Sam rolled up the bedroll and tied it off with a short piece of rope that was attached on the underside. He moved toward Sanders and held out the roll to him. “Keep it. We aren’t planning another night away from the camp and I can pick up another once we get there.”

            “Thanks Sanders,” Sam said earnestly. He opened his dimensional bag and slid the roll inside.

            “Don’t start thanking me yet. You’re going to have to send a lot more gratitude my way over the next few weeks.” Sanders said with that sarcastic tone in his voice. Sam looked at him questioningly. “Azuriel wants me to start training you up a little. Help you survive in this new world you find yourself. He wants the whole team to help, but I called dibs. Bard wanted a crack at you but I’m pretty sure he just wants to embarrass you in front of Alannah. Well, don’t just stand there, get out your axe.” Sam moved a few steps away from Sanders and pulled the axe out of his sack. The axe itself looked rather plain. The lower half of the handle was wrapped in animal skin that had been worn down over time. The skin was tied onto the shaft of the axe with some twine. The entire axe was close to three feet long with a cylindrical shaft made of wood. At the top of the shaft, a smooth metal axe head was pushed through the wood and tied on with thick leather straps. The appearance of the head made the axe look flimsy but no matter how he pulled at the head, it didn’t budge. The sharp end of the axe head was about six inches long and the back of the metal came to a point sticking out the other side of the shaft. Sam noticed a few nicks along the cutting edge, but overall, the axe was still quite sharp. He gripped the axe in two hands and spread his feet to shoulder width apart to even out his stance.

“Swing it a few times. Show me what I’m working with.” Sam gave the axe a few two-handed swings moving the blade from high to low in slashing motions. The first swing made him step forward slightly as the axe was heavier than he realized. He stepped back to his stance again and kept swinging. He started to feel a slight rhythm with the swings. He tried a few overhead swings as well as side to side. He did this for a few moments with Sanders occasionally giving him pointers or repositioning his feet. This lasted for thirty minutes before Sanders called for a break. Sam felt like he could keep going but Sanders had already started walking toward the food that was being put out for breakfast. Sam started to follow him, but Lucas walked up.

“You’re not done yet. Axes are good for brute strength attacks but are harder to use for defense.” Lucas said as he pulled a quarterstaff from the pouch at his hip. “We’ll start slow. I’ll start to attack you in slow motion, and you move to defend it.” This process lasted another thirty minutes as they moved through different defense and attack styles using the axe. Sam’s arms were starting to get a little sore and his movements sluggish. He was used to cardiovascular exercise with his runs but lifting this axe was a good workout. Sam and Lucas rejoined the group and got some food before it was stored away.

            After the items had been cleaned up, the group resumed their trek north. Sam continued to ask the many questions popping into his head. Alannah answered the majority with an occasional sarcastic comment from Sanders. Rarely, Alannah would consult with Azuriel to get an answer to one of the questions. They travelled for almost two hours as the density of the trees started to increase. The trees were still spread out too much to classify the area as a forest but there were no more areas of orange sand. They had been replaced with a layer of grass as well as several smaller bushes that huddled under the protective watch of the trees. Sam could also tell that they were steadily increasing in elevation as they walked. The group slowed as Azuriel, who was stilling leading, stopped next to a pair of trees. Sam moved up next to him and noticed several gashes in both trees. The gashes were about two inches deep and scored the tree in multiple places. The highest being the level of Sam’s hips. The ground underneath the tree had also been ripped up leaving behind a muddy pit at the base of the trees.

“Looks like razorbeasts,” Lucas commented and received a confirmatory nod from Azuriel. Sanders explained that razorbeasts by themselves were not overly dangerous, but they were notoriously good at multiplying out of control. Eventually they would reproduce enough to pose a threat to the resources of the area, and it was understood that you should kill the beasts if possible.

            “We are only about an hour from camp. Based on the tree markings and the size of this pit, there are about ten to twelve beasts. Let us track them to make sure they do not spread their destruction further,” Azuriel said. The two archers removed their bows as Bard and Sanders surveyed the area looking for tracks and a direction to start the hunt. Sam moved next to Alannah and examined her bow. Alannah held a short recurve bow. The bow itself was brown and made of a single stretch of wood with a smoothed down hand hold. There was a small notch in the string, and she had already nocked an arrow. The bow was about fifty inches in length. He looked to Lucas who also used a recurve bow but his was about sixty-five inches in length. His bow was made of a darker wood but was otherwise the same as Alannah’s. Lucas saw Sam examining the bow.

“Do you know how to use a bow?” Lucas asked, holding the bow out toward Sam.

            “I grew up bow hunting. Started with compound bows but a few years ago I moved over to recurve to increase the challenge. We mainly hunted white tails with the occasional turkey or hog,” Sam said turning the bow over in his hands and feeling the hand grip and bow string. “Do you mind if I take a shot at these razorbeasts? They sound kind of like the hogs I’m used to.”

            “By all means,” Lucas said, “But be wary, these razorbeasts are about twice the size of most hogs back on Earth. They also have thicker hides, and their tusks are quite sharp. Follow Alannah’s lead and take down as many as you can.” Lucas passed a handful of arrows to Sam and pulled out his sword to join the others. Sam moved closer to Alannah as they followed the others. Bard had picked up the trail and was tracking the beasts.

            “Anything special about taking these things down? Do I still just aim behind the front shoulders?” Sam asked Alannah.

            “That’s still the best shot,” Alannah nodded in agreement. “We’ll find the group and the others will move to form an arc around them. When it’s time, we’ll take down as many as we can as quickly as we can. After the first shots hit, the beasts will start to scatter. Move your aim to the ones that are still in the middle or that have turned toward us. Don’t track the ones heading to the side. We don’t want to put our friends in the field of fire. If any get too close, switch to your axe, and make sure you stay clear of the tusks.”

            “Got it,” Sam said. “If all the people come from other worlds, where do the animals come from?”

            “They came from the other worlds too. They don’t die to get here, but instead, crossed into this world long ago when the worlds were closer together and the barriers weaker. When they crossed over, they were transformed by the spiritual energy of this world, arriving as slightly altered versions of their former selves. Since the animals are not just avatars, they can reproduce and spread across Eternity’s Gate.” Alannah said, putting a finger to her lips and pointing toward the group ahead of them.

Sam’s heart was starting to speed up slightly. He always got excited when he got ready to hunt. The group had stopped a short way in front of them and they joined their party. The hogs had found a small stream running past another copse of trees. There were ten in the group, and they were rooting around at the base of the trees. The beasts did look like hogs, but Lucas was right about their size. They looked like hogs on steroids with tusks that rose about a foot on each side of their mouth. Their skin was a mix of dark brown and black, but it was hard to tell what was skin and what was mud. Alannah and Sam crouched low and moved closer to the group of beasts. The other four in the party gave the beasts a wide berth as they encircled their targets. Sanders and Azuriel stopped at the midway point as Lucas and Bard moved to the far side. They all moved slowly closer, trying to avoid alerting the animals. Each member of the group put their hand up to signal their readiness. At this, Alannah raised slightly out of her crouch, turning her left side toward the beasts, and getting her bow into position. Sam mirrored her. He gave the string a slow pull, lining up the shot.

            “I’ve got the far left. You take the one on the far right. Remember to aim toward the middle or any coming at us after that. On the count of five.” Sam lined up his shot, aiming at one of the larger beasts that was closest to Azuriel. It was slightly quartered away from him giving him a good angle on the sweet spot. He held his breath for the last second as he counted down in his head. He let loose at the same moment as Alannah. He watched the arrow as it thudded into the beast on the right. The two razorbeasts squealed, prompting the entire group to scatter. A cacophony of squeals filled the air. A few of the animals collided with each other in their frantic attempt to get away but most spread out in all directions. Sam turned his attention to the pack as he pulled another arrow to his bow. He heard Alannah send another arrow before he had even nocked the next arrow. There were still several of the beasts in the middle of the pack that didn’t have a clear exit. Sam lined up his shot. He didn’t have any good broadside shots, so he aimed at one of the animals’ necks. Another hit but he still felt like he was slacking as Alannah sent a third arrow into the midst of the beasts. One of the beasts had started charging in their direction. He placed the bow into his pack and pulled out his axe. Alannah sent another arrow. He heard more squeals as the rest of the group engaged the frightened beasts. He locked eyes with the incoming razorbeast as he gripped the weapon. His heart had sped up when he was taking his shots but now it threatened to beat right out of his chest as the three-foot-tall beast charged his direction with impressive speed. He put one foot back as he assumed the battle stance Sanders and Lucas had recommended. His advantage in this battle was his long weapon. He waited until the beast was about a yard from him. The beast lowered its head to the left, planning on scooping into his body with its foot long tusks. Once the beast lowered its head, Sam jumped to the right of the beast. This moved him out of the path of the rising tusks and gave him an exposed neck for a target as the beast charged past. He swung the axe in a downward strike catching the beast just behind the ears. A thud resounded from the beast as it crashed face first into the grass at Sam’s feet. He felt an immediate surge of energy. It had died instantly with his axe slicing a good foot into the razorbeast’s neck. Blood spurted from the wound covering the front of his clothes and splashing onto his neck and chin. He even tasted a little of the tangy blood in his mouth and started spitting. He turned to the rest of the field and noticed that the rest of the group was engaged with the last of the beasts. One beast had gotten past Sanders on the left. Alannah was already lining up another shot. This was a good fifty yards from her now on an animal sprinting away. She loosed the arrow and he watched, slack jawed, as it flew the distance and thudded into the beast’s side. It made the razorbeast tumble to the ground. The razorbeast didn’t die instantly but got back to its feet and started running again. It made it another ten yards before it collapsed. As he was watching this interaction, he felt two more surges of energy enter his body. His first two hits had finally overcome the beasts. He put his foot down on the body of the beast at his feet and worked the axe back and forth to remove it from where it had become lodged. He used his shirt sleeve to wipe the blood off his chin and neck.

            “Nice work,” Alannah said with an approving look on her face.

            “Me?” Sam asked, “I just watched you drop a spooked animal at fifty yards with a perfect shot. Color me impressed.” Alannah blushed slightly but didn’t disagree with his assessment of the shot. She moved closer while looking at the dead beast at his feet.

“Not so bad yourself with only a morning’s worth of practice with the axe,” she said. “Your bow kills on the other hand. You didn’t quite keep up.” An impish grin crawling onto her face.

“Well, why did you hog all the kills.” He said with a straight face. Her grin turning into a full smile. Alannah squatted down next to the beast and put her hand on its leg. The beast started to dissolve, and a small slab of meat and a hide were left in its place. Sam remembered something similar happening when he touched the black cadejo after killing it. She noticed his look and said, “by touching the body, it releases the spiritual energy back into the world. For edible beasts, you will usually get some meat, sometimes a skin. Some monsters will leave behind body parts that can be used in alchemy and item making. Rarely, it will leave behind an item or weapon. This was your kill so why don’t you take the loot.” Sam moved over to the meat and a razorbeast hide. With that complete, they moved toward the main group. The rest of the team was dissolving and looting the animals as they moved through the bodies. The animals that died from arrow shots would dissolve the same way but the arrow that took the beast down would be left behind with the loot as long as it hadn’t broken. After clearing the field, Sam handed the bow and the extra arrows back to Lucas.

“That’s a nice bow. There’s a lot of power but the draw weight doesn’t seem to match.” Sam noted to Lucas.

“The bow has a simple enchantment that allows for the draw weight to be cut in half. This allows for repetitive shots without tiring the body as much.” Lucas replied. He turned the bow over and indicated a mark on each end of the bow where the string was attached.

“Well thanks for letting me take a few draws on it,” Sam said.

“I’ll let you return the favor if you’re okay with it. One of those beasts caught my arm with a tusk. You mind giving it a quick heal?” Lucas asked. Sam was happy to oblige. Not only had he leant him his bow, but he also wanted to use his healing skill as much as possible. Lucas turned to show him his right arm and rolled his sleeve up to show the wound. It was about four inches long and went down into the muscle. Sam placed his hand over the wounded area and started to funnel his energy toward it. The energy entered his palm and he focused on healing the layers of the arm and closing the skin. The entire process took about a minute until the arm was as good as new. “Thanks for the stitch up, doc.” Once the group finished up with the beasts, they continued on toward Fort Gideon.

***

            “Search the area. This is the direction our enemies had come from,” a demon ordered. Anarak was standing in a cave on the edge of the previous day’s battle. The demon was short for his kind standing just under six feet tall. He was quite muscular and wore thin leather armor under black robes. His face was like cut marble with no facial hair along his square jaw. His eyes were a deep purple. The dark robe melded with his skin, and it was only the red veins that let you know where the robe ended, and his skin began. The demon was covered in daggers. He had two on his belt, one strapped across his chest, and a fourth at the small of his back. The battle had occurred the day before, but the demon’s brother had never returned to camp. He knew his brother, Vorax, had been on this edge of the battlefield. There were rumors amongst the intelligence force that there was a spy amongst their ranks. They had heard there was a meeting during the battle and had covered the periphery to try and catch the spy. Anarak had been on the other edge of the battle with a contingent of six humans but never saw anything out of place. They had returned to camp as the battle started to settle down. He had waited for his brother’s party to return but after it started to become dark, he began to worry. Despite the whining of the humans, he told them to gear up and they were going searching for the missing team. They had set out while it was still dark and moved to the opposite side of the battlefield. They had been searching through the night when they came across the bodies of Vorax’s team. All had been slain and stripped of their gear. The team rested a moment as Anarak picked up the trail of the party that had killed this group. He found the direction they headed after the battle, marking it in his head. He kept searching because his priority was finding his brother. He backtracked and found the direction the party had come from. He followed this to a cave in the rock wall near the battle but still had not found his brother.

            “Anarak. Anarak,” one of the humans called out. Anarak left the cave and followed the sounds of the call. He followed the length of the rock wall until he found a small canyon cutting through toward the battlefield. They had passed this canyon while back tracking the group, but it had been too dark to see down it. Anarak could see one of his men standing at the entrance. As he turned into the canyon, he saw his brother’s body pushed against one of the walls. It had also been stripped of its armor and weapons. His rage exploded out of his body with a primal roar. Lightning quick, the dagger at the small of his back was out and he had lunged at the man who found the body. He grabbed the base of the man’s head and slid the blade in between the bones of his spine severing the spinal cord. The man’s body dangled limply from the powerful grip of the demon. The demon seemed to suck the dark soul out of the human before throwing him into a crumpled heap against the rock. He moved forward and crouched beside his brother’s body. He closed the demon’s eyes and moved the demon into his spatial sack. Now was the time for vengeance. He would properly burn his brother’s body once his fury was sated. The other members of his team had moved cautiously forward and started picking their dead comrade clean of his gear. As they did so, they vied for the position farthest from Anarak in case he had another bout of rage.

            “Let’s move. The team that did this is at least a day ahead of us,” Anarak said. The men didn’t dare to argue with him and fell into line as he moved back toward the canyon containing the other members of his brother’s team. Despite Anarak’s anger at the loss of his brother, a smile crept onto his face as he planned his vengeance. He always enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, especially when the prey could fight back.