the Forest of Emmitaenu

Fight or Flight

[Cover art by Illiyana Omareva]

From the first 'No' he heard Lara shout, Lienkin had wanted to break free of his charms and help but Tres wouldn't let him. Now Lara's scream, carried on the frigid night breeze, reached out above all other sounds and shot right through him.

Tres was too encased in fear to allow him to reveal their presence and Lienkin had to fight her to get his arms free. Leaving her behind, he ran up the path to the place Lara's voice had carried from and the color drained from his face at what he saw. Gargoyles were all around; in the air, on the ground, and in the trees, overpowering the small group out in the open.

Fallen to the ground was a man so beaten and battered he couldn't lift himself up. A woman Lienkin had never seen before stood solo against an army of gargoyles. He would have run to her aid if not for her absurd lack of fear.  Maybe she knew something he didn't. Maybe she could handle herself.  Noise from across the way drew Lienkin's attention and he saw the demon rolling around on the ground, wrestling one of the monstrous beings. He caught a glint of silver from the old nomad's bracelets where she hid in the roots of an old tree, using twigs and friction to ignite a fire to see by.

He shuddered anew with realization of what they were up against as shadows rushed all around and shrieks and screeches rang loud and clear. The madness swirled around him and for once, he didn't know what to do.

He heard a piercing scream right before he was knocked hard to the ground. Tres lay across his back after saving him from being scooped into the sky. The roar of more gargoyles jolted him to action, and Lienkin roll her over to shield her with his own body in case of another attack.

"Lienkin I'm scared," she whispered, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. Lienkin opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't think of what to say. He snapped his mouth closed and pressed his lips together before leaping to his feet and gazing up. Tres was left alone on the ground. She began to hyperventilate while peering around with limited visibility at the raging battle surrounding them.  Everything was moving so quickly, she felt smothered by the shadows.

Lienkin could barely see either, as he forced his eyes to track Lara in the embrace of a fleeing gargoyle soaring high above in the air. Fleetingly Lienkin watched her carried higher and higher as he raced in circles with his eyes to the sky. He was shouting every spell and muttering every jinx he could think of to bring her back down and set her free.

It appeared to work at last and she fell free a long distance but was caught by another gargoyle anxious to escape with his prey. The remaining birds darted after her and her kidnapper high up in the canopy as they disappeared over the horizon of treetops.

Out the corner of his eye Lienkin could see the spry old nomad woman being chased in circles around the tree she was hiding in. She had a torch in one hand; her skirt hiked up in the other as she weaved and bobbed, dove and rolled to her feet again evading multiple attempts at capture.

"Is that all you've got?" She shouted with a dry chuckle devoid of real humor, it was absolute madness! He glanced back toward the unfamiliar couple, but was unable to see the woman or the man through the masses. Again he heard Tres' shrill scream and spun around to find her.

With frantic eyes he located her cowering at the feet of the largest gargoyle he'd ever seen. Tres began to crawl backward, keeping her eyes on the creature intensely gazing at her. It stomped in her direction, the faster she crawled, the faster it followed her.

Tres looked like she might jump up and start running blindly just as she bumped into something with her feet. Shaking, she turned her head slowly to look behind her. She had backed into the clustered circle of gargoyles wrapped around the blonde woman. Not good, Lienkin thought as the beast she hit looked down at her.

It reached down for her and all Tres could do was duck her head to the ground and waited. Moments later after nothing happened she chanced a small glance. The one she bumped into and the one she was crawling away from were fighting! Afraid they might trample her in the process she tried crawling away, but one of them looked back in her direction and she wailed! Quickly she tucked her head back to the ground.

Just before returning his eyes to the sky Lienkin sighted the woman encircled by gargoyles on the ground. She hadn't been touched. Somehow she kept them at bay. A faint light just above her penetrated the darkness as if her praying hands held to the sky had opened the trees and let in the moon.

Lara! Lienkin thought, flicking his eyes skyward again. Just then a bird fell into his hands. He cradled it in his arms and glanced down. The bird was dead. How many of these tropical beauties would be struck down in this fight? Gently but swiftly he sat the bird upon the ground at his feet and looked up once more.

"Merlyn's stupor!" He yelled as he only just dodged an attack. Lara was so high above with the creature possessing her that in a blink he would undeniably escape with his prize. Lienkin needed to act fast. Just as a monster dove for the nomad Lienkin leaped in the way. It hit him with amazing force and almost knocked him unconscious. Unbiased, the creature took him captive and rose into the sky.