Molly St Clair
After the scouting party was healed up, Malachi was quick to get them organized for another push forward. The bulk of that was splitting them up into parties. Their chosen leader believed the next area was best approached with smaller groups.
Molly agreed.
One look at the terrain was enough to cause a headache. Anyone trying to get a huge group through it safely was in for a bad time. Better to go with Malach’s plan of parties that would advance together. No one would shift forward unless everyone was finished fighting.
The plan was focused on making sure no one could get isolated. Each group would work with a paired party for backup. One resting, while the other focused on a fight. The march through the cavern would be a series of leap-frogging maneuvers. The benefit of the slow go was assurance that all of the rat things were eliminated in their wake. Molly was curious to see how the Sixty would perform in parties. Tactics would differ greatly.
Only Warner sent any friction Malachi’s way. Somehow pulling off charming as he obstinately declared a party of his own choosing. The big man had barely avoided Molly’s ire when he tried to pull her into the show of defiance. She had no desire to buck authority. The cool-eyed woman had indifferently replied that she had agreed to join his party. Best to maintain neutrality where she could.
No matter how much my chest hurts to see that wounded look on Warner’s face, flushed Molly. Stupid cheek-burning grin!
Malachi barely seemed to notice the confrontation. He was busy dividing people into parties. When Warner made his claim, the bearded leader looked up briefly in thought. His eyes flickered to Molly with consideration. Then, almost absently, agreed it was a workable team. He gave a shrug that said, “maybe it could be better.” Warner twitched with a partial frown and Molly smirked at the whole thing.
After that episode, everyone was quickly divided. Soon they were on march again. At the entrance to the open area, Reuben gave a quick update. Mostly the scout detailed where he had seen more of those starved Ratsins. Warner led their party to the starting position before a patch of the glowing moss. The grinning fool took point while Elena and Zachariah took either side of him. Molly claimed a position in the backline with Nicole and their healer Conor.
When the groups were ready, Warner’s and Malachi’s parties moved in to engage.
Warner’s foot crunched down into the moss. Glowing ooze broke free, sticking to their shoes. The smell of yeast and sweet fruit filled the air. The muscular Ratsin that had claimed this patch twitched with stiffly. Sniffling violently, it turned towards them with a squeak. The beady black eyes focused first on the mushed moss and then to Warner. Its stance switched from gluttony to wrath. The rat thing charged with a guttural screech.
The monster leaped at the muscle line, clawed hands ready to grasp and tear. The front line didn’t slow their march. Shields bashed into the leading claws. Warner’s fist slammed the jaw shut, forcing the jagged teeth to crack and skewer into their own flesh. The brawler followed up with a strike at the nose. Black blood spurted, the monster’s momentum was arrested. The sudden stop causing the Ratsin to tangle up its own limbs. Spear and ax tore open wounds, making good use of the instant of confusion.
To keep the battle’s rhythm in their corner, Molly cast a spell.
“I Call The Shadows,
Instill Loss And Despair,
Bind With Darkness,
Void’s Impression.”
A dark purple sphere formed over the head of the rat thing. Its screeches dimmed and became echoey as if from a great distance. The monster lashed out at random as the melee fighters pinned the beast in place. Quick slashes to distract while the retaliations were easy to dodge. They all retreated as one as Nicole’s spell roared into existence. The electrified wind wraps up the Ratsin. Its screams reached out to them even over the raging wind. With effort, the storm acolyte held the spell for as long as possible and then released with a gasp.
The Ratsin was revealed, torn and bleeding freely.
Blinded and in pain, the rat thing lay there twitching. When the melee fighters charged back in, the monster surprisingly ignored the assault. Instead, the ratsin focused its efforts on rolling in the glowing moss. Blue phosphorus soaked into the skin and burned the rank hair away like acid. A moment later, the beast’s wounds closed up. Hair began to sprout noticeably a beat later.
Elena had been in the middle of a spear thrust as the rat’s claw brushed past the shield and grasped her leg. The warrior woman was lifted into the air and shaken. Her ax fell, but Elena acted quickly. The edge of her shield was slammed down into the wrist, repeatedly. Bones crackle with each hit. The broken limb goes limp and she drops to the cave floor.
Meanwhile, Zachariah has taken the opportunity to get into a better position. His spear was thrust upwards into the vitals of the Ratsin. The spear tip thrashed about within the insides. Swirling the gore. The giant man barely reacted to the blood dripping and splattering around him.
The muscular Ratsin gave out a mournful cry and collapsed reluctantly. Warner, his brow furrowed, stepped forward to the shuttering creature. The brawler’s attention was focused on the dark sphere that Molly was sweating to maintain. He raised a fist, a sparkle ran across the knuckles before it came down with a crunch. A pool of dark blood formed beneath. The spell of darkness disappeared without her consent. Suddenly dispersing. The cause was swiftly apparent, the target was no more.
Warner grinned with victory and flashed them with a thumbs up. Molly, ignoring the warmth in her cheeks, gestured for Conor to start healing. The pale man smartly rushed over to Elena first. The warrior woman only nods stoically before golden light passes over her. Their party leader’s grin has faded some. Following his line of sight, Molly sees that Malachi’s group is done too.
The corpse of another muscular-looking Ratsin is already powdering at the feet of the Sixty’s leader. The sword acolyte nods to Warner and signals the next groups to route forward.
Soon, more of the large Ratsins are engaged.
They were left to watch, waiting to jump in or for their turn to come. Molly was surprised to find herself impatient. There was an eagerness to engage boiling within her chest. Despite the horror, this was strangely empowering.
Phelian Starr
Side by side, Phelian charged in with Hector. They worked in sync, deflecting attacks away from the others and getting a strike in when they could. His companion took a step in while shield bashing the Ratsin in the face. In follow up their sword pierced the throat in a gush of dark blood. The monster reared up, distancing the wound from them. Monstrous claws cracked stone as the beast wildly countered.
Coming at the flank, the aspiring warrior slashed at the headquarters. The swing wasn’t enough to sever, but tendons were hacked apart. The Ratsin collapsed. It feeblily tried to burrow into the glowing moss, desperate to escape the party’s attention. Phelian hummed. He was thrilled to feel so useful and to be fighting in tandem with everyone. Training with Vincent and Warner had paid off in dividends. Far more than Phelian had expected.
From behind came a roar from Allen. “Blaze of Radiance!”
At that reverberating casting, the two shield users backed off. A comet of fire passed over them. Shrieking through the air and impacting upon the rat thing. An eruption of fire poured outward in a dome shape. Cooked flesh and burnt vegetation became an overwhelming smell. A five-foot radius around the half-cooked Ratsin was cleared. A circle of char in the middle of the glowing fauna. Within the dead zone, the beast suffered, but lingered. Blood oozed from cracks of the Ratsin’s now craggy flesh.
Turning one good eye towards them, the monster roared at them. Senseless and angry. Gore sprayed across the party like spittle. Charging, the Ratsin broke their guard by spinning at the last second. The hairless tail slammed into Phelian and Hector. Between weight and force, their feet left the ground. It leapt at the aspiring warrior as he tried to rise from his back. A timely jerk of his shield protected his throat and face. Unfortunately, the rest of him was shredded by the claws. The wounds piled on and deepened as the Ratsin tried to pry the shield away. Its hind legs began to furiously rack, digging in his gut. Phelian couldn’t help crying out due to the pain. His breath seething through clenched teeth.
A prideful battle cry cut the air.
He watched Kai tackle the Ratsin in a burst of white light. The monster was tossed into a violent tumble. A sharp grin appeared defiantly over the Asian man’s face as they landed feet first. The beastly man prowled forward, swinging a spiked mace. White light began welling up from within the metal. Swirling around the man as he chanted.
“Brilliant Shine,
Burst of Might,
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A Blessed Smite,
Prideful Impact!”
The name of the spell echoed out as Kai took a single step that blurred into a beam of light. There was another explosion of white as the mace acolyte slammed the Ratsin further across the ground. Vivian used the commotion to drag Phelian to his feet. Golden energy flowed into him as the healer recited her spell “Healer’s Touch.” The wounds closed up, leaving smooth blood-stained skin.
Phelian thanked her while he checked to see if the torn clothes would get in his way. A few adjustments were enough for comfort, the cloth would stitch itself together if left alone. The aspiring warrior dove back into the fight the second he was ready. Kai began reciting another spell when Phelian leaped in to support Hector. He focused on shielding his companion while they attacked. An opening allowed them to reduce a claw into a stump.
A second later, the spell boomed over the howls of the monster.
“By The Will Of Us,
Sharpen Our Teeth,
Bless This Hunt,
Strength Of The Pride.”
White light rained down on the three that stood over the Ratsin. The energy soaked in like a sudden shot of caffeine. Even erased the soreness of his muscles and collected along edges of their weapons. Bustling with energy, they attacked together. Every move had enhanced precision. Kai’s mace dented the rat thing’s chest. Blood dripped as the monster coughed and took Hector’s shield across the jaw. It snapped in retaliation and got a slash across the nose in reply. Howling, the Ratsin didn’t see Phelian coming. The aspiring warrior’s sword hacked into the exposed neck. Then he retreated under a flailing panic.
Hector didn’t hesitate, diving in to finish the job. His singing blade just barely missed severing through. In retaliation, the Ratsin reared up unsteadily on its hind legs. Screaming, Smashing down with its remaining claw. Kai streaked in and blasted the monster’s knee apart. Collapsed upon the ground, Hector had the freedom to detach the head.
The monster finally stopped moving.
Phelian cheered. In response, the party grinned back or rolled their eyes good-naturedly. A heavy sigh of relief brought their attention around to the fifth member of their group. Soren walked back to them from his own kills. A few fresh Ratsin from one of those other tunnels had tried to interrupt the fight. The gunman had calmly assured them that he was able to take care of it.
“Damn glad we didn’t have to ask the two front parties for help,” smirked Soren. “Red would never have let me hear the end of it.”
“I wouldn’t have hesitated a moment if it looked like any of us couldn’t hold,” stated Vivan with a concerned frown. “Now, let me take a look at you. That was a risky move and I will make sure you came out of it in good health.”
The gunman made no attempts to protest, though he was obviously was unjuried. Phelian understood. One look at her eyes and you know Vivian won’t relent till she gets her look, thought the aspiring warrior.
While the healer did her due diligence, Kai came over from watching their kill turning into powder. “Gunman, I’m impressed. I thought to help you out, but… well it was quickly clear you didn’t need it.”
“Ah shucks, guys, they were just some small fries,” pressed Soren as he shivered from the golden light passing through him. “It ain’t like I was fighting a biggun’ on my own.”
Phelian felt a little jealous at the attention, but turned from that darker emotion. He did his part. There was no shame in someone else being the star.
Hector knocked his shoulders to pull his attention. The other man said, “Come on guy, why so gloomy? We got one as well. Hmm, I wonder if it will have a color too?”
“Looked like the same type as those Malachi’s and Warner’s parties fought,” reflected Phelian. “Those cores had blue in them, so maybe the same?”
“I like blue,” said Hector seriously. “That’s my lucky color.”
Phelian looked at him curiously. “O’ yeah?”
“Yup, a clear blue sky is always lucky,” answered Hector. “That’s basically my family's motto. I’ve always had good memories on those sort of days too. So yeah, it's a lucky color.”
“Heh, alright,” grinned Phelian. “I’m not gonna argue with that. I’ll take luck wherever it comes from.”
Leon Machi
Leon watched the battle carefully, straining to see where his aid was best needed. Patience was key to foreseeing those moments and it was an endeavor that synchronized with his nature perfectly. Upon seeing those openings, he imposed a barrier. Something to blunt an attack or block movement. Nothing to interfere with tactics at hand. Simple gestures.
His protective eye watched as Vincent held the Ratsin in position within a furious storm of blood. The swordsman was laying down dozens of cuts upon the monster. Nothing fatal, but too many to ignore. It’s defense with claw and fang slowly faltering. Retaliation went no better. Each counter hissed through the air. Like a leaf on the wind, Vincent had simply been elsewhere. The rat thing was effectively frozen to a slow death.
The Sisters had a field day with that.
Their blades struck in a series of quick strikes at several different angles. Deep wounds that poured free dark blood. The Ratsin would turn to defend against the assault, but that only allowed Vincent to dig in deeper. Thus forcing the monster to abandon the already retreating Sisters.
A strategy that appealed to Leon’s nature. Slow and sure. It may have been without the decisive blow the other teams unveiled, but victory was nonetheless assured. More so in his eyes, and without the risk of leaving oneself open to attack should the monster survive your flashy move.
It was an odd team that Malachi had asked him to look after. The Sisters had been unwilling to part from each other for the sake of team composition. To end the frustration on both side, Vincent promised to take care of the women. This naturally led to a team becoming lopsided with melee types. Leon saw himself as an attempt to balance the scale, some. Healing when needed, but mostly his talent for barriers could keep the battle favorable.
Even when things are going well, mistakes can be made, thought Leon in self-warning. He needed to remain vigilant.
The barrier acolyte quickly spoke the words of his spell in preparation. Halting before the last line. The cost of holding a spell wasn’t anything like maintaining an active barrier, but there was still some mental strain. An odd feeling, like pressure draining out the back of his mind. Uncomfortable to say the least.
In a moment of distraction, the Ratsin got clever with his tail. It whipped around violently to swipe at the women charging in from the side. The Sisters had become too focused and unwary. They missed the warning signs. Too late their eyes widened in awareness.
Leon let the spell loose by calling out the last words, “Tactical Shield!”
A discus of translucent energy appeared in the way of the tail. The angle of the plane redirected the tail to the ground. When the monster leaped in pursuit, the weight of it shattered the barrier. The Ratsin slammed the ground several times in attempts to catch the scattering attackers. Vincent dove in after, his sword sinking deeply into the flank to capture back the attention. The Sisters escaped as it turned around with a snarl.
The Ratsin roared in rage and lurched to its hind legs. They all finished as the roar rolled to a screech with a climbing tone. A high pitch burned into their ears. Operating on an impulse, Leon recited a spell.
“Hear My Wish,
Cage This Threat,
Bind Before Disaster,
Barrier of Containment!”
A translucent sphere formed around the Ratsin. One half descending from the air and the other rising from the ground. Like a puzzle box, the half pieces rotated into each other before sealing together. Inside, the monster raged as a blue light started to pour out of the wounds and eyes. Muscles bulged and it bashed at the containment. Fissures began to form at impact points, Leon felt each blow as their strength increased. Blood began to drip from his nose at the pressure of holding the shield in place. The four warriors backed up in cautious alarm as the rat thing went berserk. When the barrier broke his Mana reverberated painfully. For a moment the backlash was like something was tearing him apart. Pulling from every angle, including inwards.
The next thing the barrier acolyte knew, he was on the ground. Blood was dripping down his face like tears. Looking around was painful, but concern for his team drove him against the repercussions. The Ratsin had swelled in size somehow and now stood luminous blue. It roared at the Sisters with a wave of blue energy that tumbled them away. It launched into the air to come down on the top of them.
The rat thing seemed to be grinning.
Leon struggled to chant with blood pooling in his mouth. Coughing and spurting he got “Scalped Wall” out. A barrier dome formed over the prone women and there was an audible crack when the Ratsin landed. The monster looked between its feet with a sneer. When the beast looked up, Leon felt that stare shoot through his heart. Ignoring those under the dome, the rat thing loped towards him.
Vincent strode between the monster and him. Seeming so tiny before the giant rat with only a thin blade to contest. The Ratsin must have thought the same things as it didn’t react to the new obstacle. The swordsman stood ready and noticeably took a breath. Leon couldn’t take his eyes off his teammate even as he tried to call for help through the blood.
A light collected on the edge of the blade as Vincent took a slow step. As his foot came down, three slashes of the sword appeared in the air as gleaming marks of red light. Crossed like a six pointed star, the attack launched forward towards the rushing monster. The Ratsin tried to bat the slashes out of the air, but lost the arm. The flesh of the limb separating like an object forced through through a machine.
Or a cheese grater, thought Leon as the mangled limb dropped to the floor in six longwise slices.
The sacrifice of the arm allowed the Ratsin to survive, barely. Two groves cut through the torso and one across the skull. Vincent was preparing to follow up when three angry yells rose from behind the Ratsin. The rat thing looked behind and took a spear covered in dark purple flames to the face. Around the impact, fire scorched hatefully . The beast’s remaining hand reached up to swat at the piercing spear. The action blinded it to the incoming dark green blade. The sword wielding Sister leaped onto the back and thrust the sword into the spine. Green fire sprouted, withering the flesh wherever it touched.
With a scream, the Ratsin shuttered and suddenly collapsed to the side. Mewing weakly as the beast looked fearfully at the blood red flames coming off the daggers of the last Sister. From where he was, Leon could see the scowl on Evelyn’s face as she slammed both daggers into the chest of the Ratsin. All three sisters watched the Ratsin’s flesh boil before the red flame. A beating heart was revealed beyond the naked ribs.
Together, the three of them ended the fight.
Spitting a final bit of blood to the side, Leon felt himself calm down. His small smile was even returning. Vincent leaped to his side with a frenzy of concern. The barrier acolyte waved most of it away.
“No, No, my friend. Just a bad backlash from holding the barrier against that monster. A little healing and I’ll be right as rain. Speaking of the Ratsin though… that was new.”
“Yeah, that was a good reminder not to get cocky,” said Vincent with a spark of thrill in his eyes. “Even monsters have some surprises up their sleeves.”
“The Sisters certainly surprised me,” added Leon.
Sighing, Vincent replied, “Ahh, yeah. I was hoping to take the rat on myself after it showed off like that... I suppose there is some pleasure in seeing your students prove their mettle.” With a grin for Leon, the swordsmen added, “Those flames are terrifying, right?”
“I almost felt bad for the abomination,” admitted Leon.
“Almost,” agreed Vincent.