Chapter 76: Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide

Chapter 76: Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide

Back up the mountain they went, then down. Jad muttered the entire way, and they ignored him.

Before long they were on the same plateau theyd camped at previously. As Xerxes stood at the edge and looked down, the road seemed clear. There was no stream of movement like before.

See, the paths clear, Dasi said. Itll be a straight run, right back the way we came.

Then a muffled booming sound reached their ears, from behind them and further up the mountain.

What the hell was that? Jad said.

Everyone turned to look back up the mountain. Due to the terrain and trees, it wasnt possible to see the source of the noise.

We were just up there Xerxes said.

Kashtiliash frowned. We should go.

They started moving. Down the mountain slope and back to the road. There was clear evidence of the mass movement of Abhorrent, the road having been torn by countless clawed feet. Their stink still lingered in the air as well. In fact, the road was in such bad shape that they had to stick to the side. They ran.

Five minutes later, the ground shook beneath their feet so violently that Dasi lost her footing and fell, tumbling across the ground in a cloud of dust for several cubits before stopping herself.

Xerxes skidded to a stop and looked back.

This is bad, he said.

At the base of the mountain, just below the plateau where theyd camped, as a massive Abhorrent. It was the same type as the one that had decimated Black Jackal Company, except bigger. It was prbably a hundred cubits in height.

Its at least a stage four or five juvenile, Katayoun said. But it could theoretically be a stage six. Or even mature.

It had four limbs that spread out in four directions from a bulbous torso. The limbs bent downward, ending in massive hands that could well have been human if they werent so massive. Xerxes saw no eyes, mouth, or any other distinguishing features. From this distance, it wasnt possible to see what kind of hide the creature had, but it seemed to be covered with some sort of writhing fur.

If it was mature, wed be dead already, Dasi said.

P-Pontifarch save us, Jad muttered.

Xerxes gritted his teeth. The Pontifarch isnt going to do a damn thing. We need to run. Now.

He turned and ran, pushing himself to accelerate as rapidly as possible. Kat was at his side.

They ran. About thirty seconds later, Xerxes looked over his shoulder. The Abhorrent hadnt moved.

What the hell is it doing? he yelled.

Kashtiliash was a few paces ahead and to the right. He glanced back. Getting ready.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

They ran a bit more. He looked back again.

Its coming! he yelled.

We cant outrun it, Dasi shouted.

Kat, what about Slow Death? Xerxes asked.

She thought for a moment as she ran, then said, It would take hours to kill a High Archon. A stage three juvenile would take something like two days to die. A stage six? Almost twice that long.

Xerxes looked back again. The massive Abhorrent was picking up speed, its four hand-limbs slamming into the ground as it crawled across the ground.

Rabya had taught them to pick the battleground whenever possible when fighting Abhorrent. Use terrain to your advantage. On the disastrous overland journey to Puabi, theyd never had that option.

What about now?

He thought about the lands theyd crossed, as well as what he remembered from the map. Nothing came to mind as an ideal location to deal with the kind of monster that was pursuing them right now. It had apparently scaled a mountain and jumped down the other side with ease. Any nearby terrain that would cause a problem for it would cause even more problems for them.

We can hide, Jad shrieked. In a cave or something.

Xerxes glanced at the mountains to the right. It was true that there were caves. They had passed some on their recent ascent and descent. But could they find a cave deep enough that this beast couldnt just bury them in it?

He looked back. It was only a few hundred cubits from them. There wasnt any more time. Just as he turned his head away, something attracted his attention. The Abhorrent was doing something different.

It had planted its forward hands on the ground, and the back two arms swung through the air.

His eyes widened.

Off in the distance, one of the enormous hands lifted up off the ground, moved forward, then slammed back down. The thing was moving again.

Wild plans flashed through Xerxes mind. What if Dasi shapeshifted into a huge wooden spike, and he physically stabbed her into the things center? No, too complicated and risky. What if Jad cast Stronghold Deflection around the Abhorrent, trapping it in place? No, Jad had never mastered the rune.

Fuck, he muttered. Kash, its too risky considering you cant cast Minor Augmentation. Alright Dasi, you shrink it. Ill jump over and try to stab its brain.

No way, Katayoun said, stepping over and grabbing his arm. Its too dangerous.

The Abhorrent was accelerating rapidly in their direction. They didnt have much time.

Its our best bet, he said. He reached to his component pouch and drew out some stibnite talc.

Youre not going alone, Kashtiliash said.

I am. Keep Kat safe. Shes our lifeline if anything goes wrong.

The massive Abhorrent was closing in.

Dasi, get ready, he said.

I already am.

Then the giant Abhorrent loomed over them. Three of its massive limbs were planted on the ground, while one of the front appendages bent back, causing its hand to lift high overhead.

Its gonna smack us! Katayoun said.

An idea popped into Xerxes mind.

Jad, he said. Cast Personal Deflection as a flat disc, right when the hand drops. If the shield pops into being, itll either sever the hand or trap it in place.

All four mages stared up as the hand began to fall toward them.

Jad, did you catch that? Xerxes looked over. Jad!

Jad was standing in place with his hand on his component pouch.

Get out of the way! Kashtiliash shouted.

Even as the hand blurred toward them, Jad reached into his pouch, grabbed some of his spellcasting component, and started tracing his hand through it.

However, Xerxes wasnt going to bet his own life that Jad would get the timing right. Kat, run! he shouted, then dashed parallel to the cliff line. He looked behind him as he ran, and saw melam flowing around Jad. Then a sparkling light.

He did it!

Except, instead of spreading out dramatically, the light surrounding Jad like a cocoon.

Thats not a disc shape. Hes protecting himself?

Xerxes bent his legs and jumped. Keeping the stibnite talc held tight in his fist, he flew through the air, narrowly getting out from under the massive hand as it slammed down behind him.

He rolled onto his shoulder, spun, and got back up. He started tracing the Asgagu Sebum rune.

Meanwhile, Dasi was also casting a spell. Melam surged around her, and she jumped forward. Her tiny hand slapped one of the Abhorrents huge fingers.

Where were Kashtiliash and Katayoun?

The fingers of the giant hand dug deep into the soil of the cliff, grabbing a massive amount of dirt that it took with them as the hand backed away.

Within that clump of dirt was a glimmer of light.

It has Jad, he thought. Please tell me he has some sort of plan.

He spotted Kashtiliash and Katyoun several cubits away, on the other side of a massive handprint that now created a sort of ravine between them. They were safe.

This is my chance.

He took a running leap off the cliff.

As he did, Dasis spell began to work. The gigantic Abhorrent twitched as it shrank. Of course, it only affected the creature itself, so dirt began to spill out of its clenched hand.

Xerxes kicked his legs in midair as he flew toward it.

He slammed into its forearm. The flesh was grayish and wrinkled. The hand-limbs swayed away from him. As the gigantic monster shrank beneath him, he cast Minor Augmentation.