There was a heavy, uncomfortable silence in the study, as Brennan’s words left everyone stunned. Chimera sightings were extremely rare, with no more than fifty documented over two hundred years of expeditions and incursions. Cathal was fascinated by Shroud and its creatures when he was younger, reading all the books and logs he could get his hands on. According to those, Chimera were biological weapons created by the enemies of the old Empire, or abominations spawned by the Shroud. There was a truth to both if you asked Cathal. They could come in many forms, a combination of different animals, mythical beasts, or pure monstrosities that defy any logic. It could possess any combination of abilities, from flying, impenetrable skin, mind reading, spitting fire, to freezing things, and Aur knows what else.

  “Chimera? So far inland?” Alecia broke the silence.

  “Yes, my Lady. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it was there,” Brennan answered. “It attacked, picked us off from within the mist. It was big and fast. We could hear its steps, but it hid after every kill.”

  An intelligent beast, Cathal thought. As if things couldn’t get any worse.

  “We tried to fight back, but we couldn’t.” He paused for a moment. “Lord Bayle ordered us to retreat. He said he would kill the beast, and we would only get in his way. He gave me his charge-rifle and went to face it.”

  “There are many things that dwell within the Shroud. How can you be sure that it was a Chimera?” Cathal asked.

  “Oh, I’m sure lad. When lord Bayle activated his Runeblade, flames that sprung forth from it cleared the surrounding mist. I could see it as clearly as I see you now.”

  “How did it look like?” Alecia asked.

  “It was a walking horror, my Lady. The beast had a body of a wolf, but thrice the size. It had no fur, only exposed, hard muscles that were covered with people’s blood. And those vile claws weren’t even the worst part of it.” Brennan’s hands shook as he talked. “It has two tails, and a stinger on the end of each one. There was still a person’s headless torso impaled on one of them, you know?”

  Cathal could swear that the air in the room got heavier with each word Brennan spoke. Hairs on his arm went up, as if he was hearing those ghost stories that frightened children to sleep. But this was real. He could feel it in his heart that something was observing them, waiting for them to come out.

  “And the head. Oh, that fleshy monstrosity!” Brennan’s eyes widened. “Those black fangs, those four big red eyes. I swear to Aur, four of them!”

  “What happened during the battle?” Alecia asked.

  “Lord Bayle fought valiantly. He was the only one that could,” Brennan said in a grim tone. “Even with Flamebringer’s physical enhancements activated, the creature was still faster. It danced around him, poking at him with its tails. He blocked and evaded, but he was being pushed back. I tried to aim at it but couldn’t take a shot.”

  “Flamebringer?” Cathal whispered to Alecia.

  “Name of sir Bayle’s Runeblade, I will explain later.” Alecia whispered back quickly.

  “He tried all of its abilities, but none found its mark. Bayle charged in, jumped and tried to take its head in one fell swoop, but it jumped back and placed its right shoulder-blade in way.”

  “So it’s wounded?” Cathal asked. It was the first good thing he heard since entering this room.

  “Yes. Even though the blade went through at first and its flames burned it, the beast was calm, as if it felt no pain. And then the blade got stuck. It was a trap, and creature’s tail was ready. He died instantly.”

  Did he really say Runeblade got stuck? Cathal saw the thing slice a Ghoul in half with once swing and he was still in disbelief that it could get stuck into anything.

  “And Flamebringer?” Alecia asked.

  “I don’t know my Lady. I left. It could be still in the creature or it could have taken it out and thrown it away.” Brennan responded. A silence returned. Alecia leaned on the edge of the table and crossed her hands.

  “So… What do we do now? We can’t stay in here forever.” Tynan said, and everyone nodded in agreement. They needed a plan, and there was no time to waste.

  “Our first step is to contact Bastion, update them on the situation, and ask for reinforcements,” Alecia said. “There is an ancient relay tower somewhere close, isn’t there?” Alecia looked at Cathal.

  “Yes, there is.” Cathal looked through the window and pointed to a hill overlooking the town that was now drowning in mist. “If you look closely, you can see the tower’s metallic peak.” Cathal wanted to continue, but Brennan interrupted him.

  “I must protest this plan, my Lady,” Brennan said. “That hill is surrounded by sea on three sides. It’s a death trap. Even if we get there will never make it back.” Cathal couldn’t disagree with him. It was a suicide to go there. Not only was it a dead end, it was on the opposite side of the town exit.

  “This was a supposed to be trivial escort mission. We neither have proper equipment nor men to fight.” Brennan took a deep breath. “I told you what happened to us. Please reconsider!”

  “And what would you have me do, sit here and wait for inevitable death?” Alecia now stood upright.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “No, of course not. We could do what we came here to do and leave.”

  “Leave? Leave!?” Alecia was clenching her fist hard. “And what of the people in this town? We simple leave and abandon them?”

  “My lady, there is nothing we can do.” Brennan’s voice was now reduced to a whisper. “Even a Knight with a working Runeblade couldn’t kill it. What could one with a dormant one accomplish?”

  A dormant one? So Alecia’s blade doesn’t work? Still, brave of him to insult her to her face, Cathal thought. And Tynan noticed it. This might not end well for any of us.

  “Tell me, sir Brennan, even if what you say is true, where is honor in that?” Alecia looked Brennan straight in his eyes, frowning as she did. Alecia took a deep breath, as if she was about to yell, but her voice came down. “So you would have me run, without even trying to do something… Anything?”

  “There is no honor in it, my Lady. But at least we could warn Bastion and live to fight another day.”

  “I’m sorry that you went through that, Brennan.” Tynan joined in, as Cathal was afraid he would. “It is a given you do not care about our little town, but you assume too many things.”

  “I dislike that tone of yours, Tynan. I will not tolerate your brashness as our Lady does.”

  “But it is true what I say, isn’t it? You assume Shroud hasn’t expanded further, and that the creatures are only in the town, and not all the way to Lakehold, or even Bastion itself.” Tynan said. “And even if Shroud was only here, the next closest town with the relay tower was ten days away. Do you believe yourself to be faster than these creatures?”

  “You are crossing a line, boy.”

  “Do you not want to send a warning to Bastion as fast as possible?” Tynan continued. “Or maybe you are so good at running that you will arrive before the signal does?” Cathal was readying himself, as he spent far too many nights at a tavern with Tynan to not know where this was going.

  “How dare you! A mere commoner will not lecture me!” Brennan barked at Tynan.

  “I dare when I see a selfish prick.”

  “Watch your tongue when you address nobility, boy! I will not warn you again!”

  “Nobility? Is that a fancy new word for cowardice I’ve never heard before?”

  “That does it!” Brennan drew his sword and Tynan mirrored him. Cathal took a fighting stance. His breath quickened, his muscles tensed. In these situations, whoever struck first won. Cathal knew that as well.

  “Enough! All of you! Sheath your swords! Now!” Alecia yelled.

  “I will not allow this thug to insult me any further!” Brennan was ready to strike, but Alecia grabbed his wrist.

  “You damned coward! Come at me!” The veins on Tynan’s forehead bulged and he ran towards Brennan.

  “Cathal, handle Tynan!” Alecia yelled and Cathal grabbed him. Tynan was as strong as a wild bull, and smart as one right now.

  She left Cathal with a worst job he could ever have. Calming Tynan down in this state was like trying to persuade a merchant to give away his fortune, or telling a drunkard he had enough to drink. In not so many words, it was a hassle, and Tynan was a pain in the ass. Perhaps I’ll save myself the trouble and knock him out. That worked better most of the time, anyway. Cathal knew only one way to end fights, and using words wasn’t it, but he had to try. Cathal wished Saige was here, to talk some sense into this moron. She was better at it.

  “Alecia, get Brennan out of the room! Now!” Cathal yelled. He was struggling to keep Tynan in place. Alecia pushed Brennan out of the room and closed the door behind her.

  “Let go, Cal!” Tynan yelled. “That coward deserves whatever comes his way!”

  “You might be right, and I wished I could just punch his lights out, but this is not a time or place to settle grudges.” Cathal said, as they continued to push at each other. “And you might not want to hear this, but Brennan had a point. That tower is a death trap.”

  “So, you are taking his side now!?”

  “Calm the hell down, and let’s talk!” Cathal responded. “You know damn well that isn’t true.”

  “Then what am I supposed to think? Tell me, Cathal, are you a coward also?”

  Now he wished he went with the original plan of knocking him out, as he was getting more annoyed with him every second that went by. He knew he shouldn’t say what he was about to, but Tynan’s self righteous act was getting under his skin. He had no more patience in him and pushed Tynan away from him with all his might.

  “And do you believe yourself to be a hero? It’s good to be you, Tynan, isn’t it? You can afford to, can’t you? Not all of us can.”

  “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Tynan took a step closer.

  “You have nothing left to lose! You are free to play a hero!” Cathal regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth, but it was too late now.

  “Well, you know what’s coming now, don’t you?” Tynan asked and took another step closer.

  “Nothing smart, pretty boy.”

  And Cathal indeed knew what was coming. He spent too much time together with Tynan not to know. They were two of a kind, after all. Fighting men cannot just not fight when there is supposed to be one. Too many emotions to hold on to. Tynan threw his sword away and took another step closer. Cathal raised his guard, and a rush of adrenaline washed away his exhaustion. It was on now.

  “Here it comes Cal!” Tynan yelled as he took a swing with his left arm, but Cathal dodged down, saw Tynan’s exposed stomach, and he took the opportunity and struck him hard with his left. Predictable as always. Tynan winced for a moment, then kicked Cathal straight into ribs, making Cathal stumble back.

  “You of all people should understand and not say that crap!” Tynan rushed towards him and pushed him over the desk. Stuff went flying all over the room, as Cathal was falling over to the other side of the thing.

  “Well, I didn’t mean to, but you kind of pissed me off,” said Cathal as he went around the table. This was not their first stupid fight, but it was a while since it had last happened. He kind of missed it. He threw the right hook at him, but this time, Tynan dodged. Cathal was quick with the follow up, left uppercut landed straight on Tynan’s head. Tynan stumbled back a bit, but recovered quickly, spat the blood out, grabbed and pushed Cathal down. Cathal pulled him and brought them both down to the floor. They pulled and grabbed and rolled until they were out of breath, sweating like two cattle sold to a butcher shop. They rolled onto the chairs, then onto stands and in the end onto the bookshelf, knocking the books off. Then they stood up again, and Tynan took another swing. Cathal turned his right shoulder towards it, and as it met Tynan’s fist, a metallic sound confirmed Tynan’s mistake.

  “Ugh! That annoying arm of yours!” said Tynan, as he waved his fist around.

  “Must be darn painful. Kastien sends his regards!” responded Cathal, and they both started laughing. They laughed as two idiots do. It was a laugh both of them needed badly. Then they sat down on the floor.

  “I’m sorry, Ty, shouldn’t have said it.”

  “I’m sorry too. I was being selfish. Didn’t even think about Saige or Kastien. Got carried away.”

  “Wait… You didn’t know what nobility meant?” asked Cathal with a serious expression. They looked at each other and continued to laugh even harder.

  Young woman with long brown hair in a purple dress stormed into the room. Cathal’s sight was so cloudy he couldn’t recognize her at first.

  “Is that you, Saige?” Cathal squinted.

  “Who else?” she answered. Then she saw the trashed room, and the two of them bloodied, sitting right in the middle of it.

  “What in Aur’s name happened here!? What are you two idiots doing!?”