They moved further north before slowly veering to the east. He saw Mal rubbing her chest again.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded.
He took her hand. He felt the interested gazes of his fighters but ignored them.
“It feels stronger,” she said.
“Because we’re getting closer.”
There was a thump on the roof of the vehicle. “Rhain?” Thadd’s deep voice. “You’d better get up here.”
Rhain frowned and opened the top hatch. He popped his head up. Mal squeezed up beside him.
Ahead, in the distance, a thick, black cloud lay ahead of them, filling the horizon.
“What is that?” Mal breathed.
“I don’t know,” Rhain ducked down. “Cedo, scan the fog.”
“There’s nothing on scans. It’s not noxious, but the scans can’t penetrate it.”
Rhain scowled. He didn’t like this.
“If we try to go around it, it’ll take too long,” Mal said.
There were no good choices.
“Fighters, secure your harnesses,” Rhain said. “We are heading into the black fog.”
They all waited, tense as they drove on. A few faint wisps of fog crept around the vehicles, hanging in the air. It wasn’t too thick yet, but they were right at the edge of it. It looked like smoke.
Tension gripped everyone.
Beep.
Rhain looked at the drivers.
Kasra cursed. “Contact. We have a Zhylaw signature inbound and moving fast.”
“Thadd!” Rhain roared.
“I’m ready,” Thadd yelled back.
Mal’s hands flexed, like she wanted to draw her sword.
“Second quadrant,” Cedo yelled.
Rhain swiveled and looked out the narrow window. A Zhylaw vehicle burst through the ground.
In the turret, Thadd swiveled and fired.
Energy pulses lit up the thickening fog. The second rugger fired on the Zhylaw vehicle as well. Then, another Zhylaw vehicle streamed up out of the ground.
Thadd kept firing.
The Zhylaw vehicle hit a rock, tipped over, and crashed on its side.
They continued firing on it.
Screams cut through the air and Rhain popped his head up through the hatch.
He saw the shadows of several hexids leap onto the second rugger.
One grabbed Lira out of the turret seat and tossed her on the ground.
No. “Bring us around. Thadd, Lira is down!”
“I see her.” Thadd fired.
Rhain climbed on the roof and knelt. He lifted his palm. After a night of rest, his energy was fully charged.
The hexid raised its claws, about to slash the struggling Lira. He let loose with a red pulse.
The hexid flew back.
“Thadd, get Lira and join the other rugger. I’ll cover you.”
His captain of the guard didn’t hesitate. He leaped off and sprinted toward the fallen woman.
Rhain jumped in the turret and fired on the hexids. Mal appeared and knelt on the roof.
“Get back inside.”
“No.” She drew her sword.
He ground his teeth together, then saw Thadd scoop up the now-unconscious Lira.
Rhain fired on the hexids until Thadd leaped high in the air, and landed on top of the other rugger.
Rhain expelled a breath and watched as his captain handed Lira down into the rugger. Then he leaped onto the abandoned turret.
“Let’s go!” Rhain yelled.
Their rugger followed the second one, and they drove deeper into the fog. It got thicker and darker with each passing moment. Visibility was terrible.
“This is all Krastin’s doing,” Rhain said.
The ruggers slowed. It was too dangerous to go any faster. He stared into the black. Were those shadows?
Then Mal made a sound. “Where did the other rugger go?”
Rhain scanned the fog. There was no sign of Thadd’s vehicle. “I don’t see them. I can’t see anything.”
“Overlord, we’ve lost contact with the others,” Kasra called out. “The fog is blocking communication.”
Mal cursed.
“Wait.” Kasra appeared at the hatch, looking up at them. “I’m detecting a signature.” The woman’s voice was strained. “A very large signature in the fog. “
“What is it?” Rhain asked.
“I don’t know, my lord. But it’s big.”
Rhain looked at Mal. She lifted her sword and stared into the fog.
Chapter Fourteen
Mal’s heart was hammering hard.
Shit, she hated this fog. It was dense and black like smoke.
She couldn’t see the other rugger anywhere. The gnawing ache was still chewing on her chest.
“Come on.” She’d take pretty much anything over this waiting and not knowing what was out there.
She felt a vibration.
She glanced at Rhain. His brows were drawn as he stared into the fog.
More vibrations.
Something was coming.
The fog cleared a little.
Then a giant leg slammed down in front of them.
Her heart jumped into her throat. What the hell? She looked up. The creature was huge.
More of the colossal beast appeared out of the fog, and she could do nothing more than stare.
Behind her, Rhain cursed.
Yeah, the universe really had it out for her.
The creature looked similar to a hexid, except it was absolutely towering. It no longer walked upright, and instead walked on all fours, had a huge tail, and an armored head.
“Have you seen this guy before?” she asked.
“No.”
How had Krastin even gotten it here?
The giant creature gave a roar. The sound blasted through Mal’s bones. She tightened her grip on her sword.
The beast lifted a foot and started to slam it down.
“Go! Go!” Rhain yelled.
The rugger tore off. Mal gripped a hand hold on the roof so she wouldn’t be thrown off.
They drove right under the enormous creature. It frantically stomped the ground, trying to find them.
“If we can disable the legs, it can’t move,” she said.
Rhain nodded and swiveled the turret. He opened fire on the closest leg.
The noise the giant hexid made was deafening.
Mal leaned back and poked her head down into the rugger. “Let’s go. We need to target the legs.”
The other fighters clambered out of the rugger.
Mal leaped onto the ground, the fighters landing beside her.
She looked back at Rhain, and their gazes met.
Be safe. She charged her weapon and it glowed in the fog. It was easier to do now. The other fighters charged their weapons, and the glow of energy lit up the dark fog around them.
“Let’s do this,” she cried.
Mal ran forward. She raced toward the massive back leg of the beast and lifted her sword. She swiped and cut into the tough, leathery flesh, but it barely reacted.
It was like poking a giant with a pin.
She sliced again. Shit. Did it even feel that?
Rhain kept firing the turret. Energy blasts hit the giant hexid’s head and it roared.
“Everyone, target this leg,” she yelled at the fighters.
Two stood back, firing crossbows. The charged bolts hit the creature and flesh exploded.
Mal sliced again. Next to her, Carvia sliced with her sword and Trist with a small axe. Together, they cut and hacked. Chunks of putrid flesh fell off.
The hexid stopped, and swiped its front leg out. It kicked rocks into the air.
“Watch out!” Mal dodged.
A rock skimmed over her head.