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A wolf, or at least in the family of, its fur the same shaggy grey and brown of the ones that hunted in the hills, but those beasts didn’t have glowing eyes or fangs as long as his palm. They also weren’t the size of a pony.
Fionna muttered, “Dire wolves. Supposed to be extinct.”
Before he could retort that they looked damned alive, the wolves were on them, snarling and snapping with their massive jaws.
Kormac’s sword sliced easily through the first, splitting its torso and removing the threat. He moved towards the next that went charging for Fionna. It was only the beginning.
Wolves converged on them, big, hairy bodies that lunged and snapped. Kormac found himself hard pressed to keep the teeth from his flesh. When one went to grab his arm, he let it, the bracers protecting his skin. With it latched, he used the pommel of his sword to knock it on the skull.
It dropped just as Fionna yelped. He whirled to see her injured, a jagged tear on her forearm, a dead wolf at her feet. For some reason, she’d chosen to wield a glowing dagger rather than magic.
The next wolf barreled toward Kormac and impaled itself on his sword. Only as he pulled it free did he notice the quiet.
“I think we got them all,” Rory announced.
With the threat gone, Kormac snapped, “Why didn’t you use your magic?
Rather than look chastised or apologetic, Fionna’s expression turned grim. “Because that was just the vanguard of the true threat.”
A threat that made itself known by emitting a thumping noise as it approached, hard enough the ground trembled, as did the trees. Branches whipped as if caught in a storm breeze.
“What’s coming?” Rory whispered.
It took a tree being uprooted and flung for an incredulous Kormac, who’d loved the stories of Airiok as a child, to exclaim, “Ogre.” Thought extinct given the destroyer had hunted them into the ground.
Several of them appeared, bearing tree trunks as clubs, the ogres massive in size, their bodies bulbous with fat. Animal skins were girded around their loins, and probably explained some of the smell wafting their way.
Kormac glanced to Fionna. “Now would be a good time for magic.”
She nodded and her hands began moving.
Kormac faced forward and braced himself as the first ogre came charging.
Rather than meet it, Kormac let it get close before stepping aside and swinging. The ogre, caught by the blade in the flank, bellowed. It pivoted and swished its tree, moving faster than Kormac would have expected.
A monster that size should have been slow. Should have been stupid. But it fought with more cunning than expected, keeping him distracted while a second came in from behind. Only a whistle of air warned him of the danger.
He hit the ground a second before the trunk would have slammed into him. Before he could retaliate, a ball of orange flame hit the ogre, singing its tough flesh. Even better, its animal fur caught on fire, making it screech and slap itself. Its panic distracted the other ogre Kormac had been fighting and he took advantage, leaping to slam his sword in its chest. He used his weight to drag it down, splitting it open.
“Hogan!” Rory yelled the older soldier’s name, and Kormac wasted a precious second looking. The man lay on the ground, alive but hurt, his leg bent unnaturally.
“Fuck this!” Loff broke rank and ran, right into a tree. Or rather, a club since an ogre wielded it. Loff fell dead, his head crushed like a melon.
“Only two ogres left!” Fionna yelled, drawing his attention.
His lady witch dripped blood from the gash on her arm, but she remained dauntless as the last ogre stomped for her. Her red-smeared fist clenched and moved in circles.
Kormac wanted to go to her aid, however, he still had his own menace to handle. He ran for the ogre that killed Loff, duckingunder the tree it swung, and sliding. His sword flashed as he slashed across the monster’s ankles.
The ogre bellowed but did not fall. Instead, it tried to smash Kormac into the ground. He rolled and bounced to his feet, swinging again, this time cutting across the belly, the flesh splitting and spilling guts.
The ogre was dead, it just hadn’t realized it yet and tried once more to clobber Kormac. But it was slow and unfocussed. Kormac easily dodged and waited.
The ogre swayed before toppling hard, the impact vibrating the ground. Only then did Kormac turn in time to see the ball of monstrous fire that jetted from Fionna, punching through the last ogre’s torso.
Its mouth opened wide, as if surprised, before it collapsed.
That kind of powerful magic would take its toll. He rushed to Fionna’s side, ready to catch her only she didn’t even sway. She turned a smile on him. “We did it.”
