The Soul Eaters (The Thin Hex Line Book 1) by Gwyndolyn Russell (100 best novels of all time .txt) 📗

Vactubstein let Tunaaka lay down and rest, patting the beast on the side of its neck. He gave a once over to the others, checking on them and making sure they had what they needed before tending to his mount’s wounds.

“Exhilarating!” Mjolnir cheered with his fists in the air. “I haven’t experienced such raw combat my whole life!”

“How can you be so excited?” Sparrow asked, letting her emptied rifle hang against her chest. “So many of us…”

Mjolnir frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Such is the way of war,” He said as sweetly as he could muster. “Some will fall. Some will stand with their flag. It’s not about them, little Sparrow, it is about you. You triumphed, so carry their memory with you and your flag.”

Sparrow gave a faint smile and squeezed one of his fingers. She sighed, lowering her head. “Wish it could have ended differently.”

“Chin up!”

“Fen, are you all right?” Jackal asked, stepping around the front of the wolf.

The valkyrie took in a slow breath and lifted its head to look up to him.

“Let’s rest.” Reaper said from its other side. “We have injuries that need to be treated. We should eat, have a drink, and...try to relax for a minute before we move on.”

Jackal gave a soft smile. “He’s right. We have time. The other eos should leave us be with so much food lying around.”

“Must find artifact.” Fenris grumbled. It pushed itself up to its feet only to collapse back down to its knee.

Jackal supported it out of fear it would face plant.

“Fuck no.” He snapped. “You’re hurt. You need to get patched up.”

Fenris waved him off.

“There’s also the issue of, you don’t have a hand anymore.” He pointed at the blade.

Fenris looked and huffed.

“You haven’t been able to do that before, have you?” Reaper asked.

“No.” It swung its arm. “Evolved. Stronger.” Another swing. The blade split apart, each of the pieces sunk into themselves and shifted back to their original place, recreating the arm.

“Whoa…” Jackal’s eyes widened.

“Evolved? Doesn’t evolution take millions of years?” Reaper questioned.

“For humans, yes.” The blood stopped flowing as quick as it had been. The more minor wounds stitched themselves shut. “Valkyrie, eos? No. Take from what is eaten.” It stood up now, though the lights still shifted unevenly.

“Wish I could do that.” Jackal crossed his arms over his chest.

Reaper almost laughed at him.

Fenris gently touched his cheek, just under his eye. They were no longer glowing.

“Odd.” It mumbled.

“What?” Jackal slowly pulled back and touched his eye.

“Yeah, you know, he’s right.” Reaper raised a finger. “Your eyes started to glow, what’s with that?”

“I’m...not sure.” Jackal shrugged. “It’s like when you gave me that vision,” He looked up to Fenris. “I wanted to save you from that thing and it sort of just happened. I saw what you saw, then I could see like I was...using your eyes for myself.” He shook his head. “It happened earlier, the other night when we were looking for food.”

Fenris’ head tilted to the side. “What Jackal see?”

Jackal’s brow furrowed as he tried to decipher what he remembered. “Blood. Meat. You were eating something. I tried to talk to you, but some woman started to talk.”

“Woman? What did she say?” Its head tilted the other way.

Reaper crossed his own arms and leaned in.

“Don’t stray into the Abyss.” Jackal waved his hand. “Return to the Cradle.” He shook his head. “Just nonsense. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Fenris hummed, looking away.

“Could be a metaphor.” Reaper suggested. “In the Book, the abyss is the bottomless pit of chaos from which we were all born and created.”

“Are you about to break into another sermon?” Jackal raised a brow.

“You may not believe in its tales, but I believe my faith is not misplaced. With everything that has been happening...This new information and these discoveries, the Abyss is probably a tangible location.”

“What about the Cradle then?”

“It’s never been mentioned as a place. Most of the time it’s referenced towards Christ himself. This woman could be telling you to turn to the book, or to return to where you came.”

Jackal scoffed and waved him off. “A bunch of bullshit. I’ll believe in an invisible man in the cosmos when there’s proof.”

Reaper shook his head. “We may have all the proof standing right in front of us.”

Jackal rolled his eyes.

“Can’t trust...all you hear.” Fenris said. Then it changed the subject rather abruptly. “Artifact north.”

The two men paused and watched the valkyrie in silence. How could it say something so ominous and then forget about it as soon as it was said? It sent chills down their spines. Fenris must have known more than it let on, or possibly had the ability to say.

“We’re going to rest for a little longer. You’re still...healing.” Reaper raised a brow, looking the creature up and down. “Your wounds are closing up on their own?”

“Yes.” Fenris looked down at itself. “Learned to heal own wounds.”

“Learned? You mean evolved?” Jackal questioned.

“Yes. Taking longer now…” It huffed.

Reaper frowned then took a couple steps away.

“Sparrow!” He called. “Pass out MREs to everyone. Make sure everyone eats and drinks. We’ll take off in five.”

“Yes, sir!” She saluted and ran to one of the trucks. In the back was a strapped down crate marked with MRE on either side. She opened it and carried it around to each soldier, even Vactubstein. They had plenty to spare now that only eight of them were still standing.

Those that were wounded were sat in the dirt, resting against the wheels of the trucks. None were too badly hurt and the help of painkillers numbed their bodies.

When Reaper turned to look at Jackal and Fenris, he spied just in the distance the alpha reldul. It was lying upon the ground in a pool of its own blood. Its head lifted briefly. Then it tried to stand to no avail.

Reaper hurried over to it and sat upon his knees. He touched the thick, furry hide of the beast’s head and looked it over.

“You’re...dying.”