Book 2: Chapter 36

Book 2: Chapter 36

“Okay, it isn’t much, but it’s the plan we’ve got. Everyone knows what to do?”

The other three nodded in response and gathered near the edge of the archway.

“Then get ready.”

“I kind of hate how this is the best plan we’ve got,” Leya muttered as they got ready.

“To sort of repeat what Claudia said earlier, welcome to the adventuring life. Complicated plans usually fall apart, so you make a simple one and aim to do your best.” Stephen pulled his helmet closed and hefted his shield.

Kay finished preparing his opener and glanced over to check the preparations of the other two magic users. Claudia had two bundles of heat above her hands, and Leya was staring at the ground beneath them. She looked up at him and nodded after a moment of staring.

“Ready.”

“Go!”

Stephen led the charge like normal, putting his heavy defenses between the team and the enemy. He vaulted off the ledge, and the others followed right behind.

As they landed, each of the four split their attention, focusing on their first tasks. Leya spun to face the entrance and slammed her hands into the rocky floor. The tunnel entrance that half the horde of Rittians had taken wobbled and rumbled, then sealed itself shut. Right before it closed, she saw the surprised and angry eyes of one of the robed Rittians with a rat monstrosity next to it.

Claudia’s job was to kill or disable the two giant rat things, but only one of them had actually remained in the chamber while they’d quickly discussed the plan, so she aimed for a secondary target. One of her two casts of Immolation, her strongest attack spell, shot out at one of the two Rittians holding up the green field while the other was aimed at its original target, the monster that was starting to turn towards them. The half-visible bundle of heat and magic looked like hot air coming off of a road on a summer day as it streaked across the room, right into one of the open, snarling mouths of the creature. The monster started to scratch and scramble at the ground as it prepared to charge when it suddenly froze. It twitched in place, once, twice, then it started frantically screeching and scratching at itself. It looked like it was trying to rip its own skin off. Between one second and the next, it burst into flame. Its entire body caught fire at the same moment with a wumph, and it collapsed to the ground. A few seconds later, it was a pile of ash.

A loud cracking noise startled him out of what he’d been about to say, and he turned towards it. The entrance that Leya had sealed with a sheet of stone had a large crack running across it. From inside, there was a green glow that was slowly getting bigger.

“Shit.” Stephen rushed over and positioned himself in front of the entrance as a stone staff pushed its way through the crack, covered in green energy that shifted and swirled around the weapon. For a moment, it looked like it shaped itself into biting mouths before the staff was pulled back behind the wall. A moment later, it pushed its way through again. Through the growing number of holes, Stephen could see the mage that had gone with the other half of the horde, as well as the mouth monster that had accompanied it, and at least part of the mass of Rittians, all coming back to kill them.

“If you guys could get over the mental attack and get your asses over here pretty soon, I’d be really happy!” Stephen called back.

“Working on it!” Claudia pushed herself up and started staggering over. By the time she’d made it over, she was walking smoothly again, and she pushed her hand close to one of the holes before letting out a stream of fire into the hallway beyond.

Kay managed to shake off the paralysis a few moments before Leya did, and they both made their way over to the rest of the group. Kay looked at the growing number of enemies slowly breaking their way into the same room as the party, then back over his shoulder at the small door the giant had pushed through.

“You three hold them off. With a chokepoint like this and your skill sets, you should be fine. I’m going after the giant.”

“I agree that we can hold this spot for a long time,” Stephen looked back as he crushed the bones in one of the reaching rat-like hands with his free hand, “But is it a good idea for you to go alone?”

“No, but I don’t know if only two of us can hold this against that many enemies, and someone needs to go stop the awakening or whatever is happening before it’s too late.”

Claudia stopped the flamethrower-like spell she was channeling and scowled at Kay. “That’s fucking stupid. Leya, push these fuckers back with another wall of rock, then drop a pit right in front of the tunnel. That will slow them down long enough for us to deal with the giant.”

Kay glanced away and tried to hide his blush. “Yep. Much better plan. Do that.”

Claudia patted him on the shoulder while Leya did some quick restructuring of the local geography. “Your head’s in the right place, and you’re doing pretty good for your level of experience, but you still need some practice.”

“Thanks.” Kay shouldered his halberd and grabbed his sword since the doorway looked small enough to hinder him from using his longer weapon. “Let’s go make sure we stop whatever the fuck this thing is and make sure I have time to get that practice.”