Read Online BlackThorn's Doom by Dewayne M Kunkel - Free Book Online
Authors: Dewayne M Kunkel
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twilight.
They ate a breakfast of stale bread and leathery jerky. Washing it down with tepid water from rapidly diminishing supplies. Before making their way back to the forest edge.
Moving out of the rocks they entered Havoc’Mor. The trees were loathsome to look upon up close. The bark hung in shreds oozing milky sap that gathered about their roots in sticky pools. Where the bare wood was exposed it resembled the rotting flesh of a corpse.
The ground was littered with dead branches and cast off leaves. All about them large pale mushrooms thrust their crowns out of the detritus, and within the darkest shadows the fungi glowed with a pale green luminescence.
They kept to the forest edge; not wanting to face what may live in the forests depths. Moving east along the uplands rim. Through the leprous trees they caught occasional glimpses of the smoldering lowlands.
The stench of decay fouled each breath they took. Their clothing became streaked with yellowish stains from where they brushed against the hanging sheets of moss and bark.
The wood was still, only the sounds of the grumbling mountain and rumbling sky penetrated the trees. No animals were visible, only the sickly trees and knee-high mushrooms seemed to call this place home.
“Look well.” Marcos told them. “For this is the world Sur’kar would fashion out of the destruction he would bring down upon us all.”
Hours passed slowly within the silent wood. They stopped to rest around mid-day. Although they were hungry the mere thought of eating in the foul air nauseated them.
They sat in a small circle, their arms wrapped about their knees. No one wished to lean against the trunks; the pale wood seeping wet sap that resembled pus.
Connell’s head snapped up suddenly alert. “I heard something.” He whispered.
Sitting in silence they listened intently for any sound other than the persistent rumbling.
Suni pointed eastward. “Something walks this way.” He cocked his head to the side. “It is large and heavy.”
Grabbing their gear they moved further into the wood taking shelter in a thicket of tall reedy plants that reeked of rotted meat. The long thin stems were topped with an onion like bulb covered with a pale clear fluid that stuck to them if touched.
It was here that Casius saw the first sign of insect life. Something that resembled a bloated housefly landed on a bulb near his hiding place. The insect struggled and Casius watched in fascination as the bulb split and pulled the insect inside before closing once more.
Casius was torn from watching the plant devour the insect by the sound of snapping branches and dragging footsteps. Looking through the reeds he could see a large shadowy shape moving about where they had been sitting several minutes ago.
It moved bent over, its head close to the ground. Even in that posture Casius could tell it was far larger than a man. He let his hand drop to the hilt of his sword fearing the thing would charge them.
The reeds behind him exploded and a great hand closed upon his cloak. Before he could react he was lifted high into the air and thrown backwards into the trees.
He caught a glimpse of his assailant. It was a Morne of immense size. Its arms were too long for its hunch-backed body. Thick armor like plates covered its grotesque form.
He slammed into a tree trunk and the wind was knocked from him. He fell to the ground stunned and nearly unconscious. He knew his friends were fighting for their lives but there was nothing he could do.
The Troll sized Morne fell onto Connell and Yoladt, they fought well together keeping the giant at bay. If it lunged for one the other would step in and deliver a vicious cut that would barely mark the thick armored hide.
Marcos and Suni were busy with the second beast that had charged in from their resting place among the trees. Marcos moved like the wind, his bronze blade flashing in the twilight carving deep gashes in the beasts flesh.
Suni fought with his
They ate a breakfast of stale bread and leathery jerky. Washing it down with tepid water from rapidly diminishing supplies. Before making their way back to the forest edge.
Moving out of the rocks they entered Havoc’Mor. The trees were loathsome to look upon up close. The bark hung in shreds oozing milky sap that gathered about their roots in sticky pools. Where the bare wood was exposed it resembled the rotting flesh of a corpse.
The ground was littered with dead branches and cast off leaves. All about them large pale mushrooms thrust their crowns out of the detritus, and within the darkest shadows the fungi glowed with a pale green luminescence.
They kept to the forest edge; not wanting to face what may live in the forests depths. Moving east along the uplands rim. Through the leprous trees they caught occasional glimpses of the smoldering lowlands.
The stench of decay fouled each breath they took. Their clothing became streaked with yellowish stains from where they brushed against the hanging sheets of moss and bark.
The wood was still, only the sounds of the grumbling mountain and rumbling sky penetrated the trees. No animals were visible, only the sickly trees and knee-high mushrooms seemed to call this place home.
“Look well.” Marcos told them. “For this is the world Sur’kar would fashion out of the destruction he would bring down upon us all.”
Hours passed slowly within the silent wood. They stopped to rest around mid-day. Although they were hungry the mere thought of eating in the foul air nauseated them.
They sat in a small circle, their arms wrapped about their knees. No one wished to lean against the trunks; the pale wood seeping wet sap that resembled pus.
Connell’s head snapped up suddenly alert. “I heard something.” He whispered.
Sitting in silence they listened intently for any sound other than the persistent rumbling.
Suni pointed eastward. “Something walks this way.” He cocked his head to the side. “It is large and heavy.”
Grabbing their gear they moved further into the wood taking shelter in a thicket of tall reedy plants that reeked of rotted meat. The long thin stems were topped with an onion like bulb covered with a pale clear fluid that stuck to them if touched.
It was here that Casius saw the first sign of insect life. Something that resembled a bloated housefly landed on a bulb near his hiding place. The insect struggled and Casius watched in fascination as the bulb split and pulled the insect inside before closing once more.
Casius was torn from watching the plant devour the insect by the sound of snapping branches and dragging footsteps. Looking through the reeds he could see a large shadowy shape moving about where they had been sitting several minutes ago.
It moved bent over, its head close to the ground. Even in that posture Casius could tell it was far larger than a man. He let his hand drop to the hilt of his sword fearing the thing would charge them.
The reeds behind him exploded and a great hand closed upon his cloak. Before he could react he was lifted high into the air and thrown backwards into the trees.
He caught a glimpse of his assailant. It was a Morne of immense size. Its arms were too long for its hunch-backed body. Thick armor like plates covered its grotesque form.
He slammed into a tree trunk and the wind was knocked from him. He fell to the ground stunned and nearly unconscious. He knew his friends were fighting for their lives but there was nothing he could do.
The Troll sized Morne fell onto Connell and Yoladt, they fought well together keeping the giant at bay. If it lunged for one the other would step in and deliver a vicious cut that would barely mark the thick armored hide.
Marcos and Suni were busy with the second beast that had charged in from their resting place among the trees. Marcos moved like the wind, his bronze blade flashing in the twilight carving deep gashes in the beasts flesh.
Suni fought with his
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