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[FICTION] Beast of The Land

     The two Anlari soldiers ran through the dark brush, too scared to look back. Guided only by what scattered moonlight made its fraught journey through the canopy. One acted as support for the other, who bled blackened ooze from a fetid wound, a gaping hole in his mail and tabard.

    Only what seemed like moments before, their entire squad of comrades were patrolling for soldiers from the ever-approaching Dunbar host, which their liege had been fighting. Suddenly, in a blur of frightening speed, a tower of steel, a warrior in fearsome steel armor, and clad in a red and green surcoat. The had immediately shouted at the figure to identify themselves, when a curious thing happened. A small blue light came from beneath the great helm of the Red & Green Warrior, and then a much brighter blue light came from the bush just off to their side. Spectral hounds then leapt into the squad, their spears and swords striking more air than mark. The jaws of the hounds savaged those they found.

    In a panic, the remaining Anlari drew their steel, and set upon their sudden foe. With the same supernatural alacrity, the Red & Green Warrior brought their halberd down upon them, the force of a great wind. Horror marred the Anlari faces, as the halberd turned, and tore open its next victim's armor.

    "Run!" The bravest screamed to the other, who grabbed his wounded compatriot, and obliged. The final death-scream of the bravest still echoed in his mind. Now, terrified and unsure, he carried his dying comrade.

    The two hobbled as fast as they could, when they saw the pale blue spectral light reflecting on the greenery in front of them, and the sounds of the hounds gaining ground. They tried to run, they tried to hope, and they and their hope become a feast for the hounds.

    What remained of the last Anlari tried to crawl away, but their mangled arms only found the greaves of the Red & Green Warrior.

    "Why?" the Anlari gurgled.

    The Red & Green Warrior slowly knelt, bracing their towering form on their halberd as they descended.

    "I do this for The Cold Waters whose prayers are now unheard, for The Scorched Tree who will never praise life at another Red Morning, and for The Singing Dogs whose songs will never be heard again." The Red & Green Warrior then leaned in, and spoke in a voice so soft as to never have been spoken at all, "All of which were sent to The Forever by Anlari steel, except for one."

    After, he rose once again, and watched the soldier die, the hounds descended upon the form they left behind. He then cut the insignia from the Anlari tabards, as he had done to the others. And as swiftly and savagely as he came, the Red & Green Warrior disappeared back into the dark of the night.

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