Vargus barely had time to raise his sword before the creature was upon him. The Gralldire swiped at him with one of its front paws, knocking him aside like a child, its claws digging bloody trails that burned across his chest. His feet came off the ground as he was hurled backwards, colliding with a tree. Pain ran down his spine at the impact and he blacked out. He woke up seconds later, slumped on the ground in a daze with black spots dancing in front of his eyes. As adrenaline flooded his body, he was only moderately aware of the pain in his chest.
The ground was shaking and he could hear the Gralldire roaring as it fought the Maker. Stumbling to his feet, Vargus shook his head to clear the dizziness and went in search of his sword. The Gralldire was trying to drive the Maker backwards but he kept darting to one side or ducking under its massive paws. The creature quickly adapted, lashing out with its tail, trying to trip him up. It feinted to the left and moved right, its claws catching the Maker on the shoulder; he was spun around, red blossoming on his shirt. His sword went flying and the Gralldire reared up on its hind legs, ready to deliver the killer blow.
Vargus charged in, slashing wildly and scoring a line across its torso. Its fur was so thick he wasn’t even sure if he’d cut the creature, but it roared and shuffled back. Grabbing the Maker by the arm, Vargus dragged him to one side to avoid being crushed.
Lowering its head like a bull, the Gralldire charged, its protruding horns suddenly becoming a serious concern. Vargus dashed to the left and the Maker managed to stumble to the right, narrowly avoiding being impaled. The Gralldire struck a tree head on and Vargus felt the impact. The trunk cracked and the tree was now leaning at an angle, exposed roots showing on one side.
With a war cry of his own, the Maker attacked. As the Gralldire turned to face him, Vargus came at the beast from the rear, hacking at it with a two-handed grip. As his sword bit into its flank, the creature snarled and lashed out with one of its rear legs, catching him on the chest. He heard a dull snap and then something collided with his face, knocking him backwards.
Some time later, Vargus found himself lying on his back, looking up at the trees as water seeped into his clothing. His chest felt tight on one side and it was difficult to breathe. Rolling over onto his side took considerable effort and it felt as if an hour passed before he made it to his hands and knees. Leaning against a tree, he slowly pulled himself upright, his knees wobbling, his legs unwilling to bear his weight.
The battle was still raging. The Maker’s shirt was covered in blood and he could see several clumped patches of fur on the Gralldire, suggesting it was wounded. However, the creature didn’t seem impaired and continued to attack, trying to disembowel his old friend.
Gritting his teeth against the pain of his injuries, Vargus started to sprint towards the Gralldire, determined to put an end to it. The Maker saw him coming and changed his stance, going on the offensive. Vargus thought he heard the creature laugh in response, but then it was forced to defend itself. The Maker ducked under one of its claws and slashed the Gralldire across the face, the tip of his sword cutting a chunk from its lower jaw.
As it bellowed in agony, Vargus leapt forward, his blade raised high and both feet coming off the ground. His sword came down in a silver arc, biting into the Gralldire’s flesh before hitting bone. The impact of the blow was so severe it made him cry out and let go of his sword, arms and shoulders throbbing. This time, he saw the tail coming towards him and just managed to throw himself to one side. Using his attack as a distraction to get in close, the Maker attacked again, thrusting with his sword towards its neck. The Gralldire turned its head at the last second, the point driving into its shoulder instead.
Vargus’s sword remained imbedded in the creature’s flank, blood seeping from the wound, but it wasn’t over yet. Instead of trying to retrieve it, he drew a dagger from his belt and moved towards the Gralldire to keep it off balance. His stamina seemed to be ebbing away as his movements had become sluggish. He couldn’t defeat the creature, but he could continue to distract it.
Drawing his arm back, Vargus stabbed the Gralldire in the side as many times as he could in quick succession. He felt blood splash against his hands, but all too soon it spun around, knocking his blade away. Something pierced his shoulder and pain unlike any he’d felt in years flooded his body. His mouth gaped wide in a silent scream. Looking down, Vargus saw he was impaled on one of its horns. The Gralldire turned its head, ripping itself free of his body, and he dropped to his knees in front of the creature. All it had to do was turn its head again and the tip of its horn would go through his skull, bringing an end to his life. For a time, he would return to the Void and be free of the flesh. At least it would be silent and he would be at peace for a while.
Before the Gralldire had a chance to finish him off, the Maker struck, plunging his sword into its neck. Instead of withdrawing, he roared at the beast, and setting his feet firmly, drove the weapon deeper using every bit of his remaining strength. With a startled yelp, the creature stepped away from Vargus, turning towards the Maker who now stood utterly defenceless in front of it without any weapons. But the battle was done.
The sword had gone through its throat and Vargus could see thick blood pouring from the wound onto the ground by its paws. It coughed and choked a few times, tried to walk away and ended up flopping down onto its belly like a tired dog. In the silence that followed, he could hear its heavy breathing like the bellows of a forge. Watching it closely for signs of deception, the Maker approached it carefully. The Gralldire followed him with its eyes but it didn’t seem able to raise its head. It opened its jaws, as a warning or perhaps to say something, but no words emerged.
Placing one foot on the creature’s neck beside his sword for balance, the Maker heaved and slowly pulled his blade free. The Gralldire made a peculiar growl but it was much quieter than any they’d heard before. The pool of blood continued to spread as it gushed from the wound in its neck.
The Maker tried to kneel down beside it but ended up flopping down on one side, right in front of its face. If it had any remaining strength, Vargus knew it would have ripped his friend in two. Instead, it merely turned its head slightly so that it and the Maker were face to face. The creature’s massive sides were still heaving up and down and he saw its jaws move. The Maker leaned towards it, listening to its final words, before whispering something back. A few minutes later, the last Gralldire died.
As the adrenaline faded, Vargus’s whole body began to feel heavy and he became more conscious of his injuries. He was suddenly aware of the blood on his clothes and the dull pain in his side. It was a struggle to breathe and he could hear a peculiar rattle in his chest.
He tried to say something but instead coughed up blood, which dribbled down his chin. Darkness began to close in all around as his vision faded. Vargus was so tired he didn’t try to fight it and hoped to wake up in the Void.