“Let’s go!” Rhain yelled.
Their rugger followed the second one, and they drove deeper into the fog. It got thicker and darker with each passing moment. Visibility was terrible.
“This is all Krastin’s doing,” Rhain said.
The ruggers slowed. It was too dangerous to go any faster. He stared into the black. Were those shadows?
Then Mal made a sound. “Where did the other rugger go?”
Rhain scanned the fog. There was no sign of Thadd’s vehicle. “I don’t see them. I can’t see anything.”
“Overlord, we’ve lost contact with the others,” Kasra called out. “The fog is blocking communication.”
Mal cursed.
“Wait.” Kasra appeared at the hatch, looking up at them. “I’m detecting a signature.” The woman’s voice was strained. “A very large signature in the fog. “
“What is it?” Rhain asked.
“I don’t know, my lord. But it’s big.”
Rhain looked at Mal. She lifted her sword and stared into the fog.
Chapter Fourteen
Mal’s heart was hammering hard.
Shit, she hated this fog. It was dense and black like smoke.
She couldn’t see the other rugger anywhere. The gnawing ache was still chewing on her chest.
“Come on.” She’d take pretty much anything over this waiting and not knowing what was out there.
She felt a vibration.
She glanced at Rhain. His brows were drawn as he stared into the fog.
More vibrations.
Something was coming.
The fog cleared a little.
Then a giant leg slammed down in front of them.
Her heart jumped into her throat. What the hell? She looked up. The creature was huge.
More of the colossal beast appeared out of the fog, and she could do nothing more than stare.
Behind her, Rhain cursed.
Yeah, the universe really had it out for her.
The creature looked similar to a hexid, except it was absolutely towering. It no longer walked upright, and instead walked on all fours, had a huge tail, and an armored head.
“Have you seen this guy before?” she asked.
“No.”
How had Krastin even gotten it here?
The giant creature gave a roar. The sound blasted through Mal’s bones. She tightened her grip on her sword.
The beast lifted a foot and started to slam it down.
“Go! Go!” Rhain yelled.
The rugger tore off. Mal gripped a hand hold on the roof so she wouldn’t be thrown off.
They drove right under the enormous creature. It frantically stomped the ground, trying to find them.
“If we can disable the legs, it can’t move,” she said.
Rhain nodded and swiveled the turret. He opened fire on the closest leg.
The noise the giant hexid made was deafening.
Mal leaned back and poked her head down into the rugger. “Let’s go. We need to target the legs.”
The other fighters clambered out of the rugger.
Mal leaped onto the ground, the fighters landing beside her.
She looked back at Rhain, and their gazes met.
Be safe. She charged her weapon and it glowed in the fog. It was easier to do now. The other fighters charged their weapons, and the glow of energy lit up the dark fog around them.
“Let’s do this,” she cried.
Mal ran forward. She raced toward the massive back leg of the beast and lifted her sword. She swiped and cut into the tough, leathery flesh, but it barely reacted.
It was like poking a giant with a pin.
She sliced again. Shit. Did it even feel that?
Rhain kept firing the turret. Energy blasts hit the giant hexid’s head and it roared.
“Everyone, target this leg,” she yelled at the fighters.
Two stood back, firing crossbows. The charged bolts hit the creature and flesh exploded.
Mal sliced again. Next to her, Carvia sliced with her sword and Trist with a small axe. Together, they cut and hacked. Chunks of putrid flesh fell off.
The hexid stopped, and swiped its front leg out. It kicked rocks into the air.
“Watch out!” Mal dodged.
A rock skimmed over her head.
The giant hexid turned and she cut into its leg again. Everything was slick with blood and she dug her blade in deep. She could see muscles and tendons. She had to keep cutting.
The creature shifted its feet and the fighters all leaped out of the way.
Suddenly, she heard shouts.
Mal spun and saw the giant tail whipping right at her. It slammed into her, knocking her off her feet.
She hit the ground hard and rolled. Pain clamped on her ribs and her head swam. Her gaze turned murky, and she fought through the agony. She dragged in a breath.
Fuck, it hurt. So much.
She bit her tongue and tasted blood.
Carvia ran up to her, shouting something, but Mal’s ears were ringing. The woman held out her hand.
Get up, Mal.
She took Carvia’s hand and the fighter hauled Mal upright. Then she yanked Mal forward and she stumbled behind the woman.
The colossal hexid’s foot crashed down, right where she’d been lying.
She looked up and saw the creature stomping again. Rhain was still firing from the turret. The creature zeroed in on the rugger.
Oh, God. Mal’s heart jumped into her throat. “Get off there!”
Rhain kept firing.
Trist darted in, tossing several knives at the hexid’s injured leg.
The creature bellowed and shifted. Trist dodged…the wrong way.
“No!” Carvia screamed.
The creature’s foot slammed down on the man.
Mal’s gut curdled. No, no, no.
She couldn’t look at the remains of poor Trist. All she could do was focus on bringing the beast down.
Carvia was frozen, her face twisted in shock and grief.
“Not now, Carvia,” Mal shouted. “Focus on the back leg.”
The tail swung again and Mal shoved the swordswoman out of the way, then ducked.
Dammit. They were going to die here if they didn’t bring the damn thing down.
Suddenly, a big body sprinted in front of them, right under the hexid.
Rhain raised his arms, and she saw him grit his teeth. Energy pulsed through the fog—strong and potent.
The colossal hexid froze. It roared, unable to move.
“Do it!” he cried, voice hoarse.
“Come on,” Mal yelled. “For Trist.”
They sprinted to the leg. She raised her sword and stabbed deep.
They needed to cut enough vital things so that it couldn’t move. The others were with her. Stab. Stab. Slice.
She hit something and black blood sprayed over them all. Ugh.
Face a terrible mask, Carvia slashed wildly.
The creature’s leg started to collapse.
“Watch out,” someone yelled.
The huge body came crashing down. Mal ran and slammed into Rhain.
“Okay?” He cupped her cheek.
She felt like she’d been hit by a sledgehammer and her ribs ached, but she nodded.
“Trist…” she said.
Rhain’s face twisted. “I saw.”
“Watch out for that tail!” Another fighter yelled.
The tail was still moving. The creature let out an enraged sound and the tail whipped around, like a giant battering ram.