The 23rd Day of the Season of Winter, 509 AV. “There is no way we’ll get the horses in there…” No sooner had Bohdai stated the obvious, than a nearby tree sprouted a new branch. A man cursed behind the Dhani, and the sound of an arrow being drawn from a quiver followed. “Go!” Veral cried, tossing Sidewinder’s reins to his companion, and spurring his own mount away. Bohdai slapped Sidewinder’s rump as another arrow buzzed past his ear. His Leopardbred galloped away, carrying most of Bohdai’s worldly possessions away, but the Dhani knew the horse wouldn’t get far. Several more voices cursed as they watched the horses and a rider disappear, but Bohdai remained. His first thought was to charge the bandits, but reason quickly took over instinct, and he ducked into the dark depths. The light of the sun soon became too dim to see by, but Bohdai was quite safe by that point. He could hear an argument echoing through the twisting hall of the keep. “He’s got a sword!” One voice yelled. “I could use me a sword!” The others argued back, until one voice rose above the rest. “He’s one man, and trapped in that hole.” This voice was calm, intelligent, and somewhat high, though the echoing made it difficult to tell. “The five of us could pin him in there easily.” The argument ended with that, and the ringing of boots was all that followed. Quickly, Bohdai stripped, storing his belongings in a nearby alcove. The air was musty, but warm, despite the winter. With exaggerated care, he leaned his sword and shield against the wall, and began to change. The muscles of his chest and arms bulged, and his neck swelled. The skin of his legs began to flow together, and the bones began to elongate with sickening cracks and pops. The Dhani’s eyes rolled up into his head and he transformed, eyebrows and eyelashes growing eerily backwards into his face. Bohdai sighed when his transformation was complete. If only the euphoria could last a time more. He thought, as he took up sword. In this massive form, his preferred form, the bastard sword he carried felt smaller, but he felt that the basic movements would be much the same the hilt was now barely long enough for both his hands, but he would still be capable of delivering devastating blows. “What was that?” Bohdai’s scales slithered eerily against the dust-covered stones as he crept deeper into the darkness. The interior was now clear to his enhanced vision, and his thin lips pulled back to reveal hideously sharp teeth. There is much glory in killing five men alone. |