Swords, Claws, and Arrows

Malik waited for Sweet Tongue to send his men into the fray. If they charged, then Mollie could escape. Then maybe all of them could escape. There was no reason to stay around and fight a losing battle. Even if they defeated the monster which was unlikely, they would fall right into the hands of Sweet Tongue. Their best bet was to count their loses and head for the hills. 

Malik looked around again, trying to map an escape route. There was nothing around but open land. Malik knew the mountains were somewhere around here. They were like large looming giants looking down across the flatlands, but even as big as they were, Malik did not see them. If Sweet Tongue and his crew won, then they would be on them in minutes. If the monster won, then it would be able hunt them down easily. Eventually Malik and the others would need to stop for rest. 

Malik looked back to the fight. Mollie slowed with each sloppy attempt at a thrust. The monster did not fear being cut by her blade. Malik watched as Egg bounced around the outside of the fighting circle. Egg had nothing on his mother. Even as scary as Egg may be to a human counterpart, it was a mini monster, and could not fend off its mother. 

Malik glanced at Sweet Tongue, who was not sending his men in. He looked amused by the fight before him. Sweet Tongue could have been a man at the theater watching a play. He did not look threatened or cowed by the monster, nor did he seem to care to help Mollie. Malik realized that it was probably in Sweet Tongue’s best interest to see if Mollie could kill the beast. If she did, then he would be free to swoop them up with no expenses. If she failed, then there was one less problem for him once the beast was dead. 

Malik sighed. He had his bow on his arm, but knew it was useless from where he stood. He would just have to stand somewhere else then. Malik said nothing to the others and took off toward a piece of land opposite Sweet Tongue and his men. There Malik unhooked the bow from his shoulder. His hands shook with fear, but he was not aiming to kill. He was just going to get the men interested in the battle. He hooked an arrow to the string and took a deep breath. Then he pulled back, letting go. The arrow flew. It missed Sweet Tongue by a large span, but it did what Malik had wanted, it alerted Sweet Tongue he could not sit back and wait. Malik loaded another arrow and shot again. This time it took one of Sweet Tongue’s men in the shin. The man screamed in shock and pain. Malik had been aiming for his belly, but he was simply happy to hit anything. 

Sweet Tongue had not yet spotted Malik, but the land being flat and their being nothing to hide behind made sure it did not take him long. With a nod, Sweet Tongue sent two men around the monster battle and toward Malik. Malik did the stupidest thing he had ever done then. He slung the bow over his shoulder and took off, at a jog, toward Mollie. Mollie was on her last legs and a few more swings would see her fodder for the monster. Malik stopped beside her and took out his bow. He shot again at Sweet Tongue. He willed Mollie to hold out just a little longer. All he needed was to lure Sweet Tongue’s men close enough for the monster to change its attention. Once they pitted against one another, then he could take Mollie and escape. 

The arrow Malik shot went clear over Sweet Tongue’s head, but Sweet Tongue knew better than to think they all would fail. Malik took another arrow. He only had a short few left, but he hoped Sweet Tongue could not see his supply. 

The two men Sweet Tongue had sent hesitated just out of the fight, but when Malik grazed the man sitting next to Sweet Tongue, he ordered them in. The horse hooves drew the monster’s attention, but not for long. The monster’s claws ripped the horse’s throats, coating everything around Malik in blood. The riders both fell to the hard ground. They were slow to get to their feet, but when they did, they had swords brandished. Malik took a deep breath. His legs shook from both fear and exhaustion. He drew the bow again, having to will his arms to move, and then he shot one of his last three arrows. It missed by the length of a horse, but Sweet Tongue still sent in two more men. It was no longer a fun night at the theater. Now it was business time. Two more men followed from the rear, surrounding the beast, Mollie, and Malik. 

These men drew their own bows from their horses. They proved to be much better shots as they all unloaded into Egg’s mother, making her stumble back. Mollie’s sword grew brighter and her exhaustion faded for a moment. Mollie lunged forward; the tip of her sword pointed toward the monster’s belly. Malik wished she would have stayed put. Maybe they could have still run, but there was no stopping her now. She gashed the monster across the chest, but no blood spilled onto the ground. Only a high-pitched scream let Malik know she had made contact. Mollie’s sword doubled from the size of a human man to the size of the monster. Mollie did not have any trouble wielding it, not even as tired as she had been. She pulled the sword back over her shoulder, and as the monster swiped at her with its massive claws, she took the hand from the beast. The monster stumbled. Mollie drew the sword back again, all her pain and stiffness forgotten. She lunged forward. This time the monster did not yell. It did not roar or try to swipe her away. This time the monster’s top half slid from its bottom half and it disappeared into the morning glow. 

Mollie’s sword dulled and returned to normal size. With a moan, Mollie collapsed. Malik ran to her, but she did not respond. Her eyes were closed, and she was unresponsive, but she was alive. Her breaths were slow and shallow, but they were still breaths. 

Malik forgot about everything else in the world. He pulled Mollie’s head into his chest and caressed the hair out of her face. Egg joined them and ran his long claws over Malik’s arm. Malik jumped at the touch, but Egg did not react to the shock. Egg just ran his hand from Malik to Mollie. If Egg could look saddened, then Malik guessed this was it. The creature’s eyes downcast and its shoulders sunken. Did it mourn for its mother, or did it mourn for Mollie? 

“Oh, how I hate those creatures,” Sweet Tongue said. 

Malik came back to reality. He was no longer in a place where only Mollie, Egg, and he existed. Sweet Tongue and his men surrounded them. Embre and Khris were already being held by four unfriendly mercenaries. One of them Malik recognized as Embre’s brother, Zimbre. He gripped Embre by the bicep, pretending to not care that he held his sister, or maybe he did not care, Malik was not sure. 

“I am glad you all could join us. I had word the boat holding you went down in the Gray Waters. I was under the impression you all burned up with it. No one else has surfaced alive.” Sweet Tongue smiled as he talked of the devastation. “I guess it is the luck of the Saint’s that you came right to me. Abrie never lost faith you would come find him.” Sweet Tongue’s tongue darted from his mouth, licking his lips. 

Malik focused on the man’s scars too much to notice much of anything else about him. The fear rising into Malik’s mind made it impossible to turn his attention away. When he felt the rough hands grabbing his shoulders, he did not even put up a fight. Someone hoisted Malik to his feet, and a net draped over Egg. 

“Is the girl dead?” 

A short man walked over to Mollie and kicked her stiffly with the toe of his boot. Mollie let out a slight whimper. 

“Looks to be alive.” 

Sweet Tongue gave a nod of approval. “She showed promise. Tie her up in case she shows promise again. Also, bring her sword to me.” 

The man did as he was bid and brought the sword. In Sweet Tongue’s hand the sword did not glow, but Malik was under no illusion he would need it to. Sweet Tongue looked it over a few times and then slung it across his horse’s back. 

“Put them on horses and guide them. We don’t have time to wait around for them,” Sweet Tongue said. “You all will be very lucky. You will get to see something very special before you die. Mostly because I am feeling very generous, also I like to think it would make Abrie squirm.” Sweet Tongue laughed and turned his horse away. 

Malik felt hands grasp him around the waist and then hoist him onto the back of a small brown horse. Another man jumped up behind him and wrapped his arms around Malik’s waist. 

“If you even so much as cough too hard, I will slice off everything you have ever loved,” the man said, putting the tip of a dagger near Malik’s midsection. Malik made sure not to jerk or move too fast. 

Sweet Tongue put his heels into his horse, and the other mercenaries followed. The jerking hurt just as bad as walking. Malik closed his eyes, trying to block everything out. Soon he would be dead, and he would no longer have to worry about the pain.