The Road East. Afternoon.
The road stretched ahead, empty and long.
Grog rode at the front, his eyes on the horizon, his hand on his sword. Lira rode beside him, her wounded arm pressed against her side, her face calm. They had been traveling for days, stopping only when the horses needed rest, pushing forward when the light allowed.
The capital was still ahead. The guild was still being built. Aldric was still missing.
Grog hadn't spoken since they left the palace. Lira hadn't pushed.
The hills were green, the fields were gold, the sky was wide. But something was wrong.
Lira felt it first.
The birds had stopped singing. The wind had stopped moving. The air was thick, heavy, wrong.
She raised her hand. Grog stopped.
"What is it?"
Lira scanned the trees. "Something's out there."
Grog's hand tightened on his sword. The berserker stirred.
---
The monster came from the trees.
It was massive—twice the size of a man, its skin gray and mottled, its limbs too long, its joints bending wrong. Its head was narrow, triangular, with too many small, black eyes clustered where its nose should be. Its mouth was a vertical slit that split open horizontally, revealing rows of needle-thin teeth.
It moved fast—faster than anything that size should move. Its limbs folded and unfolded as it ran, its body flowing over the ground like water.
Grog's sword was in his hand.
He didn't remember drawing it.
The monster lunged.
---
Grog met it head-on.
His sword carved a deep gash in its flank, dark blood spraying. The monster hissed—a sound like steam escaping from a cracked pipe—and swiped at him with its claws. Grog dodged, swung again, opened another wound.
The monster was fast. Faster than the creatures in the canyon. Faster than the beast in the pass. But Grog was faster.
The berserker was awake.
The red crept at the edges of his vision.
Lira's arrows flew past him, sinking into the monster's flesh. She aimed for its eyes, its throat, its joints. Each shot was precise, deadly, perfect.
The monster screamed. Turned toward her.
Lira didn't flinch. She drew another arrow.
---
The monster charged.
Grog moved to intercept, but it was faster. It swerved around him, claws reaching for Lira.
She dodged—barely. The claws passed inches from her face. She rolled, came up shooting. The arrow sank into the monster's shoulder.
It hissed. Swung again.
Lira couldn't dodge in time.
Ken was there.
He appeared from nowhere, his sword flashing, his body moving like water. He parried the monster's claws, drove it back, opened a gash across its chest.
The monster screamed. Stumbled.
Grog was behind it. His sword drove deep into its spine.
The monster fell.
---
The clearing was silent.
Grog stood over the body, his chest heaving, his sword dripping with dark blood. The red was fading. The berserker was settling.
Lira sat on the ground, her wounded arm pressed against her side, her face pale. She was alive. She was breathing.
Ken stood at the edge of the clearing, his sword still drawn, his eyes on the trees.
"You were following us," Grog said.
Ken didn't look at him. "I was."
"How long?"
"Since you left the palace."
Grog was quiet for a moment. "Why?"
Ken met his eyes. "Because you need me."
---
Lira stood. Brushed the dirt from her clothes. Walked to Ken.
"You could have said something."
Ken shook his head. "You would have told me to stay."
Lira raised an eyebrow. "Would we have?"
Ken met her eyes. "Yes."
Lira was quiet for a moment. Then she nodded. "Probably."
Grog walked to stand beside them. Looked at the monster's body.
"It was alone," he said.
Ken nodded. "The creatures are spreading. Hunting in packs now. This one was a scout."
Lira frowned. "A scout for what?"
Ken shook his head. "I don't know."
---
They made camp at the edge of the clearing.
The fire was small, the watches were set, the horses were tethered. Grog sat apart, his back against a tree, his sword across his knees.
Ken sat across from him.
"You're going to the capital. To help with the guild."
Grog nodded. "I am."
"The guild will need hunters. People who can track the creatures, kill them, study them."
Grog met his eyes. "You want to join."
Ken was quiet for a moment. "I want to help."
Lira walked to stand beside them. "You've been hunting alone for a long time."
Ken nodded. "I have."
"It's not safe to hunt alone anymore."
Ken met her eyes. "I know."
"Then stay with us. We could use your help."
Ken was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded.
"Alright. But I'll still do things my own way"