rass and moss, attempting to find some grip on the more barren mountaintop. The mountainside seemed to twist about-face somewhat as he ascended to the summit

eemed minuscule. Small wisps of grey smoke emerged from the chimneys, dispersing in the coolness of the impending night. Everywhere he looked, there were mountains and hills, even beyond the protective landscape that surround

ising over the northern sky like an image engraved onto the horizon; too massive to be real, too beautiful to be anything other tha

eatening to strangle him with every stride, conjuring a continual supply of bile and flem that tasted like poison in his lips. He'd heard the idiom 'lead weights tied to your boots,' but now he rea

ent by all the gods. Farkas tried calling his name again as he chased the pup up the mountain, but it was in vain. Th

ter down the steepest, most terrifying path conceivable. Klloyd's long ears flapped in the wind as he rush

y's gut tightened in astonishment. All too soon, there was blood on the soil and the sleeve of his ripped shirt, and a sickening copper

on as his head was ab

ng-cold fingers entwined around his heart, chilling the b

und the tough bark-like hide of their legs. Their strong dog-like nose possessed rows of dangerous-looking fangs, backed up by domineering jaws and

ed the terrifying Xard. Klloyd sat crouched defensively, snarling at the strange anim

! No! R

ut hesitation and quickly smashed the dog aside in a single smooth stroke. Klloyd groaned a

handed and roaring in wrath, his sign

tending to accomplish by approaching the Xard; perhaps he hoped to scare them away like a pack of ravenous scarion, but as his feet led him closer and his panic b

sented in history books, but they were at least twenty times more terrifying in actuality. The breeze blew past their backs and toward him, t

d, he could! They were legitim

ll. He couldn't flee; he couldn't even stop his heartbe

embedded deep into Farkas' hip the next moment, and agony rushed through his body like electricity - the cold steel a stunning contrast against his heated innards. Farkas stumbled backwards, gasping for air, and landed hard on his already-

When I asked you how you got caught, I didn't me

esponded, 'But this

ot captured, but you don't know