Page 12 of Hell’s Weapon

I snap it back and try to move further out of their reach but a giant boulder is in the way. It juts out too far for me to climb over and is too smooth for me to use as a hand grip.

The smaller beasty takes flight but doesn’t go far. It hovers around my feet, sniffing and snuffling at my shoes.

Oh dear god. I need to get out of here now.

Quickly formulating my route, I can be at the top in three lunges if I dart straight past the bigger monster. I have to pray it won’t take a chunk out of me.

But as I move the growling intensifies and it does indeed seize the opportunity to try snacking on my ribs, its teeth missing my torso by inches as I shrink back next to the large boulder at my back.

The little one grabs the bottom cuff off my jumpsuit trousers and begins playing a tug of war, making me eighty-five percent fucked.

That is until two more of the rocks around me start to vibrate. Their surfaces changing into more of the creatures.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Make that ninety-two percent fucked.

Loud bellowing starts below me, and as I don’t want to take my focus off the big beasty in front of me, I’m going to assume those climbing this ledge with me have just discovered that not all the rocks are made of stone.

Two more of the smaller sized creatures now scale the mountainside, their little clawed feet making traversing the surface look like they’re walking across a flat plain. Keeping their wings tucked in they move until they’re within sniffing distance of me. From their size compared to the big one I’m guessing they might be young. And maybe the one currently keeping me trapped with snapping jaws is their mother. Or their father. Either way, it seems it’s keen to keep me pinned whilst its babies play with me.

The one pulling on my trouser leg manages to dislodge my foot and I almost fall. Thankfully, my strength out ways that of the creature and I can pull my limb back onto the foothold I was using.

I hear more commotion as another one of the climbers makes a dash up the side, heading away from the safety of the path but also away from the two winged animals that are chasing him.

The big one is momentarily distracted by the commotion and I make a break for it.

Scrambling up to the first foothold, I shake off the tiny creature from my leg in the process. Kicking out as I swing my body across, I manage to dislodge it and it goes flying.

The wail it releases pierces the air with an ear-splitting shriek. I almost feel bad but then remember it does indeed have wings and after a couple of seconds I hear them beating.

Unfortunately, that cry is enough for its parent to take real offence. It pushes off the rock and dives into the air. At first I think it’s gone to check on its young that I’ve catapulted into the sky, but then I hear the growl the second before it slams into me. I manage to roll enough that its teeth miss my arse but its claws do make contact with my leg.

The creature flaps its giant wings and pulls back from the rock face once more. I make a dash for the top whilst bracing for the impact. On the second attack, the wrecking ball with teeth barely misses my head. My luck runs out on its third attempt as its claws rake down my back. Biting my lip to stop the scream escaping, pain sears up my body.

It launches away from me once more and I have mere seconds to haul myself up the final lunge and over the lip of the climb. With a herculean effort I roll onto the path at the top, not caring that I’ve landed straight on the wounds on my back, and pull several deep breaths into my lungs as I fight the agony.

Turning my head, I see the silhouette of the creature against the bright sky and as it dives for me again. I’m totally exposed. I only have time to pull my arms up over my head and brace myself for further injury.

Only the impact I’m expecting doesn’t come.

A shadow crosses my eyelids and the presence of another person steps over me and swings something with a roar.

Chancing a peek, I see Ninety-Eight standing astride my body, arm outstretched like she’s just thrown something.

Turning back to the sky, I see the creature looking dazed and a rock falling to the ground below.

It lets out a shriek but doesn’t attempt to maul me again.

Lowering my arms to the side, I take in the wonderful, lethal beauty standing over me. Her legs go on for days and from this angle–because of her cropped boxy top–I can see the mouth-watering curves of her waist and chest. Her tits look delicious in the black sports bra. It's the same one all the women are issued here, but she makes it look like couture. Her tits look magnificent, like they’d be big enough to fill my hands, overspilling just a little.

She steps back so she’s no longer astride my beaten body and looks down with a hooked eyebrow and a facial expression I can only define as you’re a total idiot.

Sitting up, I greet her with my signature beaming grin and say, “What a beautiful day.”

Her look of disdain turns confused. “You consider nearly being mauled by a protective gargoyle a beautiful day?”

A gargoyle? Is that what that thing was? How does she know? Saving those questions for later, I go with a safer answer instead.

“It is when you’re saved by a beautiful woman.”