### 97

The fight ends abruptly when you deal your enemy a mighty blow to the base of its deformed neck. As it crumples lifelessly to the ground, you join with Sergeant Yeng and rush to aid the trooper who is caught in the strands of your sticky net. One well-aimed blow puts paid to the creature that is ensnared in the net with him, and then you quickly recite the words to counter the spell and the thankful trooper is soon released.

Cautiously you inspect the bodies of the slain enemy and determine that they are of Agarashi descent. They have probably come down from the Hyunsei foothills in a desperate search for prey, for all three corpses show signs of starvation. Sergeant Yeng confirms your suspicions. He tells you that long ago, during the Age of Eternal Night, this land was stalked by the Agarashi—the hellish creations of Agarash the Damned. When Agarash was destroyed by the Elder Magi, his creations were scattered across the wilderness and plains of Chai. The descendants of those beasts are still alive today, hiding in hills, burrows, and caves. They rarely attack travellers on the trade road, unless driven by disease or extreme hunger.

Using your tracking skills, you quickly determine that there are no other creatures like these in this vicinity. Only then do you and the troopers remount your horses and continue along the highway towards the Javai Forest. A few miles short of the forest you discover a freshwater spring which is forded by the highway. It is an ideal site for a night camp, and so you send one of Yeng’s men back to the caravan to tell them that you shall await their arrival here.

During your wait for the caravan, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

To continue, turn to 45.