Free Web NovelChapter 18: Seven Days Later
To prevent panic from spreading through the colony, Tud’or, Tong’a, and O’nil decided to keep the threat of war hidden from everyone except the hunters and the most trusted adults. The ordinary kobolds were told that the clan was simply strengthening its borders after the recent goblin attack, while the soldiers and workers quietly doubled their efforts around the settlement.
Watchtowers were reinforced, trenches were widened, traps were prepared, and new defensive positions were carved into the forest around the cave entrance. Even the soldiers who normally guarded the borders were assigned to construction work, leaving the hunters as the only force capable of protecting the colony from threats outside the territory.
However, the clan could not prepare for war on an empty stomach.
The food reserves had to be filled before the Ashmork Clan made its move, which meant the new generation of hunters was given a responsibility far greater than their age. While the older hunters remained close to the colony to defend the borders and assist with construction, Ka’z and his group were sent deeper into Evergreen Forest to gather meat, herbs, useful plants, and anything else that could keep the Vaal’kor Clan alive during a siege.
For seven days, the five of them hunted from morning until the light faded from the sky. They returned with moss hares, bark deer, root moles, birds, insects, herbs, and whatever else they could safely carry back through the forest.
By the end of the seventh day, Ka’z had begun thinking that perhaps they were finally getting used to life as hunters until...
Somewhere within Evergreen Forest, a small clearing lay surrounded by massive trees and tangled roots. At the center of that clearing stood Ka’z, Ru’k, Kurg, Za’r, and Tu’ka with their backs turned toward one another as they watched a dozen Thornback Boars circle them from every direction.
The beasts were massive, each one standing over four feet tall on all fours. Their hides were rough and thick, covered in patches of hardened mud and old scars, while sharp bone-like spines ran across their backs from neck to tail. Their tusks curved outward like short blades, yellowed from age and stained with old blood.
Every time one of them snorted, steam escaped from its nostrils as its red eyes remained fixed on the kobolds standing inside the clearing.
The boars clearly wanted to rip them apart.
However, after getting a taste of the group’s magic that cost the lives of two of their comrades, none of them was eager to charge first. Several of the beasts had burns across their hides from Ka’z’s fire, while another had a dark gray patch on its shoulder from Tu’ka’s Darkness Magic. One of them limped slightly after stepping into an Earth Spike trap created by Kurg.
The standoff gave the kobolds a few precious seconds to think.
"We already gathered a lot of meat in the last seven days. Did we really need to disturb this lovely boar gang?" Kurg asked, his voice shaking as badly as his hands.
"We?" Ka’z blurted out, turning his head toward Ru’k with an expression full of disbelief. "Who was it that thought pelting rocks at boars was fun?"
Ru’k rolled his eyes and spoke before anyone could focus too much on his mistake.
"We need to stop dwelling on the past and focus on creating solutions," he said shamelessly.
Ka’z’s eyes reddened with anger as he glared over his shoulder. "Bastard, if I survive this, I will make you the past."
Tu’ka let out an exaggerated sigh while Za’r pressed one palm against her face. Even with twelve angry boars surrounding them, Ru’k had somehow found a way to become the biggest threat in Ka’z’s mind.
"Can we just focus on surviving this?" Kurg suddenly snapped.
Everyone turned toward him in surprise.
Kurg’s eyes widened when he realized he had raised his voice, but he did not take back his words. The fear on his face remained obvious, yet for once, the timid kobold looked more frustrated than frightened.
To think the threat of death had finally pushed the coward of the group into snapping at his teammates.
Ka’z wanted nothing more than to kick Ru’k in the face, but unfortunately, this was not the time. He quickly looked around the clearing and studied the positions of the boars. The beasts had spread themselves out in a wide circle, leaving no obvious opening for escape. Their size made them dangerous, but it also made them slow to turn once they began charging.
"As long as we break out of the encirclement, we can escape." Ka’z said, lowering his voice. "...."
Ka’z began sharing his idea since no one had a better idea, so the others nodded.
Ka’z and Kurg immediately fell to one knee and pressed their hands against the ground. Aether surged from their cores and flowed through their arms before sinking into the earth beneath them. The soil began to tremble as a thick wall of dirt rose around the group, forming a rough dome that blocked the boars from seeing what was happening inside.
The Thornback Boars grunted loudly at the sudden movement. Their heads lowered, their tusks angled forward, and their hooves scraped against the dirt as they prepared to charge.
Za’r moved first.
Light gathered around her palms before exploding outward in a blinding flash. The entire clearing turned white for a brief moment, forcing the boars to halt their advance as they squealed and shook their heads in pain. Several stumbled backward, blinking furiously as their vision struggled to recover.
By the time the light faded, the only thing they could see was the thick Earth Dome standing in the middle of the clearing.
The boars did not hesitate.
With furious cries, they rushed forward together and drove their tusks into the dome. The impact shook the ground as dirt and stone exploded outward, while several of the beasts repeatedly slammed their bodies against the barrier in an attempt to crush whatever they believed was trapped inside.
Unknown to them, Ka’z and the others were already gone.
Ru’k’s wind magic wrapped around their feet, softening the sound of their movement as they slipped through the narrow opening Ka’z and Kurg had created at the back of the dome. Tu’ka covered the group with a thin veil of Darkness Magic, dulling their scent and blending their bodies into the shadows of the surrounding trees.
They ran through the forest with shock and excitement written across their faces. Even Tu’ka seemed mildly surprised, which was saying a lot considering his usual expression rarely changed.
They had almost believed the plan would fail.
The Earth Dome had been necessary because it gave the boars something to attack after Za’r’s blinding flash. However, the real trick was escaping through the rear while the beasts focused on the false target. Ru’k’s wind concealed their footsteps, while Tu’ka’s darkness hid their scent long enough for them to disappear into the forest.
"God, I cannot believe those pigs are so stupid," Kurg laughed as they ran, his voice finally free from the fear that had filled it moments earlier.
"What do you expect? They are simple-minded, just like Ru’k," Ka’z snarled, turning his malicious gaze toward Ru’k.
Ru’k glared back at him while keeping pace with the group.
"Let go of the fucking past!"
