The Thief (A Tale of Heroes & Demons Book 2)

Chapter 10

Into the Darkness

He dove to the ground as the world shook around him. To his right darkness and light clashed, sending trees crashing against the ground.

Launching back, Declan kept an eye on the source of the movement as he escaped its reach.

Two large creatures slammed against each other again, the roars echoing in his bones. The creatures shifted, and Declan finally got a good view of them.

The earth shook and groaned under the two giants that slammed into it, pushing any trees out of the way like a breath against a leaf.

Declan rolled to the side and jumped to his feet just as the trees cracked beside him.

The lack of trees allowed sunlight to pour around them, and gave a clear view of the battle raging in the forest.

Ebony and ivory twisted together, two creatures of legend locked together. The darkness reared back and Declan could finally see the scaled head circled with shadows—the Raxzanock.

The Raxzanock slammed forward and locked its massive jaws onto the hide of the other creature. The creature roared and tried to wiggle from the Raxzanock's grasp. Black blood leaked from the wounds, trailing down its side.

Worm.

That's the word that came to Decklan's mind as he looked at the creature. Yes, it looked similar to a worm, the kind that would come to the surface when it rained. But this one was something different—besides the size difference it also had numerous beady eyes that tracked the movements of the world around it, and when it launched itself at the Raxzanock, rows of teeth gleamed in the sunlight.

This was not an ordinary worm.

The ground rumbled again as the two creatures once again met. They latched onto each other, the Raxzanock bringing its tail around to slam against the worm to try and dislodge it to not avail.

Where the light was absorbed by the Raxzanock's scales and living shadows, it bounced off the worm—blinding when it flashed.

Declan shuffled further back from the battle. This was not something that he should be getting involved with. Keeping his eyes before him, he moved further back into the forest, seeking cover amongst nature's sentinels.

The sounds of the fight were still loud around him and the earth still shuddered when he felt the earth give way beneath him.

Heart pounding in his ears, Declan slammed into one knee and grasped handfuls of grass, nails digging into the earth and he tried to stabilize himself. Panting, he twisted to see what he had stumbled onto.

Laugh burst through his mouth.

Death's Valley.

He stared up at the sun. That crazy witch. Of course. "Death is the key." Well, there is nothing more obvious than a place that is named for it.

After sliding back from the edge, he peered down into the void. You better be right about this. Then he swung his legs over the side and began the climb down.

***

The darkness was all-consuming--a breathing thing that reached inside and snuffed out the light. Despair and terror dripped from the air, sliding across his skin and burrowing into his bones until its claws dug into his mind and pushed away all else.

His hand snagged on a root and the pain ripped him back to reality. It hadn't taken long for the light disappear as he descended; obscured by whatever lurked in the shadows.