Reality's Blade

Chapter 9: Taranceri

I had a strong sense of déjà vu, it was like the very first time I had hacked my way through this forest, once again I had come to Legerdemain in an endeavour to erase my aching emotions, and once more I would find myself battling taranceri as I did so. Had anything changed since that time? Had I changed in that time? I decided to let my blade tell me.

I held my sword across my body, ready and waiting, as always it trembled. I took a deep breath, focusing my mind on what I had learnt. I sunk low into my stance, grass was a good environment for this battle, I wouldn't have to worry too much about my footing. The trees could help me pin and trap the taranceri, however the same could be done to me and they gave the enemy the higher ground. Their favoured attacks were currently unknown, as were enemy numbers and location. I pushed against the panic I could feel threatening to take over as I assessed my situation.

The air became very still, my whole body tensed, straining for the slightest of sounds. A short rustle from behind me was all the warning I got before the attacks started, but it was all that I needed. The taranceri was scuttling rapidly along the ground, all of it's grotesque black eyes were fixated on me, pincers flexing in excitement, venom already forming on their tips.

Openings. Must look for openings and understand the attacks. I thought over and over like a mantra.

The taranceri reared up it's hairy front legs, a memory flashed before me, of Hikage raising his blade above his head preparing to strike down. The legs couldn't inflict much damage, they got in the way limiting how close to the main body you could get and they could pin you down, but overall they were better for defence. This taranceri had just lifted up it's defences for me. I eyed up the pincers, while they didn't seem to have any crushing power, getting an arm stuck in them wouldn't be pleasant, the end of my blade would need to pass through that gap, well away from my arms.

Before the creature could start to resume it's frontal attack I burst forward as fast as I could, finding good grip from the ground. I was practically under the taranceri before I knew it, I dragged my lodged blade along the middle of beast's body with all my might, it exploded with a foul smell and an explosion that almost made my ears ring. I had done it!

"Behind you!" Hikage roared urgently.

I turned around bringing my blade down hard, I nicked the head of another approaching one. It hissed angrily at the wound I had inflicted as a substance like oil splattered across the ground. I needed more reach! I thrust straight forward, up and through skull. The legs twitched and danced sickeningly, I twisted my blade and pulled it back toward me, finishing the monster off.

The adrenaline was coursing through my body, I felt jittery and on edge, my whole being was shaking as if there was an earthquake. I'd killed two in quick succession, it was a better start than I could have possibly hoped for.

I tried to re-evaluate my enemy. With the front legs out the way a clean swift strike to the head was easy. The taranceri didn't seem to be able to attack from the sides, although their vison was nearly 360 degrees. I hadn't tried approaching one from behind.

A black mass blocked the meagre light, I was being pounced on from above! The under belly was falling fast toward me. It was completely exposed. I re-orientated myself under it as centrally as I could, I didn't want to get caught by either end. It was almost as easy as thrusting my blade up to meet the falling bulk, but the weight of the creature forced me down to one knee before it dematerialised. Had the blow not been enough to kill I would have been trapped under it's hairy convulsing form. I accidentally imagined it, causing an eruption of shivers and more tremors along my limbs.

Another taranceri was descending from the trees, but this one was lowering itself from a strand of webbing, having already learnt from seeing the last one being killed. I couldn't face it below, I would come into contact with it's pincers aiming straight for my head. It wasn't an option I fancied. The top of the body was facing me, I wouldn't be able to reach it's back until it was pretty much on the floor. It's rear end had already deployed webbing, surely it couldn't use it for two things at once, it seemed like the most vulnerable area. I ran towards the tree the taranceri was descending, running up it and turning I leapt from it, allowing gravity to drag my blade down it's unprotected body.