Instead, he numbly watched the army of darkness sweep down upon them, their blood-coated teeth, their deafening roars. Suddenly the ground rolled and churned underneath them like they were in a boat on the ocean. Brokk jumped back, growling, just as the trees shuddered to life all around them. As if they had just been in a deep slumber, waiting for their siren call.
Branches, thick and unyielding, snapped down before them, the trees bowing to the movement. Quickly, they layered, branch by branch, thick bark crunching from the impact. The forest, within seconds, created a shield. Bowing to the whim of their commander. Taking in Nei, the realization snapped into place.
She bared her teeth as she wielded her mighty orchestra, the trees bowing and responding in a rapid rate. She was buying them time, commanding and controlling the elements, the earth beneath them and the trees surrounding them. A guttural groan escaped her lips as she looked at them and whispered, “Run.”
Brokk shot forward, not looking back as he carried Memphis. Screams echoed in the distance and then the pounding of hooves behind them as Nei and Alby raced behind. Each tree they passed sprang to life once they were all clear, building and creating a deadly labyrinth for the dabarnes, their sharpened branches landing blows to the monsters. Branch met flesh, ripping and tearing as their screams splintered through the night. He cringed at the sounds of the woods dragging the creatures within their depths. Intricately, they wove through the twists and turns, the night turning darker with every passing second. Spotting movement from their side, he barely had time to react as a dabarne suddenly cut into their path. Jumping, Brokk swerved severely to the right. Right where his companion waited.
Teeth met teeth as Brokk snarled and bit against the dabarne’s sleek throat. His world twisted as he was thrown off, his head cracking against a flat rock on the forest floor. Dots blurred his vision, tantalizing to pull him under just as the monster slammed his weight into his best friend with bone-crunching force. Brokk’s cry tore through his heart, as his mind shattered. He shot up and dove into his power, snarling as it laced forward, every nerve, every fiber latched onto by him. Those orange eyes landed on him as the dabarne sensed him. Letting go, every ounce of his energy exploded, and his ability crushed and broke everything that the dabarne was until nothing remained. The body hit the ground as he ran to Brokk. Relief coursed through him when his friend shakily stood, his hackles raising, turning his golden gaze to him.
Collapsing, he mentally whispered, “Are you okay?”
Snapping his maws, Brokk curtly nodded his giant head once, conveying he was. Quickly, Memphis climbed onto his back, and they were off. Brokk’s legs wobbled as they flew over the woven trees, Nei galloping ahead of them. They were falling behind. Snarling, they crashed through Nei’s magic, the trees responded fiercely. It was like fighting against an hourglass—if the sand ran out before they covered ground, they would be at the mercy of the darkness and the monsters that called for their blood. Branches snagged their hair, shredded their skin, as Brokk clambered over and under, weaving powerfully, snapping at trees when they mistook them for the enemy.
“Nei! Alby!” His voice was hoarse and was instantly lost in the sounds of the fight that surrounded them.
Brokk snarled and pushed faster, the forest blurring, sounds blurring, and all he could digest was the fierce pounding of his heart. Pleading for survival. Howls erupted behind them as more trees bonded together as a response. A makeshift wall wove before them, another shield. Brokk’s sides heaved as he cut to the left, and he spotted his intention. A small opening just big enough for them to fit through was left as the trees solidified, the ripple quickly spreading through, closing any gaps.
Brokks footfalls reverberated through him as he watched in horror as the trees became thicker, sharper, preparing for them, to destroy them. Gravity left as they launched forward, aiming for the shrinking gateway between their life and death. Closing his eyes, he waited for the impact. Screams echoed around him, or maybe it was him. He couldn’t tell anymore. Cool air howled, licking at his exposed face, sinking deeper and deeper into his core. There was the sensation of his clothes ripping, talons digging into his calf, sharp and unrelenting. They ripped through his flesh effortlessly. Pain, hot and lancing, shot up through his body and consumed his every thought, every movement, every internal battle, until it was nothing but the fire in his bones.
Cracking his eyes open, his vision spun, blurring, but he took in enough to realize the ground rushed up to meet them. They collided with such force, he was thrown viciously from Brokk. He was suspended in time for a moment before his back cracked against something hard. The taste of dirt and blood filled his mouth as he wheezed for air. Brokk’s growls ripped through the night as Memphis shakily stood from the mounds of dirt they had churned up. In one motion, Brokk shifted back to his human form. Bruises flowered his skin, dark purple, blue, and green overlapping in a colorful display. Then he was kneeling next to him.
“Memphis, breathe. We are okay. Just breathe.”
The howls from the other side of the thick wall of interwoven trees slammed their reality into him, and he lurched forward, croaking, “We have to get out of here. Back to the Academy.”
“Brokk, Memphis!” Nei galloped through the forest, reigning her mare to a hard stop. Panting, she dropped from the saddle, leaving a stunned Alby in her wake. Her voice was thick as she ran toward them. “We lost sight, and I couldn’t get back, I couldn’t stop what I unleashed.” With wide eyes, she took them in. She snapped, “Brokk,
