This choice: To fulfill a bounty, Gresha and Maribel hunt the dreaded Arix beast • Go Back...Chapter #3The Arix Hunt by: Spectre   Gresha and Maribel stopped by a few other shops, replenishing their supplies. And as they neared the town square, they saw a man walk to the notice board outside of Durmrin's town hall, and tack a parchment to it. Gresha looked down at Maribel, who smiled in return. The pair went to the board, and read the newly-hung parchment...
TRAVELLERS AND CITIZENS ALIKE, BEWARE:
AN ARIX BEAST HAS BEEN SEEN IN THE FOREST EAST OF TOWN, NEAR THE TSALMOORE LAKE! ALL CAUTION IS TO BE TAKEN IN THE AREA!
DURMRIN CITY COUNCIL HAS PLACED A BOUNTY ON THE BEAST'S HEAD FOR ANYONE BRAVE, AND CAPABLE ENOUGH TO SLAY IT!
"An Arix beast," Maribel asked, "Which beast was that?"
"A very dangerous one," Gresha answered, "A panther, but with six legs and two tentacles sprouting from it's shoulders."
Maribel thought for a moment, "Well, that doesn't sound so bad, we've had to kill panthers before."
Gresha exhaled, "True, but the Arix beast projects an illusion of itself, it is very difficult to track. And to kill."
"So the bounty on it's gotta be huge, right?" Maribel asked, her eyes lighting up from the prospect of gold.
Gresha thought for a moment before answering, "Provided we survive, yes."
"So let's do it, Greshie!" Maribel said, the danger lost on her.
Gresha sighed and took the notice from the board. Making a few more stops to ensure they had the supplies they needed, the two set out along the road to the east. They walked for some time without incident, and after a few hours the sun began to set.
"So Greshie," Maribel said, winded from keeping up with her Orc companion, "When are we going to be setting up camp?"
Gresha looked up into the sky, gauging the time. "We can start finding a place to set up camp," she said.
Maribel sighed in relief, and the two pulled off the road a short distance before beginning to set up camp. Just as the sun set on the horizon, Maribel started a small fire as Gresha finished pitching their tents. Rations consumed, strategies conceived, and weariness setting in, the two climbed into their sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep.
As the morning sun broke, the two awoke. Maribel was newly energized, and quickly began packing her things back into her pack. Gresha packed up camp as well, tearing down the tents and kicking the fire from it's pit. After sharing some small breakfast provisions, the pair made their way back to the road and continued. The two had walked for another hour before Gresha stopped Maribel.
"Wait, look at the tree over there, the branches," Gresha pointed.
Maribel focused, and could just see a few snapped branches hanging from one of the trees off the road. "Would an Arix do that?" she asked, panthers and other cat-like creatures were known for leaving little trace.
"Not the Arix," Gresha replied, "Whatever was running from it," she said as she stepped over to the broken limb. Gresha knelt, and brushed some fresh leaves away to reveal blood on the ground, and bootprints.
"It definitely...uh, found someone," Maribel stated nervously, the reality of the danger beginning to set in.
"Let's follow the tracks, or at least the blood. Should take us back to it's hiding place," Gresha said, standing and beginning to follow the small drops of crimson. She and Maribel followed the trail through the forest for a short time before arriving at a small cave, no larger than a small home in town. As the two entered, they brandished their weapons, readying for the fight ahead.
The darkness eerily crept over the two adventurers as they stepped into the cave, and a few dozen feet away lay a body clad in platemail, and covered in blood. Gresha approached the cadaver, with Maribel a few steps behind.
"Claws, bites, an inordinate amount of cuts across him. This is our Arix victim," Gresha confirmed.
A growl suddenly rang through the cave, deep and guttural. Gresha's hair stood on end and Maribel's eyes widened in fear, the two turned to look at the beast. 5 feet tall at the shoulder, fur as black as coal with four eyes that burned a deep amber, the Arix beast stared down the two adventurers who had dared trespass into it's home.
"Well, we found one victim..." Maribel gulped, "Let's hope we're not next."
"Keep your distance," Gresha grit her teeth, "And remember, what you see is an illusion, aim just behind it."
Maribel nodded, latching a bolt into place in her crossbow. Gresha roared at the beast, gripping her battleaxe and trying to draw it's attention. The Arix's snout wrinkled, and the beast pounced faster than Gresha had expected.
The Orc just sidestepped the two claws aimed for her torso, and the Arix beast landed on her opposite side. "Come on!," Gresha shouted, preparing herself for the pounce. A roar, a step, a slash, and the beast landed with a bleeding leg. Gresha had just dodged the claws once more.
The illusion broken, Maribel took aim and a crossbow bolt embedded itself into the Arix's hind quarters. The beast yelped, took a step back, and refocused, allowing it's illusion to appear again, seemingly shimmering forward without moving. Maribel reloaded her crossbow in record time, adrenaline coursing through her.
The Arix saw it opportunity and pounced again, this time for Maribel. Gresha stepped in and swung her axe through the beast's illusion as it reached the Halfling. The Arix was close enough to reach the Halfling with one of it's tentacles, and caught Maribel across a thigh. The beast then turned, stood on it's hind legs and brought it's front four claws down towards Gresha. The Orc had just time enough to put the haft of her axe between her and the beast as it pushed her back against the cave wall.
Arms fully outstretched, Gresha had caught the Arix beast's middle legs on her axe and was just keeping the other two out of reach. Fast as lightning, the Arix's tentacles reached out and raked across Gresha's shoulder, blood falling to the ground. Maribel took another shot at the Arix, a bolt sinking into the ribs just behind a shoulder blade. The Arix jumped off of Gresha, turned to face the two again, and let it's illusion take form once more.
The beast looked between the two adventurers, wounded, angry. It once more lowered itself to pounce...  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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