A soaking Tynal walked out of the group of huddled, wet Crymith to meet Rajhani and Yaalon. He looked apprehensively at the wolf.
"They're dead," he said, pointing at the Vi'qom's machines, lying in pieces on the ground around the lake. "We were in the water. They collected at the edges. We got so tired that we thought we would drown. But then they started to smoke and a screaming sound came from them. Then they just... blew up. They were dead. We stood at the edge and waited in case more showed up and we had to run into the water again. But there was nothing."
Yaalon and Rajhani had seen pieces of machines on their way to Rock Lake. Over time the rain, when it returned, would wash away the black liquid. The parts could be gathered and used to rebuild their homes. And perhaps to create new weapons to defend against the Ceasixus. They knew that the Vi'qom's creatures would be scattered around Iyhiri, blown into pieces the same as their ship had been. But those pieces would no longer pose a threat.
Rajhani stepped toward Tynal. "It was Agnez. She saved us."
"She did? Where is she?"
A tear slid down Rajhani's cheek. She shook her head but couldn't find words to explain what she knew Agnez had done. Yaalon laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on," said Rajhani, finding her voice. "Let's head home."
"But our village was destroyed," said Tynal.
"Then we will rebuild it," said Rajhani. "And we have new friends that can help." She looked up at Yaalon.
"We're making a stop at Wyl Falls," Yaalon said to the Crymith, smiling at Rajhani.
"But that's days in the opposite direction," said Tynal.
"Then we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other on the way back," said Rajhani.
____________________________________________
Just one more short chapter...
Photo by veeterzy on pexels.com.
YOU ARE READING
The Huntress of Iyhiri
FantasyWhen her mother was killed by a fangcat six months after her father was murdered during a Ceasixus raid on her village, Agnez became, at ten years old, her family's matriarch and mother to her three month old baby sister. Thirteen years later, a cre...
