Chapter 16 - Naheas Cowl II

Parrying the giant winged lizard's first attack was simple for Naheas. It was the second swipe of the beast's talons that sent him through the air and into the makeshift canopy he'd built for shelter a few days before. The shelter, designed for rain and wind, crumbled beneath Naheas' weight as he tumbled through it. Had his body been that of a normal human being, the fall to the ground might've broken several bones.

Naheas however found himself able to stand, though he was not completely numb to the throbbing pain resonating in his rib cage. The beast before him reared its neck, thrusting its scaled mouth into the air, and roared a ferocious war cry. Naheas involuntarily stepped back, towards the depths of the Echen Forest.

He had only heard of beasts such as the one before him in stories. And he was sure if this beast was even a fraction as powerful as the stories made them out to be, he would not survive if he continued to fight it.

The winged lizard was not prepared to let him escape. The buck, which the smell of drew the beast's attention was no where to be found, and it's mission there was to feed itself. Naheas would do fine for the animal. It needed only to kill him, and its hunger would be satisfied.

The winged lizard lowered its head, and looked Naheas directly into the eyes before it charged him again. Naheas dove to his left, narrowly avoiding another swipe of the beast's talons. His reluctance to take an attack from the lizard seemed to anger the beast. Again it reared its yead into the sky, and let a out a bellowing wail that shook the ground beneath Naheas' feet.

As Naheas struggled to regain his footing, the beast charged him again, this time finding purchase in his attack, ripping into flesh. Naheas clutched his side as blood poured from three long and deep red marks on his rib cage. A brief moment passed and the winged lizard took a large step back. Peering down at Naheas, the beast assessed the man, and the damage he'd done to him.

Naheas waited for his body to heal as it had since he'd awoken in the river. To his surprise, the wound did not immediately dissolve as he'd already become accustomed to.

He let out a sharp cry of pain as he attempted to lift his arm and return to a defensive position. Noticing Naheas' pains, the winged lizard seized the opportunity and lunged forward again, this time choosing to direct his large powerful jaws, lined with several rows of jagged razor pointed teeth.

Naheas jumped to his left, grunting as he did so, pain shooting through his wound. His makeshift knife fell onto the ground as he clutched his side. The energy he'd felt surge through his body after sharing the venison with his wolf companion was beginning to diminish. Giving him no time for reprieve, the winged beast took another swipe at Naheas, this time missing, and burrowing his sharp claws deep into the trunk of a large tree.

As the winged lizard furiously attempted to dislodge his talons from the tree trunk, Naheas limped over to his makeshift weapon, near as it was to the beast. Weapon in hand, Naheas lifted his arm and attempted to pierce the winged lizards long scaled neck. The stone knife bounced off of the beast's scales, leaving no nick, tear, or sign of damage.

Naheas fell onto his back as the winged lizard managed to pull its claws from the trunk.

If only I had a real weapon. Naheas thought as the beast turned on him.

A sword, a spear, sharpened to a point, he thought as he rose to his feet, once again brandishing his makeshift knife. The beast raised its nose high into the air and roared.

The tusks from that boar would've made a good spear.. the winged beast approached Naheas, wary of his movements, or lack thereof. Naheas would've sworn a satisfied grin had crossed the beast's face as it licked its tongue out, tasting the air around him.

Hell, I could've used the antlers of that buck for a sword.. the beast opened its mouth wide. Naheas found himself glad his sense of smell had diminished as the air around him warped from the heat resonating from the beast's mouth.

Any weapon would do.. Naheas thought, as he lifted his chin into the air, and stared the beast in its eyes. The winged lizard no longer interested in playing with its food. Naheas lowered himself, and moved his hands and feet into position.

Though he doubted fighting in the Ku Yongi soldiers traditional style would make any difference, he would at least die fighting like a soldier. A smile crossed his face at the thought.

As if his sudden change of expression had angered him, the winged lizard, abnormally large in size, and ferocious to say the least, charge at Naheas claw and jaws both stretched out, ready to tear Naheas apart.

The ground shifted beneath the lizards feet, yet, the beast was not deterred. Naheas leaned backwards, and lunged towards the beast, swinging his makeshift knife forward towards the winged lizard's head, hoping he might somehow land the tip into its eye.

The space between Naheas and the beast was decreased at a rapid pace, as the Kairu Lizard tore across the terrain.

The beast once again was upon Naheas, when from beneath his feet, a pitch black figure, covered in what Naheas thought might be smoke rising from its body. As strange as it was, Naheas recognized the creature. Its two enormous tusks, and four hooves connect to powerful legs. And its tendency to charge straight at its enemy.

The boar Naheas had hunted for food, now resembling a tangible shadow lowered its head, dug its hooves into the ground, and made a beeline towards Naheas' enemy. The giant winged lizard let out a piercing cry as the boar drove its tusks deep into the belly of the beast. A bluish-green substance Naheas assumed was blood oozed from the wound.

The lizard reared onto its legs, and attempted to retaliate against the beast, and as it did, another dark figure, covered in wisps of rising smoke materialized from beneath him. The shadow figure of a buck, immediately trusted its antlers into the exposed side of the Kairu Lizard.

"Wha-..?" Naheas would've liked to asked 'What the fuck?' but with an opening finally given to him, Naheas saw the opportunity to attack, and as if their movements were directly linked to his thoughts, the beasts that had sprung from the ground acted accordingly.

The boar dodged the lizard's attack while the buck once again impaled the winged beast with its antlers, causing the bluish-green liquid to burst from its exposed belly. The beast roared fury and pain into the skies. Naheas quickly ran to the the Lizard, and as the buck pulled its pointed antlers from the winged lizard's stomach, and with every bit of strength in his body, pushed his makeshift blade into the winged beast's eye. The beast begrudgingly fell to the ground, its rage apparent in its remaining eye.

Slowly its angry cries became pained wheezes, until after a struggle Naheas hailed as valiant and resilient, life faded from it. Naheas fell to his knees, no energy left within him whatsoever. As he fell the shadowy figures of the boar and buck who had become his own personal saviors seemingly melted into the ground and, as if they never existed submerged themselves into his shadow.

As what he interpreted as his vision began to fade, from a short distance he could hear the slow

-clap- -clap- -clap-

of a pair of hands.