SandScript 2023 [Digital Exclusive]

He craned his neck up, and his stomach dropped. To his horror, the little girl had been watching
from nearby cover and had not fled as expected. The dreg had spun to meet her. It wasted no time
and its ill-proportioned, injured legs carried it toward her at an unsettling gait. All the blood rushed
from his limbs, they felt heavier than ever. The girl was paralyzed, her fear attracting it.
Auberich pushed himself to one knee. He closed his eyes, and he grabbed the amulet.
He chanted, and a nearly inaudible whisper scratched from his throat, “Treoraigh dom do
sheirbhíseach.” It hurt to breathe, and blood pooled in his mouth. The amulet flickered and
he felt his ribs twist and snap into place. His teeth clenched, and he let out a muffled cry. The
pain was excruciating. The dreg paused as if torn between its inherent hate of the Maiden’s
influence and its desire to devour the frightened. The dreg shook, and its entire body jiggled.
The lure of the girl’s fear outweighed all else.
With a roar, it resumed its pace toward her.
Auberich exhaled and crawled through the mud toward his sword. He underestimated just how
fast the dreg was as it made an incredible pace toward her. He pushed himself to his shaky feet
and limped forward. His body screamed, the healing process had begun, but the wounds were still
fresh. He told himself to run. With every footstep, he forced himself to ignore the pain.
The dreg gained speed and the ground shuddered under each step. Its huge arms flailed
behind it as it limped forward on its damaged leg. That would be his target. It had almost made
it to the girl when Auberich reached it. He skidded through the mud and brought his blade
down over the existing injury. The motion was strict and controlled. He struck with the main
edge on the backside of the dreg’s knee. Immediately, he crossed his arms and twisted his
hips. He struck with the false edge on the front. The cuts rendered the leg unusable, and the
dreg slammed into the ground. Mud flew through the air as the dreg crashed. Auberich placed
himself between the girl and the dreg.
The dreg pushed forward and Auberich stepped between its arms and its body. He brought
his blade up and steel met flesh. His blade cleaved through the gargantuan torso. The
sickening sensation of broken bones resonated throughout his arms as the dreg’s chest split
in half. Strings of mucus ran between the hewed halves, and the dreg went limp. Without
hesitation, he thrust his blade upwards, angled toward where its heart ought to be. The
blade pierced layers of muscle before it came to a stop. The dreg crumbled to its knees, and
Auberich retracted his blade. Thin rivers of corrupted blood streamed down the steel.
The dreg crashed into the mud, and Auberich examined the pile of otherworldly tissue before
him. Its body sizzled and shook as its remains struggled to remain in the material world. Wispy
trails of smoke slowly swirled from the body.
He sheathed his blade, and the adrenaline drained from his body. His face grew pale and his
breath was ragged and shaky. His eyes returned to their normal amber. Nausea overwhelmed
him. He coughed, and blood coated the steel of the helmet’s interior. He removed his helmet
and breathed in. He grimaced as his chest swelled. The expansion from the breath was painful
on his healing ribs. He held it, letting his body adjust. The wind on his face and the rain in his
hair was beyond refreshing.
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