Prologue
Madellia crouched low on the other side of the vehicle, their eyes squeezed shut. They had not shut their eyes because of their fear, even though the fear was very real. No, their eyes were shut to better concentrate on the sounds occurring in the street.
The low chortle, a hyena esk cackle that caused the hair on the back of their neck to stand up, was too close. They squeezed the neck of their jacket, trying to control their panicked gasps of breath.
The prey is nearby… Terraspawn… come. Come run for the Hunt. The cackle raised in pitch and was joined by the moaning of two more of its pack mates.
Madellia opened their eyes and checked their wrist, but didn’t dare communicate with the Aya’Chyndar. The ember hounds were adept at intercepting telepathic communication.
Smiling when the face of the Aya’Chyndar flashed “You Got This!” on its display, they risked scooting towards the nose of the vehicle they hid behind.
The front end of the ancient remnant was embedded into the crumbling brick wall, but they could see a gap underneath into the building. If they could fit, they could put another wall between them and the Hunt.
Madellia froze when they heard a scuffling noise behind them. Turning their head slowly, a soft sigh blew out of their mouth when they saw two red eyes staring back at them. Their companion Nimay Ifwee crept forward.
Without speaking, Madellia nodded towards the hole, and the red eyes closed slowly in acknowledgment. The small black form scurried into the hole, and tiny black furred hands reached out behind to take Madellia’s pack.
Halfway under the vehicle, pulling themselves into the hole, Madellia heard a sound that made their blood run cold.
The excited chortling howl of one of Aragon’s hell hounds.
Jerking their feet up and twisting, they rolled and scraped down the other side of the hole into the sub level of the building. The sensation of their boot coming off of their foot elicited a terrified cry.
Madellia fell against some rubble and stared up into the garish visage of Tal’Feshni. Their boot dangled from exposed canines, and the hell hound cackled, chewing the leather while staring balefully down at Madellia.
Almost caught you, my little Delight. The jaws gaped, charred flesh peeled back from bone, black and gray spotted fur smoking. Madellia’s boot dropped and rolled towards them.
Tal’Feshni had eyes that were sunken glowing coals, except that one glowed blue white. She was the pack leader of this grouping of hell hounds. And she had a grudge against Madellia Bhengani.
They had damaged Tal’Feshni’s eye several years ago, and even though it had regenerated, the hound demanded retribution.
I will enjoy your charred flesh.
“You’d have to catch me you baying corpse!” The head of the lupine beast filled the hole, one skeletal paw gripped the edge, trying to pull away the brick. Madellia picked up a chunk of rubble and eyed the enticing target.
Strike me, and I will hunt more than just you…. The jaws gaped in a laughing cackle and Madellia scrambled back to stand up after snatching their chewed boot.
Baring their teeth at the abomination, they checked their Aya’Chyndar and spat in front of Tal’Feshni.
“You look better with the blue eye anyways.”
Disappearing down the hallway, Madellia tried to ignore the hyena-like laughter that followed them.
