Stepping In

Professor Kal couldn't see the expressions on the knights' faces but could tell by the way they were shifting while standing in line that they were apprehensive about the approaching monstrosity. So far, only one such insect had hatched, but there were still a few hundred bulging, veiny sacs ready to burst open at any second. Once they had, the Royal select would be greatly outnumbered, even with the remaining members of the church and city guard bolstering their numbers.

The eight-foot long, four-foot-high insectoid skittered across the hard frozen ground, closing in on the knights with their shields raised. Just as it reached the solid line of flesh and steel, it jumped up into the air and at the knight unlucky enough to be in the center of the line. Ducking his head behind his shield, the knight tried to block the creature with the thick piece of metal while the ones next to him hacked at the leaping insect.