When he went back to the camp Gaius and Agrippa were outside the tent, their swords drawn and torches lit. Tori was behind them on one knee, her bow drawn as she also looked for a target.
"Clear, all clear...I’m walking back now," Obran called out from the darkness.
He walked back to their tent as they all lowered their weapons.
"What happened, Obran?" Gaius said.
Obran explained what he saw. A fog creeping towards them that took the shape of a man with red eyes, how he shot it and later saw dark blood on the ground and no tracks whatsoever.
“Any ideas what it could be?” Tori asked.
They all looked at each other, clueless.
"Could it have been a goblin or troll in a cloak?” Gaius said.
"No, I would know the difference," Obran said.
"Sir, their blood is not so different from ours and it wouldn't explain the lack of tracks or the mist; we would have heard a troll in such a dense forest and goblins seldom attack alone," Agrippa said.
"Whatever it was, it knows we are here and it could come back with reinforcements,” Obran said.
“Shouldn't we continue then?" Tori said.
“Yes, everyone get ready,” Gaius said.
"It would be slow traveling in this pitch black sir, even with torches, sir," Agrippa said.
"We'll risk it. Is the road clear, Obran? Could you lead us?" Gaius said.
"Yes, I’ll lead the way but we should hurry," Obran said.
Tori quickly folded the tent while the rest of them packed the horses. In a few minutes they were back on the road; Obran went first, on foot, with a lit torch while the rest followed closely, leading their horses by the reins on the wet and muddy trail. It would still be about five hours until sunrise and another day before they passed through the forest.
Suddenly in the distance Obran heard footsteps or something similar to footsteps; he wasn’t quite sure. Since there was no other noise the sounds stood out in Obran’s ears. Whoever they were, they were not trying to conceal themselves. The sound was a steady pace, almost like soldiers marching, dozens or more coming from multiple directions. He peered into the forest but couldn’t see too far past the thick brush or the curving trail ahead of them. Why do they walk so slowly, so deliberately and without hesitation?
"Gaius, keep Tori close to you," Obran said. "I think we are headed into a trap. I hear footsteps. If they try to surround us, just break through and flee with her."
"No," Tori said. "We all stay together."
Obran saw movement behind them on the main road. But he couldn’t get a good look from a distance, just saw some white outlines that looked like thin, emaciated figures. Whatever they were, they were solid, not like the thing he’d shot and he heard breaking twigs and branches as they neared.
"They are getting closer, following us. Let's move," Obran said.
But the road was too uneven to ride so they continued to push ahead on foot. Soon the horses started to panic and buck. Obran saw more figures ahead of them now and some in the forest too. Whatever they were they did not have torches. What are they? But as they slowly merged from all the sides he got his answer.
“Skeletons!” Obran yelled.
They were creatures Obran thought only existed in myths and legends. But if fae, pixies, and giants were real then nothing should really surprise him anymore. The skeletons were merely white bones, with no flesh on them, but were kept together by some invisible force. More magic, dammit, Obran thought. They walked in slow deliberate steps, like marching soldiers, their limbs moving mindlessly and in unisons. All of them were the size and shape of a adult humans and a few even carried clubs and sticks.
“They are all around us!” Obran said.
"I don't see anything," Gaius said.
“Get on the horses, try to ride through them,” Obran said.
Obran knew the strength of a cavalry charge; perhaps it was their best chance to escape. They all mounted their horses but the skeletons held their ground and formed a wall in front of them. They aren’t mindless, Obran thought, and as much as they pressed the horses the animals were now frozen in fear, so they dismounted and drew their weapons. The skeletons were now visible to all of them in the torchlight and Obran picked up their scent; it was similar, but not quite like death or rottenness. The skeletons coming from behind formed a wall too as others slowly emerged from the trees. Obran threw his torch in front of them and quickly lit another as Tori hit a skeleton in its skull with an arrow. But the skeleton continued to lumber towards them, unaffected, an arrow sticking out of its head. Gaius and Agrippa now stood in front of Tori as she shot more arrows, none of which had any effect. Obran finally got off a shot from his crossbow and hit the nearest skeleton. A golden spark flared up and its head turned into dust while the rest of its bones crumpled to the ground.
“Use the fae dust,” Obran yelled.
Obran reached into his satchel and handed Tori his pouch of fairy dust.
“Gaius, Agrippa, put this on your weapons,” Tori said.
Tori dipped her arrows into the fae dust and handed the pouch to Giaus.
“We’ll fight our way forward and try to break through,” Obran said.
Obran and Tori let loose many bolts and arrows as Gaius and Agrippa pressed forward. The two humans used the last of the fae dust on their blades and slashed at the skeletons which quickly fell to dust and pieces. But there were simply too many and more and more came from every direction. The skeletons tried to grab them and force them to the ground. Up close Obran struck several with his gladius and used his torch to push them back as well—the flame disorienting the skeleton. But soon one grabbed his torch and tossed it aside and the fire quickly went out in the wet forest. Agrippa was the first to be pinned on the ground with a pile of skeletons on top of him. Two others grabbed Tori by the arms. Gaius and Obran tried to reach her but several skeletons pulled them both to the ground. One skeleton grabbed Obran's sword; it crumbled but left Obran without a blade as another grabbed his arms. Obran scratched and clawed and even bit into the skeletons, trying to break loose but was soon pinned. Up close the scent of death overwhelmed him. Obran saw the others were passed out as fumes emerged from the mouths of the skeletons, like a noxious bog gas. This is how it ends, Obran thought. But the fumes did not affect him and Obran continued to fight before he was struck from behind and everything turned black.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDwcX3Tyax
