Book 4 - Chapter 26 - Unremitting Danger (1/2)

These creatures were similar to the protofiends Cloudhawk had encountered deep beneath Skycloud. Only, perhaps more complete – more like Blackfiend the Undying, or Seraphs.

Fiends and Seraphs. They were the same, in the end. Human-shaped relics.

Reputedly the creation of these creatures required the blood of a god or demon, hence their dramatic names . Presumably the rigors of their creation were demanding. At least it could be assumed, since there was no mention of vast quantities of either Seraphs or Fiends during the Great War.

The Charnel Tree had to be some sort of… incubator. A way to turn the bodies of the Vale’s ancestors into servile relics. In that way it wasn’t very different from the chrysalises the protofiends had come from, just older. Obviously it needed more time to do its work.

Dryads, they were called. And they used to be human. Elders, in fact, with varying levels of psychic and spiritual power. That made them fine material for Dryad creation. In other words, while the process of creating a Dryad was much longer than the protofiends beneath Skycloud, the final product was far more complete. More like Squall’s formidable Blackfiend – only, there were quite a few here now.

“Mother… Father. Elders! Why can’t you rest?!”

Panic stricken, Autumn stared in horror at the Dryads. She couldn’t really tell which of them were her parents, they were all featureless creations of old bone and bark. But they were there, part of this nightmare coterie. She felt a pang of despair that began smolder into anger.

“You were the leaders of our Vale! Servants of the Shepherd! Why have you been turned into the demons?!”

“Hey, calm down. They aren’t demons – they’re probably closer to your god now than they ever were.” Cloudhawk could only imagine how much of a blow this was to her, but they were in a dire mess and if Autumn lost her head they were done for. “They can’t think for themselves anymore so don’t scream yourself hoarse for nothing.”

But Autumn couldn’t accept this. These were people she loved and respected, changed into abominations that were neither human nor spirit.

“They’re just relics with human shapes. Like dolls!” Cloudhawk could feel the vibrations growing stronger in the Dryads with each passing moment. It felt identical to when he fought the protofiends. The cold sweat that trickled down his spine was familiar, too. “Stop them, you have to. Otherwise we’re all dead!”

Easier said than done. He didn’t have time to explain to her what he knew had happened, and he probably couldn’t even if he did. A few sentences were all he could manage as the Dryads began to close in on them.

Their bodies hummed with awakening energy. Vines sharp as spears were spat from unliving flesh toward them.

The old drunk’s face darkened in the same moment he summoned the power from his relic. Golden light arose from Dawnguard, sweeping out to meet the vines and blasted them apart. Haphazard attacks from the others followed, yet nothing could stop the Dryads.

Claudia jumped into the air and summoned the power of Tempest Flower. Scores of metallic petals exploded outward and dug into the Dryads’ bodies, peppering them with shrapnel.

Belinda flung fireball after fireball at anything that moved. Dryads burned, but never stopped their attack for an instant.

Now instead of tree people they were shambling pyres of wood and metal. No living creature would have withstood such a vicious combo, but the Dryads were unfazed.

Ignoring the biting metal and roaring flames, they continued to manipulate lashing roots toward the invaders. Those closest to them shuddered as clouds of spores were ejected from their bodies. Fires were instantly extinguished and the cloud spread out over the others.

“Watch out for poison!” They shuffled backward to keep themselves outside of the toxic cloud.

However, some of the spores managed to land on Rei’s lily-white face and neck. Blinding pain paired with a maddening itch immediately racked her nervous system. Lines of purple spread out from the point of contact, marring her fair skin as the poison sought an artery.

Evidently the spores produced their toxin quickly, and spread it just as fast. She screamed in agony and fell to the ground. Patches of repulsive, rough skin arose on Rei’s face and neck.

Raising his hammer high, Butcher roared and flung it at the Dryads. It spun end over end, striking the nearest one with thousands of pounds of force square the chest. Force equivalent to being crushed by an elephant blasted through it, causing the Dryad’s body to explode into pieces. Residual force from the impact actually knocked the other Dryads around it off their feet.

Useless. The mangled pieces of his victim’s body quickly reassembled.

The hammer returned to its owner, but it had brought some of the spores back with it. Butcher snatched his weapon back and felt it immediately as the spores settled onto his right hand. Even for him, the pain was almost more than he could ignore. It felt like fire coursing up the nerves of his arm, while purple fluid bubbled under the surface of newly forming malignant skin. The reactions were so fast he only had time to stare in shock.

“Fire!”

Belinda understood what Butcher meant. She summoned her fire and put it to his arm. The smell and sound of scorching flesh filled the air, but it stopped the growth from expanding. Butcher watched his flesh burn black without even batting an eye, like pain wasn’t a sensation he could register.

Nearby, Barb and the Sutherland brothers were trying to fight off the Dryads with exorcist bows. Claudia pummeled them with a cutting rain of metal. Belinda flung her orbs of fire without pause. While the Dryads were particularly fast, nothing the invaders did slowed them down. Morale was quickly collapsing. They’d never fought enemies they couldn’t kill before.

Cloudhawk’s face grew darker with every step they were pushed backward. “Can you make them stop or not?!”

Autumn wasn’t an idiot, she was going to get them all killed if she didn’t try something.

She put her faith in the flute, her only recourse. Putting it to her lips she took a deep breath and blew, her mind fixed on a single thought: Stop! A pure note arose and hung in the air, washing over the Dryads. They stopped… but Autumn’s heart sank as half a beat later they resumed their forward trudge.