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Their horses continue to show signs of skittishness and at one point Jiron’s stops and refuses to go further. He kicks it a couple times in the sides and finally gets it moving. Glancing to James he sees the worry he feels mirrored in his face. Pulling a knife, he signals for James to wait while he proceeds ahead.

Nodding, James waits.

Taking it slow, he works his way slowly forward, eyes scanning the road and rocks ahead for any indication of what has the horses so spooked. He moves twenty feet from James when a black shadow lurches toward him from out of the cover of the rocks ahead and to the right.

Easily half the size of a horse and running like a dog, it charges with a growl. Jiron’s horse rears up and he vaults off the back, landing unbalanced on the ground. Falling to the ground, he rolls and quickly regains his feet. The creature sinks its teeth into the horse’s chest, literally ripping a large section out. With a scream the horse collapses in a heap.

James’ horse neighs in fear and turns, bolting back down the way they had come. It comes to an abrupt stop when another of the creatures enters the roadway and blocks its path. Eyes rolling white, the horse cries out again and bolts suddenly to the side, causing James to lose his balance and falls off the horse to the ground.

“James!” Jiron cries out. “What the hell are these?” The creature which had killed his horse stands there with a strip of the horse’s hide dangling from the corner of its mouth as it stares at him. It looks like a giant wolf or some kind of dog. Long sharp teeth fill its mouth and a malevolent intelligence stares from out of its eyes.

Moving slowly and never taking his eyes from the creature, he backs up to where James is getting himself off the ground. In the pits he never had the opportunity to fight animals. Though confident in his prowess as a fighter, the size and ferocity of this creature gives him more doubts about the outcome than he’s had in quite some time. A growl behind him causes him to glance back and see the other creature on the road and James making his way toward him quickly.

A sudden shimmering forms around them as James creates the barrier. As if that was a signal the creatures charge right at them and slam into the barrier. Knocked back for a moment they begin circling.

“Do something,” Jiron says as they continue moving around the perimeter of the barrier.

James takes the slug in his hand and launches it at one of them. It strikes the creature directly in the middle of the chest and seems to pass right through without causing any damage. “Damn!” he says in shock as the slug hits the ground behind the creature. It didn’t look as if the slug had any affect upon it at all, the creature didn’t even slow its pace.

“They’re not entirely real!” he says to Jiron.

“What?” he asks.

“The slug went right through them,” he explains.

“How is that possible?” he asks.

“I don’t know,” James replies. “But I doubt if your knives will have any effect either.”

The two creatures continue to pace around the edge of the barrier, their eyes never leaving those within. One comes to a stop and turns to face directly at the barrier. Raising one of its forepaws, the creature touches the barrier.

Aaaah!

James cries out from the sudden increase in magic being pulled from him to maintain the barrier. Despite the enormity of magic rapidly being taken, he watches in shocked amazement as the creature’s paw slowly inches its way through the barrier and touches the ground on the inside. The rest of the creature slowly begins to follow.

Jiron moves to the part of the creature on the inside of the barrier and strikes it with a knife. When the blade comes into contact with the creature, it sends a burning sensation through to his hand. Crying out in pain, he releases the knife and looks to find an angry red burn now upon his hand. The knife which had struck the creature lies on the ground and is glowing red.

He glances back to James who stares with eyes wide in surprise.