Empire of Night (Age of Legends 2)

She had. She must have. That's why the rest were staying back.

"Reach down with your free hand," he said. "Carefully. Toward me."

She did, and he directed her until she felt the cool handle of her dagger. She pulled it to her. At a chirp overhead, she looked up to see Daigo on the lowest branch, his tail twitching as his gaze swung from her to the fiend dogs.

"You'll use your powers to hold them back," Tyrus said. "And we'll get out of the forest. Lord Okami's warriors will be there."

And what will they do? We can't fight these things. My powers can barely--

"You're going to hold them back." He met her gaze and held it, his voice low and strong. "Just keep them at bay."

It might work; it might not. But it was the only chance they had, so that was what they'd do, and she must believe it would work, because if she didn't, they had no chance at all.

She nodded. Tyrus pushed to his feet. One of the fiend dogs charged him. Moria slashed out with her dagger, knowing even as she did that steel couldn't cut shadow. But the beast still fell back, snarling. When it did, she saw fangs and a snout, the shadow taking form, and she started to look away--

No. She'd already seen them. If she was doomed, she was doomed, but if she cowered and looked away, then she'd have no chance. Fear would kill her.

Moria took a deep breath and met the beast's red eyes. It stared back at her, growling, lips curling, and slowly it took the form of a giant dog. A giant hound. A black Tova.

Except you aren't Tova. He was a great warrior. You were a coward. He is honored. You are damned.

The fiend dog snarled, as if she'd spoken aloud.

I don't fear you. You are but a spirit. I'll send you back from where you came.

She focused her power and the beast began to fade. Before it vanished, though, another one lunged and broke her concentration. She let out a snarl of her own.

"Don't try to banish them," Tyrus said. "It puts your focus on one. Just hold them back. Daigo?"

The wildcat leaped down beside them. The fiend dogs grumbled and paced, but none moved forward.

"This way," Tyrus said, nudging her.

She started walking with the young warrior and the wildcat flanking her. She focused on keeping the fiend dogs back, but as soon as she began moving, the beasts did, too, as if freed from a spell. They snapped and lunged, getting ever closer despite her efforts, until Tyrus hissed in pain as one caught his leg, biting him and then jumping back when his sword flashed.

"Keep moving," Tyrus said. "We'll be fine."

Another jumped, this time at Daigo. The wildcat snarled. The beast grabbed him by the back of the neck. Moria swung her blade, but it passed through the shadowy figure as the fiend dog ripped at Daigo, blood flying, the wildcat yowling.

"Begone!" she shouted. "By the ancestors, begone!"

The fiend dog fell back, growling, fangs flashing. Daigo puffed himself up and faced off with the beast.

Moria kept retreating. Behind them, the fiend dogs parted, but only enough to let the group pass. One leaped at Daigo. Moria spun on it, another slashed at Tyrus.

"We can't do this," she said. "It's too slow, and they're growing bolder. We must run."

"We--"

"Run or creep, it doesn't matter now. They have our scent. I'll hold them back while you go on ahead."

"Absolutely not."

She turned to meet his eyes as he lifted his sword.

"I'll not--" he began.

"You will."