Esprit Abbey

Chapter 11

The glowing green eyes continued to appear in the surrounding forest. The scorched mountain in the distance was quickly forgotten as the treacherous threat was now immediately before them. Asher, Marius, and Silas were well aware of the deadly peril that watched them from the dark. Silas's stomach churned, never before had he looked into the eyes of death so clearly; until now, those eyes had always been his own.

"I never thought I'd be on this side of the attack," Silas said specifically to Marius while never taking his eyes from the malevolent shadows just beyond the tree line.

"Every side is that side, Silas. Only the enemy has changed," Marius responded.

"We've fought our share of enemies," said Asher. "This will be no different." Silas tried to take comfort in the words of his friends, but was left short of total confidence; however, he stood his ground with his sword held firmly; despite his desire, he would not leave his friends to fight alone.

Adria emerged from the trees with five of the void hounds following close behind, the remaining stayed hidden in the trees, giving no hint as to how many there were. Her eyes were fixed directly on the three defectors. A painful rage grew inside Marius as he watched Adria draw closer, a slight grin displayed her diseased excitement. Marius and Asher turned their swords toward her as she continued her approach. Suddenly the five void hounds shot forward and encircled Asher and Marius, cutting them off from Silas.

Adria walked up to Silas, who at this point was nearly frozen with fear. "Get away from him!" Marius yelled from the other side of the hounds. Adria looked over and shot him a maniacal smile. "If you so much as touch him, I swear I'll make you pay!" Adria raised her hand, effectively silencing Marius.

"You deliberately disobeyed my orders to return," responded Adria. Marius sensed that she was, in a way, thanking them. "I won't insult you by saying I wasn't fully aware of what the outcome would have been," she looked directly at Silas. "Although you may have delayed it, you've failed in changing it. But that's okay, I really don't mind. It's more satisfying like this anyway." She kicked Silas in the stomach causing him to twist forward and fall.

Abruptly and without warning, flames tore across the tree line cutting off the remaining void hounds from Centaurus. Adria quickly turned around seeing the wall of fire. "Hmm, inconvenient," she said to herself. "But," she turned back to Silas, "not enough to save you three." She raised her double-bladed staff and prepared to bring it down hard into Silas's chest when her hair flared and she was launched upward, her body twisted in the air as she slingshotted over the flaming barricade.

Silas lay motionless in confusion. The air churned as Coro appeared before him. The void hounds turn to Coro and snarled. One leaped at him, Coro faded allowing the hound to pass harmlessly through him. It turned toward Silas and launched itself at him. Silas yelled as he pointed his sword straight up allowing the void hound to impale itself. Rolling the hound off him, he retrieved his sword and quickly moved to his fellow soldiers.

Marius and Asher began slashing at the dark fur that surrounded them, slicing into the necks of the demon dogs, and jamming their swords up to the hilt in their bodies. The hounds yelped in pain but few succumbed to the onslaught. It was difficult to attack one while not getting mauled by another. Several trees fell through the flames creating a bridge that was immediately utilized by the hoard of void hounds on the other side who were eagerly awaiting the taste of blood.

The centaurs galloped into battle intent on protecting not only their village but also their newfound friends. Their size provided benefit in that it allowed them to attack from additional angles, but their long legs were easy targets for the hound's razor teeth filled jaws. Several centaurs fell as the hounds thrashed at their undersides. Others were attacked from behind as hounds leaped onto their backs.