Chapter 225: This one is strong

Chapter 225: This one is strong

Mason followed in the wake of his lightning, bow infused with fiery arrows as he stepped into the open and started shooting. The goblins were shouting commands up and down the line, many loosing their own arrows once they saw him. He didn’t mind. He wanted the attention.

Darts and arrows zipped around him. Others struck. He watched weak poison messages flare. Most of the missiles that hit him fell, piercing maybe only half an inch into his flesh. It hurt, but pain was nothing.

His own arrows worked rather better.

Goblins fell with every shot, his arrows sinking into guts and chests as he stalked forward loosing with Endless Quiver, maybe a release a second. Maybe faster. He stopped to deflect a javelin, seeing more of the raiders were gathering now and coming for him. He activated Aspect of the Cheetah, summoned a Claw, then ran straight towards his true targets.

The trolls had all but destroyed the gate, but it seemed the defenders had stacked up a giant pile of wood behind it. Good work, Carl, Mason thought, only a few seconds from the giant beasts.

Apparently one of them was on fire. Though it didn't seem to stop it. Both creatures wore metal breastplates and guards on their limbs, with thick gorgets around their necks. Mason activated Ranger's Mark as he approached, but found pretty much what he expected: magically-protected, regenerating, giant murder machines with organs surrounded by bone.

Ten feet from his target the air around him seemed to thicken.

Mason's movement slowed like he'd struck water, every step a struggle as he felt he dragged his body through mud.

[Apex Predator: Arcane Affinity activated]

The air sizzled, then flashed with light. Mason growled as pain arched through his body, and he realized he'd hit some kind of magical trap.

He turned and scanned the clearing, soon seeing a robed goblin with hands outstretched, attention now entirely on Mason. He'd been too focused, he realized, too rushed, and hadn't seen the damn thing.

He banished his Claw and lifted his bow, loosing a Power Shot that seemed to struggle with the same spell he was trapped in. The missile moved about a foot a second, and the wizard crackled with growing power as Mason watched helplessly. So he closed his eyes and focused on his own spell, preparing Inner Fire, not sure if it would help.

The wizard's spell finished. A pillar of fire erupted from his hands, spinning across the clearing like a bullet train, lancing straight into Mason's chest.

[Apex Predator: Elemental Affinity activated]

The force of it pushed him back, and Mason at least felt the trap that had held him break. His whole front flared with pain, then numbed, and Mason just covered his face and twisted, trying to escape and advance.

When the flames finally subsided, he saw his goblin bow was burnt to a crisp. He dropped it and walked forward as he summoned his Claws, but struggled to hold them. He looked down to see his whole torso was severely burned, his hands half charred, the smell of his own roasting flesh in his nostrils.

"Still alive," he growled hoarsely, watching Transformation flare and get to work. The wizard's eyes widened as he charged.

"Kill him!" it shrieked as it fell back, and Mason saw an armored goblin coming to intercept with a handful of guards.

Aspect of the Cheetah was down. Mason was still fast but not fast enough to catch what was surely another teleporting wizard. He considered turning back and working at the trolls, but he couldn't let that bastard channel. He had to get past the guards, and keep pressure on him.

Blake hopped down from the creature's arms and straightened his ruffled pants. For a moment all the goblins just stared, as if they too were dumbfounded, unsure what the hell they were looking at. Blake grinned, and his eyes glazed as arcane power swirled around him.

"You heard him," he said, voice modulated as with some electronic device. "Guards. Attack. Now."

* * *

As was often the case with the arrival of Blake, bedlam followed.

Mason watched half a dozen goblins turn on the wizard, throwing their nets and bouncing javelins off his arcane shield.

"Weak minded fools!" the creature shrieked, then vanished in a puff of smoke.

Another armored goblin was shouting in the trees, and dozens of the creatures were charging out to join the fray. The black-scarfed rogue took the opportunity to reach into his pocket, and throw a cloud of dust in Mason's direction.

No doubt he should have dodged. But Mason was pissed off. He charged right through it with his eyes closed, watching his titles flare and opening his eyes just in time to see the blade thrusting for his throat.

But he'd activated his Shield gem as he charged, and the blade stopped short. Mason bowled his opponent over with weight and speed. Then he dropped the shield and just tried to grab the slippery bastard.

He ripped dark clothing but the rogue managed to roll away. He should have kept going. Instead the goblin stopped and slashed, and Mason simply took the blow on a Sleeve before tackling his foe to the ground. He curled a hand on the creature's wrist, and squeezed.

Bone snapped as Mason held the dagger at bay, then summoned his smaller Claw and pushed it wordlessly into the creature's chest. It gurgled and spat blood, but otherwise died in silence.

[Greenblood Nightblade killed. Group experience gained.]

Then Mason was up and ready to be swarmed by goblins, but when he turned he saw Blake's...statues...were surrounding them in a semi-circle, slaughtering anything that got too close with spears and maybe picks wielded from multiple arms. Streak howled in the trees, and his pack took up the hunting call as the sounds of tearing flesh and goblin screams grew louder.

"You see where that wizard went?" Mason said to his brother, banishing anything but practicality for now as he re-summoned his Claws.

"Behind that pack of trolls, I expect."

"What pack of...oh." Mason watched as a wall of armored green flesh emerged from deeper in the woods. They were surrounded by armored goblins with prodders and whips, led by yet another armored goblin, this one with a plumed helmet like a damned Roman centurion.

"I'm here, y'all," Becky shouted as she came panting out of the trees. "Did I miss it? I'm too damn...aw hell."

Mason sighed, but felt better by the second, his Transformation power doing its work.

The armored goblin cracked his whip, and along with dozens of 'handlers', at least six more trolls roared and charged.