze in horror, Orson stabbed the monster it its back. The monster gnashed with a sinisterly blank expression. It ate completely out of spite, already having impaled Garcia into the dirt with its spear. Too weak to even pierce Garcia's bones, it dronefully scraped the flesh from his body.
"Garcia!!!" Edward screamed. Lyon and the others hurried to the now-dead creature, attacking it frantically.
Arya sat down, almost falling to the ground and hugged her knees. The beast died without even struggling, its mouth just slowly stopped chewing. She couldn't take her eyes off of it, something about the beast was strangely unnatural. Its eyes seemed to be focused on someone -- or something, that wasn't there.

Maybe clever tactics aren't enough, after all.