We were divided essentially into three. Kidu, Cordelia, and I carefully crossed the river, alert for even the smallest signs of the monsters. Elwin and the girl followed a bit after, the bright smile on Larynda’s face at odds with the Rogue’s somewhat dour expression. The general pn was to try and herd the animals downstream, to prevent any of their number from escaping. I had Elwin and Larynda remain a little downstream, to at least ostensibly, be in a position to pick off any monsters that got past us. In reality, I wanted them out of the way and in the safest position.

  For me, this was an extermination mission to maximize the amount of experience gained. There was indeed a chance of getting fnked or simply biting off more than we could chew, but I had faith that Kidu’s sharp senses would not lead us astray. There was always a little risk in everything you did.

  Checking on our Rogue and Mage, I saw wavy dark green fronds growing from the bone-white sands near where the pair were waiting. At this distance, the pnts looked more like wool than vegetation. Looking back, I saw that Elwin had started applying some fmmable resin to the arrows. I had been told that such were the creatures’ fear of fire, that this would be enough to dissuade them from entering the river and swimming away.

  Pakum had informed us that the creatures could not go that far under the sand and would not be able to escape us by simply ‘digging’ in. This meant that as long as we were able to find them, things would be retively simple, as we could run them down at our leisure. In short, we would not be needing shovels.

  Finishing our crossing, Kidu rushed off ahead to flush out the creature, giving its suspected location a wide berth. I unslung my new crossbow and loaded one of my iron bolts. This new piece of ammunition had small iron fins, instead of feathers, to provide a small measure of stabilization in flight. Undoubtedly, being heavier these bolts would have less range than regur bolts, but would pack more of a punch up close. Also, I had the inkling of an idea that I wanted to test.

  Cordelia graced me with a smile that could outshine the sun itself, as she settled a plumed horsehair barbute atop her noble brow. The 'T' shaped visor lent her an air of menace, reminiscent of the cssical Spartans. Then she drew her storied longsword with an easy grace.

  “You do this to safeguard those who travel behind us,” she began.

  “Indeed. We must teach these things to fear man. That we are not prey,” I answered casually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Cracking my neck, I dug the tip of my shield into the loose sand, using it as a simple stand to rest my crossbow as I waited.

  I saw her mouthing my words, repeating them, and sampling their taste.

  “Make ready, Kidu is fast in his duties,” I said a little tersely, wanting to avoid unnecessary conversation before a fight.

  “As you will,” she answered.

  The Temple Knight’s demeanor completely changed; her expression grew taut and she adopted a fighting stance. The woman had entered a short guard stance, with the bde pointing out in front of her, the tip around eye level.

  There was a roar, more animal, really, than human. Kidu, far ahead of us and behind the creature, threw his torch and the fming brand arced its way to where the Sandgorger y in ambush. Bursting out of the sand, the monsters, for they turned out to be more than one, ran towards us, away from the burning fme and the Hunter’s wild pursuit. Three creatures had sprung out from the sands, light brown with splotches of a dull white across their backs. The damnable wild man had failed to inform us of their number.

  All three of these creatures were without horns, so they were probably juveniles or females, but even these smaller specimens still posed a threat. Two of the creatures rushed Cordelia and I, while the remaining Sandgorger darted around us. It ran at a diagonal to the straight line, heading towards Elwin and Larynda’s general direction. Spear in hand, Kidu was running behind the amphibians, shouting like a loon and herding them downriver to us.

  Elwin and Larynda would have to fend for themselves, as I could spare them no further thought. I sighted down my crossbow and loosed both a bolt and a spell. Even as the solid iron missile flew through the air, bck lightning flowed from me, into it. The bolt grew incandescent like a tracer round before it smmed into the creature’s middle eye, stopping the monster dead in its tracks. I was aiming for its center mass, but this was indeed better.

  You have learned Inferno Bolts (lvl.1)

  You have learned Rust (lvl.4)

  You have gained 1 Luck.