The Last Hunter: Collected Edition (Antarktos Saga #1-5)

Some of the berserkers feel the tip of my blade. Others fall under the crush of my mace. And even more are simply cast away into the trees, or the sky, by the wind. These attacks become so natural that some berserkers are flung away as soon as I see them, the wind acting as a kind of offensive reflex.

While we are making good progress and no doubt distancing ourselves from the marching army, we’re also making a racket and leaving the world’s most easy to follow trail. I have no doubt that hunters will have found the first bodies by now. But will they give chase like I would expect a hunter to do, or will they call for help? Or worse, will they inform their masters?

When there’s no more resistance ahead, I realize we’ve cleared the front line of berserkers and now only have to worry about attacks from behind. In the momentary reprieve, I reach out to the east. A half mile ahead I find our way out.

“There’s a river,” I say, pointing to the left. “Just over there. It ends at a waterfall. They won’t be able to follow.”

No one replies, but we adjust our course toward the river.

A loud hooting draws my attention back for a moment. What I see is totally unexpected despite the fact that I shouldn’t be surprised by anything anymore. There are at least a hundred berserkers. Probably more. They’re charging through the jungle’s thick growth without any concern for their well being, oblivious to the thorns tearing at their skin, the sharp stones cutting their feet or the branches lashing their faces. By the time they reach us, they’ll be covered in infectious blood. Any contact with just one of them could be serious trouble.

I’m not sure we’ll make it to the river in time, so I start brewing a wind above us. The trees hiss loudly, bending from the strength of the power I’m unleashing.

“Careful,” Kainda says, glancing up. She knows it’s me. “If Nephil sees it...”

She doesn’t need to finish the sentence. If I use my powers in a way that’s visible to the Nephilim hovering like giant hawks, they’ll know I’m here. Right now, they might think the berserkers are having their way with some stray humans, or cresties, or even a flock of turquins. The thick canopy hundreds of feet up, does a nice job of hiding us from the sky, but too much wind will act like a flashing neon sign that reads, “Solomon is here!”

As the wind dies down and the hissing fades, I hear a telltale thwack! An arrow has just been loosed! I focus on the air, sensing its passage, and react without looking. I reach to the side and shove Mira. Her head shifts to the side.

The arrow misses her by inches, but its blade still slices skin as it passes.

Mine.

No one questions why I shoved Mira as the arrow stabs into a tree just ahead of us. We just keep running.

I ignore the sting and focus on the hunter behind us. A gust of wind, small enough to go unnoticed, slams the man from behind and launches him from the tree branch a hundred feet from the ground. He might be a skilled hunter, but there’s nothing he can do to arrest his fall. To his credit, he falls in silence, not fearing his death.

As my arm begins to sting, I realize that I’ve just killed a hunter. It was as quick and easy as killing the berserkers, but I know for a fact that the man could have been redeemed. A single blast from the Jericho shofar would have freed him from his breaking and corruption.

But the shofar is not here. And we must live.

“Almost there,” Kainda shouts and I can hear the roar of the river ahead.

“When we get to the edge,” I say, “don’t stop. Just go over.”

We break into the sunlight a moment later and run along the rocky shoreline of a fast moving river. The air is fresh here, cleansed by water welling up from some distant spring. As I step into the water, I can’t feel its temperature, but I instantly detect it. I take a deep breath as I sense the foul pollution flowing downstream. The river carries the filth and stink of the army following its path. This whole landscape will be in ruins before the day is done. And a part of me, whatever supernatural aspect of my being that is connected to this land, revolts. It’s nearly enough to make me turn around and fight right now, but Kainda’s urging keeps me moving forward, though I have to keep my feet out of the water.

Mist rises up ahead of us. A roar loud enough to drown out a shout announces the presence of a powerful waterfall. Kainda goes off the side first. Then Mira, who leaps without hesitation. I follow last, spinning around as I leap. Taking a last look back.

The horde of berserkers, and several hunters with short range weapons, charge along the river banks, through the river and through the trees above. High above them, I note a few of the Nephilim warriors have descended and are circling the scene. To my knowledge, the Nephilim have eyesight similar to people, so I don’t think there is any risk of being identified. That is, until what happens next.