“Let's move,” Tolva roared.
The six pressed forward, dashingaround a gnarled bend, before arriving ona cramped precipice.
“The bridge,” Tolva shouted, “Whereis the bridge?”
Cyrus spied the ancient,wooden stakes and the rotted anchor ropes of the collapsed cable bridge.Anger rose like a flame in his powerful chest.The bridge had clearly fallen decadesago.
“It’s a trap,” heshouted, grasping his rifle.
He raised his weaponto Knavish’s head.
“No, no, no!” the klops pleaded.
Cyrus pulled the trigger.
Click!
The rifle failed.
“Useless klops,” Cyrus snarled,throwing the defective gun aside.
He grasped Knavish by the throat and drew his dagger.
“Cyrus!” Edward shouted.
Eight massive, mangywolves appeared on the surrounding mountainside.The largest was a black wolf with a silver muzzle. His dark lips wrinkled andquivered over his slathering, serrated teeth.
“Kill them,” Knavish ordered the beasts.
A large white wolf pounced from the rocks. Shetackled Cyrus to the snow, knocking his blade to the earth. The monster snappedat his neck and gnashed at his gloved hands. The female’s hot breath reeked ofrancid meat. Cyrus punched the demon in the thick nose and thumbed at her ice-blueeyes. The hellhound squealed and then bit at Cyrus’ head. Cyrus thrust his forearminto the creature’s crushing jaws. She chewed and twisted at his flesh, but couldnot penetrate his thick bear hide coat. The wolf snarled and shook her head,trying to wrench Cyrus’ arm from the socket. Cyrus held strong, his back pressedto the ground. He drew his sword and rose up on his elbow, plunging the saberinto the wolf’s drawn belly. The beast yelped, then fell still. The sour stenchof bile filled the air. Tolva dashed forward and pulled the bloody white wolf offCyrus. He grasped his dagger and leaped to his feet.
Fibian defended their cliff-side flank. Torinhad two wolves on his back, biting at his neck. The brown yeti twisted andstumbled towards the narrow cliff edge. He ripped one wolf off his back and hurledit into the dark abyss below. The beast’s howls were swallowed up by the wailingwind. The second wolf must have found an artery. Thick, bright blood began to pourfrom Torin’s throat. The big yeti fell to one knee.
“Torin!” Tolva cried, raising her rifle.
Fibian and Cyrus ran to his aid. Tolva couldnot get a clean shot.
Bang!
She fired over the wolf’s head. The beastpaused. Torin fell to his side, clinging to the wolf’s fur. The wolf shook its thickhead, ripping deeper into the yeti’s flesh. Torin struggled no more.
“No!” Tolva shrieked.
Cyrus and Fibian engaged the murderousmonster. The beast snapped at their faces, protecting its kill. Fibian drew hiscrossbow. The wolf pounced. The froskman fired. The bolt shot straight down theraging beast’s throat. The demon collapsed dead at Fibian’s feet, a mass of furand bone.
Two more wolves bounded from the darknessand leaped at Tolva. She kicked and punched at the snapping beasts. Cyrus spunaround, sheathed his blades and drew his crossbow. Tolva wrestled with onewolf, while the other bit and tore at her ankle. Cyrus aimed at her feet. Tolvatwisted and stumbled towards the pressing cliff edge. Cyrus fired. The hound clingingto her leg yelped, but would not let go. The big yeti turned and heaved one monsterfrom the mountainside. The second got caught up in her footing. All three tumbledfrom the precipice.
“Tolva!” Edward screamed.
What was happening? Cyrusrushed to reload his crossbow. A big salt and pepper wolf gnashed his teeth, then sprang from the rocks. Cyrus fired hisbolt. The projectile buried itself into the beast’s shoulder. The hellhound struck Cyrus in the chest, knocking hiscrossbow aside. He tackled Cyrus to the earth and snapped onto his outstretchedarm. The two rolled towards the icy cliff. Cyrus punched a heavy fistinto the wolf’s side. Ribs and tissue cracked and popped. The animal wilted.Cyrus grasped his dagger and plunged it into the beast’s lungs. The wolf yelped and released his bite. Cyrus rolledon top of the creature, clutching him bythe tail and throat. Roaring with rage, Cyrus rose up and lifted the giant dog cleanoff of the ground. Emboldened by the power in his thick legs and wide back, hespun on his heels. He twisted away from the cliff and cast the wolf hard towardsthe mountainside. The flailing beast struck the stone outcrop below where the blackwolf watched. The broken corpse slid lifeless downthe icy cliff face, gathering in a shaggyheap in the snow.
“Come, mutt,” Cyrus cried,pointing at the big pack leader, “We could use more meat for the fire.”
He knelt down to retrieve his crossbow. Where was his crossbow? Somethingclicked to his right. Cyrus’ flesh tingled.
“I would be very careful,” Knavishsaid, holding Cyrus’ loaded weapon awkwardlyin his bound hands, “My grip is precarious, andif panicked, I’m liable to release the bolt.”
Icy dread filled Cyrus’ belly. Twomore wolves ventured down the craggy trail. Fibianheld his sword at the ready.
“Drop it, froskman, if you wantyour friend to live,” Knavish said, his yellow eyes narrowed.
Fibian hesitated, then dropped hisblade. Cyrus cast around for a way out. The two wolves blocked the lone route off of the cliff.The surrounding mountainside denied all other possibleescape. Cyrus clenched his teeth. The only other way off of the precipice was to jump.
“Want to find the Battle Hune?”Knavish asked.
The klops’ lipless mouth twistedinto a gloating grin.
“I’ll show you the way.”
Chapter3
AND YET SO FAR
THE MASSIVE WOLVES continued on into thenight, the icy terrain impossibly cold. The light from Fibian’sglowing eyes reflected dully off of the surrounding snow. The largest of the pack led the caravan down the blustery mountainside. The blackwolf’s hackles seemed always raised. Years of dried blood stained the silverfur of his wrinkled muzzle.
Knavish grippedFibian’s loaded rifle as he followedthe black beast’s plodding steps. Cyrus’ crossbowhung across his hunched back, and Fibian’s mechanicalarm dangled from his belt. He kept Edward trapped within a leather coin purse hungaround his neck.
Cyrus trailed the lieutenant, boundand packaged like cargo and slumped over a lopingbrown wolf’s back. Fibian brought up the rear, his body trussed
