Grimmer (Sequel to Kailin)

Chapter 34: Another Great Has Fallen

***

Ana

***

The mass of grimmer having been slightly overwhelming, I joined back up with the defense from Dugrai-out. Wolves protected the boundaries of the onslaught from the sides, while elves darted in and out of the main body. The humans, however, held their front.

Somehow I'd wound up in the middle of their defenses. There was a large brown wolf snarling alongside a human I recognized. It bit a flank, allowing its human to slash his blade and divide a shoulder. The human then turned, and flashed me a smile as wide as usual.

"I think I could live with this," he yelled to me, turning just as the wolf had lunged up into the throat of an oncoming attack. The animal turned up its bloody maw and perked its ears in my direction.

"Good job, Liam," I called to the twin. I wanted to shift then.

A large sword fell in front of me to swoop back up into the abdomen of a grimmer. The beast did not slow; it swung its arm around to bat away the offensive weapon, then with its right side swung to hit the human who had just pricked its side. I jumped to Herald's aid.

"It's good to see you, too!" his deep voice chuckled as I bounded toward the next target.

The humans were slower. They tended to catch themselves in more dangerous positions. It would have frustrated me -- I was used to the dancing and twirling, the quick finishes to the first charge. But this was it. This was the end.

"We need a healer!" someone called. The sound was followed by a grunt and the clashing of a harsh metal over a pure one. I turned directly for the voice.

It was Jason who had called, a major behind him gripping painfully at one arm while still holding a blade with the other. Jason saw my approach out of the corner of his eye just before beating off another grimmer. "I don't suppose you're a healer now?"

I ignored his comment and jumped before the man, taking the grimmer from his attention. Soon enough another elf ran behind him. I didn't know her.

"There, there," she whispered, taking the injury under her hands and allowing it to disappear. The man was healed quickly, and the woman ran off to help another.

"What a luxury," I said slyly, looking over and winking in Jason's direction. He rolled his eyes and ignored me when I ran off, as well.

The fight seemed to turn more familiar, then. I was surrounded by the usual turmoil. Training, experience, and instinct drove my movements. There were no others to fight beside me; I was left to take down as many beasts as I could.

"Hey, Ana —" Someone grabbed my arm as I passed. "Wait."

I looked over to find Eta standing there. "What? What is it?"

"It's Eritt; he was looking for you. Stay in the front with the Kailin; Dariel is going to have us split the halves."

"Saerwen," Eta called, turning the other direction to catch the archer before she ran past. "Cover us?"

The silver-haired woman nodded, bow in hand. "Lead."

Eta jerked forward.

Was I supposed to hold a line, or attack the center? How did the Elves manage with no order in their attack? 'Split the halves'? Really?

I flashed a look behind me between Grimmer. Slim bodies stood under the trees. Others hung in the branches, staring down. More figures crouched behind them. They could hold the border. So I didn't need to worry about bodies getting past me. The treeline was secure. It was just that — the Kailin and the Wolves were well outside of the border.