The Red Lands

A skirmish with a Kurat

The ground groaned under the impact as the Kurat landed like a stone hurled down from the heavens.

A rain of wet dirt and snow exploded into the air as the behemoth slammed into the earth.

Clawed feet gripped into the frozen soil.

Almost instantaneously, the neurons of the rugged thigh muscles fired. The intentional synapse propelled the demon forward from its crouching stance.

Two colossal fingers, along with a shorter opposable one, reached out. As if in slow motion, they wrapped around the winter-seasoned torso of the escaping Jaga.

Pointed claws, resembling those of the length and girth of a rhinoceros's horn, circled and punctured into the hide.

Like a finger sinking into warm butter.

Towering to its intimidating stature while clutching the wheezing prey, the Kurat ambled down the slope.

Ignoring the dying struggle of the flaying predator, the maw opened and chomped down on the head of the Jaga. The terrifying act caused the bowels of the cat to discharge its contents freely.

The first bite crushed and removed half of the skull. The second ripped away the remainder along with a length of the spine.

A bloody, blackened tongue slurped and sucked on the headless corpse.

Revelling in the spraying blood and splattering flesh that coated the stale stains on its clumped fur, the euphoric eyes locked onto its real target.

Dropping the hand holding the headless corpse, it dragged the corpse behind it on the snow like a ragged doll.

Brushing a trail of red, yellow, and foul-smelling brown onto the snowy canvas, the mammoth figure slowed to a pause at the edge of the clearing.

The flickering pupils scanned the surroundings before settling onto the young Hakkim.

A guttural voice escaped the throat as it then casually tossed away the carcass.

"Hakkim."

Lucy held her hands over Dyna's mouth while watching the explosive entrance of the unknown aggressor.

From their tiny vents, it seemed like the attacker dropped from the sky.

Only the thumping footsteps from earlier snuffed that thought, indicating the beast jumped from the hilltop behind them.

Retreating from the icy slit into the ice-bunker, the hidden spectators witnessed the entity dispatch the ferocious Jaga within seconds.

The bulbous eyes of the newcomer flickered around both sides of its rectangular head, searching the surroundings.

Twice, those red eyes hovered around their hiding spot as if trying to pierce into the snow itself. Snorting in satisfaction, it devoured the smells of the forest before ambling down to the clearing.

The brutality of dispatching the Jaga was enough to incite mad screaming or even a terrified lapse into senselessness.

Faint-hearted women would collapse on witnessing the spectacular appearance. Stout-hearted ones would succumb only after shrieking away a lungful of air.

The thoughts of the young girls, however, drifted elsewhere.

'The claws of the Jaga barely scratched the scales or ripped the fur. Arrows are probably useless.'

'This beast is cunning. It knows how to approach a foe from downwind. It came for Ishara and circled around rather than attack directly. How did it know the distance between them had narrowed?'

'Way stronger than a Snowbear.'

'Never seen it before. So this is a Kurat.'

The guttural greeting also did not escape their attentive ears.

'It spoke!...'

The recognized words caused Lucy to pause. Ishara had described this adversary, but seeing it in action opened a whole new world.

The disparity in their strength compared to a wasp buzzing around a horse. The displayed burst of power and agility matched that of Toll when he activated his Sersen power.

Long banded arms forced an opponent to attack from a distance. Chu once mentioned an indestructible tank; this foe certainly claimed that mythical title.

Pulling Dyna closer, she whispered.

"No use in us trying to help her defeat this demon. When the skirmish begins, send the message to Chu. I'll help Ishara if necessary..."

Down in the clearing, Ishara perched above the fallen log. Strands of black hair puffed behind her shapely waist in the cold wind.

With a straight back and upturned face, she stared down through a pair of golden, vertically shaped pupils at the lumbering demon.

"Have the Kurat no honor? You dare to kill the descendants of the Sky Tribe? When the Earth and Water tribes hear of this, your existence will be forfeit."

The large red eyes grinned at the frail lady. The frightful mouth curled into an ugly grin. A blackened tongue rolled between the tested canines to produce broken words.

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"Time of Kurat now. Foolish Sky bairn. How Sky Hakkim know what Earth, Water tribe want. Plenty sun past. Kurat time come."

The smacking bloodstained lips nor the splattered flesh failed to intimidate the Hakkim.

The words, however, cast doubt over her golden irises. Her adversary noticed the hesitation.

The ruthless black pupils floating within the sea of red of her foe decidedly pounced on the brief opportunity.

Without warning, open claws surrounded the raven-haired female. Like a spring-loaded trap, they then snapped closed.

Not waiting to feel the emptiness of the strike, the Kurat launched a second attack, aiming at the log.

Ishara narrowly dodged the sudden grab by leaping away in retreat. She had barely landed in the snow when the massive trunk came hurling in her direction.

Diving forward into the snow, the bone-breaking projectile brushed her heels.

Slamming into the snow behind her, the heavy log rolled away groaning.

Ponderous thuds arrived at the front as the Kurat burst out with a speed powered by raw strength.

Ishara was still on the ground when a pair of unavoidable, fully opened, clawed palms came crashing down.

***

The pointed ears of the Champion twitched as the bald, green head faced the direction of the sound.

The lean, diminutive figure then looked with its large eyes towards the nearby human.

The cloaked boy perched on a rock beside the cave entrance while inspecting an overhanging boulder.

The raised eyebrow indicated he had also heard the familiar howl.

"Light the rest of the torches. Double-check the one near the escape tunnel. She will need it if the trap doesn't succeed."

Chu said on hearing a second howl.

Ming disappeared into the cave to execute his command. The plan entailed Chu waiting for Dyna to send a wolf, but there was no harm in mobilizing earlier.

In fact, his backup plan required as much advanced notice as possible. For a false alarm, he would only be wasting a couple of torches.

Looking across at the fidgeting Zubyia, he placed an order.

"Have Pug ready the ambush. Both of you then head to the cliff."

This would be the first time he faced a Kurat.

Since he lacked information about this demon, he refused to attack it head-on.

Ishara constantly spoke about honor and facing the enemy in combat, but Chu vetoed that suggestion.

Honor meant little if they were all dead.

Pug occupied the status of Champion for the goblin race. Zubyia held the status as his only translator.

Losing one or both of them would spell disaster for race relations and effective communication.

"Let's see what kind of creature can chase a legendary Hakkim."

***

Oversized palms crashed into the snow, scattering it in all directions. The force of the blow was enough to shatter a wagon into pieces.

Ripping the soil with its clawed plows, the scaly eyelids narrowed. The bloodthirsty pupils dilated as they scanned the newcomer.

Small and frail in stature, she returned an unfazed gaze.

Next to her, the Hakkim climbed to her feet while returning a murderous glare. A trail in the snow ran from below its formidable hands to their position.

Surveying them with cruel eyes, the Kurat towered to a stand while slowly raising a hand.

Combing away the iron bolt sticking out slightly below its left ear, it glowered at the smaller figure.

The newcomer not only dragged the Hakkim away from becoming a meat patty but also launched a surprise attack.

The wide nostrils flared as it confirmed a previously familiar scent, but a look of confusion crossed its eyes.

The Kurat had encountered hundreds of this particular race among the winding mountain valleys.

Its journey within the mountain pass had been paved in torn flesh.

This representation of the same species cast the others into shame. The little one standing before it reeked of a vicious aura.

A growling question spat from its jaws.

"Human?"

"Yes."

Lucy answered in the ancient language. Her words cast further doubt over the eyes of the Kurat.

Like-minded, experienced hunters share the same thoughts. They also seized those flickering attack opportunities.

Ishara rushed forward bearing twin daggers with wicked foot-long steel fangs. At the same instance, Lucy rearmed her crossbow.

Ishara ducked under the reflexive sweeping claws meant to keep her away.

Her diminutive strike in comparison to the Kurat aimed a horizontal swipe into the large abdomen.

Before the tip of her blade could taste blood, the demon stepped back.

The basic movement matched that of Toll when he activated his Sersen ability.

This speed was enough to dodge the attack of the injured Hakkim.

Recovering from its momentary lapse, the right hand countered with an upward sweeping blow.

Well inside the attack range, Ishara retreated, but the hand appeared unavoidable.

Hastily crossing the daggers before her chest, she could only parry. The outer curve of a claw slammed into the tight defense, sending the woman flying.

The Kurat thought of raising its head for a billowing roar when it found itself gazing down onto the pointed end of a loaded crossbow.

The human stood at the very open position left by the dispatched Hakkim.

The click of the weapon occurred instantaneously. The bolt disappeared into the left nostril while Lucy dashed away to the rolling Ishara.

Roar!

Scrambling to aid the fallen woman, Lucy then urged her up over the earth-shattering bellow.

"If I weren't injured, I could have caused a grievous injury. My wound slowed me down."

Ishara coughed.

Performing that parry cost her a broken arm against the solid brute.

She prided herself on speed, one that would have matched that of the nine-lifestone-powered Dyna.

The injury she sustained and the toll on her southern journey reduced it considerably. Twice she fought against this Kurat, and twice she collected a heavy injury.

Lucy did not coddle her nor take the time to understand her words.

The nearby roar of agony and pain had turned louder into one of unbridled fury.

Grabbing the unbroken hand, she forced Ishara into a run. The price to inflict a heavy injury on the demon proved too great.

Even with the opportunity presented, she counted herself lucky in delivering the shot.

"That thing is not a wild beast or a simple demon. The crossbolts are even useless at close range. I don't think it will allow me another chance unless we risk someone's life. That thing has a brain..."

Lucy muttered.

The ear at the top and back of the head proved too difficult a target. After her initial strike, she changed her thoughts to the large eyes.

When granted the opportunity, she realized her chances were slim. The flaring nostrils staring down at her, however, proved too enticing.

"Hurry, once we break through the trees, the path will be clear."

Lucy reassured herself, knowing the Hakkim probably understood not a word she said.

Behind them, the Kurat followed in a fit of rage. The bolt had pierced deep into the nasal lining, generating untold pain.

Worse yet, the human chose the one location where its massive hands proved useless. The red eyes glazed over again while it snorted a mixture of mucus and blood.

"Human, I so kill you!"

It roared while breaking the thick trunk of another tree. It tossed it in the general direction of the distant couple.

After finishing the Hakkim, it would enjoy slurping on the brains of that vile human.

The forbidden taste of three hundred humans and animals in the northern mountains paled in satisfaction to what it would gain from this one.

Lucy used the guttural roars to gauge the distance between them. Ishara presently could run at a speed equal to Toll's.

The Kurat chasing after them could only generate that speed in brief bursts. The injuries, however, caused the Hakkim to slow.

"If my injuries were not this severe, I could have inflicted more damage."

Ishara muttered again while running. Lucy could not understand her words, but conversed in her own language anyway.

"The arms... The natural bands on the arms make it impossible to gauge the length because they play with the eyes. No matter how fast you move, if you misjudge the distance, the blow will kill you. It is a wonder you survived your first confrontation."

Before Lucy, lay the trodden path prepared for their short run through the hills.

Without the restriction of wading through knee-high snow, they increased the speed.

The Kurat cleared the trees to spot them disappearing behind the gentle spur of a hill.

"I see you!..."