Gigi waited next to me, xir hands tightening white against the bars of xir shield.
“What the hell is he doing?” I asked, activating [Thick Hide] as a precaution and drawing the glaive that Axel had made for me. He’d formed it from the same weapon from Test Name, incorporating further material from Jye’s Bunnings loot. The resulting polearm was sturdier and a length better suited for my height; the prior glaive user having been half a head taller than me. It was still a simple-looking weapon, but [Smithing] could only extend so far. I’d hoped Axel would be able to upgrade the ability eventually.
“He’s drawing them out,” Gigi said.
“With his own life?!” I cried, incredulousness rife in my voice.
It was beyond ridiculous. The idea belied the very essence of the man, of everything he’d shown us of his hand thus far. Adrien wouldn’t put his life on the line in such a ludicrous manner. In fact, I’d be hard pressed to think of anyone who’d do what he’d done, running in sword blazing. You’d have to be a certified lunatic. And if there was one thing I was sure of about Adrien, he was not so unhinged as that.
So what was really happening?
My mind raced to untangle the weaves of Adrien’s web, linking and connecting what I’d seen of his choices together, trying to find the pin that his scheme was centered on.
Seconds ticked by.
The overlapping roar of the mordexi guardians blasted through the nest, the bass of it quivering the frost-limed walls of the tunnel before us. They would be upon us soon, chasing Adrien’s fleeing form, there was no doubt. Their anger at the threat we posed to their hatchlings fuelling their movement, their speed increasing with their rage.
What was Adrien’s plan?!
The pounding claws of the beasts slammed into the hard ground, thundering toward Gigi and me. I could feel it vibrating the icy floor beneath our feet. Stilling the panic blooming in my chest, the familiar whisper of an attack on the cusp of my lungs, I narrowed my focus, remembering to breathe slowly and deeply. We were okay, and the others were okay. I had to continue to tell myself that, letting it repeat in the back of my mind; a mantra.
Everyone would be just fine.
As if someone were listening in, almost like a reassuring hand on my shoulder, the ping of experience points and credits began rolling in; the notifications appearing and disappearing into one another again and again.
Axel, Wren, and Jye were doing their part, cleaning up the horde.
They were fine.
~Mordexi Respawning: 10:00~
My thoughts resharpened, the anxiety of the countdown simmering away all my doubts.
Why had Adrien run in like that?
“They’re almost in proximity,” Gigi said, and I assumed xe’d use [Locate] again to check.
Again, I found myself longing for Axel’s trait. And not just that, the absence of him was like missing a limb. I wasn't as calm, wasn't as collected. Without the reassurance of him by my side, a taut high insecurity threaded through my body, each of my movements tight and tense.
I never realised he'd had that effect on me. Probably because I'd gotten used to him being around. Strange of all, my gaze seemed to instinctively search for his reaction, his expression, his silent words.
But he wasn't here, and it felt wrong.
I took a breath, thinking of everyone at the end of this, after we cleared it, Axel's hand in mine, the other's smiles, though Tam would be scowling. The thought made me laugh out loud.
My mind drawn back to the physicality of reality, I proc’d [Locate] to take stock of the unfolding situation too, and the larger guardian forms, three as Adrien had said, were bounding up through the tunnel network of a nest. Unlike the twelve small hatchlings still inside, the guardians appeared bulkier than their horde kin, their singular role likely to protect their young.
And that’s when I noticed it.
As the radar ping flashed through the nest, highlighting each creature's silhouette, there was one important figure missing.
It was so obvious!
The answer hit me with such sudden clarity that I cursed myself for not having realised it earlier.
Adrien was using the same ability that he’d activated when he’d drawn the mordexi off our tail in the cave system yesterday. I’d assumed it was more specific, like Anna’s [Mirror Aid]. But it wasn’t. It was more broad, more versatile. More fitting for a [Sorcerer]. In fact, I’d bet it was the exact same ability that had hidden whatever trap he’d placed to capture the horde.
The Adrien that had just run to his death was nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
He was conjuring an illusion.
Adrien wasn’t in the nest.
He never had been.
I waited for the weakening waves of [Locate] to spread further, watching where we’d been before the clear notification had been triggered, on the edges of the slant of the hill.
Once [Locate’s] ping reached our previous position, Adrien’s blue outline flashed into existence, but as I squinted back, a hand held above my brow to cut the sun from my gaze, there was no one standing there that I could see. The ability faded as Adrien’s azure form dashed forward, his location blipping out of sight. Fuck, I wished Tam had consented to let me use her abilities. [Track] would’ve been perfect in this situation. Without knowing where he was because of his mirages, it was impossible to tell what he was doing.
All I could do was guess.
Though, it was clear what his plan was. I didn’t know how much he’d told Gigi, but taking into consideration that the Linnikian had summoned xir shield in preparation, xe knew we’d be going to stand off against the guardians. It was unlikely Adrien had explained just how much he expected of us to xem. I do not think Gigi would be so calm if xe knew.
“We’ve got to back off!” I yelled to Gigi.
For Adrien had led us to our doom.
He was intending on leaving us to distract and tank the guardians now he’d drawn them away from their wards, while he took out the hatchlings and then circle back once we’d weakened them; our fates be damned. Without any other means of communication, the rest of the party had to take Adrien’s word that I was still under his thumb. Fuck. Whether we lived or died, it didn’t matter so long as we served our purpose.
How very efficient of him.
Gritting my teeth as I sprung back from the entrance, Gigi in my shadow, I had to admit if I were so heartless as Adrien, I might’ve considered the plot well-thought out. Were human lives just toy soldiers to use on your chess board, his tactic was terrific. Horrible but terrific. The idea of sacrificing others for a greater goal was not something I was capable of doing. It wasn’t a concept I ever wanted to become familiar with either.
Stomach curdling growls erupted from the tunnel entrance, the foul stench of decay heavy on the three mordexi’s huffing breaths, as they clambered from their nest, Adrien’s illusion running just ahead of them.
The guardians were here.
They were twice the size of their horde brethren, their white hide thicker, fangs like tusks. Red eyes glowered at us, foamy saliva stringing from agape vicious jaws. It was clear our presence was unwelcome.
At least there were only three of them. I didn’t envy the other half of our party who were taking on fifty horde mordexi, though the beasts were undoubtedly injured from whatever trap Adrien had sprung.
I hoped my teammates were doing okay, but the well wishes drowned under the adrenaline pumping in through my veins. It was time to fucking go. Whatever Adrien was doing, he’d better be doing it quickly. Gigi was a tank, yes, but I knew the brunet wouldn’t believe Gigi could hold off the guardians for long. He thought of us as expendable pawns, weaker than him.
He’d be back soon.
It was a flaw of his personality.
He didn’t trust.
It also meant he didn’t believe others could either.
However, so long as he wasn’t here, and he couldn’t hear what I was doing, it was time to start using [Channel] to my advantage. I’d been hesitant to show it off while Adrien was nearby, wanting to ensure I left it hidden up my sleeve. But there was no way Gigi would be all right taking on all these mordexi at the same time. Xe was just a tank, after all.
Like a bubble bursting, the illusion of Adrien disappeared, and the mordexi’s murderous glares swung over to Gigi and me.
The Linnikian summoned several [Shield Walls], dotting them before us, a quick simple barrier, to allow us some time to plan our next actions. The mordexi crashed into them, all brawn and force.
They were all grouped together right now, which made them a perfect target for [Ground Smash]. However, with the tunnel system of the nest beneath us, I might destroy our footing and plunge us to an icicle stalagmite death. I ran through the other abilities in my mind, trying to think about what would work.
Well, they were just large, blundering beasts.
And we’d faced the Minotaur.
Would the same strategy work here?
The only real difference was there were three of them.
“What’s their weak spot, Gigi?” I inquired.
“It may have changed, but when I last fought their kind, it was their third ear!”
Well, that made a certain kind of sense given their keen hearing. However, there was nothing so obvious on the monster’s large bodies. I couldn’t even tell where their regular pair of ears were. The mordexi’s heads had nothing protruding besides their snarling snouts. Even their eyes were set in deep sockets, barely slits that I could see as they tore into the first wave of [Shield Walls].
It occurred to me that I’d be wrong before, when we’d been fleeing from the horde mordexi last night. Gigi’s shields likely would've lasted much longer against them than a few hits, had they attacked them. With the increase in attribute points, Gigi’s shields had become tougher.
“And where exactly are their third ears?”
“For the guardians, it is unique to each!”
Of course. Repressing a sigh, I took stock of the mordexi’s strength as they hulked out, ramming and clawing at the barriers Gigi had put in place. Yeah, I’d only survive like two direct hits from them, three at most. It was a little sad to admit, but the life of Gigi’s shields still matched my own.
I took a breath.
There was nothing else to do, really.
We couldn’t run. They’d be upon us in seconds, the buff Adrien had given us practically useless compared to the length of their bounding strides.
So, history would repeat itself.
“Keep on with this,” I told Gigi. The Linnikian nodded, pulling a dagger from xir inventory. The sight almost made me laugh. Almost.
Unfortunately, I had never accounted for a split party when considering group composition. Neither Gigi nor I was really equipped to kill tanky creatures, let alone three of them. I’d been hoping to rely on Tam, Axel, and Jye for that in battle. Sure I could borrow their abilities, but without the appropriate attributes to back them up, my attacks would pale in comparison. So, the best we could hope to do was to put into practice what we'd learned, rewards and XP be damned.
Slapping on [Cloak], I dropped from sight, invisible, and dismissed my glaive for mobility. I activated [Locate] one more time, careful to keep an eye on my mana and stamina, and noted Adrien's blue form delving deeper into the ground, perhaps only a short distance from the small hatchlings.
As the mordexi guardians stomped at Gigi’s [Shield Walls], fumes of anger steaming from their three nostrils, I slowly arched around behind one, careful to avoid the thrashing of its errant, whiplike tail. One hit from them and I’d be winded and set upon in the blink of an eye, my [Cloak] cancelled by my loss of concentration.
Gigi was replenishing the fallen [Shield Walls], sparking a fury in the mordexi, their awful noises of animalistic fury filling the air and thankfully masking the sounds of my approach.
The mordexi’s tail flicked by my face and, holding my breath, I stumbled back slightly to dodge, only just catching myself. Luckily, it hadn’t noticed, still intent on shredding through Gigi’s [Shield Walls], all three guardians working on them. Behind them, Gigi had braced xemself with xir shield, a dagger gripped sideways in xir hand.
After Gigi’s attribute increase during our time at the base, xir health was also stockier than it used to be, so I knew xe could hold out, even if they slipped through xir ability barriers. I’d also seen xem swipe that dagger through tree branches thicker than my thigh. Xe’d stand a fighting chance.
But I needed to do my part.
And I could do this.
I could.
The others were relying on me.
Taking a stilling breath, and waiting a moment to time it right, I darted forward to the closest mordexi’s hindlegs and, slapping my hands down against its thick white fur, applied a burst of Loads. Immediately, the mordexi’s back leg sunk into the snow, a shriek of shock stringing from it, and I yanked my body back, skittering away from the panicking beast, heart pounding in my chest.
Holy shit. I’d done it.
I’d locked down some of one guardian’s movements! Sure, it could spin on that limb like the pin of a compass arm, but it meant we’d compromised it.
The thrill of success shot through me, and I thrust the giddiness back down. It wasn’t time to celebrate.
Because now I just needed to repeat the process for each mordexi.
Which meant I needed to be just as lucky two more times.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Add to that, they knew a scheme was afoot so they’d be extra wary of my movements, even if they couldn't see me. I was invisible, not intangible, after all.
Still, it should be super easy, right?
More experience and credits continued appearing unendingly, popping up as notifications, filling me with a sense of pride and reassurance. The others were doing well. Based on the lack of notifications about anyone falling into critical health, they were practically killing it.
I wish I could say the same for Gigi and myself. The mordexi I’d already Loaded up seemed intent on taking its anger out on Gigi, and xe’d been reforming [Shield Walls] at an alarming rate, trying to juggle all three, keeping them in place and preoccupied so I could do what I needed.
I went in again, aiming for the guardian on the left. As it split a [Shield Wall], the particles fluttering into the snowy white sky, I ducked in, glancing my fingers across the backward bow of its knee, applying as many Loads as I thought necessary. The limb dropped, increased gravity pinning it down.
Unfortunately, Lady Luck wasn’t on my side this time. Before I could retract my arm, the mordexi’s snout lashed back toward me, sensing where I was based on my touch, the razorlike teeth sinking into my hand.
It happened quicker than I was able to actually feel it.
Three of my fingers from my right hand were crunched through, blood gushing out, and as the mordexi thrashed its head away, the digits were ripped from me. Gasp strangled in my throat, I pulled back, and a crisp, pulsing pain shot through my arm, my breath hitching in my constricting chest. [Cloak] dropped due to the sudden shock, my concentration absolutely obliterated by sharp agony.
Clutching the bloody claw remnants of my hand, trying to ignore the electrifying torment coursing, pounding, from my right arm, I turned tail and fled; the mordexi who’d taken my fingers wouldn’t be so generous as to give me a breather. As I was now visible, and trailing blood through the snow, I was an easy target.
Maw reddened, the mordexi lunged after me, yowling, but it thudded to a snow stop not far from where it leapt. Its single Loaded limb rendered its mobility limited, and it lashed out against the ground in frustration, only barely able to pursue me, dragging its leg behind it.
The last untouched guardian had no such issues in this.
My breath shuddered inside my chest, and the shock of the pain made any thoughts other than running for my life difficult. Staggering under me, my feet trudged forward, entirely detached from the panic blasting through my head.
RUN. RUN. RUN.
I need to get away!
Gigi was still fully concentrating on restoring xir own [Shield Walls], following my prior orders. I couldn’t rely on xir assistance without xem putting xir life on the line. That was assuming I’d even be able to get any words out of my tight throat. Besides, with three mordexi on xem, there was little xe could do any help anyway.
Body shaking, I sprinted my heart out, the mordexi right behind me. Thinking quickly, I borrowed [Healing Hand]. Staunch the blood flow. I could hear the thought, knew that it was good advice from some entirely calm part of my mind. If I didn’t stop it, I’d probably bleed out, passive regen not able to keep up to the damage. My health was blipping down, 20 HP already gone and dropping still.
The ability activated, the green glow encompassing the gaping fleshy wound, tender cracked bone and slimy exposed threads of tendons and all, and I was suddenly struck by the horrific possibility of the injury just healing over.
Had I permanently lost half my right hand?
The ability faltered, the green sputtering.
In my distraction, I missed how close the guardian had drawn behind me.
I’d been stupid to think I’d even be able to momentarily outrun it.
Its sharp claws flashed forward, catching me in the calf, slicing straight through the layers of warm clothes, and running through skin into flesh. Muscle split and tore as the claws exited. A shriek of pain ripped out of my lungs, and I crashed forward, tumbling to a snowy stop. Wind punched from my diaphragm, I tried to right myself but only made it to my back as the mordexi immediately claimed its hunt, stepping over me, its six limbed, large frame smugly encompassing my prone body.
Shit, shit, shit.
I was staring up at my death, the cold of the snow seeping into my ripped clothes, chest burning from exertion, my health leaking away. Not critical just yet, but it wouldn’t stay like that for long; that was if the mordexi didn’t end me first. The guardian’s head reared up in preparation, its slobbering jaw opening wide, and then it snapped its snarling snout down at me.
I had only a millisecond to act.
Please for the love of all that’s good, please work.
My glaive shimmered into existence, completely vertical, the point of its blade meeting the mordexi’s neck at the perfect arc of its swinging head. Propped directly in the crook of my right elbow, my left hand loosely holding it up, with the butt of the polearm reinforced against the icy floor beneath the snow, the mordexi drove its own flesh deep onto my weapon.
The metal head pierced through the thick hide, eating into its soft, vulnerable throat, the wood of its hilt bowing under the creature’s weight and the momentum of its halted movement. Purple blood trickled down the shaft of the glaive. Some dripped off and onto my face, dotting against my cheeks. Stunned by the damage, the guardian stared down at me, slitted eyes grapely bloodshot.
I hadn’t killed it, I was certain, but I’d given myself time to escape.
Scrambling, ignoring the burning pain of my shredded left calf, I heaved in a breath, spittle colored crimson flying from the subsequent exhale. Before slipping out of range of the injured mordexi, I slapped several Loads onto the guardian’s closest limb. Then, as a steamed shriek bubbled from its throat, and it reared up to shake the glaive loose of its neck, I hobbled as far away as I could from the three guardians who now would struggle to close the distance. All of them were restrained in movement, one limb each Loaded to the floor.
We’d created a weakness we could exploit.
Pride at my work was tempered by the wet heat of the dangling sinew stringing out of my leg that screamed with each step I took.
The injured mordexi finally freed itself from its self-impalement, flinging my glaive far into the snow. Dimly, I considered reactivating [Cloak] to try and retrieve it, but the current injuries I had would’ve made the focus and concentration required to maintain the ability all but impossible. In a strange strike of luck, though, but not at all that of good fortune, my half-hand was now completely numb. That was definitely not something to be happy about.
My health had dropped just below half.
“Gigi, retreat!” I called, voice hoarse, fighting back the sting in my eyes from the pain.
Xe jumped back from the first mordexi I’d Loadlocked, having still been placating its rage with a neverending barrage of [Shield Walls], and then raced to my side, wrapping an arm around my back to help me walk. Xir expression was grim, the set of xir thin silver brows pressed tightly together. Gigi appeared to be staring at my mangled limb.
“You could say I need a hand,” I joked, a bolt of agony choosing that exact moment to strike, jerking my right arm out of my control.
The Linnikian gravely shook xir head. “Lee, you must retrieve your fingers if you wish to heal entirely.”
Groaning, I asked, “They won’t grow back?”
“Do humans grow limbs back?”
I sighed and glanced at the raging mordexi. In part I was glad I hadn’t healed the injury fully, the momentary fear that matched Gigi’s caution having stilled my actions. The vanguard lowered me to the ground, and I began seeing to my leg, desperately trying not to look at the torn muscle. I wasn’t squeamish like Axel, but there was a difference between seeing gore and knowing and feeling it on your own body. Still, having to touch the injury to use the ability, I gritted my teeth through the pain, glad when it finally activated and the anaesthetic side effect soothed the feeling.
We’d put some distance between us and the three mordexi, who were struggling against their invisible restraints, growling and clawing at the ground in our direction, making only slight headway. They weren’t fully contained, but their movements were compromised. They’d eventually make it over to us. But we needed to regroup, to breathe for a moment.
As I continued with [Healing Hand], I was struck with a thought. I pinged [Locate] in a panic, focusing on the nest, realising I’d lost track of Adrien in our attack.
No forms were revealed in the tunnel network.
Shit.
Adrien had killed all the younglings already. How long ago had he finished? Where had he gone? I waited for the radar to spread out, wondering if he was beyond the limits of it already. Had he seen what I’d done to the guardians? If he had, my hidden ace was spent. Hopefully, with any luck, he’d only just completed his Annakin speedrun, and he wouldn’t suspect what my true ability was. In the battle of knowledge, with the advantage Adrien had, we needed to keep what we could under wraps.
“You both performed better than I anticipated,” came a smarmy voice in my ear, as the devil himself drizzled into existence beside me.
His illusionary powers truly were something else. I would’ve never noticed him. In his hand, he held the handles of a sagging duffel bag I hadn’t seen before.
“Gee, thanks,” I replied, the sarcasm the most energy I could muster.
Since I’d previously admitted to being able to use it, I continued with [Healing Hand] until the flesh stitched closed, trying not to stare at the bag. My leg wasn’t back to normal, far from it, and would probably rip open again with too much strenuous effort, but now Adrien was back, I needed to remain wary of him and keep some mana and stamina in reserve. I didn’t have much of either left.
“Axel, Jye, and Wren are wrapping up their part,” he informed us. “Tam is done.”
I tried not to let the disappointment show on my face, and instead glanced at my meters, watching them restore on their own. It frustrated me that they still regenned too slowly for any immediate use in real-time combat. We’d all need to rest after this battle otherwise we’d be far too vulnerable. Even knowing how strong the rest of the party was, we still hadn’t grown enough to fight in back to back engagements.
Especially not me. Taking in the damage to my right hand, I wasn’t surprised that even after all my healing, my health was only just above half now.
~Mordexi Respawning: 5:00~
“I’ll clean up your mess, shall I?” Adrien asked, stepping toward the Loadlocked guardians.
Well, I wasn’t about to fight him on that. I didn’t need to risk my life anytime soon if I could help it. Whatever XP and credits came with their deaths could go straight to Adrien for all I cared. With my leg screaming in pain, I was not prepared for another battle. Not yet.
Gigi and I watched the sorcerer approach the mordexi, the eyes of the furious creatures full of hate, fumes of anger wisping from their nostrils. When Adrien was within spitting distance, he disappeared.
Literally gone.
What a fucking overpowered ability.
Gigi raised a hand and pointed for my benefit. I nodded, appreciating xem using [Locate] since xe knew I had to be scraping the bottom of the barrel for mana and stamina, considering what I’d just done. I followed xir finger as it glided about the mordexi before resting directly on them. Was the sorcerer standing in the middle of them?
A green gas began to form, hissing out from between the guardians. It was the radioactive, toxic viridian that you associated with hazard signs, with venomous creatures, that of cartoonish beakers of poison. The fumes billowed up, spreading about the mordexi, and as the creatures snorted in a vehement furor, their muscles seized up, their bodies stiffening, free limbs twitching.
Gigi’s finger dropped, xir expression one of pure horror.
The mordexis’ red eyes rolled up into their skulls, and as they continued to inhale the cloud of green, chests juddering wildly, they collapsed to their backward bending knees, gasping. Their six limbs thrashed out uncontrollably, ligaments locking, loosening, before eventually crumpling into themselves, nothing more than shuddering messes.
Froth foamed from their mouths, saliva dripping from agape jaws, as their eyes fell closed.
We were notified of credits and XP when the mordexi finally stilled.
“Bit cruel, no?” Adrien asked, once again appearing alongside us. “Waste of good meat too.”
He stretched his arms above his head with a satisfied groan, limbering up. His lackadaisical attitude was really rubbing me the wrong way. But that faded away into curdling dread as I realised that Adrien could’ve used the exact same ability on us last night.
In fact, I wouldn’t have put it beyond him to have led us to the dead-end knowing full well the gas would’ve brought us an excruciating death, and we wouldn’t have been able to escape it. No air and ventilation, as Jye had said. Adrien had been incredibly familiar with that cave system, after all. If we’d said no…
How many players had he killed in the same way?
A chill shuddered up my spine, the understanding like being dunked in icy cold water.
I’d assumed he might’ve come across other people who were antagonistic to him. But now I saw what he’d done, I finally understood. Adrien was one of the sociopaths I'd been worried about since I'd figured out the ability earning mechanism. Not only had he been killing the mordexi slowly, he'd been harvesting people's skills too. I should've guessed. It was the perfectly inhuman tactic to play out.
Despite the coiling disgust inside me, I felt vindicated that my gut instinct about him wasn't wrong. I'd sensed something off about him from the get go. It was worse than I anticipated, though.
After a moment of a faraway look, Adrien sighed and rolled his eyes, casting me an annoyed glare. Yes, yes. He’s alive. Speak, Lee.
Irritated by Adrien commanding me like a dog, I admitted, A bit hurt but still standing. Uh, metaphorically, at least.
Lee! came Axel’s voice, high-pitched from concern. I was man enough to confess hearing him speak, even in my mind, relieved me. It was good to hear his voice. He continued, frantic, My other trait, I’m—
“Yes, enough of that. Chatty, that one. Well, this worked out quite splendidly.”
He stepped back and placed the duffel bag on the ground, unzipping and dumping out its contents to reveal a single small immature mordexi, unconscious, barely breathing. It curled into itself, tail tucked under its chin, all six limbs folded up tight to its torso. It was the size of a dog, and had I not nearly lost my life to its kin, I might’ve considered the young version to be cute.
Adrien had saved it for last so he could achieve the clear.
The sorcerer smiled emptily at us.
“Thank you, Just Friends. If it weren’t for the fact that we’re to be pitted against each other in the future, I’d have liked to work with you again. Alas…” With that, Adrien’s hand slipped over the hatchling’s body, a swirling black ability forming under his palm.
With bated breath, we watched as the color drained from the young mordexi, with it whining all the while. Adrien’s skill was some sort of life siphon.
Eventually, the mordexi’s body went limp; dead.
There was no announcement.
“Why— Why isn’t the Dungeon cleared?” Adrien asked, his brows furrowed, confusion mixing with unhinged frustration. He kicked the corpse of the mordexi away from him, the squelch of its dead flesh sitting poorly with me.
You killed them all, didn’t you?! he shouted into our mindlink, opening the channel to everyone in his blind rage.
It wasn’t nice, but we did, Wren replied, solemnly.
Got a lot of bow practice in. Dude, my fingers are fried.
I counted the kills. Fifty-three, right? Axel asked.
Adrien’s bottom lip twitched in barely restrained rage. The reaction had to mean that there had been the exact number of horde mordexi and the sorcerer knew that.
The brunet spun about, fury underpinning the movement, sharpening his actions. Then why isn’t the clear—
You owe me one, sunshine, came Tam’s thoughts, weak and shaky.
A strange cloud of giddiness, a validation, drifted over me.
Bee tee dubs, your shitty belief in me has the reaper on my chest.
The burning glare of Adrien dropped like a sledgehammer onto me, rending into my skin.
“What is she talking about, Lee?”
Party member Tam at critical health.
Earth to prick, you still there? Tam asked, her voice just a whisper.
WHAT? shouted Adrien.
She rasped a chuckle. It’s a pity, but Mumma says it’s time to share.
I couldn’t help but laugh too at the ridiculousness of it all, of the cutthroat actually listening to me, of her being worthy of the trust I’d put in her and all but dying to prove it, and it rasped through me, shaking my body.
What the fuck is she talking about? Adrien demanded, screaming into everyone’s minds, and even Gigi flinched from the psychic backlash. In his anger, the sorcerer was losing absolute control of his separate telepathic lines, and I could hear flitters of Axel, Wren, and Jye—just words without meaning, but maybe…
Shaking my head, laughter dying down, I said, “The scout’s not dead.”
I steeled myself and shouted inwardly, FIND TAM, letting the thought entirely scramble my brain, projecting it as hard as I could, praying, wishing that the others would catch it. If they got to her in time, they could save her. She’d gotten seriously injured from following the unspoken order that I’d shared with just a small gesture.
Of the split party, I'd come to the conclusion that Tam was the one least at risk. For Gigi and me, we were too close to Adrien to do anything untoward. Wren, Axel, and Jye wouldn't have had the leeway to pick fights in their battle against fifty plus horde mordexi.
Only Tam was capable of it. Especially as my life in danger meant much less to her.
And she'd followed through.
Because she knew what my small head shake had meant. She'd seen it enough times to know it implicitly.
I’d told her, as I was always telling her: “Hold back.”
So now we owed this opportunity to her.
Adrien’s eye twitched, the situation finally dawning on him.
It probably would’ve occurred to him much sooner if he hadn’t thought us below him. That our betrayal, born of trust, had thwarted him. The thought would’ve never even crossed his mind. Hell, if he had considered us a threat, he would’ve never even shown us any of his abilities.
What a self-serving, vain asshole of a monster.
Adrien’s voice was ice cold, reinforced with steely promise, when he finally spoke.
“I’ll kill you all when I clear the Dungeon. Mark my words.”
Then he disappeared.
But not before I borrowed [Track] from Tam to tag him.
Mumma said it was time to share, after all.
~Mordexi Respawning: 4:00~