Of all, the last line caused the most consternation.
Only the blood of the catalyst will set us free.
Had the prophecy foreseen his demise? If his time had truly come, the cold hands of death would find him an unwilling tribute. He glared ahead at the demon that approached. The Horde would find him a fickle prey.
He would fight for himself.
For every tribute who suffered under the heel of the kingdom.
For every family torn apart by the abhorrent doctrine.
For Kaep.
Only moments later, the full body of the massive Horde came to a stop at the edge of the square. The wind whipped around Ryl’s body, scattering a low cloud of dirt across the courtyard. Less than fifteen meters separated the pair.
Standing in front of Ryl was easily the largest creature he had ever seen. At more than double his height, the beast must have outweighed him by thousands of pounds. Its barrel-shaped chest heaved in and out as it inhaled and exhaled gigantic breaths. Even through the wind that curled around his body, tendrils of the foul odor reached his nostrils. It had a face much like that of its kin. Large ovular, hate-filled eyes were set wide upon its skull. Its nostrils were nothing more than narrow vertical slits in its face. The mouth that nearly split its head in half hung partially open, showing off its jagged, discolored teeth. They glistened with saliva, reflecting the light of the day off their surfaces.
The club it carried effortlessly in its right hand was more akin to a felled tree. Several disorganized rings of large rusted metal spikes protruded from the end of the devastating weapon. Ryl stifled a gag at the sight of the shattered remains of what used to be a lanky harrier still wedged between the spikes. The monstrosity hefted the cudgel from its shoulder without a hint of concern for the added weight. Behind the beast, standing atop the pile of rubble, a line of banes sealed off the exit to the courtyard.
The beast took a single step forward; the ground rumbled at the impact of its massive clawed feet. Feet that could easily crush Ryl. The beast hoisted its club, hammering a taunting cadence as he slapped it against the palm of his opposite hand.
Ryl waited patiently, though his heart thundered in his chest. The alexen in his blood boiled at the sight of the beast. He held a tentative grasp on the speed that waited eagerly in his veins. The Horde swarmed behind their champion. Were he to fell the massive beast, the fight would still be long.
Desperate.
For a moment, the incessant slap of its club on its opposite hand paused. Its eyes narrowed as it curled its mouth into a horrid snarl. Streams of fetid saliva spewed from its mouth as it released a deafening roar. The stench that permeated the air was revolting. Ryl’s stomach churned as it threatened to release its contents.
The beast struck out with its massive hammer. Devastatingly quick, Ryl had only a moment to leap to his left as the weapon plummeted down. The crushing force shattered the neatly fitted stones of the cobblestone square. Chunks of rock and dirt exploded from the point of impact. As lethal as the blow had been, it was far too telegraphed. Ryl had merely stepped to the side to avoid the initial swing. In an instant, the disheartening cause for the concern became clear.
The impact had driven the great cudgel almost a meter into the ground. The earth and stones surrounding it spread outward, forming a wave on either side. Spikes scraped across the rocks as the beast ripped the club from the ground. With the head of the weapon only a meter from the ground, it lunged to its left, away from Ryl. The grunt of exertion preceded the impact of the brutal weapon with the usable remains of the stairs. The stones exploded from the force of the strike. A shower of rock careened into the buildings to the west. Along the wall, archers scattered, diving out of the way of the lethal debris. The cries of pain signaled that some had reacted too slowly.
Ryl had little time to react as the Horde continued its swing as it charged back in his direction. He dipped into the speed flowing through his veins, flattening himself to the ground as the weapon passed overhead. The swishing of the air and the wind that whipped in its wake were eerie heralds of its passing.
Ryl’s connection to the relative safety of the palisade above had been severed. Even with his agility and speed, his lifeline to the respite atop the wall had been destroyed. A chilling feeling settled into his bones as he realized he was truly cut off.
Alone.
The beast rounded on Ryl, greeting him again with another thunderous roar. Mocking cries broke from the mouths of the banes standing in anticipation behind. He had the sickening sense that he was being toyed with.
The beast paused, again resuming the impatient, rhythmic slap of the shaft of his cudgel into his other hand. It waited. Daring him to move. Goading him into an irrational action, one predicated by emotion, not logic. The oversized Horde had considered his match unworthy. Its pretentious attitude made Ryl grin.
Lessons from his tutelage under the deceptive watch of Andr flashed into his head. Predictability will get you killed. The massive club of the Horde fell back into the awaiting palm. Its journey upward brought it perpendicular to the ground, standing tall like the tree it had once been. As it reached its apex, Ryl struck.
Seizing the opportunity, he released the gale that had swelled around his body. A focused blast of wind and green flame slammed into the head of the club just as it reached its apex. The powerful rush of air pushed the massive
