Nearly everyone sat, stunned for a moment. Both humans and Neidyr gaped at the bloody mess that had once been a tall and proud warrior, and the snow that had been kicked up all around it. I noticed dully that the ripple had vanished after moving for long enough, and that it had fortunately missed anyone from our side.
Unfortunately, it had missed the other three enemies as well, and I instantly focused on them, shifting my direction slightly so that I was still baring down on them at insane speeds, legs burning and ears hurting from whatever had just happened. I hit the first warrior like an Arthus, all my weight and momentum put behind my initial strike.
I had been the only one to keep moving while everyone else was stunned, too focused to care about whatever had just happened, so I took my first enemy totally off guard. It managed to get its’ swords up in a big X just in time to block my strike, but I had put both swords behind it as well, and the weight of my attack knocked it off balance. I kept my right blade on my enemy’s swords, holding both down, while I brought my left-hand blade up, slashing at the creature’s neck.
My blade passed through that neck with little resistance, decapitating it. Two down.
I hardly had time to celebrate, though. The fiend’s partner had recovered at around the same time, and it had turned its’ head directly at me, power welling up for its’ own breath attack. I had committed so thoroughly to killing my second opponent, that I didn’t even notice before it was too late. I tried to jump back, but I could tell in that split second that I wouldn’t be able to avoid the flame breath.
A spear passed right through the Neidyr’s neck.
The attack arrested the flame with extreme prejudice, just at the last moment. Yellow eyes bulged as the fire ran amok within the creature’s throat, billowing out in little gouts of flame from its’ wounds and mouth as the creature staggered and fell over, very clearly dead.
I frantically looked around to try to find the last enemy. That stab was obviously Julia but if she had left herself vulnerable to hit that attack, the last fighter could have capitalized on that opening. I saw her panting to my left, bruised and bloody but not apparently mortally wounded. But no fourth Neidyr.
Looking around a bit more slowly this time, I saw our last opponent bolting across the snow in the opposite direction, all thought of trying to kill us totally abandoned. It was almost surreal to watch the deadly predator bolt away from us like a frightened mouse and a part of me wanted to go after him.
That part of me died when I collapsed from exhaustion. The world started spinning as my legs quit on me. All the adrenaline pumping through my system was only enough to keep me from falling on my face. I managed to catch myself before I did anything that embarrassing, and I pushed myself to one knee. But I struggled to move much more than that. I felt someone approaching me from behind and felt their hand on my shoulder. I finally relaxed when I realized who it was. Julia helped me sheath my swords and slid a hand under my torso to help me to my feet. We limped back to where the others had grouped up, supporting each other as best as we could. Though she did most of the carrying. I was amazed at how tired I was.
Ann was being fussed over by Lynn when we reached them, though her only wounds were a few broken ribs from a stiff kick. She looked more shocked than anything else, staring at me in a pale-faced mixture of awe and fear. When we got closer, Julia began to collapse as well, and I managed to muster up what little energy I had recovered to hold both of us up.
Lynn was on us in a flash, retrieving four berries and steadily feeding them to Julia. When she offered me some, though, I declined. I wasn’t injured, just bizarrely tired, and I made that clear. Ann had recovered well enough to come help us stand and, together, the three of us limped back into the paltry shelter.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Al had rejoined us at some point during the melee, so the whole group got the opportunity to huddle together in silence for a few moments. We took that time to catch our breath and bask in the knowledge that we were still alive. Ann was the first one to finally break the silence. Looking at me strangely, she said:
“What on earth was that, Steve?’
That only provoked more silence and a confused shrug from me:
“I couldn’t tell you. One moment, I’m running directly at you, the next that Neidyr is lying on the ground dead.”
“That thing got absolutely demolished.” She responded in an almost hushed voice, “It was bleeding from all over. What was that?’
“A sonic attack.” Victor supplied. We turned to look at him as he explained further:
“Sound is just the vibration of the air around us. Based on what I could see, the concentrated ripple that came out of Steve’s mouth was just a very powerful sound.”
“That was a sound? Can a sound really do that?” Ann responded, incredulously, to which he shrugged:
“Sound caused the avalanche we used to escape the Neidyr last time. We’re lucky we didn’t get another one just now. Point is, if a smaller sound can dislodge some snow, then a very large and focused sound could destroy all sorts of things. Theoretically, at least.”
“Or maybe not so theoretically, now.” I observed, and Victor nodded, conceding the point.
“But that’s not normal.” Julia mused, looking at me with some concern, “If he could yell like that normally, he would have destroyed all sorts of things before now.”
“It was my Gift.” I responded, shifting slightly under her gaze, “I felt it pounding right before the sonic attack. But how can a Gift do that?”
We all looked at Victor, who had gone thoughtful again, and waited with mounting impatience for him to say something. Eventually, he looked at us slyly, and said:
“Who says I know? Maybe that the kid is just a freak of nature.”
He withered a bit, under our collective glares and help up his hands in concession:
“All right, all right, I have a guess. Have any of you heard of a Technique?”
When we all shook our heads, he continued:
“In very rare instances, when Giftseeds are nurtured directly enough, an individual develops the capacity to perform extraordinary feats. The most common Technique through history, Berserker, causes one's skin to glow red and amplifies all physical abilities by a mind-boggling amount for a substantial period. But use of any Technique tends to be very taxing for an untrained user. They expend physical energy through use, and only time and training can modify that expenditure.”
“Why haven’t we heard about this before?” Ann demanded.
“In Brynn, knowledge of Techniques was generally forbidden to the youth and some of the older populace as well. They don’t manifest very often, and the village keeps knowledge about them quiet, since they are strategic assets. Plus, young people have a knack for chasing what they can’t have. Filling your heads with dreams of breathing fire and crushing boulders with your head is counterproductive, since almost none of you will get a Technique. Especially since knowledge about them would hardly help you get them. The dearth of Techniques mostly comes from the scarcity of the right kind of resources.”
“I think Dad had one.” A pang of sadness ran through me as I remembered my father facing down the Narbacor while glowing red.
“Indeed, he had Berserk.” Victor said, “And I believe Old Lady Corona had some sort of precognitive Technique, though that was never totally confirmed.”
We all chewed on that knowledge for a while, reminiscing on the past, before I eventually spoke up:
“So, what Technique do I have?”
“Search me, kiddo. I’m technically not even supposed to know about them. As if that ever stopped me. You could probably name the Technique after the Gift since your unique Gift obviously made it possible. Or you could name the Gift after the Technique given that the former doesn’t have a pre-established name.”
“Sovereign’s Roar! Or maybe Mighty Bellow!” Julia chimed in.
“Angry Yell.” Ann said, earning quizzical looks, to which she shrugged, “Hey, it’s accurate.”
Victor stroked his chin, thoughtfully, “You said your Gift had horn like structures that pointed forwards, right Steve?”
When I nodded, he continued:
“I didn’t think of it in the past, but that reminds me of another animal I once read about. Known as ‘Oxen’, they possess two horns that typically point forwards. They are generally placid and reliable creatures; however, they are very strong and can be deadly when provoked. You kind of sounded like a very deep voiced animal when you yelled out back then. Maybe call it the ‘Oxen’s Yell’?”
“Oxen’s Bellow!” Hope piped up, jumping a bit excitedly. I smiled a bit at her excitement and decided to give her the win:
“Oxen’s Bellow. That does sound good. Then I suppose that would make my Gift…”
Almost as one, the rest of the group chimed in:
“The Gift of the Bellowing Ox.”