Racius stepped
closer to examine the foul substance better. Suddenly, a tentacle
sprung out of the mass and struck at Racius, hitting him in the chest.
The force of the blow flung the young officer back into the wall. With
a cry of rage, Racius stormed back and started hacking away at the
monster. His cries alarmed the guard outside the room, who came into
the room and joined the fray.
Each blow from Racius sunk deep into the monster, and he had to strain
to pull out his rapier from the mass of goo. But the combined blows of
the two Alberothians didn't seem to do any damage to the beast, which
flayed its many tentacles, scoring hits on the two combatants. Racius
and the guard fell back to the hallway, and as other guards arrived,
the beast fled back into the room.
After a moment's hesitation the guards charged in, only to find the
room empty. A slimy trail led from the door to the window, and Racius
looked out into the darkness but could not make out the monster. The
noise of the battle managed to wake up Princess Theguis, who came into
the room with her weapon in hand.
"Another wild party, Racius?" asked the Princess flippantly.
"By all that's Holy, I never would have believed it," babbled the
shaken up cavalryman.
"Race, how are you feeling?" she asked, more worried now.
"It was some sort of creature. An unshapely mass from the depths of
hell itself," proclaimed Racius.
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"Are you sure
about that?" skeptically inquired Theguis. "Maybe it was a nightmare.
Surely a creature like that cannot possible be."
"Does this look like it was my imagination?!?" exclaimed Racius as he
gestured to the injured guardsman being tended by a healer.
"I'll go after it and make sure it's dead," declared Theguis as she
called for her cavalrymen.
"I'll go too," said Racius. "I'm not letting you take on that thing
alone."
Theguis gave Racius an appraising look, before she nodded her head and
left the room to get dressed. Racius gingerly dressed, still smarting
from the wounds the monster had inflicted on him.
Chapter 9: The Hunt
Before leaving, Princess Theguis asked to see King Korvos, but was
denied by his guards, who had orders to not let the King be disturbed.
Wondering what was going on, the Princess went outside to join her men.
The ever present lightning lit up the courtyard in dull black and
whites, as the howling winds whipped the horses and riders. Thankfully,
there was no rain to cover the beast's tracks, which were plain to see
once the party had circled the castle to where Racius' window
overlooked the countryside.
"'Tis an ill night," observed Racius. "I can almost smell the stench of
evil in the air."
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