The Warden

Chapter 33

And just like with the venom, the process ceased.

Masis knelt panting on the ground, his tongue hanging from his now feral maw, lined with fangs. Struggling to his feet, he found the ground much farther away, his vision blurry. Somehow, his clothing had vanished, but no evidence of it lay on the ground around him. Before he could examine the changes he had undergone, his senses were assaulted in a thousand different ways.

Cricket chirps, usually ignorable, now bombarded his ears. A musky fox, unseen, stuffed his nose. And there was more. The croaking of frogs. The pines' astringent smell. Bats' fluttering wings. Dried sweat on Kyla's warm skin. Boughs creaking in the wind. Muddy muck. Groaning timber. Yipping coyotes. Berry sweetness.

All of them collided into him overwhelming his mind. Through it all Masis made out, in the distance, sprinting feet, hissed breaths, and quick words exchanged. From the same direction, a gust, heavy with the scent of rust, blew into him. Masis just clapped his hands over his now pointed ears, standing upright.

Too much! Masis thought, shaking his head. Too much!

Throwing his head back, he poured another howl out of his pursed lips, ringing up into the sky, cursing Manu.

With the howl, the steps raced beyond human speeds, hammering at Masis' ears. He just kept shaking his head.

A wildness boiled up in him, spurred on by the persistent sensory overload. Ferocity, rising from the source of all the basest impulses, raged in his bones. Enough of Masis remained to hold it in check, but barely.

"Masis!" yelled Kyla, cutting through the fog. "Masis, you have to get a hold of yourself. Do you hear me?! They'll be here any second."

Eyes clearing and focusing on Kyla, Masis took a single step, a growl in his throat.

Shut up, woman, he thought, the wildness bleeding through into his mind. You've been berating me for months, but now just shut up.

"Masis, you clod," snapped Kyla. "Pull yourself together. They're here."

Another step followed. Growls rumbled in his throat. I'll shut you up if I have to.

"MASIS! You ruddy idiot! It's Manu. You have to fight..."

Kyla's voice trailed off as eight figures emerged from the shadows, circling around the tree she was propped against, four she-wights and four he-wights all arrayed in dark clothing of military cut. Pale and dark of eye, they took in the scene of the newly made Warden standing in wolvan form—half-man, half-beast—claws grown out and fangs shining.

They hesitated.

Masis eyed each, chest rumbling with a threat, crouched low on his new jointed legs. Scanning back and forth, Masis barked at the wavering creatures, guarding Kyla.

What are you waiting for wightie scum? wondered Masis. Let's be done with this.

A mental link from the nightlings lashed out, connecting to the mesmer braided into Masis' new aspect, like a bola soundly wrapping on a scoring post. Masis pulled against it, roaring out as the corresponding she-wight visibly trembled with the exertion. Another he-wight threw his own mental lasso onto Masis to assist. He too shook with exertion as Masis continued to strain on the invisible cords.

"Hold him!" A she-wight, clearly their leader, ordered. "Hold him!"

Masis roared again and again as each nightling threw their tether out connecting themselves to his mesmer, forcing his body to freeze, every muscle taut with effort. The lead she-wight ensnared him last, the bond entwining into the dark mesmer, forcing Masis to his knees.