The creatures wouldn't let the fear of the blinding light keep them away any longer, their lunges breaking the moment of peace they had shared.
The people behind the fire and barrier didn't move, they watched their first savour die and now they were going to be forced to watch the second one as well.
An older man with some strength still left in his arms held Jacob back as he tried to run to them. Why sacrifice another soul to the pile of bodies.
They all had regrets in their hearts that were taking root, but from the looks of things, they wouldn't have to live with them long.
The largest of the creatures acted first, its black oily skin almost invisible in the night, unable to tell the smoke rising from its skin from the black backdrop. Its two smaller pinchers appeared out of its neck and reached out to hers, its head shooting out of its body like a snake.
Asia didn't pay it any attention. They were all going to get their fill at some point, who cares who takes the first bite. She dug her head deeper into Ryan's neck and braced herself.
The long neck cleared the distance in a flash, pinchers and mouth ready, she could feel its breath get near and then.. Vanish?
She looked up to see a gap in the surrounding monsters and the long necked beast rolling in the distance, snapped backwards quickly.
It was tackled from the side by a towering beast that was rolling with it. Its jaws clenched around the neck and tore chunks out of it.
Out from the woods 4 more beasts of the same build burst into view, their faces reaching up to the sliver of the moon and howling silently together. Something else caught her eye, something shinny and moving on their backs.
These new beasts took off into a sprint that turned them into a blur and lunged themselves into the groups of beasts, slashing with their sharp claws and the blades behind their front legs.
The shiny things were no longer on their backs, rather, they were now running and circling the group of survivors.
"Form ranks! Keep it tight everyone."
A man with slicked back brown hair yelled as he twirled a long weapon, hacking away at a monster as it got near him. He flicked his wrist and vines sprouted from the ground and tightly grabbed monsters charging at him from behind.
"I have to return you guys to Claire alive or else she'll throw me to the moon. Stay alert!"
The men in shinny armour yelled back;
"Sir yes sir!"
"You'd be lucky to land there!"
"Skye in the sky, it was meant to be!"
They slammed their weapons against their shields and chest plates, grabbing the attention of the monsters as they took position. The large beasts they came with continued to chase down and dive into groups of monsters and thrash around, sowing havoc.
Monsters would jump on their backs and try to swarm them, but would only end up slashed by their sharp hindclaw running up their leg or their head kicked in with a powerful back leg. Spears jabbing from riders still on their backs pierced most monsters before they got the chance.
Aisa was so stunned by the events that were transpiring that she didn't even notice the man with the slick back hair was now walking up to her, messing with his hair to put it back in place.
"The wind has it all messed up. Are you the Marked? There were meant to be…"
He finally noticed what she had in her arms and stopped mid sentence. He awkwardly put his hand on the back of his neck.
"Ah shit… im sorry, we came as fast as we could.."
Asia felt a slight ping of something in her chest. It felt like anger yet more sad, resentment without reason maybe? If they had only came a few minutes earlier Ryan would be alive, but also, if she also got to him sooner…
She shook her head and pushed it away.
"Thank you for coming at all. I can't leave him."
"I know. Let's get you both somewhere safe. You carry him and I'll watch your back."
He swung his spear and it cut through the air, stopping right before the ground. He stepped in front of her and she gathered Ryan into her arms and lifted him up.
She walked back to the fire slowly, unsure why. Like the moment deserved some type of ceremony and that ceremony required her to be slow.
The man kept his word, swinging at any monsters that got near. He wasn't a master of fighting but he could at least swing it with some force.
He did a few fancy moves that impressed Aisa, blocking one monster and using its force to throw it into another, something she couldn't do. The spear also seemed to be an axe and he chopped at monsters, cutting through some completely.
She stepped over the fire and back into the huddle. Everyone gave her space as she walked to the middle. She wanted to spit and scream at them, these people she wanted to save so badly, but all she had the power to do was cry silently to herself.
Still she kept her chin held high. They can have her tears but they cannot have her complete sorrow. That was for Ryan and Ryan alone.
The man called out from outside the circle, one of the new beasts running up to him and lowered its head to him. He grabbed the horn and it swung him onto its back in one powerful motion while he said;
"Protect the people. We'll handle the rest."
Asia shook her head yes and then fell to her knees with Ryan, instantly breaking her promise. Who was she to protect these people and who were they to deserve to be protected.
The spite felt like it was going to swallow her whole. The voices around her started to break through the noise in her head.
"Where have they been? They left us to die."
"Look how fast they're moving. They could have protected us the whole time!"
The rage in Asia overflowed.
"You idiots! If you're going to hate anyone, hate yourselves! Who decided we had to leave right there and then? Was it them? Was it me? No, it was all of us. We caused this and still they came to save us, and this is how you thank them?"
She grabbed Ryan's sword, still held tightly in his one attached hand.
"Fall on this like Ryan did if you think you could do any better in this fucked up world."
Her stern voice became a yell. She pointed the sword at the people around her, daring them to take her advice.
"I never want to hear any of you…"
Her voice broke, a sob rising in her throat.
"Ever speak…again.."
Her head fell and she quietly shook as she let it all out. Jacob did his best to comfort her but all he could do was hug her from behind awkwardly. He let himself cry as well. No one dared to speak.
Her voice was a whisper, speaking only to herself, Jacob, and Ryan.
"They didn't abandon us, even when that was all I was able to do.."
The yell of the new soldiers washed over the survivors, now huddling closer together as the fire started to dye.
"Work together damn it!"
"Easy for you to say Gav you get all the slivers!"
"That's because I do all the work you muscle brained freak! Now cover his blind spot!"
Their swords moved almost too quickly to be human, their hammers and maces crushed monsters with one swing. The armour they wore was all similar and they were covered from head to toe with plate. In the night they even looked like they were glowing blue.
There were only 15 of them and they stood in front of the fire slightly spread out from each other to cover the whole circle, but their ability to move easily even in all that armour made it easy to cover more distance.
There were another 4 dressed in mostly leather with a red hand print on their chest but they weren't defending anyone, in fact they were doing something far more dangerous. They were ridding the monsters and attacking with them.
The night continued on and the fire died, yet the new warriors continued to hold the line. Their stamina was beyond anything Asia or her people could muster. Their fighting spirit even brought back some of their courage and they supported from behind.
It was only when the morning sun rose that she could truly understand the situation they faced. Bodies of monsters in all different shapes and sizes were laying on the forest floor like a black carpet. Their bodies piled up at the feet of the iron clad warriors and the new beasts they rode in on, which were now dragging them in from deeper in the forest.
The man who helped Aisa came over to her, he was covered in blood and dirt, hair no longer swept back. He offered her a hand up.
"Looks like we're safe now."
"Who are you people?"
She didn't mean to sound rude but that was how it came out. She was just shocked, she had no idea that people could hold their own against the monsters here.
"You people? That's a bit racist, we just saved your ass."
"No I didn't mean… No you're right that was rude. I'm sorry. Thank you for saving us. What is your name?"
She took his hand and stood up, giving it a squeeze for support.
"I'm Skye, and these hunks of metal are the Wardens, the weird ones riding the monsters are my Dryads and the beasts are the best boys you'll ever meet. I call them the Vine Trotters, and the new faces in the crowd are some workers to help support us."
Skye paused, then continued after getting a good look at everyone.
"Now I'll take back those who can't walk and the Wardens will guide you to your new home. Congratulations, you're almost there."
He gave a smile and turned around just in time for a Vine Trotter to run behind him and offer its head. He took the horn and it flung him up.
"Wait!..."
Asia yelled out as she reached out her hand, Skye looked back to her, but then a man stepped in front of her and struck a pose. He was the only one there without any armour on his upper half while wearing a helmet.
"Don't worry little lady! We'll get you there safe. Feel free to hop on my back and I'll do some lunges! Everyone thinks they're good for your legs but it's your butt you feel them in! Haha I sure do love a good butt burn!"
She paused, suddenly forgetting what she was about to say.
She had seen a lot of weird things that night but this had to be the weirdest. Another Warden came up and gave his helmet a smack, causing his head to bounce around inside of it as it twisted around. The shirtless one reached up and grabbed it, yelping at the same time.
"Damn it! Who did that? Don't you know your brain is your biggest muscle? Gav is that you??"
"Not for you num nuts. Now help everyone get ready to move out. The rest of you"
He turned to the other Wardens and workers.
"Get as many slivers out of those monsters as you can until everyone is loaded up and ready to leave. The person who gets the most can keep them, the rest will be shared when we get back."
"Aya aya Sir!"
"Quickly clean and cook some food for these people and pass around your water."
They shouted, pulling knives from their belts and diving into the sea of dead bodies like hungry rats.
"See to your people ma'am, let us know when you're ready to go."
His voice was soft and felt warm. She nodded her head and got to work. The sickest and weakest were helped onto the Trotters and everyone else was accounted for. They set off soon after.
They walked all day without stopping, the Wardens were pleasant to chat to and helped carry what they could. They spoke about how weird it all was and where they came from, giving a sense of normality to the situation.
The hope of safety carried them like wind under the wings of a bird. When they got to the clearing and saw the towering walls of the fort in the distance they were struck by awe. The tall wooden pillars tied together and the skins of countless monsters hanging from them. It gave an aura of protection.
The gates opened and 5 individuals walked out to greet them. She instantly recognised one, the one who saved her.