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AR Chapter 370
🕑 Added 2025-04-19 03:42:05 +0000 UTC“If they are walking through the day, even though the light is subdued, we can not be sure that they are the same type of creature.”
“Of course that's the case, Zaaktifi. But we should still approach them with the same understanding that we had before, and adjust as necessary. Fire has been proven to be something capable of harming the creatures, and we’ll continue experimenting with additional magics to see what harms them.”
“I was not stating that our method of approach should change, but that we should demonstrate heightened caution as these are the first creatures we have encountered that, said simply, we have been wholly unable to kill. Though the only casualties we sustained against them were Kha and some of the herds, they have demonstrated tactical acumen, deadly venom, and an enhanced capability to escape fraught circumstances.”
“Sybil,” Foire broke from the formal tone he’d taken with her until now, “we know. We haven’t hunted new prey as much since we arrived here, but I’ve run through their plains without being bitten. I’ve seen their holes in the ground, and I’ve survived. Took is Huntmaster. Do you agree with that?”
“Yes.” My mate’s tone was clipped. I didn’t say anything.
“Then kindly listen to her direction.”
Sybil merely flared her frills and stepped back. It was a rare moment to see her so fully on her back foot, but to her credit, though she obviously hated the way that Foire had just spoken to her, she also agreed with the point he’d made. Then, with my Zaaktifi silent, Took continued to lay out the plan that she and the rest of the dedicated hunters had pondered over for the past months. That they had such an exotic, dangerous creature to hunt so close, but they’d never had the opportunity to actually try to hunt them, was almost painful. Now that they’d been presented a perfect opportunity to go on the prowl, they were raring at the opportunity.
“Our focus needs to be keeping them from swarming. As individuals, they’ll remain dangerous, but we can subdue and kill individuals or even pairs without issue. If all sixteen appear at the same time at the same place, though, there will be casualties. According to Silf, though they are walking without issue in the faint light that comes through the heavy cloud cover, they have not become incorporeal without going into deep shadow. In addition, they are, wherever possible, sticking to places with thick shade and shadow. As such…”
Took continued explaining what we knew and suspected about the shadow wyrms. As she broke down exactly how we intended to break the loose pack of monsters apart from each other, I nodded in approval. It was simple and something we’d done before, but we’d also seen it be successful. With fire being our primary source of ensuring they wyrms remained corporeal, we wanted to drive them out of the thicker forest and to be possibly stranded in a plain where fires would be prepared to keep them inside.
A surprise was the full regiment of spear-wielding Hak’Tal khatif. The spears were javelins in their hands, but even though they were khatif, the Hak’Tal remained taller than a regular human, and their spears were nearly as long as they were. The stone heads of the spears were thick and heavy, made to pierce deep into their targets. After explaining the idea of how best to separate a single pair or individual, Took explained further,
“The Councilor and her workshop have focused on creating weapons of various types for the past months. They saw precious little use against the ants, as their natural armor lends itself to being more susceptible to magical and blunt-force attacks and fist-sized stones were enough to provide ranged options to us. Our jaws didn’t struggle to slay them, so these spears were kept in reserve. Now, though, these will allow us to hunt the beasts without exposing us to their venom. In addition, the throwing stones of the Sik’Tal will be used to blind and confuse once the wyrms are encircled with the flames. A solid line of spears will surround the area outside of the flames, and we’ll harry the monsters caught within the perimeter. Are there any questions?”
Now that it’d been opened to her, Sybil seemed to want to say something, but after considering it to herself, she decided against it. Percral did speak, though.
“Have you already brought back the spears that the Scaled Claw’s been practicing with?”
“Yes, General. Only two need sufficient repairs to be taken off the lines for now. As such, we have 100 spears to trap them. That will be sufficient for the perimeter established.”
Percral nodded and looked for anyone else who had something to add. Brutus looked at the spears with obvious interest and I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Though they were as tall as me, with his towering nearly 13 feet of height, it seemed the spears wouldn’t suffice.
“What is it, Zaaktif?” Took asked. She was direct, but I could feel the nervousness in her voice, read the uncertainty in her posture. I raised my hands in apology.
“I was noticing Brutus’ interest in the weapons. It made me laugh, as I can tell that all of us Keel have grown somewhat since the time of our evolution. For Brutus, these spears are simply too small, and that, in comparison to the weapons of the humans and Sunkindred, is amusing. That is all. The plan is sound, and I’m looking forward to the hunt. If there are any additional points to make regarding the separation of the additional beasts from those we’ll slay first, I’d love to hear them.”
I’d invited discussion, but that which resulted from it was most clarifying, ensuring everyone understood their roles in separating the other fourteen while one or two fell into the trap. Then, after another half of an hour setting things up, the ambush was prepared and the distractions had set off to keep the others from coming and blindsiding the hunters. And at last, we were prepared to finally kill a shadow wyrm.
