“I’d rather die than climb anything else in my life” Mia said, as she laid on her back breathing heavily. They managed to finish the ascent with a few minutes to spare before the crumbling shelves caught up to them. While Mia was busy analyzing all her pains and thawing her hands, Frank did a quick scouting run of the area.
It turned out the chimney’s exit was in a side alley. It was a dead end so they only had one way to go. Frank reported that the street outside had some centipedes but not many and that the Pyramid was visible from around the corner, it was close..
“I thought we would come up in the Pyramid?” Hector asked Hunter.
“I never said that. I said I know a way. We still need to walk the last part in the open.” Hunter sent dispassionately.
“We’re here now, and turning back doesn't make sense.” Diana interrupted before Hector could get angry at the centipede again. “How will we get through the barrier?” She asked Hunter.
“Magic.” The Chtonarix turned away.
Mia exchanged glances with Frank and they both stifled a laugh. Judging from Diana’s expression she was not as amused as they were. Neither was Hector with a big vein visibly pulsating on his forehead.
“He has to have a way in, we just have to follow him” Mia said in a placating tone. She put a hand on Hectors shoulder. ”We can make it, its the last straight and we will be reasonably safe.”
“Reasonably being the important qualifier” Frank muttered behind her, she silenced him with a glare.
“Yeah I know,” Hector sighed. “It just feels like the bug is leading us into a trap”
“We decided to trust him, no going back now” Diana chimed in.
Hector calmed down a bit and they followed their guide to the exit from the alley. Mia has seen the pyramid before, admittedly from a distance, but it had not prepared her for what she saw when she rounded the corner.
The pyramid stood taller than she thought, at least thirty stories tall. Her eyes focused on the runes that enveloped the structure like a luminescent spider's web. Each symbol was meticulously crafted, a convergence of purpose and power. The shimmering force field that surrounded the pyramid pulsed in sync with the runes, and the very air resonating with power. It felt charged, like right before a storm hits. The whole thing cracked with small electric arcs, adding to the feeling of a storm gathering.
Hector touched her arm, signaling that the others have moved forwards. Ahead of them Frank was busy quietly disposing of the centipedes present on the main street. She drew her bow to help him. So far it seemed the bugs were still not aware that the party was there.
They silently proceed until they reached an intersection. Frank signaled for everyone to stop and looked around the corner. He quickly withdrew.
“A small army, with at least four Brutes” he whispered.
Mia knew it was too much to fight their way through. “We need to sneak to the other side” she whispered back.
“I'll go first, follow me one by one” Frank said, and everybody nodded.
Frank slinks along the shadows started on his way. His movements were swift and purposeful as he navigated the crossroads, blending seamlessly with the darkness. Without trouble he managed to reach the other side and signaled for Diana to follow.
Missing the rouge’s easy grace and skills Diana made up with being extremely careful and taking advantage of the debris strewn around. It took her a moment longer but she got to Frank without any major trouble.
Mia pushed Hector “Your turn”
“I won’t leave you with this bug here” the man whispered back.
“Not a time to fight, trust me” Mia responded.
The warrior was clearly still unhappy but he still listened to her. She sent him ahead so she could have a word with Hunter of Prey. “How do you think we will be able to help you? You never clarified that.”
“You will probably be asked to destroy the collective.” talk about a non-answer.
“How can we destroy something so big, it's literally taken over the roots of your city.” Mia shuddered at the very thought of the impossibility of such a task
Before Hunter could respond a loud clang shattered the silence of the crossroads, echoing off the walls like a gunshot. Mia’s eyes focused on Hector instantly, he was lying down in the middle of the road. She could already hear the swarm, their exoskeletons clicking in a rhythmic response to the disturbance. She looked to the side and like a living tide, the centipedes were coming.
Without a second thought she rushed towards Hector and helped the warrior up.
“GO!” she shouted.
----------------------------------------
“GO” Mia shouted into Hector's ears as she pulled him to his feet.
Hector spared a glance at the approaching swarm, with its countless chitinous legs and mandibles. Mia's hand pushed against his back, urging him forward as they sprinted across the crossroads. With each step, Hector felt the pulse of adrenaline coursing through his veins, and he knew they were not fast enough to escape cleanly, at least on from the Brutes.
Fear gnawed at the edges of his consciousness as they ran. The street got narrower and it felt like the walls were closing in on him. His breaths quickened, the cold sweat forming on his brow. Glancing over his shoulder, Hector caught glimpses of the swarm, an undulating mass of darkness that seemed to devour everything in its way.
A glimmer of hope was born when Diana cast her spells. Explosive runes erupted at strategic points along the street. Centipede parts sailed in the air in high arcs, but the swarm didn’t seem to notice, it ignored its losses and kept on coming.
As they kept running, Hector observed Diana's next move. Ice walls materialized, barricading the street behind them. The barriers glistened with frost, hopefully they could at least slow down the swarm. His prayers went unanswered. Three Brutes shattered the barriers like glass. The once-solid walls crumbled into shards, allowing the swarm to advance once again.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
"Shriekers!" Mia's urgent cry cut through the chaos, and Hector watched as she swiftly notched arrow after arrow, releasing them into the air.
The running battle continued with Hunter leading the way towards the pyramid, Diana slowing down their pursuers and Mia dealing with the threat from above.
They were getting close to safety, to the barrier around the pyramid. It was just a couple hundred yards away. He felt a surge of determination as the prospect of safety beckoned. Hector pushed himself forward, fueled by the belief that they could all survive if they only ran fast enough.
They reached the barrier with the swarm hot on their heels.
“Why did we stop, why don’t we enter?” Hector panted, his eyes darting from Hunter to Diana.
“I need time to open the passage. Hold them off.” Hunter said and partially crawled onto the barrier.
“Fuck no! Let us in now” He charged at the barrier, determined to force his way through. However, the moment he made contact, an electrifying surge coursed through him, seizing his muscles and contorting his features in agonized shock.
Next thing he felt was a kick from Frank that broke his contact with the barrier "You fucking moron! You'll get yourself killed," the rogue snapped, angry. “Get up and help us.”
From the ground Hector observed as Diana did her best to buy Hunter as much time as she could. She created walls, trying to funnel the bugs but the three Brutes destroyed them almost as soon as she made them appear. The explosions she caused were killing dozens of centipedes.
“Look up!” Frank shouted.
As Hector looked up, dread surged within him. Above, a swarm of shriekers filled the air, their wings creating an ominous shadow that eclipsed the sky. Then the apex of the pyramid emanated a blinding light, and arcs of lightning crackled through the air towards the Shriekers. The magic killed literally hundreds of the monsters.
Hector watched, unable to move as Mia not only held the Shriekers at bay but also covered her allies from the monsters diving at them. She killed each one before it got close enough to be a danger. Their monstrous bodies fell around them macabre rain, each thud a percussion to the chaos. The corpses quickly covered the ground around Hector.
The chaos enveloped him. The blinding flashes from the lightning, the wails and bodies of the Shriekers, and the cacophony of the swarm left him dazed. Fear gripped him tighter than ever as stumbled to his feet, the world around him a blend of light and sound. His breaths came in ragged gasps, the whole situation leaving him on the brink of panic.
As if in slow motion Hector saw a Duskshieker dive towards Diana. The cacophony of the battlefield faded, leaving only the impending danger and the screech of the oncoming creature.
Hector stood frozen, fear paralyzing him in the face of the looming threat. The opportunity to save Diana was there, but he would have to protect her with his own body. He felt a stab of pain in his missing left hand. Cold spread from his stump, gripping his heart, and he just watched as the moment passed.
The arrow sailed through the air, right above Hector's shoulder. It struck the Duskshrieker with pinpoint accuracy, disrupting its trajectory and sending it veering off course. The creature let out a final, eerie wail before crashing a couple of feet from Diana.
Diana, unaware of the danger averted, continued to hold her ground against the swarm. Mia, however, locked eyes with Hector, with a disappointed expression. Her eyes silently told Hector that she saw his inaction, and his shame.
The moment passed as soon as it came, Mia again focused on protecting everyone from the airborne threat. Trying to get his panicked breathing under control Hector turned towards where Frank and Diana were fighting.
Diana was still busy keeping the swarm at bay, blowing up centipedes by the dozen and blocking the others from approaching.. Meanwhile Frank fought with the Brutes.
They lunged at Frank with unthinking strength, their massive limbs swinging like battering rams. Frank, though swift and evasive, struggled to keep pace with the sheer number of their attacks. He was completely focused on defense. His every move was calculated to avoid the blows that could squash him like a ripe fruit.
Frank's finesse was his only advantage. He darted between the Brutes, using their own size and numbers against them. Despite his skill, the pressure of the three adversaries made it an uphill battle. Frank's movements were a blur as he barely managed to stay one step ahead of the Brutes' fury.
Hector knew that he should help his friend. Frank saves his life not so long ago. Yet, as he witnessed Frank's struggle, a crippling fear rooted him to the spot. Despite the debt owed to Frank, the terror of getting hurt again held Hector back.
Before he could gather his courage he felt Hunter in his mind.
“The way is open. Go!” The bug sent the message with a sense of urgency.
Overwhelmed by fear and haunted by his own inaction, he made a fateful decision. Ignoring the danger to his comrades, Hector turned and sprinted towards the safety of the barrier. If he looked back he would see the disbelief and disappointment in Mia’s and Frank’s eyes. However he did not look back as he ran under the opening in the barrier.
Only when he was safe inside he looked to his friends, still struggling against the swarm. Tears filled his eyes in a mix of shame and relief. From safety he watched as Diana cast the final Slowing Rune under the monsters that were fighting Frank.
“I’m almost out of mana!” She shouted as she ran towards Hector.
Without the constant barrage of explosions the swarm surged forward. Centipedes crawled over the ice walls Diana left behind as they came ever closer. Mia was the next to run. She fired the last arrow and sprinted to safety, even though Diana started first the other woman was faster and they reached the opening at about the same time.
That left only Frank.
Even though he didn’t want to, Hector raised his tear filled eyes to watch. The rogue jumped up and with a powerful kick he bounced off the Brute he was fighting. He used the momentum to get as much space between him and the swarm as he could. Rolling upon impact, he swiftly bounced back to his feet and sprinted. Hector could see the smile on his lips, Frank thought he was home safe.
“Above you!” Mia shouted.
With an ear splitting cry a Duskshriker dove for Frank. It was moving too fast and was too close even for the rogue to dodge. That didn’t stop him from trying though. He lunged forward but it was clear it would not be enough.
Instead of tearing Frank in half the Duskshrieker splattered against an invisible barrier. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, blowing all the dust away. At the same time, Hector felt a sudden surge of magical energy pulse through Diana. Blood erupted from her nose, staining her clothes. The woman's face twisted in intense pain and she stumbled and fell down to her knees.
The shield around Frank disappeared and without missing a beat the rogue ran towards safety.
Hunter did something to it and it started to close. With a slide Frank made it to the other side right before the barrier sealed again. The swarm that was right behind him slammed into the shield and got electrocuted with a blinding flash.
Hector watched in Ave as the Brutes and centipedes alike collapsed and lay there unmoving. A carpet of corpses just a couple of feet away.
“Shit, it feels like someone said ‘What could possibly go wrong’ followed by ‘How much worse could this get’ and then threw in ‘I'm sure everything will be fine.’ just to spite us” Frank said still on the ground, breathing hard.
A notification popped up for Hector, with disgust he dismissed it before anyone else could read it.
THE ASPECT OF THE COWARD APPROVES OF YOUR ACTIONS. CURRENT POWER OF THE ASPECT: 13/100.
YOU HAVE GAINED A NEW ABILITY. CRAVEN'S REFUGE, AS LONG AS YOU ARE ONLY FIGHTING TO PROTECT YOURSELF YOUR DEFENSE AND SPEED ARE INCREASED.
“At least we made it” Mia said.
Hector turned and saw Hunter approach the Pyramid. One of its walls moved to the side, creating an entrance.
“What are you waiting for? Let's go.” Diana said, wiping the blood from her face. She took an unsteady step towards the Pyramid.