Norbert felt the heat rise on his back, waiting for the blast to come; as Norbert crashed into the ground, the earth shook, for he did not feel anything else. A blast of light erupted beside him, throwing him into the air.
Smoking, Norbert landed on the ground; still feeling intact, he climbed to a stand and looked at the queen, seeing scorch marks across the queen's head. As Norbert looked behind himself, he saw his group charge forward, flames flying at them as they yelled at the top of his lungs.
Crashing into the first wave they continued to go through, Norbert could make out Dousan at the front of the charge, sword in hand, armour and sword having a light around it. Whenever it contacted an enemy, lightning would shoot out of it, paralysing the nearby foes and allowing them to be executed quickly.
Whipping his head to the exit Norbert needed to make, he started to run; the workers started engulfing him again. Taking out his dagger gave him some confidence though he doubted he would use it, remembering the last one he used getting caught within the carapace, but maybe this time it would be different. No more thought being used on it, Norbert continued to rush forward.
The flame-insectoids in front of him engulfed him. Norbert looked around, spotting the exit to the other tunnel out of the chamber. Above hearing the flyers after him, their wings vibrating. Any idea of holding back on the insectoids part was removed, all going as hard as possible. Fireballs flying in all directions, Norbert needed to move not to become barbequing constantly.
Making his way across the path, Norbert rammed through the workers, grabbing one of the bodies he shoved through; it was killed instantly. Norbert used it as a shield to stop the other fireballs from hitting him. With each ball he covered with his shield, Norbert could feel the gooey insides turn to steam around him, smelling it in the air and making him want to throw up what little he needed to have in his stomach.
Feeling his hand start to get hot, Norbert chucked it at one of the flyers after him; Norbert quickly glanced behind himself, seeing that it was ineffective as it could duck down beneath it, making the attempt void. Ramming through another, Norbert continued with his strategy, seeing the opening coming before himself.
Seeing a soldier ahead, Norbert threw the carapace onto it as Norbert broke his rule of dealing with these creatures and leapt into the air, following the flying body he just threw. Together they landed on top of the soldier, Norbert not needing to worry about the spikes as he landed on the bodies, feeling the worker being impaled on them. Looking up at the tunnel, Norbert jumped, not caring about the flyers on his tail.
Arms windmilling for support, still holding onto his dagger Norbert landed on the ground, feet giving way underneath; rolling on the ground to compensate, Norbert held the blade close to his body, hoping not to impale himself on it accidentally. After finally stopping, Norbert looked up at the ceiling, seeing the dirt and rock above, the same holes in this one that was in the other.
Hearing and feeling the rumblings in the chamber he escaped from, Norbert rolled over onto his stomach, getting up to his knees as he looked at the damage to the queen. The rumbling of the earth being bent to the whims of man, lights flashing constantly, an echoing reverberating around the caver.
Norbert watched his group slowly make their way towards the queen, looking at the beast, preparing salvo after salvo of strikes on the party, trying to eliminate them. Every other shot could not be used as light erupted from within the beast.
Norbert looked towards the path of destruction he created, running away, seeing the crater from his fall, the once uniform earth now pock marketed with holes, and scorch marks everywhere within the cave. Looking, Norbert could barely even see a single egg still intact.
As Norbert looked out, mindlessly bringing his torch out, Norbert heard a noise behind him. Feeling the earth shake uniformly, Norbert stared, looking at the reinforcements come. Around the curve, Norbert saw the army of soldiers coming towards him, thankful there were no flyers.
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Imagining what was on the other side of the cavern, their entire expedition was now caught between a rock and a hard place. Called into action, Norbert pushed off, sprinting towards the oncoming rush. Torch held in front of him, trying to catch any minor disturbance that could catch him.
Facing the mass of bodies before him, Norbert knew he would get crushed like an ant underfoot. Looking to the side, Norbert saw the pockmarked walls; seeing that there would be enough space on him to avoid the worst of the brunt, he headed at an angle.
Sprinting, Norbert slowly went up the wall, the body still facing upright. Felt the bugs rush underneath him, the air clawing at Norbert as he continued to run on the wall. Using the holes as foot holds, Norbert steadily wound up the tunnel.
Occasionally one of the insects would try scuttling towards him, wanting to knock him off. Norbert just barrelled past them when he could; when he couldn't, he would smash right into them, putting an extra bit of force underneath the step, forcing them to be brushed off the wall, flying limply into the rushing insects, instantly trampled.
Arm in front casting light everywhere, Norbert saw the rush of insects slow down slightly, still at a dangerous level, but not so that the entire tunnel was packed to the brim. Running, Norbert looked, the tunnel no longer circling ahead but going straight, still rising. Norbert climbed up as high as he could up the wall.
It opened up nearly on the tunnel's ceiling; Norbert looked into the next chamber. Holding onto the rock on top of him with one hand, Norbert looked up at the chamber, this one having no eggs he could see. Continuing to look forward, Norbert spotted the entrance to the next tunnel.
Norbert now could see what was causing the slowdown of insectoids. After the initial rush of the bugs within each chamber to get in and out of the next one slowed them down slightly. After the multiple chambers, they would need to travel from the top; their numbers would slow down dramatically. Coupled with the distance, the noise of the queen's cry would need to get to the top stopped the expedition from being completely swarmed instantly.
As Norbert hung on the ceiling of his tunnel, looking for an easy way to the other side, Norbert saw none, only to persevere as he was doing. Sighing in resignation, Norbert started swinging himself forward and back to gain distance.
As he swung, each time causing him to go further each time. When he could feel the ceiling hitting his legs, knowing he could no longer get more force at the apex of the swing, Norbert let go, feeling himself rush through the air.
As Norbert rose into the air, the ground slowly grew into darkness before it came back to him, the torch able to light the path. Screaming out as loud as he could, Norbert prepared for impact. He was finally meeting the earth, already travelling a quarter of the chamber.
With the dust around him, Norbert burst forward, seeing the fireballs dotting all around him. Watching Norbert saw the path he needed to take. Running up the first one, Norbert leapt across them again, allowing himself not to get so easily crushed under the weight of the bugs.
Needing to be constantly jumping forward, the air around him constantly hot, causing Norbert to sweat, needing to wipe his forehead to stop it from dripping into his eyes every time, nearly getting taken out by either a worker or a fireball they threw towards him.
The popping and crackling of those around him were hit in his stead as they were swarmed with fireballs. Across the chamber, Norbert quickly made his way, though each step seemed slower than it should be to Norbert.
Looking up, Norbert saw the walls encroach around him, not realising he was already at the next tunnel. Still fighting the wave, Norbert looked towards the walls, seeing the straight tunnel and a way to navigate like before.
Leaping to the side, Norbert scrambled up the wall, kicking back anything that tried to follow him up. Once secured, Norbert began the treacherous trek along the wall; unable to use the curve to his advantage Norbert slowly climbed the steps.
Reaching the top once more of the tunnel, Norbert saw lights up ahead, flashing and popping in all directions. The tunnel that was once only using his torch to light the area was now bathed in constant shadows.
Hearing the shouts reverberating down the tunnel, Norbert pushed forward, the tide coming towards him slowing down, allowing him to run normally.
Bursting out of the last wave of insects, Norbert saw a sorry sight for sore eyes; there was the rest of the group, seeing Martitia and Nancy's slinging spells at whatever moved, bodies lit up with some spell being used; Norbert smiled.
As he scanned his eyes, Norbert saw one in the blue robe flick their hand towards him, a bolt of electricity already forming and shooting towards Norbert. The mage looked at Norbert, horror on his face as Norbert dropped out of the air, his body spasming on its own.