Champion Read Free Page B

waiting around to be their dinner.”
    Crin tried to gain some control over the spooked horse, but he was having no success. At least it was pulling them away from the horrible apparitions they had seen in the village.
    As they rode out, Isaac ignoring his own advice, looked backwards, only to see the mob still trying to follow them. Their movements were slow and awkward, and soon they were safely out of reach of the monstrous humans.
    “I ain’t going back there, Crin. Ride quickly, like the devil himself is on our tail,” Isaac urged, a panic in his voice.

4
    “What are those things?” Artas shouted out to Ganry, trying to be heard above the screeching birds that were rapidly approaching the ship.
    “I’m not sure,” Ganry shouted back. “I’ve traveled many lands but never seen the likes of those creatures before.”
    As the large, dark shape loomed closer, it had become obvious that the cloud was made up of many smaller shapes. Something was flying in the sky and it was not a storm cloud, as they had first thought. This was unlike any flock of birds anyone had ever seen. Even the seasoned Captain had no idea what to do or how to confront the menacing mass, almost upon them. It was unclear if the flock had simply come across the ship in their travels, or more worryingly, had been sent to attack them by some unseen force that meant them harm.
    As the strange creatures approached, the men could better make out what they were. Some of the crew relaxed a little, thinking them just unusual, but harmless. Initially, that seemed to sum up the situation. The birds were quite small, around the size of a man’s hand. Attached to their black, feathered bodies were small compact wings that worked frenetically to keep them in the air. The beating wings gave off a high pitched buzzing sound, and the combined noise of so many was almost deafening.
    As they neared the ship, they could all see the creatures’ beaks. They looked like long yellow sticks, almost as long as their bodies. The beaks protruded out from the heads, and tapering into a wickedly sharp end.
    They circled the vessel a few times. On each pass it appeared that the flock dropped down lower. The ship’s crew had stood mesmerized, all moving their heads together and watching the flock intently. It was a spectacular show. Assuming it was just an unusual phenomenon as when they observed a pool of dolphins jumping in and out of the seas, it gave the sailors a sense of calm. They were completely unprepared for what happened next.
    The birds stopped the circling motion and dived down towards the ship as one large entity. Individually, they posed little threat, but together en masse, they were a formidable killing machine.
    The creatures targeted one of the crew who had become separated from the others, swooping down on him at an amazing speed. Soon, he looked like a black blur of movement, as the flapping wings engulfed his body. A red mist of blood arose above him as they furiously pecked at the human with their vicious, knife-like beaks.
    It took only seconds before the sailor fell to the floor, the birds still ravaging him. Finally, finished, they flew back into the sky, leaving nothing but a skeletal figure in a pool of blood. The birds had completely stripped the flesh from the sailor’s bones.
    It had happened so quickly that no one had moved from where they stood. All looked on, aghast at what was left of their shipmate. Panic now ensued on board the ship. Sailors ran, desperate to find cover before the birds attacked again, but for some it was too late as they swooped down once more.
    This time the dark shape split up into three flocks, each one targeting a different human. Soon, screams of agony drowned out the buzzing of the beating wings as the creatures tore into the crew.
    Artas and Ganry watched on in horror as the ships crew were decimated by the attacking creatures. Ganry could no longer watch the bloodshed without taking some action. Drawing his