CHAPTER 157

CHAPTER 157
Measured Steel

The seer nodded."The gods might yet be smiling upon you."

He nodded to his archers.

Now

The initial volley rained. arrows fired with flame tips that engulfed the sleighs in flames. The screams echoed down the valley. The thieves ran, but the pass provided them no route of escape. Back, surrounded by Winter Wolves, flash of silver steel.

He charged down his line, blade bared, fangs bared. His wolf growled as metal clashed against bone. They clashed in flames and gore, snow reddening where he trod.

He charged like thunder. rushing into the line of soldiers, his eyes scanning for the relic. And there it was: an old man in an antique robe clutching the black burlap package towards an desecrated altar hewn into the mountainside.

"No!" thundered Joel

He charged, cutting down two of the rogues to reach the figure. One strike, and the man collapsed to the ground. mask shattered to reveal an ugly, half-wolf, half-human face.

He tore off the cloth from the bundle.

Inside lay a skull… gigantic, ancient, covered in runes. Its eye sockets were filled with smoke.

The seer was standing next to him. "It's not an object, though," she told him. "It is not just an object."

He looked down at it. "Burn it."

"In what fire?" She asked. "In gods' blood, it was tempered,"

The uncertainty. and he plunged his knife into it. The skull caved in, releasing an ear-shattering shriek that ripped through the darkness.

No more snow fell.

All was still

The cracks appeared on the altar. The runes began to glow.

"Joel," he said, shaking, "they realize it. The Rite has been desecrated."

He gazed up at the sky.

An old feeling awakened

And it would catch up to her.

The wood was also too quiet.

He huddled under a broken tree, claws still extended, nostrils still filled with the scent of blood. Behind him, Lynk panted short, careful gasps as he gazed back over the broken battlefield. They'd expected more. They'd needed more. And what was left to them was the flavor of something. wrong.

"They never wanted to be successful," grumbled Joel.

He approached closer, furrowing his eyebrows.

He stood up to his full height, his eyes scanning what lay beyond the tree line in the distance. "It was not an attack. A demonstration of power." His voice dropped, his growl scorching his throat. "They were pushing us."

Kicked at whatever lay on the ground, and it caused steel to crickle like dry bone. "Well, they got an eyefull."

"They pushed us." Joel spun, glinting frost simmering just below his peaceful surface. "Their power was not this one. This was an offshoot. expendable bodies, no plan."

A scout materialized quietly. "Alpha, scouted perimeter. There is no trail further in. They simply materialized, vanished just as suddenly."

His corner of his mouth jerked, though, not into a smile.

Lynk looked at him. "You think they were rogues?"

"No," he said bluntly. "ROGUES SEPARATE. They came in advanced in one unit. This is older."

The scout stopped. "Orders, Alpha?"

His eyes glinted. "Fall back, men! We reassemble at Hollow Creek."

"Do you want to withdraw?" Lynk inquired, actually shocked.

"I want to know the whole blade before it cuts me," shouted Joel. "Defend our folk. Reset line. We don't shoot until I order."

Lynk nodded deliberately. "We're learning, not fleeing."

Corrected

When the scout crossed into the trees to relay the order, Lynk uncoiled. "Ever heard of something like this?"
Joel's brain jerked back. not to fighting, but to Emerald's white face, to enigmatic signs, to that unburned red petal.

"Yes," he snarled, his voice low. "But never that well organized."

"Then let's beat them at it." Lynk slapped his one hand onto Joel's shoulder. "We've done it before."

He just stayed quiet, not answering. His eyes lifted, into trees, to where blue horizon bled oranges as it transitioned to sunset. "It's different this time."

He tracked his eyes. "Because of her?"

Joel stayed quiet.

They moved stealthy in the wood. No battle anthems, no survival ballads. just silent shuffle of boots and claws on dry leaves. At the lead walked Joel, unshakable in his darkening face.

Behind him, his second-in-command fell into pace. "Do you think that council were expecting that to befall?"

"They know more than showing up." Joels voice was strangled with anxiety. "They get me to lead them into danger, and them grill me as to what happened."

Lynk furrowed his brow. "And you're joining

His smile wasn't humorous. "Long enough to get them to regret having sent me."

They consider calling up in the outside groups.

I'm considering reducing to ashes anyone who questions that I can.

They remained silent for a moment. Then, quieter, Lynk asked, "And what about her?"

Joel’s steps slowed.

"I will protect her," he said finally. "Even if it has to be from afar."

Nodding curtly, Lynk was attentive. "Fall back, and plot,

"Yes, we disappear for a moment." They think that they've injured us." The eyes of Joel grew cold. "Then hit from behind."

They reached where their men had fought to start hours earlier. There were smoldering remains, wisps of smoke rising up to the sky. All that remained of attackers was charred or covered. But there was still magic in the air.

He halted, staring at a tree whose bark was torn asunder. not by claw, but by runes. Ancient runes

"They were trying to invoke something," he growled.

Lynk huddled next to the target. "Old."

He ran his finger along the sigil. "Blood magic."

Lynk's jaw locked into tightness

Joel remained silent. He did not need to.

He spun, his face unyielding after a moment's deliberation. "Double guard on the cabin. No one approaches her without my permission."

She will object to that.

She doesn't need to

Joel walked into the evening shadows, allowing them to envelop him like armor. The evening hadn’t defeated them… it showed them

Their differences were apparent. And he ensured that they did it the difficult way.