Chapter 142
The smiling shadows assailed us on all sides. There were dozens of them, the sole saving grace that they didnt seem to have much in terms of health. I nailed one between the eyes with
Talia tore pieces of the first few shadows and took several glancing hits from their knives
Go for vitals! I shouted back at her. Theyre coordinated. Theyll keep dogpiling if you give them an opening.
I resent that turn of phrase. Talia's voice was muffled as she ripped a chunk out of a shadows torso. But she listened to the core of what I said and came up with her solution. Venom dripped freely off her fangs as she snapped at the small cluster of shadows that surrounded her, aiming for their arms and legs.
I wasnt certain if poison would work on them, but if it did, they didnt have much body-weight to speak of, so the effect would be stronger than normal.
A shadow charged at me, its bright knife angled downward towards my chest as it leaped through the air. I grabbed its knife-hand and neck, pivoting and slamming its lower half onto the spotlight illuminated park table. There was a sickening crunch that I belatedly realized was its spine snapping. It went limp, dropping the knife and staring up at me, inverted smile forming an eerie frown.
Join us the shadow whispered, pointing towards the ground where its knife fell.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another shadow collapsing to its knees, feebly attempting to remove the bolt Id fired from the
Theyre weak to the cold effect, too. The only real advantage they have is numbers.
I tried to reach out towards the mass of them with and got no feedback whatsoever, even as my mana drained.
Of course. Theyre not real. More puppets than anything else. I cant direct them because theyre already being directed.
I fired my crossbow twice more, taking a page from Talias book and being less selective about where I hit. Mechanical gears ground as it cocked back, and I nearly loaded another bolt before I saw multiple sets of eyes open around ceiling level.
Above My warning yell was cut off as flared. The shadow above me dropped, its knife a descending spike as two others attacked from the sides.
I threw myself back onto the picnic table, using to stabilize the first shot, lodging a bolt into the eye of the shadow that dropped from the ceiling. When the others reacted, I rolled off the table and spun, drawing the bow and firing it instinctively as I retreated backwards. Eventually, I felt my thigh brush against Talias fur.
Is this it? The lithids just going to throw numbers at us until we crack? I sneered, wiping a trickle of blood from my mouth.
Unlikely. This is just the opening blitz. Theres a twist, somewhere.
All Im seeing is mindless shadows. Basic pack behavior.
This is not how a pack hunts. Each is opportunistic, trying to position themselves for the best strike at the expense of the others. More than that, the way they fight feels familiar. Talias voice was wary.
I fired off I wouldnt be able to use it again for the rest of the dungeon, but that was fine if it meant finishing this. The threads that connected the shadows to the lithid became visible.
The beauty of the knife was the efficiency. The brevity of the path from point a to point b.
All at once, the gritty desperation of it all fell away. I danced among them, blade stabbing, slashing, twisting, a feeling of unique purpose washed over me. Every neuron and muscle fiber cooperated in perfect union.
As if this were what I was meant for. Raucous laughter reached my ears, barely identifiable as my own.
The threads from harrowing anticipation led me to the final shadow. It was retreating, casting terrified glances over its shoulder, a gloating smile nowhere to be seen.
I flipped the knife into my off-hand and drew the crossbow with my dominant, using to fire a bolt into its thigh. It toppled and fell, dragging itself away. I grabbed its hair and pulled its head back, driving the knife into its back over and over.
Something tugged at my pant leg.
I whirled, prepared to plunge my knife into the next target.
The prey has fallen, Matthias. A wolf I had to concentrate to recognize stood at my side. Her thick eyebrows were pulled together in concern as she stared at the knife in my hand. I am not your enemy.
Talia?
Are you alright? Talia cocked her head.
I lowered the knife and ran a hand through my hair, unsettled. Just lost myself for a second there. Jesus. My heads killing me.
The shadows fell away, a bright light overhead blinding us. Birds sang, and as my eyes adjusted, perfectly manicured lawns came into focus.
A damning feeling washed over me as I realized not only where, but when this was.
What is this place? Talia asked.
It was all exactly as I remembered it. The rock yard with weeds that never stopped cropping up, no matter how often it was sprayed. A waist-high iron gate that squealed loudly when it swung open. And a small alcove where I sat to read on weekdays after Id finished my schoolwork, waiting for dad to return.
The last home I ever had. I answered quietly. I turned slowly, towards the end of the road. Identical to the memory I replayed infinitely in my mind, my fathers police cruiser was parked at the end of the road. A few neighbors stood at a safe distance from the house, several on their cellphones, either recording or chattering into them.
And I remembered everything.
