It hung in the air like a puppet without strings, its body made of dull clay and bands of magic. Something about the loose joints and oddly-tilted head reminded Angelo of a fresh corpse hung on display, and he barely suppressed a shudder.
It was more disturbing - or perhaps just more surreal - when hands rose up out of the dirt on either side of the creature, a small army of them, their shapes running and flowing like mud despite the desert-dry soil around them.
Then they attacked, and it was as if the earth itself had turned on them, every blow the creatures landed threatening to send someone to their knees.
Jessica shouted a warning and cast a spell; the explosion echoed off the surrounding cliffs, but none of the monsters fell. Their retaliation was immediate, the mud mannequin performing a strange mockery of a dance that made Jessica stagger and shake her head, the hands striking her until she was on the ground.
Yangus bellowed, making good use of the massive axe he'd purchased in Pickham, sheer weight carrying it through their foes. Eight joined him, though his sword was less effective than the axe, while Angelo used his magic with desperate abandon, keenly aware that the damage he healed after each attack was less than had been inflicted.
They finally drove the monsters back, and Angelo cast his most powerful healing spell one final time as Jessica climbed to her feet. She looked shaken; he would have given anything to wrap his arms around her for just a moment, kiss her and assure them both she was fine, but the monsters were already regrouping, and his sword was back in his hand.
Written for 101 Kisses. Theme: #21 - Wireless
