Chapter 46

Caleb Vance crested the final ridge of the fourth peak, his boots crunching on the loose shale as he surveyed the carnage behind him. The morning had been a blur of steel and fur; he had reached the third peak at midday, systematically dismantling the gargoyle monkey packs that occupied the higher elevations. Most had fallen under his axe, though a few had vanished into the dense undergrowth, fleeing toward the valley. After a brief pause to catch his breath and let his stamina replenish, he...