Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
The crows flitted from one branch overhead to the next, squawking in harsh voices every so many trees. They were high up in the canopy, and although annoying, he didn’t see that they were doing much harm.
The deeper they moved into the interior, the more oppressive Erlik found the air. Dark. Damp. Humid. Eerily silent other than the disturbing crows. Where were the inhabitants that would live there? Perhaps nothing could live in that strange, disorienting place.
Deliberately he stepped on several plants, smashing them, twisting his bootheel hard on the foliage and kicking at it with the steel forks that made up the toe. The ground shivered under his foot, and the feeling of power welled up. Even the ground feared him. Tiny creatures skittered in the underbrush, and the sounds gave him some relief. Eyes seemed to watch them from the clumps of moss on tree trunks and rocks. That made him feel even better. Reptiles, insects, birds and other creatures live in a forest. It is never completely silent.
In the distance, through the gray shroud of mist, he caught a glimpse of a white horse. Sitting astride it was a woman with long black hair that seemed to flow out behind her, even though the horse was barely moving. In the distortion caused by the thick mist, crows seemed to shape the long length of her hair as they flew in a formation behind her head.
Erlik raised his fist and then threw his arm forward, indicating for his men to attack. They began to run toward the woman on the white horse, dodging around the trees and swinging their weapons at brush and plants, hacking through them now that they had a villager in sight. Where there was one, there were bound to be others.
Anguished shrieks reverberated through the forest—screams and bellowing cries, coming from behind them. Erlik whirled around to see many of the demons in the far back and to the right of him writhing on the forest floor. He could barely see with the mist swirling, but there were flashes of orange-red flames and the scent of smoke and rotting corpses. The stench seemed trapped in the gloomy humidity, making it impossible to identify the assailants by smell. The swirling mist made vision poor.
Three crows squawked harshly as they circled above the troops and then flew toward the left side, behind him. At once, the rotting corpse stench seemed to worsen as the shrieks and cries of agony rose to the canopy. Erlik couldn’t make out what was killing his troops, but he was losing far too many men. Orange-red colors began to flare in short bursts of flame, low to the ground, and with each eruption, he knew a demon was incinerated.
The crows chattered harshly directly overhead, calling out to someone. Erlik looked up at the three giant crows and then peered through the mist at the distant woman on the white horse with crows flying around her. Was it possible she was using the birds to spy on them? Was a woman the general? He was certain he was right in his assumption, and the crows were involved, maybe helping to orchestrate the battle.
Before he could direct his forward troops to go back to aid those under attack, hundreds of fiery arrows came out of the mist, targeting the front line. Around him, demons fell to the ground. The moment the demons were writhing on the forest floor, the vegetation seemed to come alive, plants stabbing at the hapless demons, vines tripping them when they tried to get to their feet. The moss seemed to have come alive and was stuffing poisonous mushrooms into the mouths of those on the ground.
Erlik crouched low and began to run from the carnage. There was no saving his men, not when he saw the dragon lily plants come to life, pointing their rolled petals at the downed troops. Red-orange flames spewed at those on the ground, the flames so hot they incinerated the demons instantly. Dragon fire. They knew the slayer might use it against them, but the plants in the forest?
Erlik ran to intercept his three hundred troops coming in from the south. Four of his most powerful demons flanked him as he sprinted through the trees. With every step he took, a crow shrieked and cawed, marking his position. Cursing, he shot arrows at the birds as he ran. He rarely missed, but the sharpened points never came close to the obnoxious birds.
The sound of the crows overhead felt like the heralding of death. Fear crept in when he had always felt invincible. Fear of the sound of the crows. Fear that the forest was alive and everything in it was the enemy. Fear he couldn’t find his prey and would have to return to his mistress a failure. She had no forgiveness in her. He was doomed if he didn’t wipe out the villagers.