other
anxiously.
"What
was that?" Conval asked.
"It
came from over there,” Reece said, gesturing to another part of the jungle.
They
all turned and looked. But Thor could see nothing but leaves. Krohn snarled
back at it.
The
noise grew louder, more persistent, and finally, the branches began to rustle.
Thor and the others took a step back, drawing their swords, and they waited,
expecting the worst.
What
stepped forward from the jungle exceeded even Thor's worst expectations. Standing
there before them was an enormous insect, five times Thor’s size, resembling a
praying mantis, with two rear legs, two smaller front legs that dangled in the
air, and long claws at the end of them. Its body was a fluorescent green, covered
in scales, and it had small wings which buzzed and vibrated. It had two eyes at
the top of its head, and a third eye on the tip of its nose. It reached around and
revealed more claws which Thor hadn't seen, hidden under its throat, which
vibrated and snapped.
It
stood there, towering over them, and another claw came out from its stomach, a
long skinny arm, protruding; suddenly, faster than any of them could react, it
reached out and snatched O'Connor, its three claws expanding and wrapping
around his waist. It lifted him high in the air, as if he were a leaf.
O'Connor
swung his sword, but he was nowhere near quick enough. The beast shook him
several times, then suddenly opened its mouth, revealing row after row of sharp
teeth, turned O'Connor sideways, and began to lower him towards it.
O'Connor
shrieked, as an instant and painful death loomed.
Thor
reacted. Without thinking, he placed a stone in his sling, took aim and hurled it
at the beast’s third eye, at the tip of its nose.
It was
a direct strike. The beast shrieked, an awful noise, loud enough to split a
tree, then dropped O'Connor, who fell end over end and landed on the soft
jungle floor with a thump.
The
beast, enraged, then turned its sights on Thor.
Thor
knew that making a stand and fighting this creature would be futile. At least
one of his brothers would get killed, and likely Krohn, too, and it would drain
whatever precious energy they had. He felt that maybe they had intruded on its
territory, and that if they could get out of there quick enough, it might just
leave them be.
"RUN!"
Thor screamed.
They turned
and ran—and the beast began to chase after them.
Thor
could hear the sound of the beast’s nails cutting through the dense foliage
right behind them, slicing through the air and missing his head by a few feet. Shredded
leaves flew up into the air and rained down around him. They all ran as one,
and Thor felt that if they could just gain enough distance, they could find a
way to take shelter. If not, then they would have to make a stand.
But Reece
suddenly slipped beside him, falling over a branch, face-first into the
foliage, and Thor knew he wouldn’t get up in time. Thor stopped beside them, drew
his sword, and stood between him and the beast.
“KEEP
RUNNING!" Thor yelled over his shoulder to the others, as he stood there,
ready to defend Reece.
The
beast lunged for him, shrieking, and swung its claw for Thor's face. Thor
ducked and swung his sword at the same time, and the beast let out a horrific shriek
as Thor chopped off one of its claws. A green fluid sprayed all over Thor, and he
looked up and watched in horror as the beast re-grew its claw just as quickly
as it had lost it. It was as if Thor had never injured it.
Thor
swallowed. This would be an impossible beast to kill. And now he had angered
it.
The
beast swiped down with yet another arm, coming out from somewhere else on its
body, and swiped Thor hard in the ribs, sending him flying and landing in a
clump of trees. The beast then lowered another claw for Thor, and Thor knew he
was in trouble.
Elden,
O'Connor and the twins rushed forward, and as the beast came down with another
claw for Thor, O'Connor fired an arrow into its mouth, lodging in the back
anxiously.
"What
was that?" Conval asked.
"It
came from over there,” Reece said, gesturing to another part of the jungle.
They
all turned and looked. But Thor could see nothing but leaves. Krohn snarled
back at it.
The
noise grew louder, more persistent, and finally, the branches began to rustle.
Thor and the others took a step back, drawing their swords, and they waited,
expecting the worst.
What
stepped forward from the jungle exceeded even Thor's worst expectations. Standing
there before them was an enormous insect, five times Thor’s size, resembling a
praying mantis, with two rear legs, two smaller front legs that dangled in the
air, and long claws at the end of them. Its body was a fluorescent green, covered
in scales, and it had small wings which buzzed and vibrated. It had two eyes at
the top of its head, and a third eye on the tip of its nose. It reached around and
revealed more claws which Thor hadn't seen, hidden under its throat, which
vibrated and snapped.
It
stood there, towering over them, and another claw came out from its stomach, a
long skinny arm, protruding; suddenly, faster than any of them could react, it
reached out and snatched O'Connor, its three claws expanding and wrapping
around his waist. It lifted him high in the air, as if he were a leaf.
O'Connor
swung his sword, but he was nowhere near quick enough. The beast shook him
several times, then suddenly opened its mouth, revealing row after row of sharp
teeth, turned O'Connor sideways, and began to lower him towards it.
O'Connor
shrieked, as an instant and painful death loomed.
Thor
reacted. Without thinking, he placed a stone in his sling, took aim and hurled it
at the beast’s third eye, at the tip of its nose.
It was
a direct strike. The beast shrieked, an awful noise, loud enough to split a
tree, then dropped O'Connor, who fell end over end and landed on the soft
jungle floor with a thump.
The
beast, enraged, then turned its sights on Thor.
Thor
knew that making a stand and fighting this creature would be futile. At least
one of his brothers would get killed, and likely Krohn, too, and it would drain
whatever precious energy they had. He felt that maybe they had intruded on its
territory, and that if they could get out of there quick enough, it might just
leave them be.
"RUN!"
Thor screamed.
They turned
and ran—and the beast began to chase after them.
Thor
could hear the sound of the beast’s nails cutting through the dense foliage
right behind them, slicing through the air and missing his head by a few feet. Shredded
leaves flew up into the air and rained down around him. They all ran as one,
and Thor felt that if they could just gain enough distance, they could find a
way to take shelter. If not, then they would have to make a stand.
But Reece
suddenly slipped beside him, falling over a branch, face-first into the
foliage, and Thor knew he wouldn’t get up in time. Thor stopped beside them, drew
his sword, and stood between him and the beast.
“KEEP
RUNNING!" Thor yelled over his shoulder to the others, as he stood there,
ready to defend Reece.
The
beast lunged for him, shrieking, and swung its claw for Thor's face. Thor
ducked and swung his sword at the same time, and the beast let out a horrific shriek
as Thor chopped off one of its claws. A green fluid sprayed all over Thor, and he
looked up and watched in horror as the beast re-grew its claw just as quickly
as it had lost it. It was as if Thor had never injured it.
Thor
swallowed. This would be an impossible beast to kill. And now he had angered
it.
The
beast swiped down with yet another arm, coming out from somewhere else on its
body, and swiped Thor hard in the ribs, sending him flying and landing in a
clump of trees. The beast then lowered another claw for Thor, and Thor knew he
was in trouble.
Elden,
O'Connor and the twins rushed forward, and as the beast came down with another
claw for Thor, O'Connor fired an arrow into its mouth, lodging in the back
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