V2 Chapter 6 - Dynamic Duo

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Two is Always Better Than One

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One down. Two down. Three more fall as my blades cut through human after human, their screams blending with the clash of steel. We’re making progress, slowly but surely, thinning their horde to something that could be counted. But it isn’t enough. Not yet.

I glance around, watching the Bandits’ tactics suddenly shift as they make a fast break for the tunnel the Bandit King ran in. They abandon their circle in the process, no longer focused on defense from every direction. Several are cut down as we pick them off, but they do succeed in reorganizing themselves into a….solid wall? They've retreated just enough to block off the route where the Bandit King charged after my sister. They’re buying him time to kill her.

My mandibles click in annoyance. If he manages to kill her, it's all over. Sister is strong, but even she won't last against someone like the Bandit king for too long.

We press forward, but the pseudo-wall holds firm as they work harder than ever to keep us at bay. I could count their numbers if I wanted, but at the same time the mass of bandits seems never-ending. The bottleneck of the tunnel limits the number of Swarm members that can fight against them at once, making our numbers advantage far less useful. Worst yet, they're surprisingly efficient when put in a corner like this, these last few working together with a level of teamwork that rivals our own.

They address threats to their wall together, using callouts to notify the others about any major breakthrough attempts. Little room for reposition is given, but for them, shifting around mid combat is still on the table. I catch glimpses of their eyes–fear yes, but also determination. Frankly, it just pisses me off. Why won't they just give up and die already!? I need to get to my sister. I have to go help her.

Frustration boils over as I let out a battle cry and just force my way inside. I run a third of the way up the tunnel walls and then jump off, throwing myself into the middle of the Bandits’ barricade. They aren't prepared for the odd attack, and several of them topple over as I crash into their confused forms. They're quick to get up, but I'm quicker, my blades finding their way into two of their chests before they can fetch their lost weapons. Immediately I'm forced to defend from all sides as they regroup, a portion of the mass focusing solely on me while others move around the encirclement to assist the front.

It almost feels as if my whole maneuver was in vain, and something about these Bandits just doesn't add up. Their coordination is irritating, almost unnerving, considering their usual scattered and disorganized fighting style. Their callouts, formations, it's all foreign to me.

I swipe low, fainting for a gap in the encirclement, and then swing upward in an unruly arc. One bandit falls for the maneuver and flenches, his hesitation giving me the opening I need. I drive a blade in his side, twisting it as his blood-curdling scream pierces the air. There's a curt attempt to pull it out and move on, but it's firmly stuck in his guts. I toss yet another sword away, but not fast enough as one of the human's axes lodges itself in my leg. This time it's my turn to scream, and in a fit I turn with enough force that my sword cleanly decapitates the assailant.

The sight of a perfectly headless comrade stuns the humans, and I make use of the time to arm my empty hand with the axe from my leg. The moment they snap out of their trance they close in almost immediately, but they're reacting more sluggishly now, the fear in their eyes amplified.

“Press harder!” I command, my voice raw with urgency. The Swarm responds instantly, its ferocity redoubled. I can hear them screech and see them surge forward, their strikes more calculated, finding the chinks in the bandits' defense. The humans are trying to hold their ground, but they’re faltering, especially now with their fear so palpable and an enemy in their midst. Every hesitation, every moment of indecision costs them as my siblings slip through their defenses like water through cracks.

I grip the newfound axe and slam it into the nearest bandit, the force sending him crashing to the ground with a sickening crunch. He doesn't rise again.

The rest of the bandits are panicking now, their blockade thinning as the Swarm pushes forward with renewed energy. We’re close—so close to getting through.

I fight my way through the last remnants of the bandits, each swing of the axe more vicious than the last. Finally, with the help of my siblings, the tunnel is nearly clear. My sister's request for prisoners echoes in my head and I switch to blunt hits with my swords, knocking the last two humans unconscious. Curators rush to string them up, and the tunnel looms before me, empty, and foreboding.

Without another word, I rush forward, blood pumping, my mind singularly focused on reaching my sister. I sniff out her scent, antennae probing in the air, and I follow her chosen path up the mountain. My siblings take to the walls of the tunnel and cavern instead, accessing the premade routes to ascend the mountain much faster than I.

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Soon I'm all alone in the tunnels, forced to traverse the traps that my Sister has already set off. It slows me down, hopping over pits and climbing rocks, although I hope it did the same to the Bandit King. Apparently she took the chase all the way to the third floor, my stamina running low as I run up incline after incline. I can hear the sounds of fighting already, loud thumping shaking the walls that surround me.

I burst into the chamber just in time to see the Bandit King raise his massive ax, sweeping it in a wide arc that cleaves through at least a dozen defenders, decimating the area around him. His eyes are still locked on my Sister, although the reinforcements now stand between the two.

The chamber is a chaotic mess of bodies and stone, with the Bandit King at its center, like a force of nature tearing through everything in his path. Everyone swarms him, trying to overwhelm him with numbers, but his unbridled strength is terrifying. Each swing of his massive ax sends bodies flying, leaving a trail of destruction. He’s taken hits, blood trailing down his shoulder and chest, but the wounds seem to do nothing to slow him down. Why was he so determined to kill my Sister?

My sister stands at the far end of the chamber, under the weather and exhausted, but still alive. Her eyes meet mine briefly, and in that moment, I see the strain she's under. She's been holding him off for far too long.

I rush forward, avoiding the corpses of my fallen siblings, my heart pounding with every step. Fatigue is starting to build, but I imagine that the Bandit King must be tired as well with all that swinging. Just as I’m in striking range he finally notices me, spinning in place as he clears out the area with another wide arc that forces me to take a step back. His bloodshot eyes narrow onto me and a twisted, savage expression creeps onto his face. He goes for another wide swing and this time I block…which was a mistake. I barely manage to receive the blow, the sheer force sending me toppling over to the ground as I let go of my armaments. I quickly recover, eyes scouring the floor for my weapons, only to see the two swords I blocked with broken into pieces.

But before I can pick up the two ‘borrowed’ axes the Bandit King is already overhead, bringing his axe down in a devastating vertical swing. I roll and crawl out of the way just in time, the metal head of the axe just inches from my face.

I barely dodge the Bandit King's strike, his massive axe embedding into the ground with a deafening crack. The time spent to free it gives me an opportunity to scoop up the two axes and stand, although he's already ready to go again. He yanks his own axe free with a grunt, eyes burning with fury as he moves toward me again. My body is somewhat shaken, limbs unsteady, but I force myself to stand.

Across the chamber, my sister stands as well, her breathing labored. I meet her gaze across the battlefield, and in that instant, we both realize the same thing. One of us is going to die if things continue like this.

“Go for his left!” I shout, already moving to flank the Bandit King from the right. She's got to be tired, but my sister doesn’t hesitate. She moves in tandem with me, her lean frame weaving through the debris and fallen bodies scattered around us.

The Bandit King lets out a rather feral snarl, swinging his ax from left to right in yet another wide, vicious arc, aiming to out both me and the attacking Swarm in a single blow. I drop low, feeling the rush of air as the blade whizzes just above me, and close in on his exposed right side. My sister moves in from the left, her energy bouncing between her antennae in the dim light of the cavern.

He can't defend both sides at once.

My sister fires off a blast that connects with his leg, stunning him long enough for me to lunge forward and driving my blade deep into the side of his chest. The Bandit King roars in pain, his massive frame stumbling as he tries to turn and defend himself. But we’ve already taken the upper hand.

Blood pours from his wounds, but he’s far from finished. With a desperate growl, he swings his ax in a more precise motion, the flat side of the axehead connecting with my torso. The sheer force of his attack sends me skidding across the ground again, but I maintain grip on my weapons this time around. He’s slower now, his movements heavy and sluggish, but the danger is still there.

“Keep pressing!” I bark, coughing up a bit of blood. My sister needs no encouragement. She teleports behind him and unleashes another strike, catching him in the exact same spot where my sword did. Meanwhile, I get up and charge forward again, dodging his swings to keep him distracted. He grunts with frustration, trying to focus on both of us, but his injuries are starting to take their toll.

Both my axes meet his mid-vertical swing, the impact sending a jolt through my arms that makes me drop them on the floor. He growls, coming closer, but just as he turns to finish me off, the Swarm piles on. With a final, agonized roar, the Bandit King falls to one knee, his towering form collapsing under the weight of his injuries.

But even on one knee, he’s still dangerous. With a roar of defiance, he raises his ax one last time, aiming for me with all the strength he has left. I brace myself, knowing this might be the end.

But then my sister is there.

She moves like a shadow, swift and silent, and swings one of the humans’ axes into his shoulder. The Bandit King’s roar of pain echoes through the chamber as his ax clatters to the ground. His body sways, and with one final, trembling breath, he collapses face-first into the cold stone floor defeated at last.

I stand there for a moment, chest heaving, my heart still racing. Blood drips from my hands, but I barely notice it. All I can do is stare at the prominent figure that lies motionless before me.

He’s dead. It’s over.

I turn to my sister, who’s struggling to pull the axe free, her face with an exhausted but triumphant smile. We don’t need words in this moment—the look we share says everything.

We’re stronger together.