Paul Young stood in the dense woods as the rain and winds raged through the tree trunks. Despite the chaos around him, his senses were finely turned to detecting the presence of a razew. He knew their scent, and he could feel the heat generated by their bodies over long distances. He honed these senses on the planet Druont, where he had been taken by the mad scientist Eakran, who has worked for a long time experimenting with Druinte and alien hybrids with the aim of controlling the evolution of the species into the future. After a long time in Eakran’s captivity, and after enduring unspeakable torture, Paul was freed by Druintes who inhabit the wilds of the planet and they nursed him back to health. Paul may have died on the planet Druont, but there is a spirit that animates his body and has all of his memories. He returned to Earth after a confrontation with Eakran.
Paul took off in a run through the woods to intercept the two razew approaching the clearing where Wazad was hoping to stop the witch that was shooting snot green energy to the moon. Wazad was helped by Ivan and Clay and the man Zacchaeus that he had recently met.
“Will you slow down,” Paul heard behind him. It was the man Gregory Samin struggling to keep up with him in the dense woods as Paul moved easily.
“They’re not slowing down,” Paul said. “If you can’t keep up, just stay there…” Paul stopped abruptly at the sight of two large creatures with eight long legs stalking through the woods.
“Oh my God,” Gregory whispered when he caught up to Paul. “Those things are disgusting. What are you gonna do to them?”
“I’m going for the legs,” Paul said and he pulled two long knives from the holsters at his waist.
Gregory watched fearfully as Paul attacked. Paul managed to slice one of the razews legs off and the fearsome beast screamed a high pitched scream that made Gregory cover his ears. The razew spilled blood that hissed as it hit the environment around it. The other razew charged at Paul and Gregory started to run to help, but Paul flipped into the trees just as the razew tried to attack him. Gregory lost sight of Paul and the razews for a moment and then he heard a rustle of trees behind him. He turned, and aimed a gun that he had holstered at his ankle at the moving leaves. Just before he fired the gun, a cloud of what looked like black smoke rushed past him. Gregory turned to follow the movement of the smoke and soon the man Zacchaeus materialized in the smoke. Then he disappeared into the woods to help Paul fight the fearsome beast.
“I’ve got this one,” Gregory heard Paul yell to Zacchaeus. “The other one is wounded! Eat that one first.”
Gregory was soaking wet and cold, and he stumbled through the forest to keep up with Paul and Zacchaeus. He could hear the men grunting and giving tremendous effort, and he could hear the razews screeching and roaring like ancient beats.
Gregory pushed through the wind and rain and as he moved a branch out of his way, he saw the man Zacchaeus standing in his hooded, black cloak as an oily mass covered the fearsome form of a razew and then the oily mass receded into Zacchaeus.
“Holy shit!” Gregory screamed and Zacchaeus smiled a sheepish grin at him.
“We got them both,” he said as Paul landed on the ground after jumping from a nearby tree.
Gregory was impressed and nodded silently. Then he heard Wazad yell for help. All of the men ran in the direction of Wazad’s yells and soon they saw the mass of dark shadows advancing on Wazad as she swung her golden sword. The men noticed she was doing her best to protect Ivan and Clay who were unconscious on the ground and they barreled through the dark forms of witches to reach Wazad.
“We failed,” Wazad said angrily. “The Witch Moon will rise in this spot tomorrow and there is nothing we can do to stop it.”
“The Needy consumed both razews,” Zacchaeus said and Wazad did seem happy to hear that.
“We must retreat, immediately,” Wazad said and opened a portal that the group rushed through.
They all collapsed in the garden of the Museum of Aphro-Arcana that was dark and tinted green under the glow of the sick moon.
“This cannot stand,” Wazad said sternly, staring up at the orb of neon green in the sky. Despite her resolve, there was a tinge of hesitation in her voice that Gregory heard as fear, and the thought of Wazad experiencing fear sent a shiver down his spine.
PRL Serials 