Dusk had finally come, and no sooner than we marched deeper into the thickest parts of the forest did the sky give its final bright scream. A deep faded yellow engulfed the once clear skies, threatening to bring the sun down with it to welcome the night.

  Thick brushes of forest were where we had started to follow the creature’s trail through. Karlson occasionally kneeled down to listen and observe. Vines had sprawled through this forest, sometimes stuck on trees and others stopped by dense bushes and thick wild flowers. The loud chatter of birds and noises that swallowed up the quiet had long since dispersed. Some of them hidden, quietly amongst the green noise of nature, others more silently prowling the dense thicket.

  Normally, the noise would be welcomed. But it was as if nature had been scared away into the most narrow and hidden corners of this place.

  Karlson led on, following faint but subtle trails towards where the creature could have gone. Bruised trees that it could have passed, crushed leaves and bushes overwhelmed by its weight. Even a small corpse, a squirrel, unlucky enough to be found in the beast’s path.

  I walked behind him, with Saundy behind me, we kept close to ensure no one would go missing without everyone knowing. A common tactic for night patrols and aimless wandering.

  Just as we had approached what seemed like the same tree for the fifth time Karlson’s eyes narrowed in a glare.

  “Shh.” he instructed, kneeling down to what looked like a large imprint in the floor.

  It was loosely round, almost like a giant log. The trail was growing closer.

  As I watched over Karlson, my eyes combed over the entire forest from left to right. I heard a small crunch of a branch. Perhaps it was paranoia, or maybe I genuinely did hear something. My head snapped over to the sound, coming from behind another tall tree that rose as high as it could above the others. Thick leaves obscured parts of it, but as it shook another sound had escaped.

  “Agh!” Saundy suddenly spit.

  Both Karlson and I turned to him.

  We watched him flail around for a moment, his sword resting in the dirt as his arms went in circles around his head. His hands running through his own hair.

  “Fucking spiders!” Saundy exclaimed in a hushed tone.

  “Saundy.” I growled.

  “I know, sorry just…the only damned web for miles and its right-” Saundy complained.

  “Saundy, stop…don’t you notice that?” Karlson looked at him, his glare centered above his head.

  My own scolding stare started to change as I followed his view. It only took a moment for Saundy to follow after, it wasn’t webs or spiders that trickled around his head and hair. What was above were thick falling embers, embers made from the beast and its retreat. Black charred leaves fell from above, slowly coming down to us, eventually being nothing but small tiny pieces of falling ash.

  Saundy’s eyes were almost like wide bowls before he took another deep breath that exited like a frustrated groan.

  “Fucking forest, and this fucking mess.” Saundy grumbled.

  Karlson’s eyes were re-fixed on the forest floor, looking for signs and traces of where the beast could have gone. I still couldn’t tell whether or not parts of the floor were naturally made or if the beast’s heavy footed nature created them but Karlson somehow did. Perhaps it was his soldiering in the past, or maybe a strong hunch that followed him, but just as we stood there listening to the empty quiet. He soon stood back up and started to march onward.

  We followed him as he trudged through a small set of damaged trees, then a charred bush that gave off an acrid smell, reminiscent of the oil used in our torches. Bit by bit we brushed past thick foliage crunching the thick bundles of branches and loose sticks. Some of them shattered under the weight of our steps, while others bent hardly yielding to our footing.

  Each stubborn root, every creasing stick, even vines had sprawled out further, attempting to tightly clutch onto our feet. But soon even they had yielded when something unnatural stirred.

  A smell, heavier and stronger than the oak trees and small white birch that littered the forests. It was pungent, strong enough to drive a cough from Saundy and Karlson. Its thick almost earthy smell lingered before eventually Karlson and I saw it with Saundy spotting it last.

  A withered burned away husk was planted against the floor, the flowers and grass underneath it was burned away into ash. Faint cracks escaped the smallest narrowest parts of the husk, with only brittle charred remains remaining.

  “Seriously? That's it?” Saundy chuckled, “hell I was thinking that bastard of a thing would be still kicking.” he grinned from ear to ear.

  “Looks like it.” Karlson sighed, “honestly I’m glad it died like this, better than us being taken by surprise.” he shrugged.

  But as the two spoke I stared at the beast, carefully taking everything in from its charred body. When I approached it I could hear the two of them droning on as I inspected it. Every part of it was burned down to nothing more than charcoal and small bits of ash. But what I couldn’t get was how? So I drew my sword, staring down at the corpse with one last suspicion I wanted to check. Before long I stabbed downward into it, and what I expected was a deep piercing cut, leaving my blade stuck in the stubborn body as I felt what was left fight back one last time. But when I delivered the blow, it went through with ease.

  I crashed through the body. It was bark, empty and hollow.

  “It's not dead.” I shouted, “this is not its body, this is its armor!” I told them.

  Karlson and Saundy’s eyes snapped back at the husk as I pulled my blade free from its remnants.

  We all stood together looking through the dense forest that surrounded us, Saundy was the first to notice it. A sudden and violent stomp that echoed through the trees around us, the leaves shook with a violent frenzy. Birds scattered above past the leaves.

  I could feel Saundy’s stance broaden, his feet digging into the ground as he looked forward. Karlson’s grip onto his sword was tense, the creasing noise of his gloved hands against his grip stung in my ears. The stomps drew nearer, each one shaking the ground, forcing branches to dance and cling onto their trees for dear life. Leaves violently ripping themselves from the trees.

  Suddenly it happened.

  Crash.

  The beast ripped through a pair of trees, sending one flying towards the three of us as we split apart before it could land the strike. Saundy kept his grin while Karlson and I readied ourselves.

  It stood before us no longer in a thick brown bark but instead a brightly colored wooden frame that looked as if it had peeled off its skin. It stood in front of us, with its body strangely larger and with a stout and powerful stance.

  It charged at us, with Karlson, myself and Saundy pushing ahead to meet its fury. As Karlson and I both raised our weapons the beast’s hands had suddenly grown, it curled and twisted like the roots under our feet, reaching us before we could have it in our range. With one rough twist its gnarled hands smacked into my chest and sent me back into the ground. Karlson however kept his charge strong, even when it tried to hit him in a similar fashion he did something I never thought was doable. He swung his blade into the gnarled hand and miraculously, he had cut through it.

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  The monster hissed as the part fell down before its focus turned onto him. When it sent both of its hands propelling toward him in a blur of speed Saundy intervened. Sending his great sword crashing through the beast's hands both before slamming his body into it and pushing it back. The monster’s body appeared softer, its brown flesh bruising with a deep maple red underneath as it let out a screech from the twin cuts. The visceral cleave echoing out into the forest like the creature’s screech.

  I pulled myself back to my feet, I was dazed, my head throbbing while my body was hot with frenzy. I peaked back up to see the creature take its next attack, sending a hard slam of its body into Saundy who held it back with the center of his blade. Where Lucas was sent flying, Saundy withstood the blow, his feet never leaving the ground as it sent blow after blow into his sword.

  When it reeled back one more time Karlson drew its attention with another clean strike, bashing into it with the pommel of his longsword before the creature screamed as amber oozed from where it was struck.

  It aimed to retaliate, its wrath palpable as if the air carried it from its every screech and cry. It went forward charging at Karlson as its arms extended out into several thorn ended pikes. Karlson was not fast enough to evade or strong enough to withstand. But I was.

  I rushed ahead of him. Using my Buckler to withstand some of the blows, a few had cornered past the small metal shield. It cut my cheek and just narrowly below my eye, leaving a scar that would never fade. Karlson’s pauldron saved his arm and torso but he too suffered a deep cut that tore apart the light beard on his chin. Ripping it partly bare.

  Saundy, seeing the opportunity, rushed and plunged his blade into the creature’s center. As Amber spewed out I could hear him cough and spit.

  “Agh, it flew into my mouth! God, it's awful!” he shouted.

  Just before the beast raised its leg and kicked into Saundy. Without his blade to cushion or absorb the blow, he slid back pushing against the wet soil as his feet were dug in.

  So far, every blow we made was met with one that could easily puncture our armor. It focused on each of us, desperately. While we outnumbered it, it easily outmanevered us. While I couldn’t think of any other way to beat it, only one stood readily in my view. Force meets force.

  Hoping that either Saundy or Karlson would join me, I charged forward hoping to draw its attention, or at least bait an open attack. It raised one of its arms over its head. An attack I had not seen or would have predicted. In one quick blurring motion it sent the arm down just as I had stepped out of the way. Dirt and stone flew as the sudden slam nearly knocked me on my feet from the force of it all. But as I powered into it, I drove my blade in a deep stab right in the creature’s center.

  While it was soft, it was also easy to leave a deep imprint. We just needed to go deeper. Saundy joined in shortly after, I doubt he knew what I was doing but he fought like me anyhow. As the creature swept their arm over at him, he twisted his blade and cut through it again. Then with one great swing he cleaved into it, carving a chunk away from the creature as more amber coated his armor. The beast in one more move tried to plunge their sharp hands into me, when I readied myself to deflect the blow it struck with a powerful slam. I felt the metal nearly cave into my hands from the grip. But when I lowered it for only a moment it struck again. I barely had enough time to react before it slammed into me. I felt the air leave me in one giant puff while it sent the Buckler flying from my hand and into the dirt.

  Karlson pushed forward, his blade ready and cleaving partly into the creature and its hands.

  “Get your shield! I have you.” he reassured as his voice echoed out.

  I rolled to the ground, quickly catching back to my feet as I stood holding the shield once again. I was breathless, the second strike still holding its weight over me.

  As Karlson continued to close the distance, he was suddenly struck. It hit his most armored side, knocking him over and leaving him rolling onto the floor. He laid there and I had thought that he had met his end.

  “Karlson!” I shouted out, hoping he’d recover, hoping he was just dazed. But it seemed as though he would not get up.

  Just as my voice echoed out I watched as the creature suddenly shot forward and grabbed me. It wrapped its spindly hands around my body, holding me tight as my shield was pressed hard against my chest. It lifted me up, holding me in front of itself as it began to cinch down. I felt every crushing motion as its grip grew tighter and tighter. It felt like I was going to have my shield impale itself in my chest, if not have itself through my stomach.

  Then, a cleave. A loud thick cut from below. Saundy.

  As the creature reeled and screamed out I just barely got to my feet as Saundy rushed in toward it.

  The beast sent a blow to Saundy’s head but he ducked avoiding the strike as it tore through a tree. He sent his sword cleaving back into the beast but this time he was forcing it down. Pulling the beast to the ground as he resisted it as best he could.

  I joined in, charging with him as I stabbed my blade in and pulled it with me.

  It crashed down, slamming into the soil as it desperately tried to resist. With the two of us now pushing into it I knew what he was planning.

  “Push! Push! Cut the fucking thing!” Saundy screamed, his voice filled with rage and wrath.

  We both pushed with everything we had, the creature trying to get to its feet, resisting almost pushing us away as it tried to get up. I felt out blades halfway through the creature’s thick body, halfway through its weakened frame. Yet it pushed us back inch after inch.

  Saundy looked exhausted, his arms shook and quivered as he fought with the beast. It looked as if it would recover and kill us both. Until.

  In one quick motion, a sword cleaved cleanly into the creature, half of the beast nearly ripped in two. I looked up for a moment, it was Karlson, blood streaming from his forehead as he gritted his teeth and pulled his sword away raising it up before letting out one last loud battle cry. He slammed his blade into the beast’s other half and in one motion, the beast was split in two.

  The body’s top half collapsed as its bottom struggled and pushed against the soil before then it all stopped. Its struggle, its screeches, its screams. It finally had ended.

  Saundy collapsed back, his legs practically having given out by then. Taking short shallow breaths as he rested with his back on the ground.

  I fell back, my sword stuck in the dirt beneath the beast as I sat down on the ground. A knee propped up as I stared at the beast.

  Karlson dropped down to one knee, his long sword being the only thing keeping him up as he took deep controlled breaths.

  We all looked over the creature, well Saundy looked more to the sky. As silence gripped the forestscape, chirping birds had begun to return. The sounds of the world seemed to replace the silence. Before I heard a new sound.

  A laugh, almost sudden, abrupt even. It started out with a small chuckle before it grew harder and more hysterical. I peeked over and saw Saundy leaning up in a state of confused curiosity before his head turned to Karlson. He laughed hardily, a smile breaking out from his usual scowl. It took a minute but as he continued laughing I felt a small chuckle take over as well, before I started laughing along with him, then Saundy joined in.

  Looking at it, it looked as if we were going to die then and there but the fact that we didn’t, the fact that we survived. It was almost unbelievable. So we laughed, not in the face of death or victory, but instead in disbelief.

  “Oh gods! I thought we were going to be worm food.” Saundy grimly remarked.

  “Almost were, though you’d have been some beetle’s food.” Karlson joked.

  “Oh har har, is it the armor?” Saundy sardonically replied.

  “No, it's the amber that's all over you.” Karlson pointed out. “You look like an ugly moth.” he continued to laugh.

  Saundy laughed with him hardily.

  “I hardly think a beetle would eat him. More than likely a fly would think he’s that thing shit.” I added, getting a laugh from the two. Mine being cut short as a sharp pain jabbed itself around my shoulder. “grah…I think we might need to head back.”

  “I couldn’t agree more…although I might need a hand walking.” Karlson looked over to Saundy.

  “Damn, no walking stick old man.” Saundy joked as he stood back up. Retrieving his greatsword.

  “Nah, what use do I have for those when I’ve got the perfect hand right next to me.” he chuckled.

  Saundy offered a hand to Karlson, helping him as he took it with one strong pull. Karlson leaned onto him, the amber somewhat coating his Pauldron before Saundy went to me.

  “I hope you don’t need a walking stick too.” Saudy remarked as he grinned at me.

  “Never needed one before, don’t think I’ll need it now.” I said taking his hand as he pulled me back to my feet.

  I stood with the two as I retrieved my sword, sheathing it but leaving my Buckler. It was crushed in, badly damaged from what I remembered, the old metal being ruined and deflated. We walked back to the Carriage now with the beast’s defeat holding us over as we walked on. It would be a long trip North, plenty of time to recover and relish our victory.

  Yet even with such a victory riding over us, I always held the thought of what else could await us up there? If not something like this? Then what else?