The chittering of the sky becomes a melody accompanied by a deep rumbling beneath the ground, punctuated by the eerily unnatural swaying of trees along the forest edge. Never before have I seen the ground move in such a way, bubbling up like a boiling pot that’s ready to burst.
“Damn.” Brogo grunts, a bit of spittle falling from his wide lips. “To late to move, get behind me!” He bellows out, his deep gruff voice having no nonsense behind it. “Whatever it is, I won’t let it through.” He plants his feet firm into the ground like a mighty tree digging its roots deep into the earth. Taking a shield from the training ring, he holds it aloft like a mountain standing the break the very wind that courses around it.
I could see he was strong, courageous. So far, I had only known him as a mentor, he’s taught us, observed us. But this, seeing this I wonder if this is what will be expected of us. Far more than just learning how to fight but learning how to stand between those who can’t fight and danger. In the moment, I don’t think that’s something you can teach someone. But at the same time, I want to be like him. That is the dream that they sold me, that I could stand like him, like a wall against whatever torrent may come.
My head is pulled from the clouds and back to the moment as everyone does move, allowing him to stand between us and whatever shakes the very ground to its core. Astra to moving to my side, grabbing at my arm with her free hand. Rilla rushes behind me, I can feel her frail hands quiver again as she grabs at my shirt. Robin, having abandoned the sparring ring and her training equipment to duck behind us as well, standing behind Rilla.
A sound like a hefty drum being struck sounds out as the ground stops churning and breaks, giving way to the creature to launch itself into the light of the setting sun. I could see already to the sides, as Brogo stands in front of us, to the left Akosh who was supervising the obstacle course rushing towards whatever monster awaits to emerge. To our right, a female mentor, a long silky dress of pink and white and soft brown hair tied with an oversized soft white ribbon. Mikala who was watching over the sprinting track along that side of the field. I’ve seen her a few times giving lessons to Robin. Now as I see her, thin lines form themselves in the air around her. Little lights leading the strands of mystical energy as they glow and surge forth in an everchanging multitude of colors. They wrap themselves around her arms, around the ground beneath her, even her waist as they form intricate patterns that I couldn’t possibly comprehend. Magic. The air begins to swirl around her, pulling itself inwards as she too prepares for whatever comes.
For that brief moment, I feel at ease, as if there is no need to worry. But that feeling of protection is shattered as the ground when the beast bursts forth. It is massive, towering above even Brogo. A pangolin like creature, it isn’t at all what I expected. But it towers tall, must be at least twenty feet or more in height as it rears back onto its legs. Yet, strangely its snout as it points towards the sky has been reinforced and armored with a thick brass plate that runs along its head, straps of leather seems to hold it in place an keeps the beast’s mouth shut like a muzzle. Around its neck a large brass ring, spiked, looking brutal but elegant, as it dangles with several long vine looking ropes that tie to rings along this collar.
Those who adorned the beast eager to reveal themselves begin pouring from the tunnel it had opened into the field. Strange looking people, grey skinned and ghoulish looking. Tight checks and gaunt sunken faces. Long jaws with slightly outstretched looking faces, hunched backs, long muscular yet gangly arms each coming to a three fingered hand with long claws. Long pointed bat-like ears, next to light colored hair. Each of them adorned with odd clothing, thick black leathers bulky and lined with furs accented with red and white cloths. Some wore long capes stitched of red and white. Others wore them like scarves concealing their long gaunt necks. Each carried various weapons made with blades of bronze that glimmer faintly as if they were bespeckled with tiny stars as they are exposed to the evening light. Fancy handles of thick black or brown leather that each of these creatures grip tightly. Each one after the other letting an eerie hiss pour forth from their thin lips as they storm onto the field, revealing their dirty sharp teeth and pointed tongues.
“The damn Chthonian.” Brogo huffs out as he braces against the swinging claws of the giant pangolin. A loud thunk sounds out as the claws dig into the soft wood. I can see them protrude as they pierce the shield.
To the sides I watch Akosh charge the monsters Brogo called chthonian. His long red leather vest to protect him as he draws the blade from his hip. I’ve never seen him with a real weapon. As he draws it metal of the long blade separates coiling out like a serpent, cracking like a whip. Nor have I ever seen such a weapon. With a flick of his arm and wrist, not slowing his approach the serpent like blade lashes against the ground tearing apart the grass and dirt as continues to elongate itself unnaturally. With a snap the bladed whip cracks against the side of one of the intruders. A horrible ripping sound pulses from the area as the creatures arm is torn from its body. Lifelessly coursing through the air till it lands not so far away with a wet thump. Purplish blood oozing against the grass. I feel Rilla’s grip tightening as a soft worried sound escapes her.
Meanwhile to the other side I see Mikala, wind still flowing around her. Wrapping her over like a protective cocoon. As her hands open wide her soft looking face and pouty pursed lips press together with all her focus as a pulsing gust of wind bellows from her. The grass in front of her cascading like a wave at the shore. The gust impacts the few of the chthonic who turned their attentions towards her. This takes her would be assailants by surprise it seems as they are swept from their feet.
Brogo struggles against the massive beast in front of him, though he is strong and large as well he doesn’t seem to have a weapon with him to fight back against it. Instead he wrestles with it best he can, trying to push it around and get it down to the ground. However, there are just too many for the three of them. It isn’t long before the surging emergence of chthonic from the deep dark tunnel begin to fan out and surround us. A sense of panic flowing over the other students, the beady eyes of the chthonic sunken and yellow look over all of us with ill intent. The first begin to attack us.
All around us shouting breaks out as kids from other classes do as they can to pick up training weapons and shield to defends themselves from the onslaught. People begin to separate an break from the tight group we had formed behind Brogo. With little hesitation Astra leaps into action, dropping Robin’s staff as she pushes passed the kids from other classes that stand in her way. Hastily she grabs at the moon shaped blade that had been clasped tightly into the severed arm of the chthonian that had flown towards us. Screams and yelling fill the air behind us as others are attacked by the chthonic. Astra flings herself into battle with the nearest monster to her. Preoccupied as it is, sinking its long great sword like blade into one of the other students, piercing through the side of his shield and down into the boys hip. With a swift powerful swing she reaches up the blade sinking it into the monster’s neck. Both hands along the small hilt she rips with all her force. I hear her yelling to the top of her lungs as she tears into him. A rip as the blade frees itself from his flesh, its purple blood dripping onto the wounded boy before them. Dropping to the side and collapsing its eyes roll back as Astra delivers a quick blow to its head to ensure it won’t get back up.
Joining her Emila grabs at the blade the monster impaled in the older boy. He groans as she pulls it from him. Astra cast her eyes towards Emila, looking at the wounded boy, moth slightly agape. The astonished look on her face looked as though she was about to go off and scream at Emila, however there is little time for that. Emila brings the blade to Astra to trade for the smaller crescent blade she holds. Together the rush to the next chthonian assaulting the boy Emila had defeated in her duel. Now he stands with the cruel boy, their class leader trying to fend off their own chthonic.
All the while not far to my other side, the faitan girl does her best to keep one of the chthonic at bay with her staff protecting a group of younger students. Looking back to the two who’ve sheltered themselves behind me, Rilla and Robin. I know that this must know be my chance, to grasp the dream they’ve given me. That they need me to help defend them. Maybe that I’m not as physically as strong as Astra or as quick as Emila, but if I join them together, if I help that girl, we can push them away until someone can help us. That is what buzzes through my mind as begin to step forward.
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I grab the only thing nearby that I could think to use as weapon, Robin’s staff. I would have to ask her to forgive me later, I needed it now to help. That thought is quickly stricken from my mind as I lift the thing from the ground. Everything seems to fade from reality. An inexorable dreadful feeling washes over me as my cheeks feel flush and hot to the touch. The dread of looking beyond to the endless ocean stretching into a never-ending horizon, to a mountain that stretches far beyond the clouds to the very stars themselves. A light, a fire feels as though it fills my chest wholly. I begin to sweat profusely, like an inner fire that couldn’t be snuffed out threatens to immolate me. In the nothingness of my mind, like a still pond suddenly interrupted by a falling leaf causing ripples. I feel myself drop into that pond, my own ripples along the water intermingling and finally matching that of the leaf. I feel a connection with this thing, whatever it is, whatever magic or other incomprehensible force lies within.
My mind snaps back to the world around me, lifting the pole it ignites. Burning brightly and brilliantly, yet the staff itself showing not signs of charring. I don’t think, my feet move of their own volition. Everything feeling far to warm, like a burning summer day. As if the very sun itself was bearing down on me. The chthonian seems deeply off put by the appearance of the fire as I swing the staff towards it. The girl stepping aside, a look of astonishment about her face while the monster is unable to look upon the fire with wide eyes, it shields its face while I strike. The creature hisses out as the burning staff connects to its skin.
As its forearm reddens where the blow connected, glowing even. The monster ignites where it had been struck, the burning flesh crackles as it grows brighter still. Till a sudden burst, an explosion of hot air rushes passed me threatening to burn my skin, leaving it red and sore as the creature’s arm is torn from him. It stumbles back in terror as the fire continues to engulf it. All the while I feel my temperature rising, like a bad fever. I don’t think I could take this much longer, yet I don’t think I can drop it. I need to protect them, no one else has any real weapons and there are too many of them. These thoughts repeat to me, over and over as I point the thing towards the small group of chthonic assaulting one of the classes to our side.
I feel something well up from inside me, like a downpour collecting and puddling I feel it grow until I can not contain it, my inner self collapses. An unquenchable flame pours, spraying from the end of the staff bellowing out like a dragon’s breath is described in the tales. It engulfs the area in front of me. The chthonic hiss as the fire ignites them. One of the students nearby is nearly caught in the flames, weaving magic lines around himself a shimmer bubble appears around him as he crouches to the ground covering his head, the fire cascading around it harmlessly to the boy. The classmate nearby him however wasn’t so lucky as her arm is caught in the blaze, she quickly pulls back dropping to the ground like a tree struck by lightning. Her scream hits my ears yet, the fire rages out of my control.
That is until I feel another set of ripples join I and the leaf in the pond. Like another wave that crashes into us both. I feel another, as Robin’s small body presses against me, her small hand grasping the staff with me. In the moment I feel another calm. I can feel her, more than just her body. It’s as if our souls touch one another, together we maintain the blaze. I feel her will to stem it as I join her in stifling the fire, leaving the burning chthonic to scramble for their lives. Looking back to her, into her grey eyes as if I can see far deeper. Together we turn it towards the pangolin as Brogo tackles it with all his Higan might. Sending the massive thing tumbling back a couple steps. The fire again expels cascading in a sort of malevolent indiscriminate beauty of destructive force. It engulfs the side of the creature leaving it burning. The both of us huffing, I can see the sweat as well beginning to pour down Robin’s cheeks. Flush red as if suffering from a sunburn.
We look towards several of the other monsters who begin to spread away from one another, now slowing their assault and looking on with caution. My eyes scan ahead of us until I hear a loud clash of blade to wood behind us. I yank the staff nearly knocking Robin down as I turn to the source of the sound. Just to see the foreign looking boy joined by Astra, defending us now from another that has tried to attack us from behind. I couldn’t possibly turn the staff on that one. Even the both of us together, can’t seem to control it enough. So, I look on with bated breath. Astra however seems to have her own fire within her, a since of desperation about her scrunched face wielding the large blood covered blade as the monster brings the boy to his knees blade sinking into shield and shoulder. His blood pouring down his side as he is no match for the grown creature’s full strength bearing down upon him. A tear rolling down his cheek. All her might goes into her swing like a roaring crashing a lighting splitting apart an unsuspecting tree she digs the blade into the chthonian, ripping it through its vulnerable flesh, getting caught upon its leathers. Its blood pooling out into the grass. Yet it still hasn’t fallen, it musters the last bit of its strength. A sickening slurp of a sound as the monster pulls its blade from the boy guarding us, to only turn it on Astra. It hesitates not to strike her in the thigh, digging the blade into her she falls to her knee. A yelp of pain boils from her as it digs and twists leaving her blood to drip and join its own along the grassy field.
Another boy from our class, slightly older than I am. His round face and shaggy golden-brown hair, join us striking the monster in the head with one of the training blades. Followed by further assistance from the Faitan girl who with a loud crack hits the monster along the other side of its head with as much force as she can muster. Dazed as it is, Astra rips her stolen blade from its side swinging it again into the monsters neck. It gives up a cough of blood into our direction, splattering slightly along Robin and I. I hear it faintly, as it speaks through garbled words, ones that I can’t understand, before collapsing to the ground.
Lost in the scene before me I didn’t even notice at first as now Akosh has made his way over, standing over us. He reaches his arm down, yanking the staff from us and tossing it to the side in the grass. His calloused hand dropping to my head, ruffling my hair, the other to Robins shoulder.
“It’s over you two, it’s alright.” He says again, as he does plastering a smile to his face. “Good job.” He continues with a pat to my hair.
My eyes looking around, several slain of these chthonic monsters lay about the field now. I try my best to avert my gaze from those that have been wounded. However, I can’t help but look over to the boy from which Emila took the great sword, motionless in the grass. I feel for a moment sick in my gut. I want to throw up from everything. I don’t know if I want to be here anymore. Thoughts swarm in my head, unable to quell them. However, there is some calm brought to me, as Robin presses against me. The back of her head pressing to my chest. She’s covering her own mouth, looking somewhat sick.
“Hey, no no, hold it.” Akosh ushers out of his mouth in Astra’s direction as she tries her best to stand. “The medics are coming. Just sit tight.” He lifts his hand to wave towards those that have begun coming from the building. Assistants, those that themselves are not mentors. But still work hard on things from cooking to cleaning, to now bandaging. Ten or more have already exited the building to start tending to those who are hurt.
Looking out at the sudden devastation that seemingly came from nowhere. I wonder back, to if this is what things were like during the goblin raid before I was born. All who lived through it said it was awful, and horrible, any bad word they could use to describe it they would utter out without hesitation to revile those events and the goblins themselves. Even still, I had never heard of Chthonians, nor seen an animal that big. This was my first time really seeing magic in action, even more than that, this is the first time I’ve ever held a magical item. I don’t know what to make of all of it. For now, I just look upon Astra as the medics have removed the blade, she bites down on a hard piece of leather while they swiftly bandage her leg, turning it red as they wrap it around her again and again. Robin rests against me, and Rilla joins my side looking me over. Softly she presses my skin to watch its beat red appearance go white under the tip of her finger just to turn red again as she releases it. It brings a soft smile to myself, at least out of everyone here my friends are still okay. Mostly. I let myself fall back on the soft grass, watching in the distance as Mikala douses the lingering flames with her magic, pulling water from the air in a small cyclone snuffing it out of existence.
Why even had such beings attacked us, why did they come here? I wonder. It plagues my mind. I remember my father told me that when the goblins came, they killed, they took people, they took supplies and food whatever else they wanted. Some fought back and were killed. But, these chthonian looked to have the singular intent on just killing all of us, it sends a shiver into my bones to think that. Did they want something else? I don’t know why this did this, but I understand better now why adventurers and heroes are needed. I want my friends, and everyone I care for to be okay. So I steel myself with that resolve, despite what may come next.