Chapter 381 A Storm Of Blood (1/2)
”Three groups,” Kaleesh said ”If we'd gone a quarter-mile further, they would have flanked us frohtspawn aren't the mindless creatures I'd expected to face”
Arran cast a wary glance at the shtspawn on the hilltop ”If they aren't mindless monsters, there must be a reason they let themselves be spotted so easily”
”It seems your studies have paid off,” Kaleesh said ”They made little effort to hide themselves And worse, they haven't attacked us yet”
”Worse?” Sassun gave the captain a puzzled look ”How is that worse?”
”It riiving Arran an approving nod ”If the three groups ahead were the only ones, they could not afford to let us retreat Even if they ran us down, one or two of us ht escape and spread word of their presence”
”Then what are they planning?” Sassun asked, frustration written plain across his face ”And what do we do?”
”They intend for us to run,” the captain said ”To flee whence we came, only to find our path blocked by h, these three groups ahead will attack us from behind”
Despite their predicament, Kaleesh sounded more impressed than concerned, almost as if he was pleasantly surprised by their eney
Arran, however, did not share the captain's appreciation of the carefully laid trap Instead, he was more concerned with how they could escape it
The answer caht ”We'll have to rush the hill”
He'd studied the captain's h to knoas their best option To destroy one of the groups before the rest could respond, and to seize a position the mercenaries could defend
The hilltop offered their best chance at that It was barely half a h for the roups arrived And once they took it, they'd have the high ground, which would be no sreed ”The two of us will lead the charge Sassun, your task is to hold off the other groups until the first is finished Do not take any chances”
Sassun gave a sht as he studied the terrain A few ive them their orders
”Make it quick,” Kaleesh called out to the commander ”I doubt our eneh his voice sounded almost cheerful, when he turned to Arran, his eyes suddenly lacked all trace of his earlier boisterous confidence
”We'll need to work fast,” he said in a low voice ”If these Blightspawn are as strong as Raina said, the troops won't be able to resist the Once the battle starts, every moment aste puts their lives at risk”
Arran nodded, now understanding that the captain's lack of concern had merely been a facade, intended to bolster the mercenaries' spirits ”You'll take the lead?”
”I will,” Kaleesh replied ”I'll do my best to break their ranks, so you can cut thehtspawn use ic, kill those first”
It was an instruction Arran didn't need If he Sensed even the slightest bit of htspawn that used it instantly
At that moment, Sassun's voice sounded ”We're ready”
Arran took a deep breath, calh he was confident of his own chances, he knew the er Whether they survived at all would depend on how fast he and the captain could defeat the Blightspawn
”It's the burden of responsibility,” the captain said, recognizing Arran's troubled expression ”But you can't let it weigh you down — not with battle ahead Are you ready?”
Arran nodded ”I am”
”Then follow me”
There were no further words fro, he set off toward the hilltop in the distance, his sword drawn as he ran through the grass at an inhuman speed
Arran followed as best he could, but even so, Kaleesh pulled ahead almost instantly Whatever Arran had learned of speed in h to match the captain
The hilltop was half a mile away, but in less than ten seconds, Kaleesh had already covered a third of the distance And as he drew nearer, his speed only increased further
By now, the Blightspawn had clearly realized as happening More large figures appeared from behind the hilltop — a dozen, two dozen, and then even hly forty of the creatures had appeared, their ainst the sky on the hill above
There was movement below, as well In the distance, ate, fore And even further away, yet another group ele glance at the latter two groups before turning his attention back to Blightspawn on the hill The only thing that mattered noas to defeat those, and to do so as quickly as possible
Just a hundred paces now separated Kaleesh and the large group of Blightspawn, and as the captain charged, the creatures formed loose ranks, weapons drawn as they prepared to cut down the single attacker