Chapter 280: Fachen (1/2)
Once Lady Kilaiee arrived, I only stayed long enough to make sure they apprised her of the true circumstances behind Lord Thomas' actions. That so many had died for his vanity would see his lands confiscated and his heirs destitute on Talahm. What would happen here was for someone else to worry about.
Lady Kilaiee had brought enough Sidhe Knights to make sure the people she was tasked with protecting would arrive safely to Duke Cavan's lands. That wasn't really much of a concern with her ability to share her fast travel skill.
Her ability wasn't powerful enough to cover everyone at once, so they had devised a rotation. By leaving a Knight detail behind to protect those that would have to wait their turn, she could move the refugees in groups. What would have taken a week at these people's best speed, she was going to be able to have finished by day's end.
It made me wonder why she hadn't been sent to collect these people from the beginning. It would have saved a lot of lives and time.
I hadn't set up camp, choosing instead to sleep under the stars, so it was a matter of moments to get ready to depart. Caraid had been following me, acting as guard and shadow, so he was ready when I was.
Meala had wandered off the moment we had arrived on this world. She was a companion and could fight, but she was more inclined to forage for food than worry about battle. Once I had managed to find Meala and Ag, we were ready.
She had been my mount dating back to when I was still [Rank: Prince], and like Caraid and my vassals, she was a part of my life that I refused to leave behind. She represented the simple joys that a brisk canter in the morning sun could bring. The simple pleasure of brushing her down after a run or filling her claws was soothing for both of us.
She still managed to find a way to sneak into my bedroom at night whenever I camped. Even after all these years, I wasn't sure how she did it. I had placed runes and arrays to guard against her invasions, but they had been money wasted. However, she did it. Whenever I had to camp, I would wake the next morning to find a massive six-limbed honey badger in bed with me.
I thought she might be using some innate magic to travel along the tether of our companion bond. Wherever I was, she could find me. It was possible that her ability to track included a type of [Portal] magic. It was the only reason I could think of that would explain her ability.
I had the accouterments to ride and care for her stored in my [Ring of Hidden Depths]. I had a few different types of commissioned saddle, one that allowed her to carry double, so Caraid and I would be able to ride as one. At least until we managed to scrounge up a mount for him to use. Ag was Cu Sith and capable of keeping up with the brisk pace Meala could set. Tia was still occupied with Cait Sith. So, we were ready to set out once I saddled Meala.
The motion of galloping, the movement of muscle as Meala stretched her six legs and raced the wind had been jarring to get used to when I first began to ride. But now that I knew how to anticipate the extra movement the third pair of legs gave, I was as comfortable riding her as I was walking. The rolling hills, the green fields, and the sun in my face allowed me to relax and just enjoy the moment. The first time I had been able to do that in a long time.
We had reached the base of a hill when the animals began to act strange. I'm not sure who reacted first, Meala or Ag, but both were on guard. Both had their nostrils in the air sniffing and tasting the smells of the surrounding area.
The reason for their actions became apparent when a Fachen blundered into range. Fachen were a unique monster, not Sidhe but always found on lands Sidhe controlled. They resembled the Cyclops from Olympus, in that each creature had one eye in the center of their head. That was where the resemblance ended. Fachen took that effect further. They had one arm that sprouted from the middle of their chests, and only one leg they used for movement.
They were behemoths of destruction and natural disasters to any field or forest they moved through. Unable to walk, it forced them to hop, and by dint of their size and weight, each hop left immense divots in the earth.
They were deadly hunters, feared as well as laughed at. They were often the butt of jokes in the bard's tales that included them. The reason was obvious. Most people that stumbled across them and lived, did so because they found the creatures buried in the ground. They were easy to kill when that happened, trapped, and struggling as they fought to free themselves. They had an ability to 'know' where the ground was safe.
This [Earth Sense] could be fooled, and there were times they misjudged the ground's ability to support their weight. Mistakes like that were rare, but they did occur. What made the scene even funnier was their appearance. Their skin was orange, their hair green, and buried in the earth. They looked like giant carrots that had come to life and were trying to pull themselves from the ground. Watching them struggle to free themselves, was made even more hilarious because of that coloring.
Ag had vanished into shadow almost as soon as the Fachen came into range. She was a stealth hunter, and her opening move was to hamstring anything she attacked. I wasn't certain how effective that opening gambit would be this time, considering the Fachen didn't really have ankles.
I may have ignored the creature if Ag hadn't attacked without prompting. We were fast enough that even with its size, we could outrace it. But now that first blood was spilled, it didn't matter how far or fast we traveled, the Fachen would be able to scent our passage and would follow.
There was no way to divert its attention. There was no way to hide from it or lose it once Ag had made an attack. An attack on the creature left a soul mark between it and whatever had damaged it. A mark that it was able to follow, no matter where you went or how long it took. I'd much rather deal with it now than find myself ambushed when I could ill afford it.