Whatever is in there bangs the glass again. The crack grows. Taking a step back, I mind the insects as they chatter maddeningly. It's like they've suddenly all broken down.
From beyond the glass. a roar.
"ALRIGHT EVERYONE, CLEAR OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN NOW!" a student hollers through a megaphone and those who haven't gotten the memo start to go.
"Liada, go." I tell her, beginning the process of shoving her ahead before another tremor strikes. Planting my feet, I keep us upright and blast some magic up when rocks start to fall. Patting her along, I leap elsewhere in the mountain and start to handle other bits of debris. Digging my claw in tight, I set my brow and look around for all those who seem to be too slow.
"You heard the man, let's go people!" a student calls out, waving the others along and a shadow grows above. Striking out, some below cry out in pain at the little cuts they get and I roll off with the majority. Throwing away the stone I look back the way I came and look at my claws.
"Liada..." I mutter, hopping up onto some crates to get a better view.
I spot her.
"Liada!" I bark, rushing her way and pulling up a student who can't seem to prioritise their safety. I slap away whatever it is they are carrying and push them along.
"What?" Liada goes.
"Shield, now." I order, gesturing at the problems threatening to fall and what is already coming down. She acts quickly and we gain a defensive ceiling for the moment. Moving away, I head towards where people might be injured and get to work. Stabbing one hand under the knocked-over equipment, I heave it up, almost breaking it in the process.
A tearful girl clutches onto one of her classmates and hobbles off, a slight trail of blood behind her. Going over to get more stuff out of the way, I clean up the escape route and hopefully bulk up the glass with something. Spotting where I was arguing with Liada, I stare at the pile of dust growing there. I stomp on an insect and note how it's not them.
Whatever this glass is meant to keep restrained, there's a leak. A leak that I made. Whatever's happening, this is my fault. Best I can do for now, though, is keep everyone safe, help them get out of here.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Moving past some more students, I head up to the growing dust. It gets to the foot of a light and the thing collapses, glass smashing although it only hit sand. The magic within it pops and bursts, vanishing without a trace. My vision changes and I see truly what is happening.
"All the magic in the area is..." I struggle to finish, the rock behind me spooking me a little too close to the dust. Some of it makes it around the bottom of my foot and I feel queasy but otherwise fine. Not something I want to test the limits of, however. I turn and get back to the evacuation.
Not many people are left, whoever is still in here has made it to the exit. It's a little clogged but we seem to be getting out of here. Blinking at some of the yelling going on, I hop up and exfiltrate with the rest of them. The Orbital-Halo's light enters my sight and I step out into it, glancing up the mountain as much as I can.
Some birds are flying off elsewhere in a panic and the great stone thing is shaking. Looking the way of the train, I see how everyone is being loaded aboard it. Although not its intended use, the cargo lift is being made use of and the staff are joining in the evacuation. One of the guards back here approaches and gestures.
"Come on you, we've done all we can." he tells me, motioning for the path and I frown.
"Right." I let out, leaping over the crowd and manoeuvring my way past the station's building. Popping out onto the platform, I find Liada again, seemingly lost in her panic.
"I can't find Baltanthan!" she lets out upon seeing me.
"He might already be on the train." I point out, trying my best to feel out for his magic. But, there's too many here and whatever is going on inside the mountain is getting worse. A large chunk of its top suddenly caves in on itself like a pitfall trap.
"He's not here, Nin!" Liada seems confident enough to say.
Nodding at her, I pat her towards the train and rush out of the platform. Throwing my arm back, I latch onto the mountain and leap higher and higher. Finding the breach, my eyes widen and just how big it is and I dive in, magic all around. Landing with a boom, I gulp a little at how violent it is not meant to be.
"Whatever you are..." I mutter uncomfortably, taking in the details. Surveying what I can in the chamber, my eyes lock onto the spreading field of dust and the growing series of cracks. The glass is holding but I can see a great shadow beyond the pale breaks. It's growing, no, standing taller and taller.
This thing is still getting up!
"BALTANTHAN!" I roar out against the noise of the dying stone. No one replies. Growling, I close my eyes and focus my magic senses about the chamber. I flinch in pain at the dust.
Even just trying to get my bearings is painful next to this stuff.
I fill my lungs again, "BALTANTHAN!"
What sounds like a door being smashed open reaches my ears and I snap towards it. Waiting just a little bit, my body tenses and I leap in its direction, rolling through whatever debris has accrued. More fills its place and then collapses further towards the dust. I don't hear the sound of a boulder striking down, only puffs.
"Gods dammit, where are you!?" I pointlessly demand to know, trudging closer to what sounds like the sound of rummaging.
Another roar leaves me reeling.