We continued tailing Boran at a cautious distance. The forest thickened. Vines hung like serpents and roots clawed across the faint trail. Far ahead, Boran's lantern bobbed like a will o' the wisp, drawing us deeper into the gloom.
Suddenly, the light stopped. He had entered a small clearing where twisted oaks gave way to bare, rocky ground. We ducked behind broad leaved bushes at the edge.
We watched. Boran stood in the open, lantern held high. Sweat glazed his brow and his eyes darted. He shifted and licked his lips, plainly uncomfortable.
"What is he waiting for, or who?" Leo whispered.
"Stay alert," Ren murmured. "This could be where he meets his contact."
Minutes crawled. Crickets sang. Boran paced a tight circle. My shoulders knotted. I took stock. Bastard sword sheathed to avoid glinting. A few throwing knives. My Rune abilities. I could call on [Rot] if needed, rotting mana that crippled living flesh and even hurt undead. Blink was there too, short range teleport, clutch, but migraine bait if I pushed it.
I glanced at Ren. He was coiled like a spring, hand hovering near Dawn's Edge, blade eased a fraction from its sheath. The metal caught a lick of lantern light, almost hungry after the wait.
Leo crouched behind us, one hand on a warding talisman, the other clenched. The scripture's glow was dim, no immediate undead presence. Curious. If Boran was meeting an undead contact, should the talisman not react? Unless the contact was not undead at all.
A rustle on the far side snapped my attention. A towering shape emerged between mossy boulders. For a heartbeat I thought it was just a large man. Then the lantern glow pulled details into place and my blood went cold.
Shaggy white fur matted with dirt and gore. Long ape like arms ending in wicked claws. A hunched frame easily eight feet tall. A face like a twisted mockery of human, deep set eyes with faint blue fire, a flat nose, a maw of broken yellow fangs.
Leo inhaled sharply. "A Migoi," he breathed. Himalayan lore's yeti like undead, strength and ferocity incarnate.
Every hair on my neck rose. This Migoi was not mindless. It looked at Boran like a predator appraising a lesser packmate. Unholy man clung to it in a suffocating aura that even my comparatively dark Rune found repulsive.
Boran trembled as it lumbered closer. He lowered the lantern and bobbed his head, submissive. "Y you are late," he stammered, trying for firm and missing. "I have been waiting."
The Migoi's lip curled, a snort that might have been laughter. When it spoke, the voice was a low, guttural rumble. "Little creature, complaining? You have no place to complain." The common tongue sounded awkward in its mouth.
"I am not complaining," Boran said quickly. "I did as I was told. The wards are down, just like you wanted. The priest is gone, and those outsiders, they trust me." He licked his lips. "I even led them to those walking corpses by the last week, like you asked. Nearly got them killed."
My eyes widened. So he had fed us false leads and traps. The river ambush, drowned undead coming out of the shallows while Boran acted surprised, had been orchestrated. Anger surged in me. I glanced at Leo. He looked livid, fists tight. Ren's hand closed over Leo's arm, asking for a moment of patience.
The Migoi stepped forward and Boran flinched back, fear wild in his eyes. "You think that was good enough?" it growled. "You nearly botched everything with your incompetence."
Boran's face twisted, fear and indignation. "But I did everything I was told," he protested. "I kept them distracted. I sabotaged the protective seals around the village, just like you needed. I thought once this was over, you would let me go. I would get the reward."
"Reward?" The growl turned mocking. "You are lucky we do not tear you apart right here, worm. The Soul Stealer does not reward traitors. He uses them. When he is done, your soul will join his collection like the rest."
Boran paled, shaking. "That was not the deal," he hissed, glancing around, suddenly realizing the trap. His knuckles whitened on the spear shaft. "Gyalpo promised."
At the name, the Migoi hissed. "Gyalpo," it spat. "That conniving spirit might have promised you lies. You trusted a trickster, fool."
I watched Boran's face collapse into despair. Maybe he had been duped by whatever Gyalpo was. The villagers had mentioned spirits. Gyalpo, a malevolent trickster from legends. Maybe Boran was not fully acting on his own. The red glint in his eyes we had noticed fit too well.
"No, I helped you," Boran's voice pitched up. "I gave information, I weakened the village as asked. You said I could have safe passage to the Kingdom of Sun."
"The Kingdom of Sun?" The Migoi snarled. "Those humans would never accept a traitor like you. But it no longer matters." Its eyes burned brighter. "You have one more use, bait."
Before he could react, it lunged. One massive hand closed on his throat and lifted him clean off the ground. Boran choked. His lantern fell and sputtered out in the dirt.
Leo tensed to leap, but Ren held him a heartbeat longer, eyes razor keen. We watched the Migoi bring Boran close, towering over the dangling man.
"They are here, are they not?" it rumbled, sniffing. "The outsiders. The Gyalpo said they would follow you like dogs on a scent." It bared its fangs in a cruel grin. "Dogs should be put down before they cause trouble."
My heart lurched. The Migoi knew. This was a trap. Ren's grip tightened on Leo's sleeve. My jaw clenched. Hiding time was over.
"Come out, little flies," it boomed to the trees. "See what becomes of traitors and meddlers." Its claws squeezed. Boran gurgled, kicking as his face purpled.
"Shit" I cursed at how the situation was unfolding. This was not part of the plan. We had not anticipated them turning on each other.
An unspoken agreement formed between us in a single glance. Ren and Leo would press the attack, and I would drag Boran to safety. The idea was simple. Leo would disrupt the creature's abilities and strip the ape of its mana reinforcement, and Ren would finish it with Dawn's Edge. I could not let Boran die. His inside information might prove crucial in the fight against the Soul Stealer.
"Now," Ren hissed.
We burst from cover into the clearing. "Let him go," Leo shouted, unable to hold back. Gray mana flared from his palm. [Absolute Dissection], tuned to disrupt the Migoi's active abilities, to snuff any hexes or protective magic.
The creature's eyes flickered as the gray wash rolled over it. Leo's interference dampened its necromantic mana and control. Boran gasped as the crushing force on his windpipe slackened for a breath.
Ren was already moving. Dawn's Edge flashed as he drove a precise thrust for the chest, just below the ribs, right where a human heart would be.
A wet thunk, and surprise flashed across Ren's face. The blade met brutal resistance. Hide like boiled leather. Ribs like iron. Dawn's Edge bit only inches.
The Migoi roared, enraged more than hurt. Its arm whipped out. The backhand smashed into Ren with terrifying force. There was a blunt crack as shoulder met bone and steel. He twisted enough to save his skull, but the hit still hurled him through the shrubs. Branches snapped. Thorns scored his cheek. He hit the ground hard and slid, armor scraping rock, breath tearing from his lungs in a ragged grunt.
"Ren," I shouted as the field tilted into chaos.
The Migoi dropped Boran, who crumpled, hacking for air. The beast turned fully toward us and locked onto Leo first, the boy who had dared temple sorcery. Its long arm lashed out. An open palm caught Leo square in the chest.
Leo flew backward, skidding over rock and grit. He struck a tree so hard bark burst into splinters. For a heartbeat I thought his neck had gone limp. Then he groaned. A talisman flared and burned to ash against his ribs, its last light guttering out. He sucked air in broken gasps, one hand clutching his side, a thin line of red on his lip where his teeth had cut the skin.
Two allies took critical hit in an eyeblink, leaving only me standing between the raging beast.
"Just great" I muttered to no one. I should have joined the ambush too. I was too fixated inside info that Boran might or might not have.
At this point, I couldn't care less about what happens to Boran. I need to do something before this guy off us permanantly.