The creature’s claws pierce into moist dirt, passing over thick roots and bones as it clicks its teeth.
“Shit,” I hear Thane mutter. I don’t dare look back.
I assume all the serpents are gone now because both he and Rynthea run past us, putting themselves between us and the monster with their weapons up and defenses raised.
Rynthea eyes Thane. “I’ll take the flank. You take the head.”
He nods.
But before either of them can charge forward, two more of those creatures appear behind the first one.
“Shit,” Rynthea curses. “Never mind.”
“Forget how it’s done. Let’s just fucking kill them.” Thane sprints toward the first creature, and the others screech loudly, rising on their hind legs and opening their mouths wider. One storms for Rynthea while another stomps toward me.
Algar grabs my arm and teleports us out of the way before the creature comes too close. We stand several feet behind the creatures now, watching Rynthea catch one of Thane’s swords when he tosses it to her. She climbs onto the back of one of the creatures and stabs it through the head with a heavy grunt. The creature collapses in an instant.
In a swift motion, Thane slides beneath the belly of the other beast, vanishing for a split second before reappearing. As he comes back out, yellow liquid and guts spill from beneath the monster before it falls.
The last one turns to search for me and Algar, charging in our direction again with an angry cry. Thane throws up his hands with a grunt, and the creature veers to the left, slamming into a tree trunk. It shakes off the blow, blinks, then opens its mouth to hiss louder at us.
And just like the serpent…it disappears.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Algar says under his breath. “That thing camouflages, too?”
Panicking, I sweep my gaze around the area.
Thane scans our surroundings while Rynthea holds on tight to her scythesword. I do the same with my dagger.
The jungle grows still as we wait.
Listen.
Then I feel it.
Hot air blows down my back, and that same acidic fear I tasted before floods my mouth again. Goose bumps spread over every inch of my skin as the heat of its breath grows hotter.
“B-behind me,” I stammer.
I don’t dare turn around, and I damn sure don’t move. Not until the animal hisses and Algar yells my name.
Before the creature can eat me alive, something yanks me off my feet. Thane uses his magic to push me away, and I land on my stomach as the creature reveals itself exactly where I was just standing. Thane launches forward with his hands illuminated in gold and shadows.
Rynthea roars as she slings her scythesword and hooks it through the creature’s jaw. When she yanks back and frees her weapon, the creature shrieks in pain. Its jaw has disconnected from its head, now dangling like loose skin. Thane climbs atop it and stabs it through the neck in a flurry of gold.
The creature buckles as Algar grips my waist from behind and hauls me to my feet.
“All good?” he asks, panting.
“Yeah.” With shaky hands, I dust dirt off my top and trousers.
Rynthea and Thane are finishing off the creature. After one final stab through the head from Thane, it falls.
Silence sweeps through the jungle again.
We pause, holding our breaths, waiting to see if anything else comes. Fortunately, the jungle remains still. No other creatures appear…but that doesn’t mean we’re any safer.
I shuffle to join Thane and Rynthea, a bit rattled.
