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

Anger had crept into Cloudhawk’s voice as his nerves began to fray. “That fucking useless piece of shit flute! Can it do anything?!”

Autumn felt her eyes burn as tears threatened to rise. She didn’t want this! They were under assault, and any minute they would be overrun. She didn’t know what to do!

Cloudhawk forced himself to be calm and look around. His keen eyes began to spot details, like the fact that the Dryads’ attacks were all avoiding Autumn.

Like… they didn’t see her at all. The Dryads were only trying to attack the people who weren’t supposed to be here.

Autumn had the blood of her ancestors, leaders of the tribe. They would allow her to pass unmolested. In fact, it was more than likely all of these troubles wouldn’t have happened if she’d come alone. At least she was safe, even if the others were increasingly likely to meet their deaths here.

The Dryads couldn’t be defeated. After all, humans only had so much stamina. It was foolish to try and win over a creature that could never tire, and never stop. Even a Master Demonhunter could run out of strength, so there was only one method left to try. Try to sever their connection to whatever power kept them alive. Cut them off from the source!

“These things are drawing their strength from the tree!”

Cloudhawk decisively pulled Basilisk off his back and pulled back on the string. An almost imperceptible twang thrummed among the din. The arrow found purchase in the chest of one of the Dryads, and immediately the upper portion of its body was turned to stone. It crumpled apart, shattering against the floor on impact and scattering stone in all directions. This sort of attack would at least slow the relic’s recovery.

“Autumn, these things aren’t after you. Help them, and the rest of you cover me. I’m going after this fuckin’ tree!”

Cloudhawk jumped into action before anyone could protest. But the Dryads seemed to know his plan.

They centered their assault on him, and all of a sudden Cloudhawk was faced with a wall of deadly opposition. The phase stone’s power spring to life, so that poison spores and piercing vines passed by harmlessly.

Life and death depended on this ploy!

Cloudhawk rushed through the crowd of Dryads protecting their tree, Basilisk at the ready. He fires several arrows, one after the other, all aimed for the Charnel Tree. Where they struck, dark bard started to petrify.

The Dryads went mad, doing everything in their power to try and tear Cloudhawk apart. Forced to drop his phase field to attack the tree, he was left exposed.

“Go!” The drunk blessed Cloudhawk with Dawnguard’s light while swinging his iron cane. A blast of power issued forth and knocked several of the Dryads aside. Butcher, Barb, Claudia and her squad all rushed in to give him cover, with Autumn leading the charge.

Thankfully the Dryads didn’t seem very intelligent. The others hid behind Autumn like a shield, temporarily confounding their attacks. A brief respite, but enough to give everyone the breathing room they needed.

Cloudhawk arrived before the Charnel Tree. His Silver Serpents sprang into view, turning to streaks of silver as he hacked at the petrified bark. Cold steel flashed like he was chopping vegetables until – BOOM! A concussive blast rocked the chamber.

All at once the Dryads became sluggish, then still.

The old man laid into one of them with his shinning cane, smacking it to the ground. It didn’t get back up this time. He turns his vicious attacks onto the others.

“We did it!” Belinda caught one of the Dryads with a fireball, burning it to ash.

“You’re incredible, Warden!” She was practically jumping for joy. Her admiration for the scandalous demonhunter only grew with each passing battle, to the point where it was almost zealous. It was only natural – force someone to confront the possibility of death and emotions will rise.

Cloudhawk’s quick thinking and decisive action had saved their lives. Everyone knew it.

But before they could celebrate too long, several lumbering bodies appeared in the hallway they came from. While Cloudhawk and his crew were cleaning up the Dryads, they used the distraction to launch a surprise attack.

“Shit, dragons!” He couldn’t for the life of him figure out what these damn things were doing down here, nor did he have much time to ponder. They were on the group of humans in an instant, one of them knocking Barb to the ground and pinning here there. Another caught Gabriel in a bull rush.

It was then they noticed black-clad people clutching to the dragons’ backs. They had Elysian-made rapid fire crossbows in their hands which spat a volley of deadly bolts. This sudden, violent sneak attack took them all off guard.

Claudia and her squad were quickly surrounded.

It was too quick, and the dragon riders had specifically zeroed in on the weakest invaders. They were overwhelmed. Claudia fended off many of the bolts but caught several in the chest and shoulder. Her squad mates suffered worse, and were quickly brought to the ground.

Claudia was so furious she was seeing red, but the dragon riders were on her before she could react. They’d circled around them now, and were closing in for another attack.

1. Their names in Chinese are 神 (god) 侍 (servant) and 魔 (demon) 侍 respectively. Seraphs, detailed as servants of God, were chosen for the good ones. Fiends were picked for demons, as a ‘fiend’ is like a mini-demon.

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