Ruein: Fires of Haraden: Action/Adventure Necromancy Series (Books of Ruein Book 2), G.O. Turner [little bear else holmelund minarik txt] 📗

stepped closer, and then the black smudge rose. The sniff bared out what it was…a snout. Two claws swiped at the air and then dropped back down as the thing loped forward.

Crap.

In a flash, Ruein squished a wax-wrapped component in her gauntlet. She flung herself into draconic, working arcane mists through gestures she projected ahead.

The snowfield burst open between her and the beast. Black tendrils shot up and latched onto the loping animal. Stretching and snapping at the limbs, it strained to a halt, mired in the tentacles’ hold.

Ruein wheeled around. She caught Leafar’s dive for wagon-cover as she belted out, “To arms! Incoming!”

Liv shot to her feet. With a celestial word, she tapped at her headdress. The brilliance of a sunrise issued forth, illuminating the arctic dark. Twigs and Ceer dropped their gear.

All along the caravan, torches were raised out of bonfires. Nurskers closed ranks around their wares.

The Lightbringer’s jaw dropped as two additional beasts trampled into the field of tentacles, joining the first. Black eyes raged, teeth ripped, claws sheared as they waded through the maelstrom.

“Holy shit,” cried Liv. “Didn’t know bears came that size.”

“White wilderness, white bears,” quipped a wide-eyed Twigs, ducking behind Ceer’s leg. “The Great Mother certainly does provide.”

“Big and fuzzy.” Ceer bounced on the balls of his feet. Thumping fists against his own biceps, he grunted out, “Ceer wants cuddle.” Then he launched himself over the gnome.

Twigs thrust out, “No, wait! Don’t hurt them!” He vainly trailed behind the half-orc, beating small feet through the slush. His fingers worked arcs, manifesting his magics.

Unslinging her glaive, Ruein set herself back onto the threat. The lead two bears tore free of the tentacles. Clearly incensed, their lope became a hounding charge.

A flash of blue shimmered across the snow surrounding her. Gusts swept low, rustling against Ruein’s boots, and shifted at the accumulation. Berms rose to head-height, building between the bears and wagon. She glanced back. Good gnome. Twigs hands directed the drifts higher. Ramparts as a delay, enough for Ceer and Liv to form up.

Backing out from under the oil wagon, Leafar edged toward the remainder of the caravan. His eyes darted from the threat to his own distant carriage. He waffled on his toes, shifting indecisively.

Twigs shouted, “Leafar!” beckoning him as the druid turned and stoked the campfire.

Ruein refocused, striving to peer over the berm. The shuffle of Liv’s armor closed upon her. Ceer hustled behind, charging for the wagon.

From Ruein’s periphery, the half-orc’s foot stamped the coach step. The wagon rocked as he hurtled up. Vaulting over both wagon and berm, Ceer angled himself sideways and hooked his arm.

Black nose and beady eyes appeared to top the berm just as the half-orc rained down an elbow behind the beast’s head. They both sank into the berm, which burst with a flash of blue.

That fool.

Ruein sidestepped, catching a glimpse in the gap. The two flummoxed over. As the white bear rolled and strained, Ceer reappeared alongside. His massive arms hooked around its neck, squeezing. Orc tusks pressed against its throat.

Another flash of blue, this one from the bank before her. The other bear clawed at the berm. She’d just have to trust the fool knew what he was doing.

Ruein brandished her glaive as a deterrent. The bladed polearm was but one in her arsenal. For her second deterrent, she reached within.

Wrongness pulsated from Ruein, an unseen crawl of the skin to sap resolve. A fear she thrust outwardly. She directed her blade’s tip and glared.

The beast stood. It hesitated, staring through the gap.

Clang. To Ruein’s right, Liv beat mace against shield. Her sister shouted, presenting herself as large as an armored warrior could. The startling light from her headdress scintillated against the snows.

The great bear winced. It chomped at the air and retreated a step. Casting its gaze around, it disappeared behind the berm. No doubt looking for a less troublesome way.

“How many?” Liv called over her noisemaking.

“Hard to tell. At least three.” Ruein whipped around, looking up the remainder of the caravan. Beyond the range of her darkvision flickered the torchlit faces of Nurskers, all turned their way. “It appears we’re the focus.”

Liv grimaced. “An oil wagon? Why the fuck would bears want this when the others have all the fish?”

Chancing a glance to the campfire, the two gnomes were silhouetted against the flames. Leafar glared over his fellow’s shoulder. Twigs had a hand to his temple, his brow furrowed. Druidic verse accompanied the move of somatic gestures along his staff.

Panting, Twigs shouted, “I can’t get through. Something is driving these poor beasties into a frenzy. My charm is being rebuffed.” He reached for small stones from around the fire.

Crooked over the stone ring, Twigs paused and looked up.

His neck craned higher as a white behemoth roared overhead. The raging campfire competed against the seething cold of its blue eyes. With lengthier fur than its bear brethren, this one also had curved horns, massive jaws, and huge clawed hands.

The gnomes appeared minuscule under its towering height. The abominable beast leered at them as its eyes fluoresced an icy stare.

Leafar stiffened⁠—stock still.

“From behind!” Ruein cried.

Liv side-glanced. “Holy shit.”

Grabbing Leafar by his collar, Twigs scrambled backward. His back hand rattled at the palmed pebbles.

The shaggy giant raised a paw twice as massive as the gnomes and brought it sweeping down at them.

With a druidic breath and a sling of his arm, Twigs flicked a pebble square at the thing’s head. In the span from his release to its face, the stone grew. Pebble became boulder which collided with a crack against its skull. The beast’s head rocked from the blow, its claws missing the mark.

This was no longer fending against wild animals. That thing’s here to kill.

Lightbringer Liv launched herself, charging for the gnomes.

Dragging Leafar, his fancy boots trailing through the slush, Twigs tossed pebble after pebble. The beast, now readied, managed to dodge as huge boulders came. It side-stepped the bonfire and drew up on the fleeing gnomes.

Liv wasn’t going to get there in