"It spoke"
Sera was now awake, having regained consciousness sometime after the woman had taken the corpse looking witch.
Hearing her say it out loud only reassured everyone that what they had just seen was real. Eirik hadn't imagined it, he had heard the beast speak plain as day. This was no telepathic communication, it was audible as if it spoke like a person.
What sort of creature was this beast to have Lykans, powerful immortal beings submit to it just from its sheer presence. Its size was staggering to say the least, and now it had the ability of speech.
As time passed the fog thinned, revealing the carnage left in the fall. Torn bodies littered the ground like rag dolls. Some had been disemboweled, intestines strewn in crimson trails. Vehicles lay on their side, the semi trailer which had housed the Null box had huge claw marks on its side.
"All these lives lost" Alric muttered " The fog rendered us blind. They died all around us and we could do nothing."
Lira was now in one of the overturned vehicles frantically trying to contact help.
Tariq stood alone, a few meters away from everyone else, Eirik approached him.
"Silencio auditous" he said snapping his fingers as Eirik got close.
A subtle shimmer danced in the air, his magic now fully working. It was a spell that blocked sound from those excluded from the conversation, eliminating any eaves droppers.
"We can speak freely now" He said.
"What do you reckon that was?" Eirik asked
"No beast I know of could grow to such a size, nor have the ability of speech. Could it perhaps be the witches' familiar?"
"Never in all my years have I seen nor felt the presence of such a powerful creature, and no" he said shaking his head "Familiars aren't like that. Even given how powerful that Witch was as well, familiars can never become that large no matter how much power they draw from their masters. The more powerful the Witch and likewise the familiar but I suspect that the creature was perhaps even more powerful than the Witch. Familiars communicate telepathically, though they can take animal form none should be able to make a Lykan submit, much less the multitude of those present here, and this one not only did that but spoke audibly"
"Aye, I agree" Eirik replied "No familiar I know off is capable of doing that and I too suspect the same, it was no servant of the Witch that's for sure. Itseyes bore into me as if it was staring into my soul and what of the Null box's occupant, any idea who that man could be?"
Tariq's jaw tightened. "No, but given the level of secrecy behind this operation and the amount of magical protection. The Null box wasn't meant to keep him in, it was to ensure that they weren't able to break him out"
"But why?" Eirik pondered "To imprison a member of another faction is against the accords"
If one had committed a crime against a member of another faction, they were to be brought before the tribunal for judgement. Factions were allowed to freely imprison members of their own but when it came to others a special court would judge the crimes and Judging from his state, he had been imprisoned for a long time and starved as well.
His magic being the only thing sustaining him.
Tariq's eyes narrowed at Alric, who was now talking to one of the injured subordinates.
"I've managed to make contact sir, help should arrive within the hour" Lira called out.
Tariq stormed in Alric's direction.
"Why?" he asked.
Alric looked surprised, clearly not understanding the question.
"Why what?"
"Why are you transporting a Witch in a Null box? Why do you have a Witch in your custody? You know it is against the Accords to do so"
"That is none of your concern" he replied "You were hired to protect this convoy, ensuring its safety at all costs. A world renouned Witch you claim to be but tell me spell caster what use was your magic to us?. It failed in the presence of your better. Perhaps you ain't as powerful as you believe yourself to be."
"And what of you?" Tariq replied mockingly "I doubt the fog was thick enough for people to not see you cowering and submitting in the face of your superior. A true wolf, not the mock imitation your kind claims to be"
That insult hit home. Submission was a show of weakness among Lykans. Alric could understand his subordinates having done sobut he was in charge, their commander. Having submitted to their adversary showed weakness and worse this was not a being of their kind. Submitting to another species was beyond disgusting.
In the blink of an eye Alric had closed the distance of about 8 meters, hisclaws flashing towards Tariq's throat. A barrier flared to life, sparks flickering under the impact.
Had Tariq not had a defensive barrier active at all times his head would have been rolling on the ground right now.
"You would dare insult me Witch!" Alric growled, his eyes turning a cold blue "Do you wish to die? Have you grown tired of your long life?"
With a flick of his wrist an invisible force hit Alric in the chest sending him flying several metres back. The Lykan flipped mid-air, claws drawn he landed on all fours, his lips peeled back in a snarl.
"You believe yourself capable of such a feat pup?" Tariq said, arms spread wide "Then by all means, come"
He dove forward, shoulders first slamming into Tariq with the force of a runaway train.
The impact shattering the barrier.
Tariq grunted as he was hurled backward, crashing to the ground.
"Your friend will die" Lira said to Eirik, who was seated calmly on the hood of one of the vehicles.
"I doubt it will get to that. There's a reason he is in this line of work, a reason as to why you hired us for the job"
"I'm not convinced" Darius said joining them "Alric ain't your average Lykan. He's old and experienced, add to the insult he's now blinded with rage"
"His rage is exactly why he will lose" Eirik replied smiling.