Illegal Gods by James K. Pratt

Author:James K. Pratt [Pratt, James K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 451
Published: 2019-05-31T22:00:00+00:00

Run from the Black Mass

A reddish black mass of ghouls meets us at the double doors. Their monstrous mouths drip yellowish saliva. All of them twitch and grunt in apparent agony. They face the double doors of the palace, perhaps as if waiting for us.

Something hurt them. Something powerful. I’m a goddess, but I know little about the undead. Was the crippling of the ghouls triggered by Anu touching the orc, Swindle?

Each ghoul grunts in pain. Chelsea pokes one with her spear, as does Erich with his sword. The creatures don't react.

Avison asks, “What did you do, orc? You burned the man possessed by Anu.”

A question I had been wondering.

“I didn’t do anything. That man touched me.”

“We can’t stay here,” Erich says. “Run!”

We sprint down the road, which is dotted with more ghouls twitching on the ground. The creatures must have been headed to the palace to surround us while we were inside.

“Don’t lie to me, orc,” Avison says, running ahead. “What powerful being favors you?”

The orc replies, “I told you, he touched me. I don’t know why that happened.”

I wonder if that’s the whole truth.

“The Inn is near," Erich says behind us. “Keep running.”

Good! My lungs burn. I made my body strong, but this isn’t easy.

Chelsea looks over her shoulder. “Hurry.”

I drop my heavy spear, wanting more speed.

Swindle steps on a still twitching ghoul. It stiffens as the orc runs away.

“I’ll get it,” Swindle says, spinning around and slashing his sickle at the ghoul. He misses by a breath as the ghoul hops to the side. With a leap, the creature tackles Swindle.

“Swin!” Chelsea shouts.

The ghoul’s maw bursts with strings of saliva and blood as the orc slashes his sickle at the monster’s face. The creature’s claws dig into the ribs of the orc.

Chelsea's eyes fill with tears.

“Chelsea! Your wand!” I yell.

She points her wand at the ghoul, and it turns its attention to her. The ghoul leaps, cutting its foot claw into Swindle’s side. The monster bares teeth as long as an adult finger. Chelsea’s wand light bursts right in front of its face. Fire bursts from the ghoul’s face as it screams in pain.

As I run past, Chelsea yanks the orc up. We all run.

Over my shoulder, I see Erich stab the ghoul through the eye.

Howls and footfalls echo behind me. “Hurry!” Erich yells at my heels.

My mortal body runs faster than I ever thought possible.

Hisses and clicks of claws snap behind me.

“Run girl, run!” Erich yells.

I look over my shoulder to see Erich swing his sword as blood whips from his blade.

A wide-eyed ghoul leaps for me. Time seems to slow as a single arrow spins through the air and digs into the ghoul’s dog-like nose. A torrent of ichor gushes from its face.

The ghoul howls and falls back with the arrow planted deeply in its head.

Still running, I close my human eyes and with god-sight see the Adventurer’s Inn ahead. A girl stands atop it with her bow at the ready.

I use magic to sprint on.

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