Immortal Ties

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

• Gabriel •

The creatures quickly advanced on us, their long human legs towering over us like giants. As they grew closer, their eyes raged bottomless coals of black fire. Their faces were covered by a long and deathly sharp raven’s beak with razor sharp teeth like a great white shark. Blood dripped down the side of its beak, staining the ground where they walked.

Their body was not covered in feathers unlike what I’d imagined. They had hideous, large scorched welts covering their skin as if they had been burned beyond recognition. Their hands were marred with long talons extending from each finger. It was the most horrific being I had ever seen; a creature caught between man and beast.

“We need to leave, now!” Calder commanded.

We retreated – running back down the hill, our chain mail clattering against the metal. I have never in my existence encountered those creatures beforehand nor did I have any recollection of studying them in my years of studies.

They are deathly new and ancient; something you’ve never encountered before.

The thought echoed in my mind, sending a pang of fear down my spine. Whatever those vile creatures were they were dangerous. Why else would we be running instead of fighting? Instinct told us to flee; we wouldn’t be able to stand a chance.

I looked back and saw that we had created a great distance between the birdlike creatures. They were barely recognizable with the fog that rolled on the plain like gray clouds. We stopped, our breath coming out hard and labored. Sweat beaded down my forehead even with the cool, frigid temperature.

“Okay, ready?” I asked, prepared to join hands, and manifest back inside the safety of the castle walls.

A shrill cry broke through my concentration. Magic ebbed from my fingertips as one of the birdlike creatures landed with a loud thud that sent us sprawling backwards. Unscathing our swords, we watched as the other three of its companions flew skyward, disappearing into the stormy clouded sky, and landing the next moment beside the first creature.

“Gabriel, concentrate!” Cal ordered, stepping forward and blocking the hybrids from my path. Lucas and Nole did the same as they positioned themselves directly in front of one of the hellish beasts. The creatures attacked and a deadly dance commenced between my fellow Keepers and the demons.

I worked fast, feeling the magic course through my body as I muttered the transportation spell that would get us out of this place. The air around me shifted as the familiar wave of magic filled the atmosphere around me. Calder, Nole, and Lucas sensed it and began to retreat; heading towards where I stood.

There was something different about the beasts before me. Firstly, they did not only have the predatory killer instinct in their eyes like all the monsters we had fought. There was a glint of mischief and cunning laced in their soulless black eyes, reminding me of the demons who looked like humans. They held the same look of feeble intellect in their demonic eyes.

Calder and Lucas were ahead of Nole. They both had managed to wound the beast they fought, delaying an attack and having the opportunity to escape from the engaged combat. I saw Nole’s sword pierce through the demon’s chest, but it did not fall to its knees as I expected.

A sly, mischievous grin turned on the creature’s mouth at Nole’s surprised expression. The demon then began to remove the blade from its chest like it was a small torn. I found myself running forward to help Nole face the creature. It was stronger than the others. It must have been older than the rest of them; it was the only logical explanation for its pain threshold. I was a few feet away from Nole when I saw the creature reach forward with its hand and tear through the metal of Nole’s armor with its beak.