Chapter 19

The Attack on Haven PART 3

(that time I learned my mothers are BADASS...)

Gob clung tightly to my shoulder as I ran fast as I could through the crumbling alleys and streets. My tears burning my eyes red. Behind us Sudra was going toe to toe with the Bukavac as we heard the scrams of the Dvorovoi dying. Turning back for only an instant I saw Sudra using a grappling hook similar to my father to attack the Bukavac's gnarled horns. At the same time the Bukavac was ripping apart the Dvorovoi, its body disintegrating into ether that looked like a mist.

Surrounding us the fires continued to burn and I started to have a hard time catching my breath as Moma-Mia pushed and pulled me forward. Home never felt so far away.

When we finally reached the end of the burning homes and shops we were lucky to see that the backside of the village hadn't taken as much damage from the Bukavac as we thought. Our home, one of several dozen situated just beyond the main part of the village was still standing. Ajax, Pan, and his parents were leading a group of survivors out towards pathways that led towards the backside of the wall. They were just close enough I heard them calling my name over and over.

"We don't have time," my mother told me.

"Kalla might be with them, we don't know," I said.

"She's not," Moma-Mia said. She was completely sure of herself.

I nodded towards Ajax and Pan, before turning away from them and then I noticed Mori and her father were nowhere in sight.

"Where is Mori?" I asked.

"I don't know, her and her father might have gone on ahead," my mother answered me the best that she could. I had the feeling that niether Mori nor her father had runaway yet.

"Where are we going to go?" I asked. The only safe place I knew was Haven. Thousands of people lived here. Losing this place seemed impossible, where we going to all scatter to the wind?

"There is a large bunker underground, they'll be safe there for a time," my mother assured me.

"Alantris?" I asked. I was cautious to say her name though my mother knew all about my adventure with dad three years ago.

"No, its farther away than that," she told me.

"How are they…"

"Stop asking questions. We need to focus on staying alive now," Moma-Mia shouted. I had never seen her so upset. Usually, of all my moms except for Kalla she was always the most relaxed and calm. Even when things seemed dire she always had an answer. Now, my questions were nothing but annoying, and the worst part was I understood. I would have said the same thing to myself or anyone. All that mattered was staying alive and staying together. The Bukavac had already won, Haven was lost.

A few minutes passed as we made our approach to our home. It wasn't large by any means, modest, my father had built most of it by hand before I was born. It was always his and my moms plan for me to grow up inside the walls of Haven, the only reason I wasn't born here was because they had been running errands that week. I wondered now if the bunker my mother was talking about had been one like the one I was born in, if it was, how could anyone think they would be safe. At times like this I was upset Haven didn't have more ground vehicles… besides the humvee there were maybe a handful of other working vehicles, not nearly enough to get everyone to safety. Those that were escaping now would be forced to brave the dark forests and creatures outside our walls.

"Kalla! Kalla!" Moma-Mia shouted kicking open the door. Kalla was nowhere in sight.

"Here," a soft voice said from one of the bedrooms. A moment later Moma-Kalla emerged wearing leather armor and a rifle swung around her back.

"You can't be serious," Moma-Mia said, her voice was visibly frustrated.

"I have to defend our home, this home," Moma-Kalla was crying. I had no doubt in my mind that she had been watching from a windowsil or outside standing in the doorway everything that has happened to the village.

I didn't know we had such a high-tech weapon in the house. Firearms were one of the few weapons I had little training with. My father taught me to fire one but bullets were rare. So rare in fact they were worth more than ore and just as much as food.

"I'm the best shot in all of Haven, if I can hit the demon's core I can kill it, I can end this," Moma-Kalla said.

"You haven't fired a shot in years, what makes you…"

Moma-Kalla pulled a small pistol from her hand and fired it just passed Moma-Mia hitting the head off a sculpture that was standing by the door.

"Kai, whatever happens take care of yourself," she said. Before I could comprehend what was happening she was walking past me and outside the door. Moma-Mia intervened one last time.

"If you die Thomas will never forgive you," Moma-Mia told her.

Moma-Kalla turned and lifted her hand to Moma-Mia's cheek. Brushing away her tears. "Sudra, Cass, Thomas, they are fighting for our lives. I am Thomas' Domovoy, my spirit will live on forever guarding Kai and all of you. Have faith in me," Moma-Kalla said just before kissing Mia on the lips.

A moment later I started hearing gunshots outside. Five shots.

"Kai, backdoor," Moma-Mia ordered.

I began to run but it wasn't long before we figured out that the gunshots were coming from Kalla. Smaller lower-class demons were infiltrating Haven. The opening in the wall was their signal to attack. Looking out through the window I saw about a dozen, several dozen laying dead on the ground despite only hearing five shots. There was no sign of Kalla.

-Bestiary-

Psoglav

Description: Lower demons with human bodies, horse legs, and dog-like heads. They have iron teeth and a single eye on the forehead alongside two fake eyes below. They travel in packs that keep mostly to themselves living in caves and staying away from the sun, They horde anything that looks like a gemstone. Psoglav eat people and animals, they have been known to dig up the graves of the dead to feast on corpses and steal jewelry. When a Psoglav is truly hungry it will resort to cannibalism, starting with the weakest in their packs. They are closely related to ghouls and goblins.

HP: 40/40

Weaknesses: Fire, Water, Lightning, Magic, Poison

Immunities: Ice

Moma-Mia and I fled out the backdoor of our house only to be attacked by a demon, another dog-faced monstrosity, jumping down from atop our roof. It was badly injured. A bullet had ripped through its arm but it was determined more than ever to eat us. Its drooling jaw, iron-teeth, made it an intimidating foe. Moma-Mia saw it and shred it apart by turning the air around us into wind-like razors. Unlike myself, who could only use Fire Magic and some shapeshifting, Moma-Mia was proficient in all the elements and shapeshifting.

Gob burrowed himself down inside my jacket, making a safe place for himself in my inside pocket behind a small reinforced piece of armor. I'd set it up so that the little Tenrec woud be safe, and I wouldn't have to worry so much about him falling out in the middle of a battle. I also made sure to keep a couple mealworms there for him to munch on.

Another group of Psoglav appeared, approaching us from behind one of the other adjacent homes. They were carrying several humans, tied in rope as prisoners. They were hunting. Two of the prisoners I recognized immediately. The mystery of what happened to Mori and her father had been solved. They were taken captive.

"We have to help them," I told my mother. I was worried she would have us runaway again, that this was another fight she was worried we wouldn't win. I was glad to be wrong. She nodded in agreement and readied herself to attack the approaching pack of Psoglav.

She attacked the Psoglav like a surgeon, using the wind as a razor. Splitting several of them in half, and decapitating another. I didn't even have time to charge a single attack by the time she was through with them, attacking their leader viciously with wind from several dozen angles. Sentencing it to a death of a thousand cuts.

When the last Psolgav fell we ran over and began freeing the prisoners who in return helped us free more.

"Kai, I'm so happy your alive," Mori said as I cut the rope binding her hands. She wrapped her arms around me. Tears falling from her eyes. Both her and her father had thought themselves done for.

"I went back to help as many as I could, but the Bukavac… I don't know if there is anything I can," the village chief started. He was an older man. Once he was probably as proud as warrior as my father, now he was retired, gray beard, long gray hair. He could still outlift most of the children my age but compared to my father, my mothers, and the other warriors fighting against the demons overrunning Haven now he was more of a liability than an asset. Just like I would have been if I stayed in their way.

From where we stood we could still hear the Bukavac's growls and every so often there was an explosion of magic. Sudra, Cass, the other warriors, they were all trying their best. Our hope lied in Kalla getting there and working with them to destroy the demon's core.

"Its alright Zola," my mother assured him. "We have to do what we can for the others. When this is all over your wisdom and leadership will help set us on a path of recovery."

My mother seemed sure of her words. Zola, the chieftan, had many years of valuable knowledge and skills that helped Haven flourish for so long. Even my father spoke highly of him. Not all heroes wield swords. For some it was the ability to lead others and maintain peace.

"We need to make our way to the bunker," one of the other prisoners said.

"We'll all go, make haste," Zola told him.

They began their retreat, towards the back of the village. Near the ruins. There was a tunnel that led underneath the wall. Zola had designed Haven so that there were always pathways to safety. The last thing he wanted was for any of them to ever be used, but like a good chief he made sure that they were always maintained.

I was still dead set on fighting, there had to be something I could do.

"Mom, what if we went to Alantris for help? I know my way through the ruins, I can get there and meet back with you," I told her. We were close to the sealed entrance. I remembered the path my father and I had taken, it would take me a few hours but by sundown I was sure I could bring Alantris and her entire spider army to help us retake Haven.

"We don't have enough time," my mother argued.

She was wrong.

We began running towards one of the emergency tunnels following Zolo as our guide. Each time a Psoglav appeared my mother would attack it with her wind-blades. We were leaving a trail of dead demons like breadcrumbs.

We were nearly at the tunnel entrance, Zola and several others ran ahead to open it. It was a sewer drain and took several of them to begin lifting it. As Moma-Mia and I made our approach another demon, a larger Alpha Psoglav jumped between us separating Mori and I from everyone else.

-Bestiary-

Alpha Psoglav

Description: Lower demons with human bodies, horse legs, and dog-like heads, iron teeth and a single eye on the forehead. They are similar to their lower brethren except for the fact that the Alpha's are able to manipulate mana in similar ways as Shaman and HobGoblins, though they lack any shape shifting abilities. They are also heavier than their lower brethren and typically seen as leaders among their kind with their health equivalent to that of a human and their strength increased ten fold. To become an Alpha Psoglav demon, a regular Psoglav must devour a hundred or more full-sized humans.

HP: 80/100

Weaknesses: Fire, Water, Lightning, Magic, Poison

Immunities: Ice

My mother summoned her wind attack and the demon blocked it, holding up its arm. I wasn't sure if it was just that powerful or my mother was running low on mana.

I couldn't shake the feeling that it was laughing at her.

I summoned an attack of my own and hurled several Fire Bolts at it. It raised its other arm out towards me and blocked. I managed to drain its HP by 10 more points, leaving it at 70 out of 100 health. It was a start.

The air around me smelled of death and sulfur. I knew that if everyone was going to survive I would have to draw the monster away before it called on its minions for help.

"Mori, you and I have to run," I said. "Follow me, I promise we'll be safe."

"Kai, what are you planning?" she asked, scared.

"We need to draw the demon away from everyone so they can escape. If we have it chase us into the ruins underneath Haven we can find Alantris, the Arachnid Queen and beg for her help," I told her.

She nodded. I knew she would be alright. Mori was faster than I was and had a higher endurance. The truth was I wasn't about myself and I didn't have time to try and shape shift into something faster, nor could I leave my clothes and weapons behind.

"Here we go!" I shouted, summoning a second Fire Bolt and sniping at the creatures third eye.

Damage Dealt x10

Left Arm Crippled

Alpha Psoglav 60 out of 100 HP

It blocked with its arm taking the blunt of the attack. I had the monster's full attention now.

"Its time!" I shouted.

Mori and I took off running. Behind us I could see the Alpha Psoglav chasing us just like I planned. I started directing Mori towards the ruins.

As we sprinted away I could hear my mother calling out for me. I knew she wouldn't have been ok with this, but if I've learned anything in Haven it is how to act like a hero.

We approached the ruins as quickly as we could and I summoned a massive barrage of Fire Bolts, aiming them directly at the center of the fixed hole that we had fallen through before. It vaporized the wooden beams and mesh below creating an opening for us to jump inside.

Grabbing hold of Mori's hand we both fell through into the darkness. My Dark Vision immediately activated but I knew Mori couldn't see at all. I grabbed hold of her hand again. "Trust me, I'll be your eyes." I could hear her mumble as she agreed for me to lead her.

The Alpha Psoglav wasn't far behind us as we began our sprint through the ruins. They were just as I remembered them three years ago, almost nothing had changed. A little older, a few more webs here and there, a sign that Alantris was still hanging around.

The Alpha Psolgav was beginning to catch up with us as we struggled to catch our breathes with the stale air inside the ruins. I wished a big Agama had been around to grab hold of it but that was another direction, and time we didn't have. What we did have to our advantage were the traps. Ajax, Pan, and I had managed to avoid many of them on our last visit, treading cautiously through the tunnels. Now, sprinting with my Dark Vision I could see everyone of them in clear display.

"Hang left," I shouted. Pulling her left to avoid a trap the Alpha Psoglav wasn't so lucky. It went headfirst into a hole filled with spikes taking another 30 points of damage and giving us a lead.

I pulled Mori close to me as we rounded another corner. Turning slightly I watched to see if the Psoglav would give up its chase and return to Haven. With its dog-faced nose it sniffed the air and began treading towards us. I had one, maybe two shots at most of taking the monster down. With its current HP at 30 it was weaker than any of its minions, still there was no accounting for how well or how fast it could block any of my attacks.

Since it was part 'dog', it could see just as easily as I could in the dark. Not to mention it had other senses that were more powerful than my own. Except maybe hearing. With my wolf-like ears I could hear every step it made.

"I'm going to attack it," I whispered. Mori readied her blade and I handed her mine as well. She had been practicing dual wielding just like the rest of us and I had no doubt if my magic failed she would be the only one capable of protecting us.

"I still can't see in the dark," she mentioned.

"Don't worry. I'm going to light it up," I grinned. The warrior in me was coming alive and I could feel my heart racing.

I turned the corner and summoned a shield of fire in one arm. The Alpha Psoglav reacted in surprise, growling at me as it treaded forward bearing its iron teeth. With my other hand I created a Fire Bolt and tossed it upwards at the roof of the ruins. The ceiling began to collapse over the top of the Psoglav as I made my shield stretch outward engulfing it in a wall of fire.

The Psolglav burned.

Damage Dealth x 10

Burning Damage x 5 / 10 seconds.

It crawled towards us, burning to death, reaching out with its claws, bearing iron fangs. When it was all over the creature dissipated in a mist of blue energy mixing with the smoke of the fires as they burned themselves out.

"We won," I smiled. The fire burned just bright enough we could see in the tunnels around us. Mori with her eyes and me without Dark Vision.

"Our path, its blocked," Mori noted. She was right. The cave in had caused the tunnels to collapse inward leaving no way back for us.

"It's ok, we need to get to Alantris," I told her. I rubbed the brace she had given me years ago. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't wear it on my wrist. All this time, I wondered if she would actually help us.

My father warned me once, that as she aged, Alantris became more and more of a monster. There were times I could tell that he still cared very much about her. However, the two had gone their seperate ways long ago. Nothing between them now but old memories.

Gob lept out of my jacket pocket and onto Mori's shoulder.I began to take off my jacket, shirt and pants, to the surprise of Mori who nearly stared to run away from me. A moment later I explained. "I'm going to turn myself into a deer so that you can ride on my back and we can get to Alantris faster."

She was hesitant at first, calling me a creep. Then I began to transform. My limbs bending, the crunching sound of bones popping, reshaping themselves. I could hear her crying out for me to stop as my mind entered the void between worlds and I felt numb to any of the pain.

I could only imagine what the transformation looked like to her. She probably thought I was dying. It took less than a minute for me to complete my transformation.

"The stories are true, you really can turn yourself into an animal," Mori's voice sounded stunned. She put my jacket on, it was a little big on her, and Gob climbed back into his safe space in the pocket.

I couldn't speak in this form, instead, I bowed my head and bent my body so that she could climb over my back. She was light. Lighter than I imagined. I thought for sure carrying her extra weight might slow me down but it seemed as if somehow my form adjusted for that. I was larger than I was running through the woods with my mother. My antlers were longer, even my white fur was glowing brighter. It took Mori about a minute to get secure, our swords sheathed over her back, my clothes tucked safely to the front of her. I heard her mumble something about a saddle just before she surprised me grabbing onto my fur with both her hands.

I took a few seconds to adjust to her pulling, luckily it wasn't too annoying and I took off into the surrounding darkness

It still took us another hour before saw any sign of Alantris.