Encounter

“Hold Him!” Kristof yelled, aiming his bow.

“What do you think I’m doing?” Varios snapped back landing a punch right into the beast’s eye.

The beast roared and turned its jagged tusks onto Varios, who took the hit with his shield.

Kriftof unleashed an arrow barrage into the side of the beast, but most of them bounced off the scales.

“God damn it. I can’t hit this thing.” Kristof lowered his bow. “I need to hit it in the eye or something.”

Varios wanted to punch Kristof more than the beast now, but instead he just said, “Take aim!” Then leaning with his shoulder into the shield, pushed the beast back, dropped the shield, and grabbed the tusks. He let out a grunt as the spikes tore through his plate gauntlets and pierced his hands. The beast’s warm, moist breath blew out of its snout, right onto Varios face. Varios stepped sidewise turning the beast head towards Kristof in a herculean effort. He expected to hear an arrow tear through the air, but instead he heard Kristof’s voice saying he’s blocking the shot.

Varios raised his gaze towards the beast’s eyes. God, how he understood the rage in those tiny, red eyes. “Sorry, buddy.” He muttered and kneed the beast right in its snout. The armoured knee went in like into pudding. The beast staggered back, yelping, and Varios dropped to the ground.

Varios felt the beast’s dead body hit the ground. He waited a few second, listening to the silence, making sure the beast is really dead, before he stood up himself.

Three arrows stuck out of the beast’s left eye, all barely fitting into the tiny eye socket.

“See, no problem.” Kristof patted him on the shoulder, coming up from the back. “Now, let us get that heart.” Kristof flashed his knife and an unhealthy smile.

Varios watched as Kristof cut under the scales peeling them back and exposing the rib cage.

“Hmm…” Kristof knocked on the ribs with the knife. Then, he tried to wedge the knife between the ribs and cut them out, but stopped when his knife started to bend at dangerous angles. Kristof stepped back and rubbed his chin, spreading blood all over his face. “I guess I can go through the stomach.”

That thought made Varios gag. Determined not to see guts and entrails, he stepped up and gave the ribs a few good punches. Then he ripped a few of them out, sending meat and bone flying.

“Ah.” Kristof’s unhealthy smile returned and then disappeared in the beast’s chest cavity.

After about three minutes, Kristof emerged holding the enormous heart, covered in magical runes. “Nice one.” Kristof gave it a squeeze, making it squirt blood. “Let’s go hand it in.”