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Chapter. 58

I whip around, and the blood drains from my face. The crooked figure stands by the fire where Aled and I were sitting just seconds ago.

A gust of wind pulls at the creature’s long unkempt hair, revealing red eyes and jagged teeth underneath. Its fingers are wrapped around a large branch with pale torn wood at the end, making it look like it was freshly ripped off a tree with unnatural strength.

I take slow steps backwards, completely forgetting about the threat that Bevin posed a moment ago.

The creature’s skin shows every pointed bone underneath, almost resembling a corpse. If it gets its claws on me, the decaying leftover fragments of my body would share the same look.

I flinch as the ravager screeches with its terrible scratchy voice.

An arrow whistles past my head, and the ravager leaps to the side, easily dodging it. It still has the speed of a vampire.

Bevin charges past me with a roar, aiming his sword at the creature’s chest. It swings the branch upwards, deflecting his sword without even taking a step back.

Bevin rips is blade back around, going for the ravager’s neck this time. It ducks down and swings the branch into Bevin’s side. The force sends him to the ground, and his sword slides along the grass.

Another arrow shoots past, and the creature easily sidesteps it. It stands straight and raises the branch into the air, preparing to bring it down upon Bevin with the force of a bolder.

I was the closest to the ravager before Bevin charged in. He could’ve retreated and left me as a meal to slow it down, but he didn’t. Against a ravager, we’re on the same side.

Dropping my backpack, I rush forward with a shout of my own, swinging my oversized sword wildly from side to side. The creature’s eyes jump to me, and it turns the raised branch to strike me instead.

My boots dig into the dirt, and I come to a sudden stop, keeping a number of sword lengths between myself and the creature. Rushing in would put me in the same position as Bevin, but my shout and bluffed charge draws the creature’s attention for just long enough that Bevin manages to get up and move away.

I stand with my legs apart and my blade ready, gripped in two hands, with the dominant hand on top – just like Rahlan taught me. The ravagers scowls at me, letting out a guttural sound.

Afraid of looking away from the enemy for too long, I glance at Bevin through the corner of my eye. He’s put some distance between himself and the imminent threat to his life.

I step back again, wanting to get away as well. How did Rahlan manage to defeat three of these things when one took down Bevin in seconds? Rahlan never rushed in like Bevin, instead he always waited for the ravagers to charge. I try think back to what Rahlan said about them. They’re outcasts. They’re addicted to bone marrow.

The creature’s hollow eyes follow me as I step back.

Rahlan said that bone marrow deforms their bones and damages their vision. That’s it. It can’t see clearly, and its perception must be even worse when it moves. It could be relying on sound too, and if it ran at me, the rushing wind past its ears would hinder it even further.

I plant my feet into the ground and pull my sword back as if I’m about to strike air. The creature’s eyes dance between the three of us before settling back on me. I’m the closest, and attacking the others would leave its vulnerable back to me. The Farians have retreated to the riverbank, not that Bevin could be much help without his sword.

I’m not getting any closer to that thing. It’ll have to come to me. Rahlan would wait for them to charge, then he’d strike the instant that they came within his range. He was waiting for them to be at their most vulnerable.

The ravager bends to the grass and picks up Bevin’s sword. My body shivers. It’s a diseased vampire. It wants me to run, to make it easy, so it can pounce on my back.

The ravager lurches down, like he’s readying himself to spring forward. The image of that sword impaling my stomach makes my hands shake. There’s no Rahlan to defend me now, and one strike is all the ravager needs to kill me. I resist the urge to move, knowing I need to be ready to dodge the moment he charges.

The ravager screeches again and rushes towards me, pointing the sword forward like a spear. I lunge to my right, losing my confidence to attempt a strike. The ravager runs right past me as if I hadn’t moved, stopping just before the river’s edge.

It may have the speed of a vampire, but it senses are clouded.

The ravager twists around and charges towards me again. I jump out of its path and swing my sword the moment it rushes past. The blade makes contact, and a thrill shoots through my heart.

Coming to a sudden stop, it screeches and reaches for its back. Despite the urge to run at it and strike again while it’s distracted, I don’t allow myself to get lost in the rush. Instead, I ready my stance and plan which way I’ll lunge the next time it charges.

Bevin, Ina and Aled have split up in fear, but the ravager’s attention remains focused on me. His eyes narrow, the red irises barely visible.

I glare back, daring him to charge again. Try one more time, demon.

It bolts towards me, swinging the sword wildly in every direction. I leap out of its way and stretch out my sword to intercept its path.

It runs right into my strike, and my blade cuts deep into its arm. There’s a screech and a thud as Bevin’s stolen sword hits the ground.

The ravager cries out but keeps running, heading straight for the river. Its foot slips over the wet rocks, and it collapses into the water only to spring up a moment later. It scrambles through the river and emerges on the opposite bank, supporting its injured arm with the other.

Its figure disappears into the darkness, and soon the sound of disturbed leaves and snapping twigs fades into nothing.

My gaze falls to my hands. A tingle bounces through my fingers. Maroon blood drips down the sword, marking my hand. I’m reminded of the purple cut still healing on my forearm. The ravagers injury from my blade was of his own doing, not mine. While striking him sent a rush through my body, he was the one who charged with the intent to kill, not me.

Bevin’s on his feet again, seemingly unencumbered by the ravager’s initial strike. The three of them all stare at me with wide eyes. This victory was from nothing more than knowing about the ravagers blind spot, and luck that there was only one, not due to any non-existent swordsmanship ability.

My bag lies on the ground where I dropped it. Digging through it confirms that the golden doorknob has not been swiped.

Packing my sword away will stain my coat with blood, and I think I’ll feel a little better with it in my hand right now.

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