Her claws scraped against the rocky walls, she’d often lose her grip being unable to keep her weight supported with one arm. She’d continue the process until she finally descended into the pit below. The knights that had fallen with her barely had enough reaction time to even make a single scream before they had fallen.
She slipped noiselessly to into the darkness. One of the two knights barely could even stand, Blood was leaking from his left shin guard, heavily. His partner had been speaking to him in a voice much too quiet to be heard from her distance. He was possibly trying to keep him conscious or distract him from the fact that his leg was shattered.
The area they had fallen to had a ceiling entirely comprised of crystal deposits, minus the hole they fell through.much like the moon the light the crystals produced wasn’t the brightest but, allowed for enough to not be detrimental to their sight. However, everything was bathed in a blue color. They sat in the middle of what looked like a giant circle. To the front was the one and only cave entrance and exit, scattered around the mouth of the cave were skulls, both goblin and humanoid, swords that were embedded in the ground and crushed armor pieces. Like shields and deformed helmets.
An aura appeared in the cave, The aura revealed itself to be the same as the shaman, double confirmed by the fact that the shaman stepped outward.Rina’s theory was right, now that he was no longer in the room his Magical Energy was far lesser.
The knight that was still able to move grabbed his fallen sword and got into a defensive stance, The light bounced off the sword brilliantly. “What is your game, cur?!” He took his place in front of his downed teammate.
The goblin shaman let out a short, hoarse laugh. He shook his staff, the wooden stick produced a sound similar to ringing a tiny bell. Not long after, the ground began to shake. Thunderous vibrations that came in sets of two. Rina took a step back, the creature that was making those noises was barely giving off any sort of magical energy. The best option for her was to step back and acknowledge what kind of creature came out. Maybe she could find a dark corner to even conceal herself.
The knight looked ready to turn tail and run, except, there hadn’t been any place for him to go. He stood steadfast, prepared to combat the horrors that peeked through the veil of darkness.
“Girl!” He commanded. He paused as the earth-shattering quakes grew closer. “Grab my comrade.”
Rina contemplated not doing it but, If it wasn’t for her condition and this situation she’d be the one disemboweling these humans for just being in her presence. Ultimately she decided that having a meat shield, even if it couldn’t move would at least save her seconds to run away. She grabbed the back of the downed knight, her claws pierced through the armor like hot butter, using the holes she made she clenched her hand into a fist and pulled the man towards her corner.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The thundering stopped, and there was only silence. The knight hadn’t moved from his stance. He was a stoic statue upholding what it meant to be a knight, protecting the injured and those who cannot fight. The knight threw his helmet off his face, his short brown hair was damp with sweat. Above his sunken cheeks was a scar crossing the majority of his face. If he were to die here yet save the two that lie behind him his face would be remembered alongside his actions. Besides, the helmet would only prevent his eyes from seeing everything.
The silence was eventually interrupted by the shaman’s cackling and a ring of his staff. A hulking beast burst from the mouth’s shadows. It was hairless, its arms too long for its body, drool poured from its maw. It was at least four times the size of the knight. Most important of all it looked hungry.
The knight took a step back, his metal boots clinking with the rocks. “A damned Groll!?” He readjusted his position. Instead of having his blade overhead he brought it down to his waist level.
The Groll reacted to the noise and roar. It eyed in on its prey. It charged on all fours to him. It gained an incredible amount of speed in just a fraction of a moment. He barely managed to sidestep in time causing the creature to ram straight into the wall. He repositioned to face the beast again, his boots and sword generating more noise.
The Groll shook off the damage that is self-inflicted. It faced the man. It readied itself for another charge. The knight this time prepared himself to dodge.
Rina was observing the fight. If the knight lost, she’d be at an even more significant disadvantage. And would surely be ripped apart by that monstrosity.
The monster charged at the knight, once again he sidestepped the attack, once his foot touched the ground the beast stopped on a dime and grabbed his leg. He was swept upward and held upside in front of the creature’s gruesome mouth.
He swung his blade making a cut on the monster’s face. It roared and slammed him down to the ground. He dropped his sword. His leg was twisted, the bone was barely even in the socket. At best the only thing that was still leaving it attached was the skin and muscle.
He gurgled up blood, the impact was enough to rupture several of his internal organs. The creature sniffed him as his life was quickly disappearing. Opening its mouth, the tongue unfurled and wrapped itself around the base of his head.
The Groll engulfed his head and bit down. The crunching of his skull could be heard from all over the cave.
The injured Knight pulled himself up. He gathered the attention of Rina, who had been watching the man’s beheading. “Get away from here.” He pulled out the remaining firebombs and a flint striker.