And So It Begins 3

Two against, what it appeared to be around five hundred shikari. They wouldn't live to see another sunrise. A certainty, not a speculation.

The horde pushed forward climbing up the steep hill at an incredible speed. Their sheer size offered an advantage that they didn't have. Covering more ground in a short span of time, was something that they wouldn't ever be able to do.

Their size was also their only weakness, as their movements were slower and rather maladroit, as opposed to Iris and Corvin who nimbly moved through their feet, slicing at their heels as they passed between their legs. The sheer force that it required to sever one leg....it was inhumane. And yet, somehow Corvin possessed the required strength to achieve such an incredible feat. Being small has its perks in circumstances such as this.

Iris raised her blade swiping at one leg as she nimbly passed between its legs. Not enough damage to fell the creature but enough to irritate the beast, making the creature halt and turn around to follow her as she moved on to the next.

They didn't stop, as they moved among stomping legs, and swiping claws. The roars and the shrill screech that filled the early morning air were all there was. The two armies that had been decimated, lay on the forest ground below them. So much death.

The hoard halted, all of a sudden and fell dead silent as they began retreating into a circle trapping her and Codvin in the middle. They weren't mindless creatures if they were capable of organising.

Corvin stopped, and so did Iris. Back to back, heavily panting they both turned watching the beasts, waiting for their next move.

" If we die today," Corvin panted," I want you to know that I'm glad I met you...," He trailed off as one of the shikari took a step forward. Not a good time to say farewell.

Iris grunted in response, feeling the sisters tug on the leash she'd bound around their necks. They wanted to be released. Her life for the entire realm. A sacrifice she wasn't willing to make.

" How long?" Iris asked as she watched the shikari from the corner of her eyes.

" Soon," That was all he had a chance to say, as she felt him push her out of the way when one of them swiped its claws at them. Tumbling on the ground, Corvin rolled on the grass, dragging her with him as one foot landed next to their joined bodies, with an earth-shattering stomp.

Crevices began appearing spreading from beneath the beast's foot outward, forking in several directions across the meadow.

" The ground is hollow," Iris huffed, catching Corvin's attention, as his eyes trailed to the crevices.

" Hold tight," He huffed as they rolled in tandem on the floor to avoid another stomping foot. The ground shook, and more crevices appeared, as the earth began pulling apart at its seams.

Stomp after stomp, they rolled on the floor in tandem, making themselves a difficult target as the shikari attempted to squash them like bugs.

A loud rumble from beneath them broke through the resounding roars, and shrieks, shaking the very ground they lay upon, as one last stomp forced the ground to open beneath them, at incredible speed.

" Now," Corvin shouted, as he sprung to his feet dragging Iris as the ground began to open beneath their feet at a sickening speed.

Shrieks and roars filled the air, as the shikari, began falling into the open ground al9ng with chunks of earth, dragging them into the belly of the land, while their feet ate at the ground as they ran on the crumbling soil beneath their feet as fast as they could without looking behind.

Whatever it was, it kept her going as she followed behind Corvin leaping over the crevices, as the gaping hole in the ground yawned wider and wider behind them, at an incredible speed. Some of them fell into the growing hole as the edges gave out beneath their weight. Roars, pained, sorrowful ones, filled the air drowned only by the sound of the heartbeat drumming in her ears. The humid air, the early mist clung to her lungs making it impossible to drag a proper breath.

When they landed on solid ground, Corvin threw himself to the ground, in a tuck and roll move, as she just barreled towards him at frightening speed, and crash-landed into him, sending both of them careening down the hill.

Pulling one of the daggers, Iris impaled one into the ground but she wasn't strong enough to hold both of them, her and Corvin. At the sheer force of the pull, she let go of the dagger, slowing their descent down the hill just a fraction. At least it did something after all.

Another dagger was pulled out and impaled in the ground, slowing their descent even further.

Corvin propped a leg on the ground bringing them to a halt right before a cliff near a newly formed crevice.

Corvin cursed as he propped his other leg on the edge of the crevice, as Iris slipped off him, teetering over the edge.

Grasping at one jagged piece of rock, she hung by a thread over the gaping hole beneath her while Corvin scrambled to his knees and gripped her wrist to pull her up.

" Whatever you do, do not let go," Corvin grunted," Leverage yourself against the rock, " He huffed as he held to her arm, which snapped out of its socket, losing the strength to hold on to the jagged edge.

" Iris, use your feet," He grunted as he struggled to hold onto her arm slick with blood.

Dangling in the air, Iris searched with her feet for solid ground. The crevice was warped, undulating as it split open.

She didn't bother to speak for a while, using the remaining arm to grapple at a piece of rock, which came loose as soon as she pulled on it.

" Let me go," Iris huffed when the last bit of strength slipped out of her body.

" No," Corvin roared and pulled out the hunting knife from his boot and lanced it through the ground below the crevice edge, slightly tugging her upwards, just enough so she reach for the hilt of the knife.

With one last burst of strength, she flung her arm up gripping the slick hilt with the tip of her fingers.

Corvin pulled, as she grunted as the sheer pain lancing through her arm from the force of his pull, and the weight of her body dangling beneath.

" Foot next," His words were strained as he struggled to pull her over the edge. Searching with her feet Iris, found the knife sticking out of the ground, and pushed herself up, landing on top of him.

" I told you, " He smirked, " I'll be here," He huffed dropping his head back on the grass heavily panting.