Carpathian 23 - Dark Storm

until she was staring at the approaching group from above. That was when
     she realized there were several people wearing similar hair ornaments in the row.
     She counted eight different people, each wearing the same small bone adornment. There
     was something about them that made her skin prickle. She stretched out her senses
     and nearly gagged at the overwhelming stench of evil that radiated from them. The
     earth cringed beneath their feet, insects scurrying away, plant roots withering beneath
     each step.
    For whatever reason, these eight carried the most concentrated levels of corruption
     in the entire group. As she focused on them, using the reluctant eyes of creatures
     that would rather run than look at them, she made a disturbing discovery. The long,
     matted hair spilling down their backs was not their own, but rather multiple bleeding
     scalps grotesquely sewn together. Riley gagged again as the bowls of soup she’d eaten
     earlier threatened to come back up.
    Those eight are the greatest threat, Dax said. Riley, you don’t need to see more. We have all the information we need.
    She held on a moment longer. Are you sure? Maybe I can see something else to help us. More details flooded into her brain. The flesh of the eight seemed to ripple and
     palpate, as if bugs were crawling in every direction under the surface of their skin.
     Their fingertips were devoid of flesh, the bones filed down to points.
    Not out there. Come back to the camp. Come back now. Dax’s tone changed. He wasn’t making a suggestion.
    Riley moved away from the group, releasing the eyes of the forest, but not her connection
     to the earth. Slowly, she pulled her awareness back to their own encampment, and found
     herself searching for Dax among the people preparing for battle, needing his calm,
     reassuring strength. Her awareness shifted downward, and she found him, wrapped in
     earth, solid and calm in contrast to all the chaos above. Strength radiated from him
     even while he rested. She could feel his hands running over her arms.
    Are you up for a little more?
    With the power of the earth running through her veins and his mind connected to hers,
     she’d never felt so strong before. What did you have in mind?
    I was thinking about defense.
    Defense? Were you thinking a moat or something?
    This is what I was thinking. Her mind filled with an image of the trees behind the camp interlocking to form a
     dense wall. Two of the trees in the wall remained upright, growing taller than normal.
     Riley frowned. Weaving the trees into a fence to stop the oncoming attack made sense,
     but the picture Dax had formed showed the wall being erected at the back of the camp,
     not the front.
    I don’t understand. You want to trap us in? Why wouldn’t you put the fence between
     Mitro’s puppets and our camp?
    I won’t let any harm come to the people in this camp, if it can be avoided. Have faith.
    Even as Dax spoke the group of thirty or so in the camp, some only armed with spears,
     began running toward the tree line he’d shown her. Four of the men broke off from
     the group and ducked into the big tent. Moments later, they came back out, carrying
     the professor on a makeshift gurney. His remaining student followed close behind,
     the professor’s pack clutched in his hands. Together, the small group moved back into
     the tree line.
    Riley reached for the trees and the plant life with a mental sweep of her hand. The
     foliage vibrated at her touch, then leaves unfurled and roots extended as she encouraged
     the plants to grow. Soil was rich with nutrition and water. Bushes thickened. Trees
     grew taller, branches reaching out. Limbs and vines entangled, weaving together rapidly,
     and a wall began to take shape.
    Excellent, Riley. Leave an opening here. He showed her a small opening in the middle of the wall, just large enough for a
     single person to fit through. When she formed the opening and grew the two trees on
     either side to his specifications, he said, I have lived a very long life, even by the standards of my own people, but I must
     say I’ve never been as impressed with anyone as I am with you. You are amazing.
    Riley didn’t respond, but warmth unfurled in her belly. It was nice to feel helpful.
     She still couldn’t believe she was doing most of the things he’d shown her. Seeing
     through the eyes of forest creatures. Making plants grow with just her will alone.
     Even her mother hadn’t accomplished such feats,