Meta Gods War 3 by B. Miles (the ebook reader txt) 📕

He wondered what it would feel like to float in mid-air like Lycanica did, then banished the thought away. Maybe it was paranoia, but he felt as though just thinking about the goddess could call her down on them.

As he scanned the ground ahead, he spotted movement in the distance. He thought it might’ve been a mountain goat or an elk, but he stared at the cliff wall for several minutes until he saw it again.

The glinting flash of metal.

He headed back down the path and rejoined Brice and her men.

“They’re ahead,” he said. “Maybe twenty minutes along this path.”

“How do you know?” Brice asked.

“The cliffs are ahead,” he said. “I climbed up onto the rocks and was watching them when I saw some movement. I kept watching then saw light off metal.”

“So they must be there, then,” she said.

“Unless it’s the wolves in their human shapes.”

She nodded and began to rally the men. Half of them seemed relieved for their march to be over, though Cam knew this was just beginning. Once they were arrayed in ranks, shields and spears up front, they began the long walk up toward the cliffs.

The going was slow and unsteady, but the ground leveled off as they reached the top of the slope. Black pits marred the cliff face ahead, and Cam realized they were caverns dropping off into the dark of the mountain.

“Slow,” Cam said, speaking low.

“Front line,” Brice said. “Shields up.”

The front line raised their shields and marched in lock step toward the caverns. Nothing moved, no light off metal, no dark shapes in the shadows. Cam strained to see around the shield wall and wondered if he’d been wrong.

But as they approached the largest cavern, a voice rang out through the still air.

“Stop where you are,” it called out.

Cam recognized the voice.

“Lagon,” Cam called back. “I know it’s you.”

“Don’t come further,” Lagon said. His voice carried across the rocky cliff.

“Slow,” Cam said to the men, keeping his voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry. “But don’t stop.”

They continued their march forward at a half-step rate.

“We have bows,” Lagon said. “We’ll unleash.”

“On a squad of shield and armor?” Cam said. “I think you’re wasting your time, Lagon. I know your men are injured; I saw the bodies further back. Throw down your weapons, come out of that cave, and we’ll treat any injures you may have.”

“No,” Lagon said. “I’m not so stupid as to think you’ll just forgive what happened.”

“He’s not lying,” Brice called out. “Drop your weapons. Your men don’t need to suffer for this.”

“You’ll punish them all,” Lagon said. “Kill those that won’t kneel for you. And I promise, none of mine will kneel, not for a godling fucker like you.”

Cam’s jaw tensed. He thought he saw some of the armored men glance in his direction.

“Your men won’t be punished,” Cam said. “Throw down your weapons. Throw them down and—”

He heard something further down the slope.

“Halt,” Cam said. “Hold fast.”

The men stopped marching. Cam turned, his back to the cavern.

He heard barking, snarling, and falling rock.

“Wolves,” Brice said. “Wolves coming on our rear.”

“Reform,” Cam said. “They’re coming.”

“But Lagon and his men—”

“They won’t attack,” Cam said. “Reform!”

The armored men shifted, turning their formation around to face the opposite direction. Cam moved toward the caverns, stepping clear of the assembled men. The growling was louder and echoed off the stone slope.

“Wolves are coming,” Cam shouted at the caves. “Any of you that join and fight with me will be spared. Any of you too injured to fight will be spared. Any of you that refuse to harm your fellow Humans will be spared. Stand and fight or watch us do your killing. Our real enemy is coming.”

Cam turned his back on the caves and pulled his sword free of its scabbard. The bronze blade glittered in the setting sun.

Wolves crested the rise in a wave and came barreling toward them.

27

“Hold!” Cam shouted.

The wolves slammed against the front line. Cam heard metal and teeth gnashing. The line flexed but didn’t break as men from the back pushed forward to fill any gaps. Spears thrust and swords flashed out. Cam saw Brice toward the back, shouting orders, encouragement. She wasn’t in her armor, which meant she was relegated to a support role.

Cam didn’t need armor. He strode forward and let his flames flow down his arm and circle around his sword. He wasn’t sure Lagon wouldn’t attack him from behind, but he couldn’t worry about that.

There were too many wolves. Cam guessed a hundred, at least, all shoving and scrambling for purchase and throwing themselves at his armored division. Cam sliced into the wolves from the side, his sword slashing out and killing two or three at a time in wide arcs. His super-heated blade cut through flesh like it was nothing, and with each arc of the blade he released more fire. It rolled forward and burned any wolves that were near.

He carved forward but stopped himself. If he went too deep into their lines, the wolves would be able to overwhelm him. He cut a path for the armored division and let them fill the gaps. They pushed forward, thrusting their spears, shoving with their shields.

Cam was forced back as a trio of wolves threw themselves at him. Claws bit into his thigh before he could whip his sword around. He killed the first wolf, used his off hand to release a burst off fire at the second, and brought the blade down in a glittering arc to decapitate the third.

But more beasts came. Cam killed as fast as he could, but he felt himself losing ground.

“Fall back!” Brice shouted. “Fall back! Defend the cavern!”

The division began a backwards fighting retreat. Cam growled in frustration. He wanted to push forward, to fight to the edge of the slope and hold the high ground. But Brice pulled the men back toward the caverns instead, which were closer and could serve as a bottleneck.

Cam sliced, killed, made some space then retreated. He