Chapter 59: Chapter 58: Of Pragmatism

Blades fell down like lightning punishing the ground, and blood sprayed all around the two bog walkers that had been beheaded pretty much at the same time, adding blue to the cacophony of red and brown on the ground. The creatures only managed to let out a pained gargle before their bodies fell onto the finally still corpse of the horse. The abominations still remaining inside the cart would run right out with a hungry roar, rushing towards Gabrielle with their claws ready.

 

The witch and the lancer quickly stuck to the plan: back to back, sweeping their weapons together to force the monsters to come to a violent stop or be shredded. Moving quickly, the crab-like creatures would push each other and start circling around both girls, clacking and screaming.

 

“They always try to surround their prey, that’s why they get so dangerous with numbers.” Lucrece explained. “Remember what I taught you!”

 

Gabi nodded firmly, suddenly setting her feet separated and proper, her blade’s tip aiming straight at the hungry devil’s throat. She pivoted in place, taking her good, sweet time to stare the beasts down. They kept moving to the side, clacking, panting, a fleshy tongue sometimes poking from their hanging mouths and salivating all around them. It was never wise to interrupt an animal while it eats.

 

“Let it come at you first!”

The orders were clear and easy to follow, Gabrielle nodded and allowed the creature the first move. But of course, it’s not like they would just come one by one: two of the aberrations would reach for the redhead at the same time with a furious swipe each. Gabi flinched but decided to focus just on one, hoping to be able to tank the second hit! 

 

“As long as it doesn’t cut anything clean, I should be fine!” She used to repeat to herself before any fight, trying to push back the instinctual fear of pain.

 

With a violent push Gabrielle deflected a hit, taking the chance to commit and cut the limb itself, all while closing her eyes and bracing for the second slash… but it would never come. When the witch opened her eyes she saw the critter in front of her taking steps back, screaming and shaking in searing pain, and the other?

 

The other was spinning on its feet, pushed back by Lucrece’s pole.

 

“Be more careful!” She nagged, huffing and puffing, unaware of the creature hulking right behind her.

 

Gabrielle rushed herself, taking a heavy stomp and then thrusting her sword at centimeters of Luci’s face, skewering right through the rows and rows of teeth  of the creature’s hanging mouth, then slashing to cut that head right in two halves.

 

“Yikes!” The lancer exclaimed, needing a moment to get back into position.

 

“Be careful.” Gabrielle answered, a little smile curling on her lips.

 

“Oh you are just getting sassy now.”

 

Lucrece found herself smiling back at the girl, and she deeply hated it. She was about to smack herself in the face, when her eye noticed the remaining aberration turning tail. Her first instinct was to turn to Gabrielle.

 

“Give me a boost!”

 

“You want me to throw you up again?”

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Recollection hit the lancer and she sighed, shaking her head and taking a good running start towards the fleeing monster, rising her halberd high and then slamming it down on the bog walker’s back, feeling the blade sink deep in the soft flesh beneath… only to see the creature still limping away. Luci sighed, shaking her head and setting her polearm down on the ground again.

 

“Are we all right letting that thing go?” Asked Gabi, smart enough not to follow the beast into its own territory.

 

“Bog bodies are not vengeful, in fact they eat their sick and wounded. Disgusting creatures…” The lancer took a moment to wallow in her hatred for those beasts, before turning to Gabrielle. “Welp. Cut those things’ claws and let’s get going. I will check if there was anything useful left in the cart.”

 

The witch was about to comment on the irony of that statement, but decided against it, just slowly shaking her head and going over to the bog bodies lying dead on the ground. Ignoring the disemboweled horse had become much harder now that the adrenaline of the fight was dying down, so she tried to be quick when pulling out the claws from those beasts. They weren’t exactly a delicatessen, but the white meat on those claws was a great source of protein if  you could stomach where it came from, almost like a regular prawn. Gabi was never one to scoff and reject food, but even she hesitated a little bit with how similar these creatures could look to people.

 

Carrying her bag and wearing her green cloak, Lucrece would finally return to meet the witch and offer her a red cape.

 

“This is stealing.” Gabrielle said, putting on the cape anyways.

 

“Yes. But if we leave things here someone else will take them. Either that or they just rot and get ruined without anyone using them at all.” Luci could only take so much naivety. “Now let’s move, the smell of fresh meat will only attract more of these things…”

 

“All right. But I do not condone this at all.”

“Sure, sure. Will never do it again after this, I promise.”

 

Gabi didn’t need to be able to comprehend Luci’s expression to know that she was lying, and probably kidding considering all things, but she decided not to press on the issue there either. No need to get into an uncomfortable conversation now. She simply followed, leaving behind the scene of the carnage and internally begging the Saints for the safety of those who managed to escape.

 

It was in the middle of the way that Gabrielle finally thought to ask.:

 

“Why are you like this? Why don’t you care for people?”

 

Lucrece frowned her one eye, talking without turning around:

 

“If I tell you that, will you tell me why you need to go to Caen?”

 

“All right then, keep your secrets.” Gabrielle immediately responded.

 

“That’s what I thought.”

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