Lyra had made a small fire and already had some of the dried meat cooking, she had also set up the hide pelt sleeping bags the group had along with both Zarath and Tharon's fur blankets, everyone agreed there was no reason to set up the Kraan-thur's since the overhang and cloth wall would provide ample protection form the environment and a fire would keep the cold away. The sun had begun to dip down over the last hills in the distance as the group finished setting up camp, Hura sleeping by the entrance left open because of the cloth wall not being long enough.
"You know sometimes I wish Hura was fully grown then she could carry all this stuff and one of us could at least ride her from time to time." Tharon pulled of his leather boot, rubbing at the paw pads on the bottom of his feet the retractable claws showing as he did.
"I thought Brakkon only got as tall as four to five feet tall?" Lyra asked as she grabbed a piece of meat off the stone she was using as a makeshift stove top.
"Yeah, a fully grown Brakkon is about as tall as we are, but Hura is a purebred northern plains Brakkon once she is fully grown, she will be as tall as a shire horse." Zarath said as he was checking his and Lyra's arrows. It was true that right now Hura, standing next to Zarath her shoulders would be at his hips and he was over five foot tall. She was after all a dire wolf.
"You know Zarath if we can, we should buy some horses, or a wagon it would make the trip a lot faster and smoother to." Tharon leaned back using his hands to support himself.
"And where the hell are we going to do that, the closest place is either Frontier or Vaerthruin and I remind you we are about a week walk away from either place." Zarath couldn't hold back the sarcasm in his voice as he looked at his friend.
"It's just an idea besides I'm so tired of walking, I think I've lost weight, my mother will be so worried that I haven't had a proper meal in weeks." Tharon flopped onto his back, his belly jiggling under his armor slightly as he acted dramatically for no reason other than being bored at the moment.
Zarath rolled his eyes as his friend tried to lighten the mood, Lyra laughing slightly at the sight as she kept focus on cooking the evening meal. After a few minutes the trio began to eat and laugh despite the setbacks so far this journey hadn't been so bad. Suddenly outside of the camp the wind shifted and, Hura's head shot up from her slumber as she raised to all fours the fur along her back stood on end as she growled and bared her fangs. The tiro smelt it too as the wind blow in, the hackles on their necks all standing on in, Tharon quickly despite his plump size was on his feet serrated wyvern bone spear in hand, Lyra drew her twin curved knives from her back and Zarath already had his bow nocked and ready to fire. Hura slowly backed away from the entrance towards her master and his friends.
The air in the small cave seemed to grow colder with each second as the sound of heavy metal hit the ground, boots six pair if the sound could be trusted, all three wolfkin ready, their ears twitched with each heavy step and their noses filled with a foul stench. Zarath and Tharon knew the stench, the same smell as the wyvern that started all this, the same smell as the two blighted elves and the same smell as the blighted elf Zarath faced just two days ago, they knew now these creatures were hunting them by why they did not know, though Zarath had some idea.
The metal footsteps grew closer and louder until a dark armored hand reached around the support poll holding up the cloth wall blocking the entrance to the small cave, the metal was black with a few spots of orange rust along the elongated fingers the tips of the glove pointed almost like claws, the rest of the body slowly appeared covered from head to toe in ghoulish blackened form of layered gothic plate armor similar to what humans were but much more sinister bwith spots of dark orange and brown rust in certain spots, the being draped in a long black worn cloak that trailed behind it at its feet its heavy metal boots echoing on the cold stone floor of the small cave as it grew closer, its face was covered by a full face plate only its glowing red eyes visible.
More beings appeared behind it filing in one behind the other wearing similar armor swords and two-handed axes in hands, their swords similar to longswords but with the inside blade serrated from hilt to tip, their axes broken and chips clearly made from cheap trash metal or just designed to look that way.
As the last of the beings entered they stood in a offset v shape away from the group the leader of these things pointed its swords toward them and let out something similar to a gurgling grunt similar to a tiger breathing in as the one closet to his left moved forward it let out a ear piercing shriek as one of Zarath arrows found its way through the eye slight of its faceplate the creature dropped dead falling forward a pool of blackened blood forming from its wound. The other creatures hesitated for a moment, stunned by the sudden death of their comrade. But their pause was brief, and they soon resumed their advance with renewed ferocity. Zarath quickly nocked another arrow, his eyes never leaving the advancing horde. Lyra and Tharon took their positions, flanking Zarath, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Hura, sensing the danger, positioned herself protectively in front of her master, her growl growing deeper and more menacing. The air was thick with tension, the only sounds being the heavy breathing of the wolfkin and the clinking of the armored figures' movements. The leader of the creatures, undeterred by the loss, raised its sword high and charged forward. Zarath's arrow flew true, but this time the creature deflected it with a swift movement of its blade. Lyra took this opportunity to dart forward, her twin knives glinting in the dim light of the cave. She aimed for the gaps in the creature's armor, finding purchase near its neck. The creature let out a strangled cry, its blade swinging wildly as it tried to dislodge her.
Tharon, seeing Lyra's opening, thrust his spear into the creature's abdomen, the serrated edges tearing through the armor with a sickening crunch. The leader fell, but the remaining creatures pressed on, their eyes glowing with a sinister light. The fight was chaotic and brutal. Zarath's arrows found their marks, each shot precise and deadly. Lyra moved with a slight grace as this was her first true fight she knew that she could not hesitate or it would mean death, her blades a blur as she struck again and again aiming for any gap that one of the creatures could gave her. Tharon, despite his size, proved to be agile and fierce, his spear a deadly extension of his will.
The creatures, though numerous and relentless, began to falter. The trio's teamwork and determination outmatched the mindless aggression of their foes. One by one, the armored figures fell, their blackened blood pooling on the cave floor.
As the last creature dropped, the cave fell silent, save for the heavy breathing of the trio and the faint, dying flickers of the creatures' red eyes. Zarath lowered his bow, his muscles aching from the intensity of the battle. Lyra and Tharon, both bloodied but unbroken, exchanged weary but triumphant glances. Hura, still vigilant, sniffed the air cautiously before relaxing slightly. The immediate danger had passed, but the questions remained. What were these creatures? Why were they hunting them? And what was this sinister force that seemed to be driving them?
Zarath wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to his companions. "Is everyone alright" he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion.
Tharon raised his spear to out of breath to answer as he smashed his shield down onto the head of one their attackers' lifeless bodies before dropping and sitting in place a few new scratches on his leather armor where a few lucky blows managed to scrape against it.
Lyra walked slowly over to Zarath holding her left arm, a small bit of blood coating the fur of her palm. "I'm alright but I got nicked by one of their swords it's not bad, but it burns like hell." She moved her hand to show Zarath her wound.
Zarath gently examined her upper arm seeing that the wound truly was nothing but a flesh wound. Once it healed it wouldn't even leave a scare on her and her fur would grow back over it in no time. Still to be safe, he took his canteen from their supplies and poured water on it and wrapped it in some loose cloth. After she was taken care of, he moved over to the dead leader of the creatures and using his foot kicked it so it would roll over.
"Lyra hand me one of your knives please, just in case." Zarath held out his hand which Lyra promptly put one of her curved knives in, He reached for the leader of the creature's helmet and removed it, holding the knife at the creature's throat just in case it wasn't truly dead. The trio was shocked when the creature's face was revealed is face similar to a human male, the skin blackened just like its armor, a few patches of hair on its bald decaying, its eyes still red but lifeless and its teeth yellow and black twisted into jagged fangs or tusk, this thing what every it was clearly used to be human but not anymore.
"First those elf looking things and now these things, what's next monster dwarfs." Tharon exclaimed as he stood up and grabbed his shield from the now crushed creature's head he was sitting next to.
Hura approached her master brushing against Zarath's leg, letting out a small whine followed by a growl as she looked at the dead creature. Zarath reached down to pet her behind the ears to calm her down, her tail wagging as he did.
"Hey, Tharon, you think this could be that blight my grandfather was talking about." Zarath kicked the dead leader of the creature in the head before walking away Hura following right behind him.
"If this is what that stuff could turn us into, I'm glad we did like your grandfather said and got purified back in Vaerthruin. I'd rather be dead then turned into one of these ugly bastards." Tharon was already packing up their hide sleeping bags and blankets grabbing his share of the supplies to carry.
"We should leave guys what if there are more of those things out there." Lyra rubbed her injured arm as she paced in place her tail flicking nervously behind her, both boys could tell she was shell shocked after not just her first real battle but her first kill even if in most of the battle it was Zarath or Tharon that dealt the killing blow to most of these corrupted humans.
"She is right Zarath we should put as much distance as we can between us and here even if it is dark outside." Tharon held up Lyra's pack overing it to her as he approached the two of them.
"Agreed we should move but let's throw these bodies onto the fire first, if this stuff is able to do this to anyone its best to leave no chance for it to spread if someone else decides to use this spot as a camp." Zarath began as he dragged the dead leader of the creatures directly over their campfire, as he disposed of the creature's corpses, Lyra secured the extra supplies and bags to Hura who happily barked and licked her face as she tried to tie the rope around her, Tharon began taking down the cloth wall at the entrance of the cave. In a few short minutes the group was ready to move, taking a few torches from the fire to light their way, they didn't stop moving through the hills until the sun began to rise the next day.