The road opened up more after another hour of walking. The trees thinned out for a stretch, but Luthar could see that the sparsely covered area of the swamp was short-lived. The canopy got even thicker up ahead. The stench of carrion drifted over the still water from their right, where a dry area appeared to join the path not far beyond.
“Her father came home unexpectedly, so I had to leave at that point,” Laster was saying to Nellis.
“Shhhh!” Luthar hissed.
They looked at him, then followed his gaze. A massive form sat at the edge of the clear area he’d seen. It stood to its waist in the water but still towered at least ten feet over the surface. Black fur covered most of its body, and thick, dark-green scales covered the chest, back and head.
“An Iyurine!” Darius said.
By now they’d all ducked low, hoping that the creature wouldn’t notice them. “A what?” Anral asked him.
“They’re an Aberration based on some creature that normally inhabits jungles. I forgot the name, but it was something close to a man’s build, but far more muscular,” Darius answered.
“A gorilla,” Luthar said softly.
Laster nodded. “Yes, I’ve read about them as well. But that is probably ten times the size of what I read about.”
“It appears our guards are some highly educated men,” Darius said to Nellis.
Laster chuckled. “Hear that, Luthar? We’re well-read.” He grinned at Darius. “I’m a storyteller and musician. You want to tell good stories, you go where the books are.”
“What’s that around its neck?” Anral asked.
Luthar squinted, “Looks like an arm.”
Sure enough, there was what appeared to be a man’s arm on a length of rope draped around the Iyurine’s neck, a ghoulish necklace.
“Oh, that’s just nasty,” Laster muttered. “What say we creep back the way we came before it adds a couple of heads and a leg to its collection.”
They all nodded. “Aye.”
“Excellent plan,” Darius agreed.
Just then, there was a loud cry, and Anral sprang up, throwing a light green snake into the air. The effect on the Iyurine was instant. It turned fully toward them, black, deep-set eyes fixed on the group.
“Fuck,” Luthar spat.
“Run!” Nellis cried as the beast waded toward them through the water.
“To where?” Laster said, drawing his sword and moving near Luthar. “We’ve been walking on a dry road surrounded by snake and crocodile-infested water for hours!”
“I think it bit me!” Anral cried, attempting to look at the back of his leg.
“We’ve got bigger problems now!” Luthar yelled at him. “Nellis, Darius, get behind us!”
The surveyors didn’t wait to be told twice as the creature hauled itself out of the water to stand to its imposing eighteen-foot height. Its eyes were all black and it growled, showing canines as large as a man’s forearm. It stopped and appeared to survey the group of tiny men before it like some giant child trying to decide which toy to play with first.
“What the fuck’s it waiting for?” Anral yelled.
“Probably trying to figure out which asshole screamed,” Laster shouted.
“Fuck you!”
The Iyurine charged without warning. The men held their line, expecting it to smash right into them, but it stopped just out of range of their weapons and pivoted to their left, loping around them in a wide circle.
“It’s going for them!” Anral shouted as the huge creature went completely around him and appeared to be heading toward the surveyors, who by now had ran over a hundred feet down the path.
“No! It isn’t,” Luthar said just as the creature pivoted back toward them. It threw a fist the size of a small boulder at Anral.
“Shit!” The man said. He ducked low, but the edge of that massive hand was enough to catch his shoulder and launch him fifteen feet into the water.
Laster took advantage of the distraction and closed in behind the Iyurine’s swing, scoring a solid hit near the back of its upper arm. His blade bit into its green scales, but not very deeply. He danced back out of range just as the huge fist came toward him in a backhand swing.
“Luthar!”
“Yeah. Hit its belly if you can,” Luthar called back.
“Right.” Laster circled wide to try to flank it.
The creature watched him. It apparently realized what he was doing and wouldn’t fall for the ruse. It backed away, keeping both men in front of it.
“Smart fucker,” Laster said as he fell into position at Luthar’s side.
“Not quite smart enough,” the big man said.
Anral, who the thing had knocked into the swamp and apparently forgotten about, rushed in from behind and slashed at one of its calves.
The Iyurine howled in pain and swung around to come after him.
Luthar saw his chance and sprang forward, his blade leading. It bit into the scales, but unlike Laster’s smaller blade, his did penetrate. Blood sprayed from the large gash he opened across the thing’s lower back.
The beast dropped and rolled away from the men. Laster had come in right behind Luthar’s attack. That roll was the last thing any of them expected the Iyurine to do, especially Laster. It barreled completely over him, its massive bulk crushing the small man before it got to its feet.
“Laster!” Luthar jumped over his friend. The beast swung, but Luthar’s blade met the arm head-on, slicing the thick appendage off at the elbow.
The creature howled again and stared at the spurting stump of its arm, surprise evident on its bestial features. But Luthar wasn’t done. With a mighty growl, he spun and swung his sword across the thing’s thigh, leaving a deep, oozing gash. He danced around a clumsy swing and brought his sword down again, this time opening up the creature’s left side.
Anral stood frozen in shock as Luthar spun and swung, spun and swung—systematically dismembering the massive creature until it flopped to the ground and lay there dying. Huge gurgling breaths heaved through the body as Luthar, blood-splattered and seemingly bigger than he had been before, shoved his sword into the dirt and ran over to Laster.
“Can you talk?” he asked Laster.
Laster looked up at him. “Fuck,” he croaked, blood running from the corners of his mouth.
Nellis and Darius ran up then.
“How bad is it?” Darius asked.
Luthar had seen the Iyurine land on him. He’d also seen enough injuries to know that several ribs were broken and there was internal bleeding: probably a punctured lung as well. He looked up at the two surveyors, then his gaze lingered over Anral for a long moment; he finally looked back down at Laster and sighed.
Laster shook his head weakly.
Luthar felt the man’s heartbeat quicken, the body’s reaction to massive blood loss and lack of air. Now it was slowing. A little at first, then dropping quickly. Luthar’s shoulders slumped and he reached out a hand to Laster’s chest.
“What the…” Anral gasped.
Laster’s eyes, which had been drooping shut, opened wide. His rattling breaths grew stronger. He cried out in pain; his back arched. The look on Luthar’s face grew intense, as if he were straining to lift a huge weight.
“Sihir!” Darius whispered.
Laster’s back fell to the ground.
Luthar stood. “Not really.”
“You’re one of them!” Anral said.
Laster rose, showing no sign of injury whatsoever. He glanced at Luthar and then at Anral. “Yes, and now you’ll shut up and never speak of it again,” he said. “To any fucking one.”
