Demon-Killing Sword

13.5 Pass

Muninn spun to face front and raced after the others into the forest.

From the dappled shadows of the forest's edge, Gunnel appeared. He gestured for them to follow him. "Just ahead," he promised, soft voice whispering directly into Muninn's ears. She glanced up, but he was well ahead of her.

The forest swallowed her up. She batted away branches and leaves, while thorns tore at her exposed legs. Brambles and prickly seeds tore at her bare feet. She wanted to slow down and carefully pick her way through, but the demons were tight on her tail. They'd been slowed by the stream, but she could hear their yelps and whoops close behind her. She glanced over her shoulder. All she could see was the forest. Not that close yet.

Ahead, sunlight blazed down through a gap in the trees. Kjell was the first to reach it. He drew his sword and charged into the light. Niina, right behind him, drew her bow. Huginn pulled a bomb from his bag, and Vivi just hunkered down. Muninn tightened her grip on her sword and followed them past the last patch of undergrowth.

She burst out into the middle of a demon village. Demons of all shapes and sizes stopped dead as a half-dozen humans burst through their village.

Muninn hissed in a breath. Her stomach sucked to her spine. We're all going to die. She glanced around at the others, but no one attacked. Down the filthy roads they ran, past demon huts, so close to demons she could smell them as she passed.

The first to react was a horned demon, his neck bowed from the weight of his horns. He roared and charged, horns lowered directly at Kjell. Kjell sidestepped, and the demon lunged past.

As if they'd been waiting for the cue, the other demons charged as well. A ragged assortment of shouts and roars filled the air.

Muninn followed the others. A tall demon clawed down on her. Squealing, she ducked and scurried past. The others hadn't attacked yet, so she wouldn't either. I hope they know what they're doing.

The little green demons swarmed from the forest.

"Huginn, now!"

The bomb hissed as it came alight. Huginn tossed it behind him. Muninn lunged forward past it before it could hit the ground. I don't want to explode!

With a fwump she heard as much as felt, the bomb exploded into a cloud of dark smoke.

Muninn coughed. She stumbled on something unseen and staggered sideways into a thick pile of fur. A confused grumble resonated through her body. Muninn shoved away. Wind rushed by her face as the demon barely missed clawing at her. Where are they? She couldn't see anything in the smoke.

A hand found hers in the smoke. Muninn yanked her hand away, but the hold was too tight. She caught a glimpse of white hair. Huginn.

"Hold your breath," he whispered.

They ran. The smoke grew thinner, and she could see again. She risked a breath. It burned, but she didn't have to cough immediately.

Out of the village and back into the forest. Huginn slowed. Gratefully, Muninn followed his lead. Her feet felt like chopped liver. She paused and glanced back at the demon village. Amidst the smoke, she could make out the faint forms of the demons. One roared and grabbed at his back. He pulled off a small, green demon and threw it deeper into the smoke. Two more green demons were already climbing up the large demon's back, squealing at the top of their lungs.

Huginn paused as well. "They should fight amongst themselves for a while," he said.

She nodded and turned away. "Let's get out of here."