Brink

The opalescent trinket dangling from the length of yellow is supposed to be a fox. At least, that’s what I think. Maya was always fond of animals and this thing seems to have a tail, ears, legs, and a snout. I’m busy squinting at it through the dim light when someone nudges my shoulder. I drop my arm back to my side and turn to look at the tall brunette boy with green eyes. He’s another orphan a couple years younger than me that seems to always be making an effort to keep that smile on his face. Of course, even now as we were preparing to head out on our first trip he was looking optimistic.

“You look eager to head out, Ward,” I observe, resting my hands on the hilt of my sword. “Try not to die right off the bat, ok?”

“Very funny, Nem,” he says, stepping closer to me and away from the rest of the squad. “But you’re not nearly as bleak as the rest of the guys.”

“Most of them are veterans,” I reason, glancing over the other figures in the room. “The rest are new recruits. It’s perfectly normal to be nervous when there's a good chance you’re about to head to your death.”

It was true. Many people on the scavenging team don’t expect to live very long and if they do, they seem to grow numb to the horrors of battle. Sometimes they join for the sake of their families, so they can reap the benefits of risking their lives. Sometimes they join to find answers and sometimes they join because they have nothing or no one left. Either way, when push comes to shove there is always the calm before the storm and the air was thick with it.

“We’ve trained for this,” Ward sighs, turning his eyes to the others as well. Despite his calm front, his leg is fidgeting and his thumb is tapping against his leg. “I can’t help but wonder if it’ll do us any good.”

“Just don’t be stupid,” I tease, cracking a tiny smile. “I’ll have your back.”

Ward looks to me with mild surprise before his smile brightens and the slight tension in his shoulders falls away. I can understand his reaction because I’m rarely forthcoming. He crosses his arms over his chest and says, “Well, if you say you have my back, then I won’t have to worry, will I?”

“I may be good in training, but we’ll see how my skills hold up in actual battle,” I say, starting towards the rest of the group as the final preparations are being completed.

“I have a feeling you’ll be alright, Nem,” Ward murmurs, following up as we adjust our gear and prepare to head out.”

* * *

Everything happened so fast. One moment I was admiring the quiet world for what it was and in the next, there was chaos. I'd never heard a growl so feral and a bark so fierce. And I'd never seen a creature move so much like lightning that my eyes can barely catch it. Horrified screams and frantic shouting rises up into the open air, extending endlessly into the open distance. The captain's orders sound throughout the swelling panic and we fall back into position, weapons drawn and poised to strike. I glance around and find Ward, touching my back to his as we try to ascertain the situation.

So many have already been killed and dragged off and many were still lying injured, trying to hide from the demon hounds that were circling what was left of the company. From what I can see, there is a pack of six that we need to deal with. Either we slay most of them or slay them all. I have the feeling that the former was more plausible an option because the best we can do is cut an opening, take the advantage, and retreat back to the settlement.

A flicker of black out of the corner of my eye catches my attention and I instinctively bring my sword up to defend myself, but I’m unprepared for the force of the blow behind it. My footing falters and I barely deflect the vicious hound into the ground. I barely think about it as I jump at the opportunity and run the monster through as it is struggling to roll back onto it’s feet. It lets out a terrible howl as black blood spills from the wound and stains the steel of my sword. I grimace, the bitter smell mixed with rancid flesh overwhelming my sinuses. When I recoil, I hear Ward’s voice shouting my name and I look up just in time see a second hound lunging towards me.

I raise my arm to protect my head as I jerk down and to the side a moment too late. I can barely feel the razor sharp claws drag across my forearm, but I can feel hot blood spread over my skin. I turn in time to see Ward bring his sword down on the demon’s skull before he hurries to my side. Just a single glance at his face and I can see he is unnecessarily worried.

“It’s nothing,” I say, looking around and hearing orders to retreat. “Let’s go.”

Together we ran over the dead and near dead, bringing up the rear of the company as everyone raced over the woody terrain. I glance over my shoulder, spying two hounds hot on our tail as we shoot along the edge of a high cliff. When I glance back again a few moments later, one of them is gone. A sense of dread settles into the pit of my stomach and I whip my head around to locate the other demon.

I catch sight of it leaping off the top of a large boulder just ahead of us and I shove Ward’s back with all the strength I can muster. He falls forward and the demon hound slams into me, it’s jaws snapping down on my arm with such force that I think it would surely break the bone. I’m thrown back and the wind is knocked out of my lungs as we slide and roll towards the cliff edge. I try to pry the hound’s snout from my arm and ultimately jab the tip of my boot into it’s side. It releases my arm with a loud yelp as I continue to kick it’s large body over the edge before me.

The momentum is too great and I slide straight towards the edge of the cliff as well, but I’m digging my fingers into the hard ground in a desperate attempt to save myself. My eyes look for Ward and they find him just managing to slay the other hound before looking to me in desperation. My fingertips are burning and bleeding and I’ve drastically slowed. But it isn’t enough as the weight of my lower body continues to drag me down. Ward is running towards me, arm outstretched as he leaps forward to try and grab my hand.

I feel the ghost of his fingers brush against mine as they meet for a fleeting moment and miss. Gravity grabs hold of me and pulls me down. The last thing I see is Ward’s horrified face shouting, the last thing I think is that Maya is going to kill me, and the last thing I hear is the sound of my body slamming against the surface of the water.