“Who fucking knows?”
“More are coming from the right!” someone from the other side shouts.
I quickly climb down the ladder and sprint back into the encampment, shouting as I go. “Everybody! We need to get underground!” I run to the small group standing outside the soldier’s infirmary still working on those who have sustained wounds. “You guys can’t stay here. The camp is being attacked. We need to get everyone underground. Now! Follow me!”
They barely look at me as I run past them, while every gun shot I hear in the distance makes my body jerk. If the nagas make it past the soldiers at the gate and into the encampment, I have no idea what will happen. The nagas attacking are not like the nagas I’ve known. The nagas I’ve known were tactical. Logical. My thoughts drift to Krellix and my heart fills with pain.
He can’t help here. He’s gone.
Did he encounter the awoken nagas on his way back? The thought suddenly fills my head and the pain grows spikes of worry. Cursing, I push it aside and dash to the refugee infirmary, shouting for people to move—now—and follow me deeper into the encampment. Because if we can’t get out… we can at least barricade ourselves in.
My eyes flick to the darkening sky. It won’t be much longer until it’s dark everywhere, not just below. I pray the soldiers at the entrance can hold the gate long enough for me to convince everyone else to follow me.
Because if they can’t…
We’ve all lost too much already. And this loss, this loss… is my fault.
THIRTY-NINE
BLOOD AT DAWN
Krellix
It is nearlydawn when we finally reach the encampment, rooting out and killing several stray nagas along the way. If they responded sensically to us, and did not fight back except to defend themselves, I released them and warned them not to outright attack the others. Especially not to feed on them. To feed on one another will drive them mad. It will only make them more vicious, more feral.
That, and to leave thefuckinghumans alone. As Julia would have put it.
Those who did not respond, I killed.
During the dark days when the first nagas woke, there was a lot of killing… a lot of misunderstanding and death. I remember my father speaking of blood, fear, and gnawing hunger. It does not have to be that way again. There are nagas, like me, who can guide the way.
Airy drifts of smoke flow across the field as daylight slowly lightens the open, and unusually quiet, expanse. Blood and exhaust is thick in the air, so thick I began scenting it long beforewe made it here. A brief detour to hunt has largely restored my strength, which I gather now in anticipation for what is to come.
I glance at Kodyx beside and slightly behind me. He is silent as he mimics everything that I do, listening to my every word. But as I turn to look back across the field, to the open entrance to the encampment, it is clear that something is very wrong, and though I do not want to risk his young life, I cannot linger any longer.
There are no machines patrolling above. The usual hum and noise they make does not niggle in my ears. There is no distant chatter, shouting, or laughter. Narrowing my eyes, I hone in on the ground outside the encampment’s entrance. The bodies of over a dozen newborn nagas litter the earth. Among them, scattered across the dirt, are the machines that once flew. Following the barricade’s walls, I note others that have fallen as well.
But it is the lack of human noise that concerns me the most.
My chest tightens with panic and a hiss tears from my throat. Pushing forward through the trees and slicing across the field towards the encampment, I make for the gate, uncaring who might see me from within. The fact that I am not stopped as I reach the camp’s entrance alarms me. There is not a single working machine or soldier in sight. No longer worried I will be shot at, I pause over the fallen nagas, only to find that not all the bodies are corpses.
Kodyx stops at my side and hisses. We both take in the two nagas lying on top of and feeding from the dead flesh of their brethren. They do not seem to notice either of us, even as I get behind the closest one and snap its neck. Before the other one can react, Kodyx jumps on its back. He bites into the naga’s throat and rips open its artery with his fangs. Its tail whips through the dancing smoke and, as he lifts to fend off the attack, I grab the naga and haul it out from under him. It hisses wildlyas I slam it into the ground, spraying blood from its neck and mouth.
I crush its head and drop the twitching body, and the smell of death fills my nose. Thankfully, I only see naga corpses, not humans.
“Continue to sssstay behind me,” I instruct Kodyx as I approach the open gate. On first look, the tents and pathways closest to me seem deserted. Sliding beyond the barricade, I am about to head to the loose flaps of the nearest tent when Kodyx stops me.
“Naga!” he warns sharply, pointing to the side.
Right then, a naga rams into me from my right, knocking me over. Its hissing fills my ears as we roll. Grayish-black in coloring, with hints of purple, it reminds me of Zhallaix and the other Death Adders I have encountered in my time, though this Death Adder is larger than those. As he twists his tail under him and snaps his fangs at me, I lash my tail outward and slam it into his side, throwing him off. Kodyx lurches forward, grabs the Death Adder’s arms, and jerks them back. While he holds the Death Adder in place, I swipe my claws across the naga’s face. He rears back into Kodyx’s arms and I fall upon them both, pushing my claws into his throat and slicing it open. Blood gushes from the wound.
Pushing away from the dying Death Adder, I help Kodyx out from beneath him, then coil my tail before me and slam it into the Death Adder’s head, crushing it like the other and killing him instantly. If I must kill them, I do not wish them to suffer.
Soft swishing sounds to my left, and another naga appears from between two of the tents by the side of the path. I jolt forward and jump on him before he has a chance to come at me, pummeling him to the ground. He snaps his fangs without finesse, no intelligence in his eyes, but I jerk back before his teeth make contact. Bringing my tailtip up to wrap around hisneck, Kodyx appears at my side to watch as I crush the naga’s windpipe. Coiling it further around the naga, I then break his head. Bones snap and meaty pulp oozes.
“Julia!” I shout, heading deeper into the camp and picking up my pace. Not paying attention if Kodyx is following, my nostrils flare as I try to catch Julia’s scent in the air. Getting nothing except smoke, sweat, human waste, naga scent, and blood, I search wildly for any sign of her. Foranysign of any human. But the place is deserted and silent…
Except for the low hum of hissing.
