Chapter 103: Stampede

Maeve fiddled with her cloak as she tried to cover her face from the harsh sun. The cloaks fabric was weaved from a special thick wool that blocked sunlight, a useful garment for any vampire, not to mention expensive. Such luxury clothes were usually etched with a familys crest, Maeves were no different. Which is why she left her cloak back in the city, lest she attract attention.

It was already difficult enough to escape her maids the past few mornings she had been in Mellow Bloom, she did not want to give them any clear evidence that she was spending time with Nora.

Clypeus had been kind enough to lend Maeve one of his own cloaks. While Maeve did not mind wearing the honorable House Gales crest on her back, it annoyed her that the cloak was too long. Clypeus was a little over 6 feet tall, while she was barely 5 feet. The cloak dragged beneath her feet and the hood blocked half her face, blinding her from everything but her saddle.

She kept trying to adjust the cloak to no avail. Dammit, she muttered.

Are you okay? Nora smiled softly.

Of course, I am. I always travel to the middle of nowhere to actively hunt a man-eating predator, Maeve glared at her, but the cloak blocked her angry expression.

Nora scratched her nose, Yeah, about that. I know you probably didnt expect to be hunting a seregulus when I asked you to hang out with me today. But, I really am grateful you finally came to visit my hometown. By the way, I meant are you okay after last night?

What? Are you talking about that Stryg guy?

I am, Nora nodded. I dont know where you two met, but I know enough about Stryg. There are rumors swirling about him at school. They say hes from a sylvan tribe in Vulture Woods and that hes ruthless to all that cross his path. I even heard that he eats the hearts of his enemies. I may have not seen him eat anyone, but I once saw him bite a classmate during sparring. Stryg ripped a chunk of the guys shoulder off.

Gods, that sounds horrible, Maeve winced.

Yeah, it was, but the guy deserved it. He had groped this dwarf girls butt during class. The dwarf was about to fight him, but Stryg beat her to it. Thats my point, Stryg can be very impulsive and vindictive. Last night was just more proof of that. Believe me, its alright if youre not okay. You can talk to me.

Look, Im fine. The white mage we went to last night healed me up without a hitch. If I were you I wouldnt worry about some crazy savage and instead focus on the damn monster hunt you dragged us to. Were literally surrounded by tall grass and a bunch of bushes, seregulusi could pop out at any moment.

Itll be fine, Nora chuckled. Were still quite a few miles away from where they were spotted last night. Besides, look around us, I brought my familys guards.

Maeve glanced at the dozen mounted soldiers surrounding them. Each of them had the image of a blue bellflower emblazoned on their chest plates, the crest of House Azol.

A few of them are magi, too. Plus, youve got me, your blue mage best friend to look after you, Nora smirked.

Yeah, arent you only a first-year? Maeve raised an eyebrow.

I already finished my first year at the academy, Nora pouted.

Thats so much better, she rolled her eyes.

Okay, Miss Cynic, Cly will be looking after you too, and hes a swordmaster. Hes all die-hard about protecting you Veres vampires, youll be fine.

Dont get me wrong, I respect the dedication of Clypeus and House Gale, but first of all, Im not an actual Veres. And second of all, Clypeus is still technically a novice mage.

Dont underestimate Cly, hes far more powerful than any of my classmates, well, except for Stryg, though I bet Cly could still beat him. But, if Cly still isnt good enough for you, his older sister, Gale, is joining us, too.

Wait, are you serious? Ive never gotten a chance to meet her, but Ive heard so much about her! Shes one of the youngest high-master magi in all of Hollow Shade. I heard she even once dueled the genius Loh Noir herself and still managed to hold her own! Maeve gushed excitedly.

I sometimes forget how much aristocrats gossip, Nora pursed her lips and shook her head.

Oh please, everyone loves watching mage duels. You and I used to talk about magi all the time. Just because youre a mageborn now, dont think youre better than the rest of us, Maeve crossed her arms.

Id never think that, Nora raised her hands in surrender. Dont get me wrong, magic is amazing. Its just that you start seeing things a little differently when you start actually spellcasting. You start realizing how dangerous it can be, especially to yourself.

It cant be as bad as the one getting attacked by your magic.

Youd be surprised.

Id still take my chances if I were in your shoes.

Meh, fair point, Nora shrugged. She looked up at the top of the nearby hill. Hey, you hear something?

You mean the faint sound of hooves? You do realize I have better hearing than humans right? Maeve smirked. For some reason the cadence of hooves sounded somewhat familiar.

Yeah, whatever. Some centaur must be dancing around up there, probably Clys.

But isnt Clypeus centaur right next to us?

What? Root-bison dont wander near large settlements or small ones for that matter, Clypeus frowned.

Stryg ignored him and closed his eyes in concentration. Its getting louder. Too fast. Theres too many, too quickly.

What are you saying?

Theyre running, Rhians eyes widened.

Clypeus took a moment to absorb the information. He cupped his hands together and screamed, Stampede! Root-bison stampede!

The other hunters looked at each other in alarm. None of them had centaurs with them. The commoners looked at Stryg and Rhian with a crazy light in their eyes.

Not today, Stryg tugged on Rhians reins.

She understood immediately and ran away.

Aw, come on, dont leave me too! Clypeus yelled.

The vampire could finally hear the thundering stampede approaching. He kneeled and stuck his hands into the dirt. He channeled green mana though his arms and into the earth around him. The grass gave way as the ground rose up and formed a wall in front of him. The other hunters huddled with him behind the wall.

Clypeus released the stone spell and switched to yellow mana. He cast a durability spell all over his body, yellow scales formed around his skin. He hoped it would be enough to endure the stampede.

~~~

Rhian kept running without looking back. Stryg noticed something was off.

Rhian, are you slower than before?

What? Of course not. I only ran up a tall steep hill like two minutes ago, carrying about 400 pounds, most of which is my rider. How could I be getting slower? Its not like Im a bit tired, she huffed.

I thought the best didnt get tired.

In your dreams, maybe. Just give me a few minutes, Ill be faster by then.

We dont have that time, Stryg looked behind him. Rhian run!

The stampede rushed towards them.

Ah, shit! She shouted.

Rhian pushed her legs onwards and tried ignoring the burning pain in her lungs.

Faster! Theyre catching up! Run, Rhian, run, ru-eis! Coureis! Coureis, Coureis!

Rhians ears twitched at Strygs voice. The sounds of the stampede faded away. The world seemed to grow small, all that mattered was escaping the bison herd. They needed to survive, Stryg needed to survive.

Her muscles tightened, strength flooded through her veins. She grit her teeth and surged forward. The root-bison bellowed in anger as they tried to overtake them, but Rhian stayed ahead, her legs galloping through the sea of grass in a blur of black and blue.

The ground rumbled. Another herd gushed over from the hill above them. Several dire root-bison led the charge. There was no escape, Rhian would be blocked off from both sides and they would be crushed in between the herds. She made up her mind in an instant.

We go up! She shouted out in cold determination.

Seu, kevlos!? Rhian, kevlos! Stryg screamed.

She pulled out her lance and sprinted straight into the frontline of dire bison. One dire beast lowered its head and aimed its horns at Rhians soft underbelly. She waited until the creature was close, its horns practically touching her. Rhian jumped, ramming her hooves into the bisons face. She kicked off the creatures head and trampled over the beasts enormous body.

Rhian jumped off the back end of the bison and pushed forward. She needed to reach the top of the hill, past the downwards momentum of the herd. She sank her lance into a bison that tried ramming them. Stryg stabbed his spear into one that came from her flank.

Another dire bison appeared from amidst the herd. It roared in anger and bolted right at them. Rhian did not have enough space to dodge. As the dire bison attacked, she threw herself to the side, scraping right past the charge.

Rhian!

She looked up to see Stryg being dragged away, his cloak catching on the dire bisons horn.

Master! Rhian screeched.