Page 185 of Rebirth Of Order
Summoning a sigil–nothing happens. Again and again, but still nothing appears.Why isn’t it working?I still sense my magic at play,meaning the shield remains here and in place. Being low on magic wouldn’t hinder a sigil…would it?
Shrieks and devouring growls track closer by the second, and a much different, harsher reality sinks in. Save myself or all three of us will perish. My training hasn’t nearly prepared me for such a moment, but I’m not ready to give up yet.
“New plan, you two stay here and hidden. Don’t move, and regardless of what happens, stay in this shield.” Pebbles tremble as the glooms’ roaring battle cries grow louder.
Backing away, I pull on more of my aura, sending a sting throughout my veins as magic draws to my hands. Then creating two large crescent blades, I launch them towards the outsides of their ranks, not giving them a chance to flank me on all sides.
Readying my daggers, ensuring I’m far enough from the minis, I know this may possibly be my last stand. Dust settles, showcasing I’ve managed to take out three, maybe four, rows of their ranks, but my gaze is locked on a mountainous beast and gargantuan glooms that still race towards us.
Terror commands my decision as more magic swells from inside. Creating two–three–four more crescents, I make them fly, exploding on impact.
I take a knee, but it’s too late. The smaller glooms are much quicker, closing the distance using determination and hunger, hoping my soul is worth taking. One bursts from the ground, a few feet in front, and my reflexes strike for its head, spewing black blood as I pull my dagger and stand.
Another leaps from behind, snarling and latching onto my back, digging its vine-like fingers into my clothes and piercing skin. I howl in pain, but adrenaline returns fiercer than ever, turning this into a wrestling match between life and death.
Falling back, I feel a winded shriek burn my ears, but the foul beast continues its hold. Gripping my cheek with its other hand, it draws blood. I raise my dagger, striking and slashing behind me, hitting it or dirt until my muscles ache.
Heavy steps draw near when the scratching stops, and I promptly stand, finding one of the most terrifying glooms towing above. Its companions wait and watch, seeming afraid of the one drooling puddles of black tar.Fuck. He’s. Big.Even my thoughts are winded.
Blue smoke filters around my ankles, glittering with a gentle touch, enough that even this monstrosity takes notice. Magic crawls up its frame, twisting, binding, and shrouding it in the mists, and I flutter a few blink. That’s all it takes for organs and ink-ish blood to shoot skyward.
Impaled by thick spikes of solid blue light, more fog comes from behind them and wraps the smaller ones in its embrace.
“Don’t stand there; I can use some help,” Yasmine announces, and I can’t turn fast enough.
Covered in both red and black fluids, her outfit is damn near ripped to shreds, exposing more flesh than I’m sure she enjoys. But damn am I happy to see her.
“Yas,” I shout as she steps closer, buckling against my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m better. Now.” The wrinkles across her forehead tattle, giving away she is worse off than me. “Tell me you’re not alone and the others are around.” I demand, lifting her back on both feet.
“Wait, you were separated too?”
Heavy feet pound towards us, and with a hasty glance back, a sharp pain spreads from my center as four crystal daggers materialize and fire, striking four glooms through their chests and detonating. Even more are slaughtered from the explosion.
“Damn, Kyra. No wonder you took down Tish so easily.” Yasmine attempts at joking.
“The others, and where’s Ashlyn?” I take this moment to breathe.
“Yeah, we were ambushed.” She flings more energy around us, taking out tens of their kind. “Ash went one way, and I another. Not allowing them to close us in, it felt like the best option–shit!”
I turn, aligning shoulder to shoulder as five smaller ones strideour way, on top of a fucking half man half horse that follows them. “What the hell is that?”
“Centaur, or at least it was before they got ahold of it.”
Not taking a chance on witnessing what a centaur can do, I fling my metal dagger across the field, striking its eye and taking those around it out with the accompanying explosion. “Did you see anyone else? Alex, Russ–”
“No, but traces of them were left on my way here. I assume they too were ambushed.”
My breath shakes, and my lungs burn from what has transpired. But fate has more in store as she sends two colossal glooms bounding our way. “Russ, shit, I forgot about this.” Pulling my collar back, I reveal his gift. “Ivy!”
A fog of lightless smoke detaches from my skin, growing larger, until–
“Ivy? He leant you, Ivy?” Yasmine says, pulling me back.
“What does…Oh. Damn.”
Taking shape, is by far the third largest beast I’ve seen–a black panther, riddled with tyrian, purple markings, two thick tails, and muscles lining her frame. She leaps for the first gloom, landing claws deep in its chest, sending them both toppling over. Ivy snaps her jaws, biting the gloom’s head clean off, and continues with the second.
