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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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I hate these things.<br />

Trelons are more claw and fang than they are flesh, come at you in swarms,<br />

and their only two forelimbs end in giant claws. Punching one is like<br />

swinging in<strong>to</strong> a sack <strong>of</strong> razors. How <strong>do</strong> these things even mate? Their<br />

existence is either one <strong>of</strong> lifetime chastity or a brutally kinky cycle <strong>of</strong><br />

murder-suicide.<br />

My magic blasts had broken the horde's charge and s<strong>of</strong>tened them up, and I<br />

simply ran in<strong>to</strong> the fray while Nor<strong>do</strong>m unloaded his seemingly endless<br />

supply <strong>of</strong> bolts in<strong>to</strong> their flesh. Dak'kon and Annah tried <strong>to</strong> help, and for a<br />

moment I was worried my screaming would've made them more eager <strong>to</strong><br />

leap in<strong>to</strong> the orgy <strong>of</strong> blood and rending flesh. Once they were able <strong>to</strong> parse<br />

out my words through the wet gushing sounds, however, they reluctantly<br />

stayed <strong>be</strong>hind. Morte was unusually o<strong>be</strong>dient in this regard.<br />

I couldn't regenerate as fast as they could hurt me, but like many melee<br />

battles I was engaged in it was one <strong>of</strong> attrition.<br />

"Ow..." I grunted, sitting on a trelon corpse and waiting for my wounds <strong>to</strong><br />

knit shut. We were far from any safe haven, with no immediate place <strong>to</strong><br />

rest. We needed <strong>to</strong> ration our resources, and that meant hoarding our<br />

magic, from my force blasts <strong>to</strong> Grace's healing.<br />

It made for slower going since I had <strong>to</strong> sit <strong>do</strong>wn and take a long breather<br />

each time we encountered trouble, but ironically charging in<strong>to</strong> a s<strong>to</strong>rm <strong>of</strong><br />

teeth and claws was the safer alternative. Immortality has a terrible way <strong>of</strong><br />

changing the mechanics <strong>of</strong> war.<br />

Of course, this didn't mean we were wasting time while I was waiting for my<br />

sinews <strong>to</strong> reconnect.<br />

"Annah, could you go scout out the area?"<br />

She gave a proud nod as if eager <strong>to</strong> put her unique skills <strong>to</strong> good use, and<br />

immediately vanished around the corner. Even knowing she was just around<br />

the <strong>be</strong>nd I had <strong>to</strong> strain <strong>to</strong> hear the slightest padding <strong>of</strong> her s<strong>of</strong>t leather<br />

boots.<br />

I had <strong>to</strong> admit that I was nervous for the first ten minutes or so. If she'd<br />

<strong>be</strong>en spotted and hurt <strong>be</strong><strong>cause</strong> I'd ordered her out I didn't think I would <strong>be</strong><br />

990

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