Based on everything Xerxes had learned about Abhorrent, it seemed likely that this new addition to the battlefield was a stage two juvenile. The upside was that she would still have only a single magical power. The downside was that she would be faster, stronger, and more durable than her lesser brethren.

She looked similar to the other female Abhorrent, in that she had sickly white skin, long white hair, and a perfectly shaped upper torso. Unlike the smaller version that walked about on countless spidery legs, she had human legs. In fact, from a distance, she looked almost like a human. However, the countless spidery legs were still present. They hung from her hips like a living skirt, swaying and twisting like bizarre worms.

Xerxes glanced up and down the dirt mound. There were still hordes of spawn clashing with the troops who held the line.

In terms of mages, it wasn’t lost on Xerxes that Gandash had assigned all of the Asgagu mages to the north. Further down the line was Kashtiliash with Unit Two and then Kuri with Unit Three. At the far end, Laxu was the only non-Asgagu mage; he was a Buhhu Seer. His view of the west part of the camp made it impossible to see how things were going there.

He looked back out at the enemy.

The juveniles were zooming across the battlefield toward them.

He gripped his sword. A stage two juvenile that was more than twice his own size was nothing to take lightly. In fact, it could kill him with a single well-placed blow. That wasn’t to mention its magic. Would it have the same abilities as its lesser version? Tentacle-like fingers?

His mind flitted through various options from Mystic Rabya’s classes. Should he have Unsighted troops harry the thing? Or team up with another mage?

About fifteen cubits away, the huge Abhorrent planted her feet and jumped.

“Fall back,” Xerxes yelled, and he jabbed his hand into his component pouch.

She sailed up in an arc that was obviously going to bring her crashing down right on the mound.

Xerxes started tracing the Asgagu Sebum rune into the stibnite talc, flicking his finger as fast as he dared.

The gigantic Abhorrent slammed into the defensive mound just past the wooden stakes. Dirt exploded in all directions, and her immense size and weight, coupled with her momentum, caused the structure to crumble.

Xerxes found himself sliding backward as he finished the spell.

His sword glowed with bright light as he looked up at the horrifying woman.

For a moment, his chest felt so tight that he didn’t think he could move.

“Grk bak losh, melam-oth?” the massive woman said. It sounded like a question. She lifted her hands, to do what, he wasn’t sure.

His heart pounded. He took in a breath. “Fuck you,” he said. He ran forward with his sword held aloft.

The woman flicked her fingers, and instead of five tentacle-like streaks of light, dozens of them shot forth.

Xerxes spun his sword out, slashing a host of them out of existence. But however many he severed, there were more than he didn’t sever.

Two or three stabbed into fleshy parts of his legs and arms. One hit his side. More of them wrapped around him. It was only by some miracle that he kept a grip on his sword.

Before he could react, he was being pulled in the air toward her face. The pain from the wounds was already a dull ache. He jerked against the tentacles that bound him, but they held tight.

“Ya shlf, melam-oth,” she said, grinning.

He tried to twist his wrist to somehow get his sword in the position to sever some of the bonds. He failed.

A shout reached his ears. His eyes shifted, and he saw Kashtiliash bellowing as he ran across the dirt, both hands burning with white light.

The gigantic Abhorrent woman turned her head and saw the same thing.

Keeping her grip on Xerxes, she spun on the balls of her feet, took a step forward, and launched a kick at Kashtiliash. The bearded mage dove to the side at just the right time, and the foot sailed past him.

In that moment, Xerxes felt some of the tentacles loosen around him. He jerked his sword arm, wrenching it free. He swung his sword, severing numerous tentacles. The Abhorrent woman spat a curse in her disgusting language. A few of the tentacles maintained their grip on him, but they weren’t strong enough to hold him. He fell about five cubits, hitting the ground hard on his shoulder.

He knew that every second counted, so before he could even get onto his feet, he swung his sword at what was nearest: the Abhorrent woman’s ankle.

The burning blade bit so cleanly through her flesh, muscle, and bone, that he felt no resistance. Screaming discordantly, she dropped down to one knee, leaving her severed foot in place slightly behind her.

He stabbed the sword up. It pierced her side, driving up into her torso.

At the same time, he heard Kashtiliash roar as he slammed into the woman from the side, both of his fists burning as he pummeled her, punching burning holes into her shoulder and torso.

Xerxes heaved himself up and stabbed again.

White tentacles hit Kashtiliash, stabbing into him and wrapping him up before tossing him to the side.

The woman swept a host of tentacular fingers at Xerxes like a whip, knocking his feet out from under him. Then she grabbed him. Not with magically extended fingers, but with her ordinary, flesh-and-blood hands. She latched onto his forearm, her fingers digging into him, until he screamed as they pierced his skin. He dropped his sword.

She pulled him toward her with such force that he felt searing pain in his shoulder as it was dislocated.

Meanwhile, she pulled back her free hand, her fingers twisted into vicious claws. He thought back to his first encounter with an Abhorrent, and how the juvenile had stabbed her hand into the torso of poor Rihan.

I’m going to die. She was going to rip into him and grab his chambers of energy, then toss him aside to bleed to death.