The Calling of Wrath - Chapter 14 - Plan and Thrix

                                                                   Cassandra
                                                    Year 819 | Month 1 | Day 5
                                              Several hours later, close to sunset

I casually whistle while dragging a hocka-thing behind me by its very short neck.

Good these things are so weak physically.

If I remember correctly from the monster lessons Rodrick gave me, powers that are energy or magical based like this creature’s marble-petrification power should be able to affect the reavers.

And if it doesn’t?

Well, it’ll join the direwolves I hope I’m attracting with my whistling as bait.

As expected, several howls begin to fill the air from multiple directions around me.

Looks like direwolves really do hate high pitched noises like whistling.

Good thing I didn’t accidentally do it yesterday.

On that note, I begin to pick up my pace a little towards my little cave, all while still whistling to signal the direwolves.

The puppers might not be able to actually hurt the reavers, but they should make sufficient bait to distract them.

If I am able to actually hurt them in my normal or beast form, then I can use that time to kill them. If not?

Well, the beast form should help me run away faster.

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I reach my cave right as the sun goes down before surprisingly managing to drag the hocka-thing through the barrier.

Maybe it’s because I’m touching the thing right now?

Either way, it works for me. Especially since I can hear the direwolves’ howls getting closer and closer.

I turn around to look at the area outside of my cave, still with the hocka-thing in my hand.

The cave is actually situated at the edge of the river, at a part where the depth is much shallower, to the point of only being at the level of a very shallow creak. Which has helped me hide my comings and goings for a while now.

Too bad it doesn’t help me deal with the reavers, since they don’t seem to use scent when tracking things.

Not sure what they use, but it’s-

My thoughts are interrupted as loud shrieks resound from outside of the cave, signaling the reavers’ arrival right at about the same time that I see the pack of direwolves breaking out of the tree line on the other side of the river.

Despite the danger that I’m in right now, a faint smirk stretches across my face.

Let’s see if this plan works or if I’m gonna die.

I quickly raise the hocka-thing’s head up to look through the barrier, but either it’s not activating its power, or it can’t do anything through the barrier.

Right as I’m about to try tossing it out of the barrier, I freeze up as the reavers begin to slowly fade into existence.

Lots of reavers.

Dozens of reavers.

“Oh,” I utter in a monotone voice.

That’s more than I expected.

I anxiously hum into the cave; my voice being completely covered by the howls and shrieks coming from outside before glancing at the hocka-thing who is still absolutely terrified.

“You get me, right?” I mutter to the creature despite it not being able to understand me before I turn back to look at the commotion outside as most of the reavers all rush towards the direwolves who are actually trying to turn around and run but failing miserably. “You were also dragged into a dangerous situation against your will.”

Fortunately, only six of the three or so dozen reavers actually begin approaching the barrier.

So, I glance at the hocka-thing one last time before tossing it out of the barrier and shouting, “Do your thing hockathrix!” using its actual name this time in the hopes that it will respond better to that.

And fortunately, the creature’s eyes finally begin to glow yellow the instant it leaves the barrier, albeit with a very terrified quack. Following this, one of the reavers suddenly turns to marble and falls to the ground before shattering.

Ooo, so it was a good idea to get one of them!

“Great job, Thrix!” I call out, deciding to give the thing a nick-

Before I can finish my thought, it petrifies another of the reavers before being torn apart by the remaining four.

Oh.

Well, it was nice knowing you Thrix.

Anyways, getting serious now, I reach my hand out of the barrier for a second before activating siphon on one of the reavers as a test.

Almost immediately, a thick stream of black and red energy begins to leave its forehead towards my hand. Once it makes contact with my hand, I feel a nice surge of energy, but nothing more, considering that I’m already at top condition right now.

Okay, so that worked. And they have a lot of Wrath in them.

What about my claws?

Right as a reaver is about to swipe a spider-like limb at my hand, I pull it back into the barrier, letting the limb hit the barrier instead before I reach for it with my claws, only for my hand to pass straight through it.

Guess that’s a no.

Wait, what about my fangs? Don’t they use the Wrath in me and the opponent to increase the damage?

Maybe that’s magical enough…

Although…

I glance at the gross-looking and very greasy fur coating the slightly ethereal limbs sticking out of their stomach.

This won’t be a pleasant experience, that’s for sure.

And with that thought in mind, along with a very hesitant look on my face, I snap my mouth straight towards the limb before feeling my fangs sinking into it and tasting its foul blood flooding into my mouth.

Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

At the same time, an equal amount of black and red energy flows out of the reaver as before with a much smaller flow from myself towards the bite before I feel my teeth chomping straight through the rest of the limb and severing it entirely.

Right as I’m about to spit out the flesh in my mouth, another reaver’s limb comes and smacks me in the head, sending me rolling across the ground back through the barrier and into the cave, all while the creature’s flesh slips down my throat.

“Fuck!” I shout, feeling extremely gross for what I just swallowed.

I don’t know which I care about more right now. The pain radiating from my head where the reaver hit me, or the lump of flesh that just went down my throat.

The reavers don’t seem to care though, as the one that I bit is shrieking in what I’m assuming is pain while gathering a couple of other reavers from the group that had split off and beginning to ram into the barrier.

Shit.

Please don’t destroy that. I need it to survive, thank you very much.

I hurriedly look around the cave for a moment before focusing on the reavers again as the barrier begins to waver a bit.

Well, if my fangs work, then it would probably be for the best that I try out that beast transformation part of my skill.

I hesitate for a moment, not wanting to taste that disgusting flavor again when I eventually bite into them in whatever beast form I transform into, before finally relenting.

At least this should let me clear one of the objectives and part of another for my Tier Breach Mission…

With that thought comforting me, I activate the skill with the intention of shapeshifting.

And immediately feel a powerful surge of pain throughout my entire body.

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