The Exodus Sagas: Book I - Of Spiders And Falcons (60 page)

“I
almost
felt sorry for that creature.” Azenairk touched his holy symbol that hung from around his neck, fearing and admiring the power that the lady wizard possessed. “Who is going to captain the ship
now
?”

“I will.” the elven swordswoman sheathed her blades and went up the stairs to have a look at the charts. She stopped, right in front of the door, the clouds starting to dull darkness. She heard something from the island, the sound of a man yelling, it was James. Shinayne concentrated, her senses keen, she heard cats and the sound of fighting as well. “Get the away boats in the water! Now!” the elven noblewoman yelled for all to hear, to her surprise, the human men listened and did as she ordered right away.

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Another panther clawed across his back, sharp razors slicing into tough gray hide. Saberrak chopped behind him in full swing with the greataxe, catching the beast in the neck and knocking it to the ground. His left hand chopped down with the other axe, burying the edge into the cat’s skull. His eyes attuned to darkness, the minotaur lowered his horns and charged downhill at two fiendish panther-men that stalked him. His horns dove deep into the chest of the left one, its claws raking his shoulders as it hissed and growled in pain. The gladiator did not stop, driving the beast into the cat’s eye statue behind it, crushing spine and ribs, feeling the blood run down the top of his head down his horns and onto his face. He turned in time to catch a glimpse of the one that had pounced on him from behind, the two toppling end over end, down off the trail into the dark valley. Saberrak pinned the throat of the huge feline and lifted it, clawing and hissing, then cut his greataxe blades twice through the midsection, leaving it in two. He looked up, seeing six or seven sets of yellow green eyes surrounding him. Frozen for a moment, bleeding from his back and shoulders, the minotaur’s mind went blank. He felt the anger and rage of his years in the arena, the poise of having no choice but to kill everything that moved around him.

James continued to yell for the ship, hearing the panther behind him crashing through the foliage in the dark. He was on sand now, he could see with the light of the moons and the stars, and he could make out the away boats being lowered with lanternlight aboard. Placing two hands on the broadsword, the knight of Chazzrynn turned, realizing the boats were minutes away. He saw the bounding eyes, staring at him on a full run that he could not escape on open beach. The beast closed, leapt at the human warrior, and he turned and rolled to his left, hearing the panther crash into the shallow water. As he faced it, the feline was up and circling him, as he circled it.

“
Come with us, do not fear it
.” the voice hissed out words, then waited for a response. The knight said nothing, kept his guard up, and waited for the creature to charge. A snarl loosed its fanged mouth, and James backed up, swinging his blade up and down, trying to keep the cat at bay. The beast hissed at the blade, but crept closer, batting with its paws at the weapon. James Andellis dug his boot into the ground, and then flipped his foot up throwing sand at the cat’s eyes. As it turned its eyes away, the knight stepped in, cutting across the panther’s neck and again across the face, the edge slicing through an eye as well. The griffon hilted broadsword then dove, point first, through black fur and muscle, just as the creature jumped on top of him. Claws and blood blended with horrid foul breath as the fiendish feline tried to devour the knight. His fist clenched around the beast’s throat, gripping as much to crush it as to save himself the teeth, Sir Andellis held the snarling fangs inches from his face. He maneuvered his legs under the ribs and heaved with all his remaining effort, sending the cat over his head.

James spun to his feet, blade out in two hands again, seeing not only the wounded one staring him down hesitantly, but another behind it on the prowl. Piercing eyes in the still of the coastal darkness, growls from within the great panthers resonating across the beach. He knew he had to kill the injured one before he found himself in serious trouble, so he charged in. The beast recoiled, sensing the other panther nearby, waiting for the last trail of dim starlight to disappear to the clouds. Turning and twisting his stance, James found himself flanked, unable to keep an eye on the fanged shadows that stalked him, not sure which one was dying, or which was ready for a kill.

The butt end of the greataxe smashed the remaining life out of the vicious cat, the others taking turns raking at Saberrak’s flank. He spun his axes, bringing both down into the shoulders of the beast behind him, then dropped his knee and full weight on the neck, snapping it. The creature twitched, letting out a final hiss, its eyes dimming. He lowered his horns, his thigh clawed again, deep and bloody this time, yet he did not care, did not flinch. The stolen axe flew from his hand, landing into ribs of another leaping panther, imbedding deep and hurling it to the ground where it tossed and flopped in pain trying to get the weapon loose of its body. The beast that cut his leg open returned to rake again, this time it met the blood soaked horns of the minotaur, piercing through the side of the hind flank. Saberrak grabbed the back of its neck, removing the cat from his horns, tearing flesh and fur from sinew and muscle. Flailing and ripping with black claws of all four legs, the gray gladiator threw it to the ground and readied his greataxe. It landed on all fours, and turned like lightning, leaping for the minotaur. The edge of the axe turned horizontal, combined with the cat’s momentum, cleaved through the gaping fanged mouth through skull, and took the top of the beast’s head completely off. Saberrak the gray was knocked back as the body slammed into his torso, but took a lower stance, waiting for the next panther to leap.

Two sets of eyes he saw, still stalking in the trees, then a third. The third set of green orbs was very high, fifteen feet up in the trees, and very still, waiting. The other two, closer to the ground, also waited, purring and growling to each other. Saberrak snapped to, realizing that he had killed many, seeing the pale human forms they had reverted to scattered all over, some in pieces. He thought of James for a brief moment and began to withdraw down the valley even more. His calves bleeding, his thigh torn and raw, his chest and shoulders were stinging from claw wounds, and his eyes burned from the blood that had run down from his horns. He still walked backwards, not thinking of turning his back to these black furred demons. Then he saw. The third panther was not in tree, but stalking on foot, its head stretched that high, obviously Bansa, their lord, and for good reason. The prowling creature certainly stood fifteen feet at the shoulder and was as long as ten men from head to tail. Silent as the others, its round feral eyes the size of a man.

“
My children, how could you kill my children
?” the lord of these beasts, whether a man or not, stepped forward, sniffing his dead kinsman and staring at the gray minotaur.

Saberrak thought of a few choice words, looked at his axe, and then up to the enormous black feline titan that stared at him. He turned and ran, faster than he had run before.

The trees threw him as he hit them, the branches snapped, and he tumbled down through the valley. He heard the roar of the beast, like that of thunder on a clear day, like a herd of rampaging minotaurs. It shook the ground, and he felt it in his greataxe. The pounding of giant paws, the crashing of trees like they were twigs, the very breath of the lord of the panthers was tremendously present. The gray gladiator ran, seeing the beach ahead with his attuned vision, and seeing the ship and away boats. The horned warrior did not slow his pace, also spotting James on his back, blade across a panther’s chest as it was nearly ready to eat him alive. Another lay dead, back to human form, a few feet away. Saberrak charged, both hands on the axe, and in passing cleaved the head off at the neck. Blood splattered all over the knight, now pushing to get the twitching and decapitated feline off of him.

“Thanks, messy and atrocious,
but thanks.
What happened up there, are there…”

“Shut up and run! Get to the ship!” Saberrak looked over his shoulder, seeing the green eyes stalking down to the beach. Looming high in the air, like an unstoppable menace, the hissing cat stalked closer to the fleeing murderers of its children and worshippers.

James sprang to his feet, bleeding from his side, and looked back at the green eyes in the air, the midnight form in the dark, not believing what he thought he was seeing. “
Is that what I think it is
?” he waded into the cold water behind Saberrak.

“What would
that
be?” the minotaur saw the boats closer now, the water up to his waist, chilling his open wounds.

“A gigantic panther, half the size of a galleon that is chasing behind you.” the veteran knight saw arrows fire from the Bronze Harpy, then more, hearing them loose from crossbows and longbows alike, all aimed at the shadow of the giant beast on the beach.

“Yes, that would be Bansa. And it is closer to
you
than me, knight. I would hurry. Lift anchor!!” the minotaur yelled toward the ship.

More arrows fired, then a blast of fire from Gwenneth on the upper deck. The flame erupted on the side of the great beast, some of its children stalking the island coast now. Another flaming ball of arcane power flew from her hands, then another, her words carrying on the wind. The animal of enormous proportions seemed more angry than hurt, frustrated and unwilling to step foot in the sea. It howled, roared, even purred and hissed at the ship and the small boats, pacing back and forth across the beach with its children. The boats reached the galleon, and the crew helped the bloody minotaur and knight up the ladder to the deck. They all watched as the cats disappeared into the darkness of the island, still issuing calls and growls of displeasure. The crew stared at the giant form pacing away, then to the minotaur and the knight in disbelief.

“What in the world was that?” Shinayne rushed to the men, Azenairk following, beginning his silent prayers as he produced some bandages and called for clean water.

“Seems the natives have the ability to turn into panthers, and have a personal God of great size. They asked us to stay, but we had to decline. Tell the captain that the Valhirst ship is on the other side of the island. We have to get moving.” Saberrak looked up at Gwenneth who was still staring into the darkness, looking for sign of the cat she had hit several times with her arcane fires. She looked back at the minotaur, and he nodded to her. She returned the nod with one of her own, saying he was welcome without words.

“Saberrak, you are
talking
to the captain. Now let me clean that out, and that one, and by God you are a bloody mess here horned one.” Zen asked for more water and rags from the crew.

“What do you mean, where is the old man?” grimacing in discomfort, the minotaur seemed confused.

“Gwenne killed him. Well, not really, a doppelganger killed him, and Gwenne killed
that
doppelganger. Make sense? There were four all together, they’re dead now.” Shinayne looked at James, who was deep in meditation, feeling his side with the faint blue light from his hand.

“So
you
are the captain? Can you get us out of here, and to Harlaheim? Do you know whatever one needs to know for that?” Saberrak cringed as the dwarven priest cleaned his shoulder wounds.

“I was captain of the
Eimmerin
, in the Southern Kilikala Navy for a decade, the ships are longer and faster than these, but less crew. I can handle myself fine, just keep the men in line for me, horned one.” Shinayne looked around at the men, lifting anchor at night, all seeming a bit nervous with all that had happened.

“I can do that,
Lady Captain
Shinayne. You just get us there in one piece.” Saberrak rested back, letting the dwarf work and pray on his injuries, the faint light of golden healing warmth tingling his thick hide.

Blue light glowed stronger from the knight, his hand tucked under his arm, the aura pulsing as he closed his eyes and concentrated. Several crewmen noticed, stopped and stared till they felt the eyes of the minotaur staring back at them. Zen watched out the corner of his eye, feigning to stroke his beard or itch it to catch a glimpse of how the man was healing himself without a word.

“How do you do that, James Andellis?” Saberrak asked quietly.

“How did you kill all those
panthers,
Saberrak?” James smiled and asked back, his eyes still closed. His seat on the deck of the Harpy had never felt so good.

“I just did, I focus and use what I learned in the arena, and turn my thoughts off I guess. It’s instinct.” he looked over at the fading blue glow of his comrade, and the panther blood dry on his face and neck, courtesy of the greataxe.

“Same with me.” James wiped his face, and then placed his bloody hand on the minotaur’s shoulder to help himself up. “How many did you kill up there?”

“Counting
yours
?”

“Sure
, counting mine
.” James smiled, feeling drowsy and in need of rest.

“Nine, but the big one got away.” Saberrak grinned, looking back at the dark of Cat’s Eye Isle.

“Thank Alden for that. And for Gwenneth Lazlette sending it some nice gifts of fire. Good night.” James bowed to his friends, and went below deck to his bed.

He lay down, filthy from battle, still wet, but he cared not. His head hit the pillow, and he felt the bottle of wine he had put there from the supplies they had loaded.
Just one bottle
he thought, a reward for being knighted, slaying a man-panther, and hard work. He pulled the cork out, and took just a small sip, as it had been four days since he had been sick from too much. “
Ahh, old friend
, you taste better than ever.” James drank the wine, finishing the bottle, and drifted off to sleep.