“You cannot have them!” she screamed and met Alby’s outreached hand, hauling him onto the saddle. Tears slid down his bloodied cheeks, and Nei pushed her horse out of the way just as the monster slashed forward, teeth and claws snapping at the empty space.
Brokk skittered to a halt as Nei shouted, “Sarthaven is already lost! We must go! NOW!”
Sarthaven had fallen. The capital of Kiero was gone.
Memphis’s blood pounded in his ears as his pulse echoed his shock. He snapped his ability in, gnashing his teeth at the force. Brokk tensed underneath him, and then they were flying. The hammering of Brokk’s paws filled Memphis’s senses, and he gripped his friend’s golden fur with blood-soaked hands.
The dabarnes roars filled the night behind them, chasing at their heels.
The ground quaked and shuddered from the sheer force of their chase. Reigning in his ability was like trying to dominate a feral animal by sheer force and then reeling from the impact of it. Memphis gripped Brokk’s fur tighter, and a trickle of blood streamed from his nostrils. It was too much; he was losing himself to that sick serenade of destruction, of ripping the dabarnes minds apart.
Shred by shred by shred.
Leaning lower, he breathed himself back into his body, to the present and the looming forest ahead.
Don’t look back. Don’t look back.
Nei’s mare broke the forest line first, and Brokk charged. Gravity left them as they cut through the air, landing hard in the sanctuary of the woods. Nei had reined her mount to a stop, sweat dripping off her brow. Raising her palm, she concentrated on the tree line, white light pulsing from her palm once more.
Brokk flattened his ears, whining as they all took in the bloodthirsty army galloping toward them. No movement stirred from the camp, and pulsing embers died in the night. The world swayed, as Memphis prepared to meet his end.
Everything seemed to still, and blinking, he looked down to his blood-soaked clothes, to his best friend, to their queen. Despite the bloodshed, despite their losses, he choked on his anguish as thoughts of Emory filled every orifice of his being. He wouldn’t see her again; this was their end. He grappled for any way out, any way they could beat this.
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, was creating a shield. Bowing to the whim of their commander, which as he turned and looked at Nei, it fell into place.
She bared her teeth as she wielded her mighty orchestra, the trees bowing and responding at 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 croaked, “Run.”
Brokk shot forward, not looking back as he carried Memphis. Screams echoed in the distance, and then he heard the pounding of hooves behind them, as Nei and Alby followed. 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 bit against the dabarne’s sleek throat. Memphis’s world twisted as he was thrown off, his head cracking against a flat rock on the forest floor. Dots blared in his vision, threatening to pull him under, just as the monster slammed his weight into his best friend; bone crunched from the force. Brokk’s cry tore through his heart with a shattering force. Shooting up, he dove into his power, as it laced forward, every nerve, every fiber, being latch onto by him. Those orange eyes turned to 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, and Memphis ran to Brokk. Relief coursed through him when his friend stood, his hackles raising, turning his golden gaze to him.
Collapsing, Memphis mentally whispered, “Are you okay?”
Snapping his maws, Brokk curtly nodded his giant head once, conveying he was. Quickly, he didn’t waste another moment as 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 had fallen behind.
Crashing 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 pushed faster, the forest blurring, sounds blurring, and all Memphis could digest was the
