Belar the Mighty: The Lost Sister Ch. 02

"I'm okay now," he said gently.

She looked into his eyes a moment before warily taking the offered hand. He pulled her upright. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the bloody remains of the beast.

"What was that?"

"A dire," Belar replied, "And judging from its size, an old one."

Taria shuddered, "Are… you okay?"

Belar nodded and showed her the skin underneath the ripped holes in his tunic, "The potion did its work well."

Taria gave him a weak smile.

"We need to get moving. The smell of blood will attract more," he told her.

Belar could see she had more questions, but she did not argue. He retrieved his hammer as she crossed to her horse. With the hammer was back in its holster, he checked the dead beast. Vacant eyes stared back at him as he pulled the head up and pried open its mouth. Many of the teeth were shattered from the fall, but he found a few still in good shape. He broke them off and shoved them in his pocket. Dire teeth fetched a good price with the alchemists. He released the large head and it thudded back to the ground. Belar ignoring Taria's inquisitive stare as he mounted his horse. A flick of the reins set the animal in motion and they headed deeper, towards the forest's heart.

To be continued…