Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

short, vicious arcs, cutting through demon flesh with controlled, economical strokes, and the fresh stink of demon blood was heavy on the air. They came from every direction, twisted, malformed creatures with fangs and claws and eyes that knew nothing but an endless, never-sated hunger. The earth trembled under Rupert's feet and then cracked sluggishly open. Hundreds of pale slimy tentacles whipped up out of the broken earth and reached for the struggling guardsmen with it horrid single-mindedness of purpose.
    Rupert glared down into one of the wider cracks as he cut through a writhing tentacle; the crack was filled with hundreds of needle-fanged mouths and a single great staring eye. Rupert shrank back, and the eye moved slightly to follow him. Three tentacles wrapped themselves around a guard and tore him to pieces, all in a matter of seconds. He barely had time to scream. Something with wings and black-furred spider legs swooped down on to a beleaguered guard, tore out his throat, and disappeared buck into the dark before the body hit the ground. Exhausted almost beyond the point of pain, Rupert put his back to one of the gnarled dying trees, and swung his sword mechanically back and forth before him. The demons were packed so closely about him, it was impossible to miss.
    And still the demons came, some on two legs, some on four, and some slithering on their bellies in the dirt. In the unsteady light it seemed to Rupert that many of the nightmare shapes shifted and ran like watery clay even as they pressed silently forward to attack the besieged party. Strange unhealthy hybrids of plant and animal and insect rose and fell before him, loathsome creatures that could never have survived in the natural world. Rupert fought on. There were always more to replace those who died under his blade. A heavy weight fell on him from above, and something cold and scaly clung tightly to his shoulders while its slender clawed hands groped eagerly for his eyes and throat. Rupert howled in fear and rage, and reached desperately for the creature with his left hand. The demons ranged before him surged forward, and he cut frantically at them with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, Rupert saw the grinning elongated head behind him swing forward, and then hundreds of jagged serrated teeth buried
    themselves in his left shoulder. He cried out sickly as the long jaws snapped shut, and dropped his sword as the creature on his back tightened its grip. The demons before him leaped for his throat, and then a blast of searing white light ripped through them, leaving behind nothing but a few charred, distorted bones.
    Rupert lurched forward, still feebly clawing at the demon on his back, and another blast of balefire tore the creature from him. Only the head remained, clinging grimly to his shoulder even in death. Rupert fell to his knees, and retrieved his sword from where he'd dropped it. He tried to get up again, and couldn't.
    The Champion was suddenly at his side, prising open the demon head's jaws with his dagger. Rupert looked away, unable to watch. All around him, the demons were falling back into the surrounding shadows, unable to face the High Warlock's balefire. The blood-smeared tentacles withdrew into the earth and were gone, and within seconds the Darkwood was once again utterly still and silent. The Champion finally worked the demon head loose, and threw it to one side. He helped Rupert to his feet, and the unicorn moved quickly forward to stand beside the Prince. Rupert leaned thankfully against the animal's side as some of his strength slowly returned to him. The pain in his shoulder showed no sign of dying away, but at least now he could think through it. He could feel blood running down his left arm in a steady stream, but there was no feeling at all in his left hand.
    I'll worry about that later, he thought determinedly. I'll worry about a lot of things later .
    'Sir Champion!' he called thickly.
    'Sire.' The Champion stood beside him, his back straight and his head unbowed. His tattered chain-mail was drenched with demon blood.
    'We've got to get to the Castle, sir Champion. There's nothing left but running now. If we stand and fight, we're all dead. Get the men together, and tell them we're moving now. The High Warlock can cover our backs. Am I making sense ? Yes. Good. You lead the way, sir Champion, we'll follow.'
    'Yes, Sire. We'd make better time if you were to ride the unicorn.'
    Rupert looked at the unicorn.