Cal let off a blast of lightning as they ran past two squirrel guards, knocking them both to the ground. They were likely still alive, but he wasn’t overly concerned with it. He expected there would be a lot more between them and the leader and he didn’t have time to play nice.
“More incoming,” Ethel called out, breaking Cal from his thoughts. He spotted the dozen standing on a ledge in front of them, aiming crossbows and letting loose several arcs of lightning before they had a chance to fire. Several squirrels from the ledge, crashing hard to the stone floor below.
“I’m pretty sure we are getting close. I think I can feel a small probing at the back of my mind. It’s surprisingly easy to feel once you know it can happen,” Cal called to Ethel as they continued their hunt. He had noticed the feeling right before the last wave of squirrels attacked. He assumed the leader was trying to track them.
“Yeah, I felt the same thing. The vine shouldn’t do anything unless it tries to take control, though,” Ethel responded.
“Good,” Cal said before raising his voice and continuing. “Hey, giant squirrel asshole, we know what you can do now, and we are pissed. We are coming, and you can’t hide, and from the looks of you I doubt you can do much running either!” Cal screamed as he ran. He figured a little intimidation couldn’t hurt anything.
“Stop!” The command rang out so loudly in Cal’s head that he briefly complied with it. He looked over and saw Ethel had done the same. He pushed past the command as he felt the vine start to squirm but was able to regain control of himself before it jolted him.
“No, thank you. We’re hunting giant telepathic squirrels!” Cal yelled back as he resumed his run.
“What the kid said!” Ethel screamed immediately after Cal.
“How about I offer you a deal? Think how useful my brain could be in your fight. I could get you the army you need, Cal. With my help you could easily smash through the Gryalth trying to take over your planet and then imagine what we could do together. You don’t have to waste this opportunity,” The voice came pleadingly into Cal’s head. The squirrel leader was finally showing some real fear.
“Good,” was Cal’s thought about that. “Do you even hear what you are saying?” Cal called aloud.
“Ah, is he trying to tempt you too?” Ethel asked.
“Yes, but I don’t think he understands anything beyond his own wants. It’s probably lucky for us how long the squirrels have been stuck in relative isolation. Imagine if this thing had been able to learn from some Earth politicians.” Cal answered.
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
They ran on through several twisting corridors directly into a wall of squirrel bodies. Cal skidded to a stop in front of them. “Move.” was his single-word command to the group.
Nothing happened.
“Fine, I understand he’s forcing you to do this now, so I’m sorry, but if you can’t control yourselves, I don’t know what else to do,” Cal said this as the squirrels began to charge them.
Vines sprouted from the walls, grabbing several of the squirrels moments before Cal arced lightning through the ones closest to him. He then pulled the rocky ground up below the ones still blocking their path, launching them hard into the ceiling and then crashing back to the ground.
All that stood between Cal and the leader now were three squirrels, and he recognized one of them. “Really, Third Smasher? You couldn’t just stay in the vines? And I’m guessing this is one and two?” Cal questioned as he walked forward towards them.
“I cannot abandon my brothers in this fight. However, I understand that we won’t win. Some things are more important than that.” Third Smasher replied.
“You know if you keep talking like that, I could grow to like you,” Cal said to Third Smasher and then turned to look at the one in the lead. “Alright, let’s do this then.”
First Smasher nodded his head and, very much to Cal’s surprise, unleashed a volley of what looked like wind arrows from his hand, while Second slashed his curved blade across the vines Ethel had attempted to grasp them all with.
Cal managed to pull a rock shield up in time to block several of the arrows, but not all of them, as he felt two of them dig deep into his right arm. He looked to see how far they were in and saw them dissipate, leaving behind two bleeding wounds. It hurt like hell, but he was also a little impressed and started to wonder if he could find that pool in future loops. This thought corresponded with a blast of pain from his skull into his mana channels.
“Dammit, stay out of my head!” He screamed as the intrusion quickly built his rage again. He shot three blasts of lightning through his good arm. Third, having seen this tactic before, managed to evade them, but the other two found their homes. Both squirrels yelled in pain but didn’t fall.
Cal saw Ethel, now covered in a thick layer of greenery, wade directly into the fight and swing one of her arms into Second Smasher with a loud thud as it hit home. Not wanting to be left behind, he launched himself into the air and rained lightning blasts down from above onto the squirrels. As he did this, a mighty wind rose up around him, battering his body hard against the ceiling.
Pushing through the pain, he channeled a small ball of lightning in front of First Smasher and infused it with some of his void mana. It ignited and, instead of exploding outward, pulled the electrocuted squirrel into it. Cal heard several of its bones snap under the waves of pressure it had created.
Something hit him hard in the back of his head, and he realized he had lost track of Third Smasher.