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"They call them Argons.
They're controlled by Maloda and roam the
countryside in packs looking for anything that wanders into their
territory. They're like dogs the size of horses. They hunt by
surrounding and ambushing their prey. We have to leave now."
The two men quickly moved on, keeping
fear at bay with conversation. Tom's eyes darted left and right seeking
a place to hide.
"Can we fight them?" Anthony looked over
his shoulder into the distant forest where the sound seemed to be
emanating. The two men crouched behind an outcropping on the side of a
hill.
"No. They are too big and strong . . .
highly disciplined." Tom continued searching the landscape as he spoke.
"I saw an Argon demon once as I was being taken to my cell. I was
standing in one of the corridors. You could tell it wanted to attack but
was instructed to stay where it was. Maloda threatened to have it
extract my essence and leave nothing behind but a husk." Anthony could
see the fear in Tom's face.
"Those that have lived to describe them
tell of an evil so pure, that he sight of an Argon will freeze a soul
where it stands so it can experience being eaten alive. They feed off
the fear. For amusement, they uncover every painful memory within their
victims, driving unsuspecting souls to despair, after which they offer
to put them out of their misery."
"How? A soul cannot be killed."
"By consuming its life force and leaving
a shell. Travelers to the Astral Plane would often refer to these
'shadow souls' as lec'ita or the lost. They live in a perpetual twilight
of loss and pain."
"How cruel. Can we hide from them?"
Anthony's sense of adventure had long disappeared. In its place a
feeling of dread coursed through him. He didn't know how to fight in
this strange world, only communicate and travel through it . . . and he
didn't do that well either. Then, suddenly he remembered what Maxim had
told him about thought forms and turned to Tom.
"What is we calmly acknowledged their
presence and move on without showing fear?" he asked hopefully.
"You will make them curious and delay the
inevitable," answered Tom.
Anthony began to feel a sense of anger
rise within him. How could Maxim fail to prepare him for something like
this?
Boom . . . boom, boom. A series of deep,
hard thuds sounded in the distance like a herd of animals coming to a
sudden halt. Both men paused, expecting something to burst out at them.
Then sound repeated . . . this time closer, louder; more menacing, like
a herd of wildebeest honing in on their position.
Anthony motioned silently to Tom and the
two men scrambled over the rocky hillside and made their way toward a
small cave opening approximately fifty yards away. The terrain was
treacherous and full of loose rocks. Unexpected depressions threatened
to send them hurling off the cliff onto one of the massive boulders
dotting the landscape below, like giant motionless dinosaurs.
A thunderous crash smashed the ground
just yards from where they stood. They were no more than fifteen yards
from the cave. After a moment of shock, they stumbled awkwardly toward
the small opening. It was just large enough for each of them to squeeze
through. They dove head-first into the darkness hoping to lose whatever
was pursuing them.
They sat as still as mice, suddenly prey
in a realm they didn't understand. Just as Anthony glanced at Tom, a
deafening crunch shook the ground outside the cave opening, startling
them both. In the faint light, Tom's face reflected pure terror. Anthony
put his finger to his mouth in a desperate gesture to keep him from
screaming.
Minutes passed and not a sound could be
heard.
Whatever it was hadn't moved from the
cave entrance, thought Anthony. Hew was afraid to peer around a natural
column that blocked his view of the opening. They were cornered.
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