Chapter 157: Infection, Part 4

Essenla jumped back, narrowly avoiding the mutant's tree trunk-like arm as it slammed into the ground where she had been moments ago, sending dirt flying into the air and nearly knocking Morne and Essenla off their feet.

"Like the wind," Essenla incanted quickly, a rush of Chimh filling her limbs and granting her speed slightly above that of a peak human's capability. With this new speed under her belt, she leaped back once again, going on the defensive as the mutant swung wildly at her.

"I can't cut through its skin!" Essenla reminded Morne with a yell. "I'll distract it, you kill it!"

Morne nodded, narrowing his eyes at the lumbering beast as he moved forward with silent steps.

Once again, the perceptive abilities of the mutant were more than it had initially let on. Even though Morne hadn't made a sound, the creature spun around the moment he took his second step, glaring at Morne with its lidless, hungry eyes.