The Kingdom - Page 37/201

One year later

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Splat!!!

I heard the gob of saliva fall and I knew that the mouth of the monster had opened. I ducked out of my hiding spot at the knowledge that my location had been found out. A screeching wail of great magnitude erupted as I broke cover.

I heard a sound like thunder clouds clapping in a storm as the huge jaws bit through the tree I had been hiding behind. It was after me then with a ponderous stumble of heavy steps even as it wailed out its avarice to kill me.

I ducked into a tight grove of Avarno trees and the fallen order beast howled in rage and began to smash its way ponderously through the soft pulped and closely grown trees. The trees were slowing it down, which gave me the time I needed to make it to the clearing. This was so much easier when things went according to plan, such a blessing was rare so I always planned accordingly for the chance of things going wrong.

I broke free of the rain forest and out onto the lush grass of the valley's main grazing pasture. I was a powerful runner and my life of surviving and fighting had made my body hard. I had the scars and enough near-death experiences to prove it too. The high order animals busy grazing on the lush grass of the valley picked up their heads in alarm as a wail of aggression broke out from the forest behind me.

The fallen order beast was clear of the Avarno trees and would be after me swiftly now. Faster than I could run.

Okay, which one was it going to be, I contemplated to myself, as I ran straight toward a group of three horned Tricans. Kuri had taught me many things, one of which was that some of the high order beasts could still be communicated with. I cried out my need from within and for a moment the herd of giant three horned beasts came to a standstill.

They blinked their large eyes at me out of their heavy armor plated skulls and then I saw their gazes shift to the forest edge behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see one of the fallen order kinds explode out of the heavy vegetation on its two massive rear legs as its short upper arms grasped the air in their eagerness to get a grip on me.

I glanced ahead as all the high order beasts of the plain began to run. It would be a short day for me if all my available rides ran off and left me here.

One year later

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Splat!!!

I heard the gob of saliva fall and I knew that the mouth of the monster had opened. I ducked out of my hiding spot at the knowledge that my location had been found out. A screeching wail of great magnitude erupted as I broke cover.

I heard a sound like thunder clouds clapping in a storm as the huge jaws bit through the tree I had been hiding behind. It was after me then with a ponderous stumble of heavy steps even as it wailed out its avarice to kill me.

I ducked into a tight grove of Avarno trees and the fallen order beast howled in rage and began to smash its way ponderously through the soft pulped and closely grown trees. The trees were slowing it down, which gave me the time I needed to make it to the clearing. This was so much easier when things went according to plan, such a blessing was rare so I always planned accordingly for the chance of things going wrong.

I broke free of the rain forest and out onto the lush grass of the valley's main grazing pasture. I was a powerful runner and my life of surviving and fighting had made my body hard. I had the scars and enough near-death experiences to prove it too. The high order animals busy grazing on the lush grass of the valley picked up their heads in alarm as a wail of aggression broke out from the forest behind me.

The fallen order beast was clear of the Avarno trees and would be after me swiftly now. Faster than I could run.

Okay, which one was it going to be, I contemplated to myself, as I ran straight toward a group of three horned Tricans. Kuri had taught me many things, one of which was that some of the high order beasts could still be communicated with. I cried out my need from within and for a moment the herd of giant three horned beasts came to a standstill.

They blinked their large eyes at me out of their heavy armor plated skulls and then I saw their gazes shift to the forest edge behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see one of the fallen order kinds explode out of the heavy vegetation on its two massive rear legs as its short upper arms grasped the air in their eagerness to get a grip on me.

I glanced ahead as all the high order beasts of the plain began to run. It would be a short day for me if all my available rides ran off and left me here.