73 One duvodiad appeared ... (1/2)
The commandant barely had the time to take a step back before a huge mouth pierced the hot sand and ate his arm. His previously majestic posture, his saber proudly pointing at the sky was no more. Under the intense pain that was the result of the loss of his limb, the man stumbled backward and fell on his butt, retaining with a great effort his scream of pain. Profiting of the shock of everyone, the snake didn't linger any longer and use the momentum of his assault to attack a group of warriors. Seeing the dark hole, filled with fangs sharper than steel, coming far too quickly toward them, no one managed to react in time.
”AARGH” ”AAA MY LEGS!” ”WHAT IS THIS THING?”
Screams of fear, pain, and confusion filled the air as three soldiers were violently swallowed by the huge monster, and two others had some of their limbs torn apart. In barely a few seconds, the brutal assault began and ended. Leaving only a relatively organized army, shaking out of fear. Everyone was used to battle with the different monsters inside the desert, and casualties were never avoidable during those skirmishes.
But nothing, absolutely nothing, ever attacked them directly in their base. The only safe haven for them, in the entire desert, was no more. ”CALM YOURSELVES, PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ATTACK!” The commandant, holding his left arm that was bleeding, tried his best to prevent anyone from fleeing. The worst thing that could happen would be that since they had no chances of surviving if it did happen. Without noticing themselves, every group began to shrink a bit, their members seeking a closer companion.
Normally, it could have been a good idea, but when the ground began to rumble again, instead of only 3 men missing, seven were killed by the already closed maw of the snake. Only its head was leaving the ground, and its escape was already achieved when they turned their sights at it. After that, not even the two efforts combined of Adin and the injured commandant managed to prevent a few men to panic and tried to escape.
They barely made a few steps outside of the range of the torches before screams began to resonate, lingering in the air for a second. After that, no shadows were moving, and the very pale lights coming from the moons showed nothing moving in the desert. A few clouds were obscuring the sky, but it was barely enough to let them notice forms in the darkness. Some soldiers that were late of a few seconds stopped right in their tracks and waited a bit to see where their former peers were.
One, more coward or brave than the others, tried to make walk away. But when his foot knocked a broken sword buried in the ground, he turned around, shouting loudly. ”THEY ARE DEAD! WE CAN'T ESCAPE! WE ARE DOOMED, WE HAVE NO CHA…” His beheaded head flew in the night, putting an end at his pessimistic words. The lieutenant was watching the rest of the deserters, slowly cleaning his blade. They didn't dare to suffer the same fate and returned inside the center of the encampment.
Nodding at this resourceful man, Adin took note that if they ever escaped this ordeal, this man will definitely be rewarded. ”As you can see, no one will be able to outrun this monster. Don't be mistaken, it is either us or it. Now, don't stand in groups like that, spread out. I want every man to be at least half of a meter away from his next neighbors. Every hit will count, so be prepared to strike at any moment.”
That was the extent of what they could do. The terrified army obliged to the orders of Adin, since their only other choices would be to be eaten. Turning around to face the female magus, Adin only saw fear and panic. She was attending the injured commandant, and his injury already stopped bleeding. Without even bothering to turn around, she answered the questions of Adin.
”I'm sorry, commandant Adin but, this monster is far too quick. The moment I manage to finally track it down, it already has attacked and killed more soldiers. The only reason I was able to sense him the first time was because of the closeness. I am barely weaker than magus Khala and if even he didn't manage to beat it, our only hope is the bombs. But you know…”
”Yes, I know.” Since he arrived here, he lamented about the fact that he inflicted such a heavy attack on the monster that he probably made it more careful. From the beginning, that snake never approached the tent of the commandant, where the bombs were put nearby. Even when it attacked the commandant, it was only when he stood up in front of the crowd and approached the soldiers.
”AAAAAAJ MY ARM!” More screams and obviously, more deaths. In the illuminated plaza in the center of the base, more and more soldiers were dying. Some managed to at least slash at the incoming monster, but as expected, the sturdy scales nullified those weak attacks. The next minutes were a pure torment for every human, seeing their friends, colleagues, dying one by one, being so powerless at doing anything to prevent that.
The rare moments the snake stayed above the surface of the desert long enough for the magus to do something, her spells were still not enough. Whether it was [Blizzard], [Burning Hand] or even other powerful sorceries, they barely slowed down the monster. As she further and further launched assault after assault, the dim light of hope that resided in the eyes of the soldiers was irreversibly snapped out. For them, there was nothing a magus could not do. But now, they realized it was not true.
From the hundreds and hundreds of warriors that were suddenly awakened, only less than one hundred still survived. On the ground, bloodied limbs and destroy equipment were dispersed, between two shuddering soldiers. Now, holes of more than a few meters could be observed, brutal signs of the absence of humans.