as long as I can. After that, it will be up to you.”
Max nodded with little enthusiasm. He sat down next to Melody. There was nothing else to do now but wait. Melody kept her concentration on the barrier. For Max, time passed slower than during one of Mr. Penna’s lectures.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A few hours had passed and Max had slipped into a trance-like state. The unexpected scream of a man shook him free.
“What was that?”
Melody’s eyes were wide with shock. “I have no idea! Maybe one of the bandits?”
The cave echoed with another scream. “Noooo!”
The cry came from the bandit’s camp outside the cave. Max stood and moved to the edge of Melody’s barrier, next to the cave’s entrance. From his limited view, he could see a few of the bandits had risen to their feet, weapons in hand. They milled around, looking just as confused as Max.
“Lacarath! Ahhh!”
The new scream arose from beyond the light of the torches. A wave of terror swept over the bandits, temporarily freezing them in place until a growl filled the canyon. The bandits dropped their weapons, scattering like bugs as they ran for their horses. Leaving everything behind, they rode off as fast as the horses would carry them. Behind Max, Melody gasped before crying out in a whisper.
“Max, the barrier!”
When the sun had set the bandits had lit torches, causing Melody’s barrier to shimmer in their light. The dancing light resulted in Max’s drifting into a trance. Now the shimmer flickered in and out of existence. Melody closed her eyes, concentrating; the barrier steadied.
“I don’t think I can hold it much longer.”
Max remained calm, scanning the bandits’ camp. “We shouldn’t need it. It looks like the bandits have left.”
Melody began to panic, her voice cracking. “Didn’t you hear the bandits? There is a lacarath out there.”
Max smirked. “You mean the ferocious animals that prey on remote villages and feast on naughty children?” He cleared his throat, his smile gone. “They’re just legends…right?”
Melody looked grim. “Lacarath are believed to be the predecessors of the lacarna, but I must admit, nobody has seen one in years. However, something sure scared those bandits away.”
“Still, a lacarath?”
Melody’s eyes went wide. “Nooo!”
The barrier flickered once, then, with a bright flash, disappeared. She swallowed hard.
“Can you see anything moving out there, Max?”
Max didn’t move, but his voice shook. “Melody, if a lacarath did exist, what would it look like?”
Melody crawled over to Max where she followed his gaze out to the edge of the torchlight. Standing in the shadows with its side to them was a man-sized, four legged creature. Max pointed a shaking hand at the animal.
“Is that...?”
Melody pulled Max’s hand down, cupping her other hand over his mouth. “Shhh!”
To their horror the animal turned its head in their direction. Both of them held their breath, hoping it hadn’t seen them. After what seemed like an eternity, the animal turned its head forward again and walked out of the torchlight. Melody let out her breath. Max did the same.
“You really think that was a lacarath?”
“I guess I should have said nobody has proven they’ve seen a lacarath in years. We have heard rumors of sightings; however, in the more desolate places of Velrune. That thing out there sure fit the description of those sightings. I’ll have to tell Bastiaan and…”
Melody’s gaze drifted off into the darkness. “Bastiaan, Zeth, I hope you’ve had better luck.”
When Max found Melody surrounded by the bandits, all thoughts of the diggers had left.
“The diggers! Melody, what happened to them? Did one of them head for the next camp? Where’s the other one?”
Melody cupped her hand over Max’s mouth again. “Not so loud Max, that thing may still be around.” She dropped her hand. “Yes, Bastiaan rode for the next camp. Zeth headed north
Max nodded with little enthusiasm. He sat down next to Melody. There was nothing else to do now but wait. Melody kept her concentration on the barrier. For Max, time passed slower than during one of Mr. Penna’s lectures.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A few hours had passed and Max had slipped into a trance-like state. The unexpected scream of a man shook him free.
“What was that?”
Melody’s eyes were wide with shock. “I have no idea! Maybe one of the bandits?”
The cave echoed with another scream. “Noooo!”
The cry came from the bandit’s camp outside the cave. Max stood and moved to the edge of Melody’s barrier, next to the cave’s entrance. From his limited view, he could see a few of the bandits had risen to their feet, weapons in hand. They milled around, looking just as confused as Max.
“Lacarath! Ahhh!”
The new scream arose from beyond the light of the torches. A wave of terror swept over the bandits, temporarily freezing them in place until a growl filled the canyon. The bandits dropped their weapons, scattering like bugs as they ran for their horses. Leaving everything behind, they rode off as fast as the horses would carry them. Behind Max, Melody gasped before crying out in a whisper.
“Max, the barrier!”
When the sun had set the bandits had lit torches, causing Melody’s barrier to shimmer in their light. The dancing light resulted in Max’s drifting into a trance. Now the shimmer flickered in and out of existence. Melody closed her eyes, concentrating; the barrier steadied.
“I don’t think I can hold it much longer.”
Max remained calm, scanning the bandits’ camp. “We shouldn’t need it. It looks like the bandits have left.”
Melody began to panic, her voice cracking. “Didn’t you hear the bandits? There is a lacarath out there.”
Max smirked. “You mean the ferocious animals that prey on remote villages and feast on naughty children?” He cleared his throat, his smile gone. “They’re just legends…right?”
Melody looked grim. “Lacarath are believed to be the predecessors of the lacarna, but I must admit, nobody has seen one in years. However, something sure scared those bandits away.”
“Still, a lacarath?”
Melody’s eyes went wide. “Nooo!”
The barrier flickered once, then, with a bright flash, disappeared. She swallowed hard.
“Can you see anything moving out there, Max?”
Max didn’t move, but his voice shook. “Melody, if a lacarath did exist, what would it look like?”
Melody crawled over to Max where she followed his gaze out to the edge of the torchlight. Standing in the shadows with its side to them was a man-sized, four legged creature. Max pointed a shaking hand at the animal.
“Is that...?”
Melody pulled Max’s hand down, cupping her other hand over his mouth. “Shhh!”
To their horror the animal turned its head in their direction. Both of them held their breath, hoping it hadn’t seen them. After what seemed like an eternity, the animal turned its head forward again and walked out of the torchlight. Melody let out her breath. Max did the same.
“You really think that was a lacarath?”
“I guess I should have said nobody has proven they’ve seen a lacarath in years. We have heard rumors of sightings; however, in the more desolate places of Velrune. That thing out there sure fit the description of those sightings. I’ll have to tell Bastiaan and…”
Melody’s gaze drifted off into the darkness. “Bastiaan, Zeth, I hope you’ve had better luck.”
When Max found Melody surrounded by the bandits, all thoughts of the diggers had left.
“The diggers! Melody, what happened to them? Did one of them head for the next camp? Where’s the other one?”
Melody cupped her hand over Max’s mouth again. “Not so loud Max, that thing may still be around.” She dropped her hand. “Yes, Bastiaan rode for the next camp. Zeth headed north
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