Sorry if was unclear, but these first few chapters take place in book one. And as always, if you have any questions, just ask.
Geomi and Murder looked stealthily out of the foliage at a group of soldiers. Led by a blonde boy and a dark skinned girl with her leopard spirit animal. Goliath and Zane had separated from them about an hour ago in search of the source of what they claimed to be "A truly disgusting stench". Clearly the more sensitive smell of the giant and Vampire had let them detect something the shapeshifter and jorogumo could not.
Murder tapped her on the shoulder. "You can make yourself look more human, right?"
Geomi was puzzled at the question. "Yeah, but I don't see the… Oooooohhhh…" With Murders plan finally dawning on her, she began to concentrate.
Her spider like lower body began to disappear. Her eight legs and menacing red markings became designs on an expensive looking silk dress. When she looked back at Murder, he had changed his pointed ears, silver eyes, and pitch black hair into more human features, and his shady black cloak into a drab grey one. The two nodded at each other and stepped into the open.
Zane looked down from his treetop pearch. A few hundred feet away, a group of six on horseback were making there way up towards where Zane and Goliath thought Arax was. Three grown men, two younger boys, and girl that was the same age. Three of them wore green cloaks. Zane spread his bat-like wings and descended from the tree, landing softly next to his giant comrade
"What did you see up there?"
"Six humans. Three of them wear green, that must be the smell. Whatever they use to dye the cloaks must be what smells so awful." Zane responded. The smell was a sort of chemical burning in the nostrils.
Goliath nodded. He could smell the humans. He had actually tasted human flesh before, a wayward adventurer had once climbed up to Jotunheim. After about an hour of fighting with Samson and Hercules, Goliath had come out on top with the meal. And it was delicious. The pair continued to stalk the group as the greencloaks moved into the mountains.
The soldiers stopped and drew weapons as Murder and Geomi Stepped into the open. Immediately going into character, Murder dropped to his knees in faux thankfulness.
"Oh thank the beasts! My cousin and I got lost up here days ago! I thought we would never find any help!" Most of the soldiers didn't seem impressed, but the girl with the leopard fell right into Murders scheme…
"What are your names?" She asked in a concerned voice.
Geomi spoke first, "I'm Geomi, and this is my cousin… Michael. We just need someone to travel with for a while till we find our way.
The blonde boy didn't seem enthralled with this plan. "Don't you see that we're on important business? We can't afford to have civilians with us."
Leopard girl spoke again, this time with a scolding tone, "Shane! They just need some help. As long as they stay out of the way,they'll be fine."
The argument went on for a little while before they agreed to stay at the back of the group.
Goliath and Zane looked on at the scene in front of them. A group of armored soldiers fought with the green cloaks. One had even thrown the huge ram of a cliff a few moments before.
"We aren't the only ones looking for the talismans." Goliath said as he examined the trees around them.
"Your powers of observation are truly stunning." Zane answered unimpressed.
"Thanks. Ah ha!" Goliath grabbed a huge tree and pulled it out of the ground. With a swift flick of his wrist he cleared the branches off and hefted it up. With his other hand, he brought his massive hunting horn to his lips.
Zerif had stabbed Barlow. Rolan thought they were still going to come out of this one with the talisman, but after the sound he heard, he wasn't so sure. It was so loud and low it vibrated through his very being. It made him feel sick to his stomach, but not as much as what he saw emerging from the woods.
A huge musclebound giant, his powerful body covered by a patchwork of bear and buffalo furs and his beefy arms bare, carrying a whole tree like a club. The whole battle seemed to stop for a second as a malicious grin spread across the giant's face. The giant began to stomp forward.
Goliath was pretty happy with what he saw. He could smell their fear. One brave man in armor charged stoically at him, sword raised. With almost a slight flick of his wrist, the soldier was sent flying into the distance with a sickening Crack! Goliath continued his lazy warpath forward, shaking the ground with every step.
Murder took the noisy arrival of what could only be Goliath as sign to join the fight. He jumped into the air, shrinking and growing black feathers across his body. As a crow he soared above the battle. The conquerors, as he found they were called, bravely stood their ground, the green cloaks were beginning to retreat, helping a mortally wounded comrade run while the leopard girl shot arrows at the giant. Goliath didn't even seem to notice.
Zane swooped down on his bat-like wings and grabbed one of the armored men, hoisting him into the air with a scream, Geomi pounced out of nowhere and bit one of the soldiers in the exposed back of the neck, Murder dropped from the sky and sank one of his many daggers deep into the neck of the last standing soldier. By the time the monsters turned around, the green cloaks had fled.
Murder leaned down and looked at one of the dead soldiers. A stylized spiked C was on the breastplate. "So we aren't the only ones looking for these things. Two groups got away, I think the ones in green…" He was interrupted by a sickening wet crunch, "Goliath, do you only ever think about eating?" Murder shot an accusing look at Goliath as what looked like a boot disappeared into his mouth.
Geomi nodded. "We need intel. We need to know when, where why. Know your enemy." The four monsters stood on the mountain top, looking out at the world that had suddenly been opened to them.
