Audas pulled the trigger too late as the creature crashed into him and automatic fire sprayed wildly into thin air before the rifle was torn from his grip. Landing on his back, he roared as the creature’s jaws and claws snapped at him. His foot found something soft and a satisfying kick, he sent it flying back into a heap.
But it was quickly back on its feet, but it wasn’t a Former or a Lycan. It was a four-legged, canine beast, small enough to pass as a dog from a distance… but the bulbous blisters and the matted fur with the wide, frenzied eyes was all the confirmation he needed that it was a Feral. Audas’ chest tightened, he didn’t want to think on if it had once been human, or something else.
Screaming, the Feral leapt back at him.
Steel sang as Audas whipped the sword out of its scabbard and forward tip first. Unable to stop, the Feral sailed straight onto the blade, scream fading to a whimper as it squirmed on the makeshift skewer. Another kick and shove sent it flying back again, falling to a sorry heap on the ground. It didn’t get back up this time.
He scrambled back up to his feet, turning towards Reyes still stuck underneath the other, near identical Feral as it tried to bite down on his neck. “Oi! Dogface!” Audas barked, hoping he could get its attention.
The Feral’s head snapped up towards him, massive fangs bared.
Golden hands grabbed hold of its head. It barked once before a sharp crack rang out, and the beast dropped like a brick. “Fucking Jackals!” Reyes snapped, shoving the corpse aside, its head rolling to far back from thanks to its broken neck as he staggered back up to his knees. “Nice distra-“
Earth tore apart beneath them as the machine gun opened up. Audas leapt back as Reyes rolled away, snatching his AK of the ground. Shouldering it, flame fluttered as he fired, and the rounds ceased falling near them.
As Audas moved back towards his rifle, he spotted it. Across the crossroad, a single tall Feral fell backwards. A gun tight in its claws.
No! They can’t have-
Gunfire erupted again, and Audas leapt clear of the spray, leaving his M4 behind. We need some cover!
“Fall back!” Reyes shouted, returning fire as he backpedalled towards one of buildings at their backs. Audas scrambled after him as rounds wildly buzzed past, impacting the walls, ground and the Nyúlfur corpses. If there was even a flicker of life left in them, it had just been snuffed out.
“When did the Ferals learn how to use fucking guns!?” Audas finally roared, knowing there was no time for him to grab his rifle now.
“Just get inside!” Reyes barked back, firing the AK towards the new foe.
Charging for their building’s door, Audas booted it and with a heavy snap, the door broke in two, allowing him to barge in. Something snarled to his right. He turned to find the Feral, a pureblood as big as he was, screeching as it lunged at him.
He tried to swing the sword again, only to feel his wrist twist as the tip clattered against the wall. The beast barraged into him, and it was only sheer luck that Audas didn’t get knocked onto his back. Sharp claws dug into the flesh of his shoulder, burning as Audas let out another roar. Can’t stab! G-GET OFF!
Getting one hand free, and with gunfire pounding his drums, he clawed at its head, tightening his grip on a chunk of fur. Its jaw snapped, trying to bite his hand as he tried to shove it away. But that wasn’t going to be enough. DIE ALREADY! With a bestial scream, Audas smashed its head against the wall. It howled in agony, and he rammed it again. Nails sank deeper. He did it again. And again.
Its grip finally released, and he shoved the spasming creature away, its bloody skull crumbled and broken. He turned to find he was standing in a narrow hall, with a flight of stairs leading up towards an upper level. Reyes backed into the hall, the AK clicking as he cleared the door. Cursing, he started to reload. “Gunners! Should have realised that the moment we got down here!”
Gunners? Jackals? Audas took a shaky breath as he stepped up to the wall too, glancing down at the ichor coated blade in his hand. He had heard the rumours and the stories, but he never imagined that there would be four legged monsters amongst the Ferals, nevermind ones smart enough to even use a gun! Either way, Reyes was right. Small groups being ambushed, that was right in the Feral playbook, the guns must have threw the Nyúlfur off the real culprit!
“Aw shit!” Reyes cursed again, holding a half-dented brick in his hand, “Bastard managed to wreck my radio!”.
“Reckon that Dray and Dorian can get here in time?” Audas panted, grasping onto one shoulder as bullets continued battering the walls, the joint still burning from the claws biting into his skin and already feeling warm.
“They better well be!” Reyes barked, tossing the ruined device aside, “They’d be hearing all this from a couple of klicks, easy!”
Audas tightened his grip on the sword, they might be done for in a few minutes if the Ferals made a charge for them! How many of the things are there?! At least I’m not bitten… yet...
“We’re going to need a defensible spot…” he finally said, his eyes locking onto the stairs. “Upstairs!”
Animalistic cheers echoed behind them as he glimpsed Reyes look towards them. “I’ll take point! Cover me!”
Audas followed Reyes up the steps, bounding up the first ones and spinning round just as the Feral ‘Jackal’ leapt through the door. Screaming, it came up at him. Bracing himself, Audas coiled his leg in and stabbed his foot straight into its face. He could feel the bones in its neck collapse and shatter under his blow as it tumbled back down the stairs and straight into another Jackal that had sprinted through the door. Gunfire boomed above him as he mounted the next steps, one eye fixed on the bottom with the sword pointed down.
He stepped onto an open landing to find Reyes standing over the bloodied corpse of another Feral Lycan, almost a mirror image of the Nyúlfur, only twisted-
The new Jackal charged at him, and with a swift stab of the sword, he sent it barrelling back down the stairs, “Reyes how many we’ve got?!”
In his eye’s corner, Reyes crept up to a window, near a hole that had been blown out of the wall and peaked out. “A small pack. About thirty-five… maybe more?”
Are you fucking k- Audas shook his head. “That’s small to you?!” he hissed back.
Reyes growled, “Just keep them from coming up, I’ll try and pick them off!”
Audas barely registered his words, or the AK ripping open. His eyes were fixed on the bottom of the stairs. The monsters gathering below, ready to assault his position. Formers, Jackals and Lycans. He was the only thing standing in their way, alongside Ja-
No… pull yourself together Audas!
“More Jackals and a few Formers coming!” Reyes called out.
Audas growled, shifting into a new sword ward. This was a good chokepoint, they could only come up one at a time, maybe two if they tried to push it. That gave him an advantage, but if they could keep the pressure up, they could still overwhelm him. He needed something to thin their numb-
Then it clicked. Rainer Grenades. Kia had told him, Won’t get any better than that.
He still had his bag, and reaching behind him, he felt the first grenade and yanked it free from its pocket. The first Feral, a Former, was already beginning its assault on the stairs, letting out its twisted screech. Here goes nothing!
Flicking out the pin, Audas tossed the ‘nade underarm down the stairs and immediately slipped back, hearing the clatter as it bounced off the steps and came to a halt.
Three seconds later, a deafening bang rang out from below. Dust puffed out from the stairwell, and with it came the agonised screams and moans of the Feral victims. Audas couldn’t hold back his smirk. “When the hell did you get a grenade!?” Reyes yelped over his shoulder.
“I’m not done yet!” Audas replied, reaching for the other grenade and leaping back to the top of the stairwell. This time, the Jackals weren’t waiting. Two were trying to run up together, bashing their shoulders together as they hurried up. Try to get it past this! He threw the primed grenade back down, only to feel his heart miss a beat as one of the Jackals sprung up and caught the explosive with its mouth.
He only just caught its widening eyes, as if it just realised it screwed up before he dove for cover. This time the bang was louder, accompanied by the pattering of blood and flesh. Audas fought to stop himself gagging at the sudden and repugnant smell of charred meat, and with his sword tight in his grip, returned to the top of the stairs. Either the Jackals had got wiped out, or they weren’t trying to charge anymore as a trio of Formers came scurrying up over the corpses of the last attackers. “Don’t give up do you!?” Audas snapped. I’ve still got the high ground!
The first Former sprang free of its packmates, almost throwing itself up the stairs only to impale itself on his sword. Audas grunted as he booted it back down back into another one of the Formers, holding it in place whilst the other dove past.
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This time, Audas swung the blade down. Warm blood splattered his face, forcing him to blink it away. Just in time to see the now one armed Former screaming, dumbfounded at its now missing limb before he sliced its chest open and sent it barrelling back down the stairwell, taking the one surviving Former down with it.
Angry and confused chatter echoed from below. Audas leaned against the wall, still waiting for the next rush. They’re trying to fight smarter, but they can’t just run up all at once. Reyes dropped back down into cover off to the side near a breach in the wall, reaching over another magazine.
“How many have you managed to take down?” Audas asked, keeping his voice down and counting on Nyúlfur hearing for the Starkman to catch his words. Especially with the Ferals now using guns.
“About eleven.” He replied, “I managed to take out most of the gunners, but the last few and the others are hanging back. You?”
“At least seven.” Audas replied, stepping back up to the stairwell. “Not counting those I blew up, I think the rest of them are all down-”
A Former leaned into view at the bottom of the stairs, yet didn’t charge. A blocky object snapped up, and Audas almost didn’t realise the danger before he tried to throw himself aside. Bullets whistled up the stairwell, and Audas yelped something burned across the side of his leg. He hit the deck, wincing as he saw the bloody mark left behind by the rifle round that cut through his fur. Any slower, and it’d have gone right into his muscle.
Bullets battered the wall at the top of the stairs, blowing off fragments of brick. Audas shielded his eyes as he rose to his feet, but then something began to rumble, and his ears pricked up. There was no mistaking it. Engines!
Down below, the Ferals started bellowing out, screeches rising up to him even over the gunfire. Reyes had scrambled back up to his feet. “About time!”
Audas glanced back at him, “Think the four of us can clear them out?”
“We have to! They’ve got too smart to let them escape!”
Too sm-
The gunfire ceased as another Feral shot out from the stairwell. He tried to bring the longsword round, but it was too late. It smashed into him, his head bashing against another wall. Audas whacked his knee into its gut, and the beast’s grip relaxed. It stumbled back, blood dripping from its jaws as it tried to grab hold of the stair railings. Audas pressed forwards, the longsword coming up and sailing down hard. It’s blade bit into the Feral’s shoulder, screaming as it tried to hold on for dear life. Stepping forward, Audas yanked the blade out and threw his shoulder straight into it. Finally, it’s grip failed, and it went flailing back down the stairwell and into the next Feral.
The roar of engines peaked, and gunfire cracked back into life. Something cried out. “They’re here!” Reyes shouted as another Pureblood Feral came bounding up. Audas cut at it again, only this time the Pureblood feinted back, evading the swing. The Purebloods wouldn’t go back down so easily. “Is the ground clear below!?” Audas roared.
“Yeah! What-“
“Then get out! Give them some back up!”
Audas kicked the Feral back again, but this time it managed to catch itself, its claws digging into the walls of the stairwell. A mass of bodies started to pour up the stairwell behind it, all Pureblood Lycans, all snapping and snarling for a piece of the action, save for the briefest wave of a gun to hint at the Gunner trying to follow them. They were too strong to be forced back down. Reyes’ eyes flicked between him and the windows. “Wh-“
“I’ll be right behind you!” he cut in just as the front Lycan charged again, swiping its claws at him. Audas side stepped and shoved the sword straight into its gut. “GO!”
Cursing, Reyes climbed up to one of the windows, rifle sweeping the space outside. Then he stepped forward and he was gone.
Audas yanked the sword out, kicking the screaming beast back into the mass of Ferals tangling with each other, rising up like a flood. But if anything, the stabbed Lycan looked even more pissed off. Audas turned and ran, eyes fixed on the windows, his heart pounding and his lungs burning. The threat of the Ferals was like a flood of muscle and blood at his back.
He reached it in time to see a pair of Formers blown away by rifle fire, his eyes flicked round towards the shooters. Dorian was taking point as he fired his M4 into the pack, whilst Dray hung back with his own semi-automatic, giving Reyes that chance loading a fresh mag into his AK.
Dray’s head lifted up to him, “Audas! Come on!”
Audas moved to step out, only for another hail of bullets to strike the window around him. Cursing, he sprung back, catching a pair of Gunners at the other end of the crossroad, spraying their weapons from the hip like they were in some cheap action flick. Terrible aim aside, it was enough to force him back inside.
Something clamped down on his arm, yanking Audas back. Someone below shouted, but the Lycan was already clawing at his face. Growling, he forced the sword into the beast’s gut again, Audas baring his teeth as he started to press it back-
Another Lycan sprung round, teeth flashing as they sank into his arm.
He shrieked, feeling the pain shoot up his arm and into his chest. No no no! Not again! He threw a wild punch into the thing’s face. Something crumpled, and it peeled back. Some other freak slammed into him, forcing Audas down to the ground and sending a jolt up his spine. Claws tore through his shoulder. He kicked. He punched. He tried hacking with the sword. Each blow dug into monster or air. His muscles protested as something else dug into his leg. Bellowing at the top of his lungs, his foot connected. His vision was a blur, teeth mashing, eyes burning. The stench of stagnant dog-flesh flooded up his nose as canine screams and roars battered him from all sides. More teeth flashed across his face, cries for help as a colossal weight threatened to crush his chest. The Gunner materialised, rifle slung at its side and ready to fire, and with a horrific roar, Audas managed to lift the sword and flung it out of his grasp. It sped past the creature’s neck, sending blood spurting into the air. As the beast’s eyes went wide, dropping the gun to desperately paw at its neck, another furred mass blocked his view.
Get off me! Get a-away! You-You won’t take me alive!
A pair of wolven jaws slammed shut in his face, inches away.
God! No! No!
Audas screamed.
Ferals screamed with him.
Much of the pressure vanished as panicked shrieks rushing past him, only to return in full force as the roaring Lycan snatched his neck, squeezing tight. He tried to gasp for air, but nothing was coming. T-Too much-
And in that second, he found himself face to face with Travis. As if he had suddenly teleported into the mass of bodies. He leaned forward, grinning as his grip tightened, Audas’ cry faded away into a stifled choke. “Nice try…”
No! No! NO!
Something splattered into his face. The grip gone.
Audas blinked. Travis was gone.
The Feral stared blankly at him, slumped over the top of him like a blood rag.
And with half an axe sticking out of its head.
The axe head slid out, jerking the corpse up as it did. Hyperventilating, and with his heart pounding in his ears, Audas gripped its shoulders and threw the deadweight aside.
Dorian towered above him, a bloodied battleaxe tight in his grip, and he himself didn’t look much better, as streaks of blood covered his fur like tribal markings. But the hostility was gone. Instead, his mouth hung open, and his eyes had widened in a look of horror. “Spirits! You look like shit!” he uttered, taken aback.
Audas didn’t register that though as his fingers grasped the sword, somehow back at his side. Instead, he found himself staring at the deep bite mark in his arm. No no… Not again! I can’t be infected again! His vision swam as he rose to his feet, pressing the point of the blade into the wooden floor. Where are they! Where are the fucking-
Dorian’s hand clamped onto his arm. “Slow do-“
“Get the fuck off me!” Audas roared, yanking the arm away. Instinct took over, and before he could stop himself, the longsword was already up, its tip pointed right at the Nyúlfur.
“Relax!” Dorian barked, one hand snapping up. Every last drop of hostility, if there was any left, was promptly eradicated. “The Ferals are dead! Just breathe!”
Sweat dripped into his eyes, and Audas couldn’t stop himself wiping it clean off. But then his heart raced again as he found just as much blood staining the fur on his hand. Rifle shots cracked, joined by a few gurgling screams. His legs quivered weakly beneath him, ready to give out entirely.
Dorian rested his axe against the wall, “Breathe Audas.”, he softly urged, keeping his free hand up. “You’ve done well. You’re okay.”
Something inside the former human snapped, “How will I!?” Audas barked, snapping out the bitten arm. “How do-“
“What are you, a fucking ape?” Dorian spat, his patience gone and anger resurfacing, “You’ll be fine. Feral bites can’t change us remember?”
Audas shivered as the words finally registered in his head. It… they can’t? His heart threatened to race again as he gulped down a breath, finding himself staring at the Feral corpses. Nyúlfur can’t be infected? He took a second breath. Then another. On the sixth, he let the sword drop, leaning on it whilst wiping more sweat and blood from his face. The gunfire fell silent.
Something thundered up the stairs, and Dray stepped into view, sword and shield ready in his hands. “Audas! Are you alright?”
“He’s fine.” Dorian answered as he retrieved his axe. “Just… give him some time.”
He turned, stepping past Dray and down the stairs in silence.
Dray blinked, and stepping over the bloody corpses, his fingers gently wrapped round Audas’ arm. “Come on.” He said, gingerly pulling him forward. “Kaine’s on his way.”
Audas nodded, stiff and half wooden as he stepped forward. “Yeah.”
“And spirits, you look like crap.”
It took him a moment to reply.
“…tell me about it…”
The caravan didn’t take long to arrive. The guards swept the crossroad for any sign of the stragglers, but none revealed themselves. Audas watched to one side as the Feral corpses were tossed into a bloody pile, whilst the remains of the three dead Nyúlfur were wrapped up and carried towards the approaching carts. He leaned against a wall several metres away from the others, unable to shake the chill out of his system. His arm ached from where the Lycan’s jaw had clamped down onto it, the wound now concealed under a carefully wrapped bandage. It would have been a death sentence to a human, even if they survived the encounter. And yet for a Nyúlfur it’s just a bite?
It was something that bothered him. What did that mean? Were the Nyúlfur just naturally immune? Or… were they and the Ferals related? There was still so much that he didn’t understand about the Nyúlfur, and this felt like a topic he couldn’t just probe about. He sighed, too shaken to put much more thought into it. I’ll have to try and dig around for some info on that later.
“Carlos. Radio check.”
Audas froze. One hand drifting down towards the pocket, feeling the device within.
He had a brief second to grab hold of the lackey’s radio before the fire from the Gunners forced him and Reyes inside, and now it was squawking away in his pocket. Pulling it out, he glanced back towards the caravan, there was no one near him. Dray, Reyes and even Dorian had left Audas in peace as they moved to support the efforts of the party. “Damn it Carlos. Where are you?”
That voice…
Turning away, he leaned in close to the radio and pressed the transmit button. “Carlo’s dead Travis.”
Travis didn’t answer immediately, an awkward silence reigning around the former human before he finally spoke, “So… you’re alive.” he growled coldly. “What did you do to him?”
Sensing that faint flicker of satisfaction within, Audas responded, “It wasn’t me. The Ferals got him.”
“And the others?”
“The same.”
“Right…” Travis said, voice still cold. “So how are you alive? No one survived the crash last I heard.”
“I got lucky.” Audas replied, working to make his tone as venomous as possible.
A quiet laugh crackled on the other side. “That’s being a Nyúlfur for you brother.”
“I’m not your brother Travis.” Audas snarled, his hand quivering, “Where are you? Hiding in the mountains somewhere?”
“Eh… I don’t think I’m going to tell you.” Travis purred back, “But I’d keep hold of that radio if I were you…”
“So you can just mock me?” Audas snapped, his fingers tightening around the radio.
“I’m not some pup, ape.” Travis replied with a truly sinister warmth, “But I would like to hear about, well… everything…”
Of the current Ferals seen so far, which would be the one you would least want to deal with?
