A Monster Life

67 - No Options

The colours in the sky faded slowly towards the black and white of the long night in this world, and Ulric stopped Harry and nuzzled Kaui's neck, who sat in front of him to keep him company during the trek. 'I think we should stop while it's dark. I don't trust following the path through these mangroves during the night. The light from the ring and moons and the shadows obscure everything.'

Kaui gazed into the darkening surroundings and heavy, moist, and smelly air hiding the packs of buzzing insects and the small wildlife hunting them. 'This place daunts me, Master.'

He kissed her softly in her neck and gave her a light squeeze. 'I can imagine, my cutie. I'd rather not be here myself.'

Valdys approached them when she stepped out of Cat. 'Done for the day, love?'

Ulric helped Kaui off of the bike and stepped off himself. 'Yeah. I don't want to risk mistaking a patch of pond scum for solid ground.'

A soft splash drew their attention, and Ulric blocked the arrow meant for Kaui with his scaled arm. 'Attack!' he said over the link while spreading his wings to protect his girls.

From the green waters around them, armed demons appeared which Ulric would describe as almost humanoid alligators, who threw spears and shot their bows as they rushed forward.

Ulric cut the rope tied to Harry, and it drove quickly to the side of Cat, while Valdys conjured up a shield wall at once. The attackers crashed into them while Iphigenia, Elzbieta, Conchim, Caylais, and Susi ran out of Cat, ready to fight.

Elzbieta made a quick estimate of the increasing amount of demons hacking and pushing against the invisible wall. 'Where did they come from?'

Ulric retracted his wings. 'They showed up from the waters suddenly in an ambush.'

Iphigenia moved quickly towards the end of Cat. 'That just might be it with our friends following us.'

Ulric looked at Elzbieta. 'I think we're at a disadvantage if we fight them now.'

She gripped her sword. 'I have to agree. We need a better place to defend ourselves than here in the open.'

'Master!' said Kaui and pointed at a group of the demons climbing up against Valdys's defences by standing on top of one another.

'Crap!' grumbled Ulric.

'There's a path we passed that leads to one of the ruins nearby.' said Valdys. 'We should head there.'

Iphigenia and Elzbieta agreed and Ulric looked back at Kaui. 'Tell Isa to reverse and follow Val's directions.'

'Yes, Master.' she said and hurried into Cat.

Cat moved backwards a moment later, with everyone keeping pace with its trot. The swamp demons tumbled forward while Valdys also pulled her shield back, and Iphigenia and Elzbieta used their bows to shoot the fewer demons at the back to slow them down in surrounding the whole party. They used up so much arrows that Susi kept running back and forwards between them and the weapons supply inside Cat.

Ulric snarled at the scent of their earlier pursuers reaching his nose. 'Our four friends and their friends are close enough now that I can smell them despite the stench here and the wind. We have to hurry.'

Isa sped up Cat, which helped in reducing the number of demons reaching the back, but all were glad when Valdys gave Isa the signal to stop and turn right. The girls boarded Cat while it trotted along the new path, on which Ulric drove ahead as fast as he dared in the dimming light with Valdys in front of him.

'There.' she said a little later and pointed at the dark silhouette appearing above the mangrove trees up ahead.

Ulric guided Cat up a path carved into a shallow rocky hill, and to the remains of an ancient fort. Valdys surveyed the visible side of the dark stone structure. 'If those high walls are all intact, I can defend it with little effort.'