Anastasia Pascal
Fuck me, she screamed in her head. To the outside world, there was only a moan. Her body trembled as everything wanted to loosen and stiffen up at the same time. Her fear was setting off like an air raid siren as the looming figure approached at a lazy stroll. It had been going off since entering the Giant’s Lair, but it did get much louder. Also, on top of that, the blare had become a chorus. The blond acolyte thought that watching the Titan must be much alike to watching an incoming tidal wave. There was nowhere to go and despite how slow it looked, the catastrophe would arrive all too soon.
Standing in the back, Anastasia trembled as part of the support group. The distance offered no respite. Having most of the Sixty between her and huge horror also amounted to very little comfort. All of this wasn't much different than having a paper shield or hiding in a wheat field from a thresher. She was busy calculating how much time there was left to breathe when Leon reminded her of the plan.
In their infinite wisdom (and malevolence), the Council had devised several gambits to slow or distract the Titan. Her enthusiasm had been really high to be part of one with Leon when she learned it meant being put at the rear.
“Are you ready?” asked Leon, face relaxed and smile calm. “It is time.”
Inside, Anastasia's fear boiled over into rage. Fuming at how the barrier acolyte appeared to be so at peace while giant monstrous rats rampaged nearby. Feeling the heat and desire to murder welling in her eyes, she said, “Uh, um, ok…”
“Excellent!” he replied with a sublime smile.
Sighing, she quickly cast Discerning Sight and began Amplify Effect while the barrier acolyte prepared themselves. The words of the chant almost tumbled to mush in her mouth as Discerning Sight altered Anatasia’s vision. Mana swirled and surged in loud unignorable displays. A new sun of madness burned into life. The Titan had been eclipsed by shadows, but now shone in a fountain of baleful radiance. Wherever it passed or stepped became befouled by the azure energy. To her sight, the Giant’s Lair was an irradiated wasteland.
It was Leon’s soothing voice that brought the blond acolyte back to herself. It was calm, but quivered with unshown emotion. Sent both a sense of warmth up her spine and made the resentment fade as his own fear calmed. The chant of Amplify Effect started again. She poured Mana into the spell with a steadier hand now.
Leon’s casting was something new she realized. They had practiced their combination several times before, but this chant intoned something different. A whole new intent was forming as the peaceful man spoke his will to protect. Feeling guided, Anastasia released her spell to join with his. Their Mana combined into a supernova of wonder.
“Hark! A Foul Star Gleams!
Something Foul Approaches,
Threatening And Perverse!
With Passionate Prayer,
I Beseech For Protection!
Shelter Those Most Beloved!
The Devote’s Entreaty!”
A burst of pure light rose from his mouth and flew spiraling into the air. A shooting star of brilliant hope. Sparks and sparkles sprayed off into new streaks of light that followed in the wake of the first. All soared across the battlefield towards the marching Titan. Even before the azure glare, Leon’s spell shone true and undulled. The rain of sanctified illuminations erupted outwards like golden scales. They gathered and stacked into a barrier to block the path of the massive Ratsin.
The barrier acolyte gave out an exhausted breath that broke Anastasia free from her awe. There was an edge of strain in his eyes, but Leon smiled bigger than before looking upon his works. The king of giants came to a stop before the magical obstruction. A roar shook the earth, azure flames rolled off the twisted thing. The mad fire burned through the golden barriers and the sound of crinkling glass rose from the warping scales. It became clear that the Titan would be moving again soon.
“Shit,” cursed Anasastia hopelessly. “It’s uh gonna kill us…”
“Hardly encouraging I agree, but we’ve just got started,” assured Leon.
“Uh huh…. You uh want to um do it um again?” she asked wide-eyed.
“Of course,” he agreed. “As many times as I can.”
“Then um what… because uh um that doesn’t seem like um a lot of uh time gained,” trembled Anastasia.
Unperturbed, Leon shrugged and said, “Luckily, we’re not alone and there are other contingencies.”
What a fucking optimist, she groaned to herself. Sighing again, Anastasia began chanting Amplify Effect. There was no reason not to do her part, even if they were all going to die.
Amelia Strong
The battlefield was a whirlwind and she was the breeze. Flirting here and there, slashing and dashing. Creating flowers of spiteful flames with the point of her long-bladed spear. In perfect form, she rode on the euphoric of battle, her Sisters loping on either side. Their hate burned bright and the flames of it licked painfully upon corrupted flesh. The three of them were a terrible scourge to the rat things. Monsters screamed and the Sisters laughed.
They had marauded with abandon in the right dip of the Sixty’s trident formation. Playing the role of light skirmishers, as Vincent called it. Scorching and tormenting the trapped beasts. Always lashing out from blind spots before disappearing to keep the Ratsins disorientating. Their range increased twofold when the center thrust of the formation carefully split to form a circle around the few surviving giants. The strongest of the Sixty shifted forward to prepare for the Titan while the rest tried to eliminate the last of the Goliath Ratsins. Flames of red, green, and purple lit up the gloom in great plumes of hate. The Sisters hungrily sought the demise of these abominable rats.
It was freedom to charge the battlefield. Amelia was still indigent to be dragged to The Pit, but she enjoyed this almost perverse feeling of freedom. Moving as she willed and unleashing that which boiled within. There was no punishment for good deeds done, for slaying Ratsins was indeed a good thing. The only repercussion was the risk of poking a monster, but that was acceptable. She wouldn’t accept unreasonable punishment ever again. Her life has been too filled with such. Eternally haunted by the voice of mentors and mother, never being good enough. Never enough.
The Sisters understood the torment of undeserved pain and the hideousness of being ripped away unwillingly. Her life had been harsh and terrible for so long, but Amelia had in the end made something good of it. Even insured that others wouldn’t be abused as she had been. A union to protect the youth of gymnastics and ballet. All gone now. Whisked from her duty to shield others from the horrors of her childhood. A loss of fulfillment. Yet, this freedom of fury and the love of her Sisters almost made up for this loss. Almost.
She prayed that the organization continued without her.
Her reflection was useful fuel to the spear wielder. Sorrowful regret made her hateful flames dance prettily. The three of them charged into the fray, aimed at one of the thrashing Goliath Ratsins. Power rained down and fighters battled as the clock ticked down. Soon the Titan would arrive and much of their support would be lost. The greater part of their strength would be needed to contest the dreaded foe. Their chances would be better if the giants were all turned to dust. A task, no less difficult even as the need for it spiked.
Amelia picked out one of the remaining six beasts and charged. They curved along the edge of battle to come in for a surprise attack. Spiteful flames trailed off their weapons like tongues of hungry dragons. The giant fell into a tantrum. Blue blood oozed from dozens of wounds, afflicted in a dozen ways. Reality began to warp as it lashed out at the Sixty. Azure ruptures in the air that splattered reds blood and tossed the bodies of their comrades
Thin as a spear, she danced through the waves of rippling air. One perfect step to the other with flawless poise. Bending and swaying like the quintessential willow to avoid the impact of ruptured reality. It was a beautiful expression of dance. Shifting, leaping, and stepping to grow ever closer to the raging monster. Amelia envisioned the stage and felt the spotlight. The battle became a choreographed piece. Lights and shadows the set, and, of course, the fighters were the players. A phase of the world she was very comfortable with and it bent to her hum.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Through everything the Ratsin had to throw, the spear wielder twirled through it. She arrived at the side of the beast, purple flames gathering to the spear. A thrust, the tip piercing, and flames ravaged from the inside. The giant ripped its throat in a scream and Amelia’s lips twitched. That elation quickly fell when no other blow followed hers. Panic and worry shivered her bones as she glanced around for her Sisters. Alone.
A further scan found a plume of green flames in the distance, announcing that Marceline had been blown far afield. No beacon of red fire to calm the sorrow in her heart. Amelia’s soft face hardened into wicked edges of rage. The Ratsin turned towards her with a pained growl, but she snarled with enough spite to cause the beast to flinch. Teeth showing, the spear wielder raised her weapon for a throw. Her hate poured in from the sharp tip to the shaft’s end. The air crackled as the spear was lost to sight, becoming a purple bolt of lightning.
It was not so much thrown as the streak of surging purple light expanded straight into the heart of the giant. There was a roar as Amelia’s hate engulfed the Ratsin. It sizzled and trumpeted pain. As the monster collaged under the ever-burning flames, she screamed. The sound was triumphant and sorrowful.
Warner Papadopoulos
Zachariah fell. Once again, he saw a friend die. Everything had become intense as the ground shook with the steps of the Titan and the Goliath Ratsins were thrown into a fury. His team had been holding the line when a frenzied giant crashed into their midst. It bled azure from the eyes, some ally having taken the beast’s eyes. That didn’t stop the monster from wreaking havoc.
Wild streaks of ravaging Mana struck at them as reality warped in a storm around the giant. Though blind, the attacks weren’t any less savage. Warner lost sight of his people in the distortion. Having no other options, he fought. Orange flashed as he punched the weeping horror back. Jorgenson’s spells crashed down in aid. Streaking shadows beside him noted that other frontliners were with him.
Though, when the monster was pushed back, Zachariah was down. Elena screamed in frustration and dove wildly back into the Ratsin’s storm. He understood. Their previous deaths were still too close to be anything other than raw to experience again. Warner chased after her, worried at the recklessness. His friend’s second death haunted him and the regret chased after the brawler into the storm.
Within the bellows of the mad storm, he found the struggle between rat and woman. Her ax was brutal, but so were the azure claws. The ax broke off chucks while slits were made for red blood to flow through. Warner saw that both of the fighters had fallen into a berserk rage. Refusing to let her die again so soon (at least her) he throttled his Mana and leaped.
A comet of orange swept the giant away from Elena.
Warner slammed into the chest of the Goliath Ratsin, the two of them tumbled. Everything was obscured to him, half by the rank fur and blue blood and the other half by distorted reality. The blind rat was quick to retaliate and struck at Warner. He defended himself, but keeping his footing on the beast made it hard.
Unwilling to let the monster loose, the brawler bashed aside the Ratsin’s head and clamped onto the neck. Loathed to allow it near Elena again, he crushed with all his strength. Orange pooling rapidly, becoming jagged to dig into the monster’s neck. Blows rained down on Warner since he was unable to defend himself. The damage added up until the brawler was afraid to look down to find out if his lower half was mangled or gone. All sensation below the chest was lost, but he refused to let go. It was madness to continue, but the big man couldn’t deny the desperate need to finish this.
Warner sobbed when the giant ripped him free, but laughed when his Mana remained. A collar of orange continued to tighten slowly. The brawler was forgotten and dropped. Monstrous hands struggled with the collar, doing more damage to the flesh than the circlet of Mana. It gnawed silently. Every gesture and effort to catch a breath. When it collapsed, he felt disappointed. The rat thing perished, yet when the desperate need faded there was only chagrin. Dismay at how cheaply he had paid out his second life.
His broken body grew cold. Warner, seeing nothing and looking nowhere, swore to himself. I’ll be better. Better than both times…
Vincent Salvador
Rose blades branched out from each slash, one movement becoming several cuts. Azure flames roared defensively. The Goliath Ratsins glared from in the heart of its raging madness. Mana met Mana to create a light show of collision. Rose energy dispersed blue surges to allow a few of his slices through. The swordsman switched his attention as the monster snarled with pain. He was confident that those with him would dispatch this one quickly. The loss of a limb would alter the odds.
The battlefield looked to be going well to his appraising eye. The number of giants was rapidly descending and the Titan’s lumbering approach was being further slowed. He thought the switch to the dreadful rat would come soon. The Sixty after encircling the Ratsins had collapsed the circle smaller and smaller. None of the beasts could be allowed to escape and become a hindrance in the battle against the big one. Vincent very much doubted they could spare any extra attention once it arrived.
Vincent was picking out the next rat when the world turned blue and utterly silent. At first, there was confusion. There was nothing to hear, but there should have been. Mouths opened to yell, weapons swung, and spells impacted, yet there was no sound. The Titan stood as a tower of azure fire. A bonfire of baleful omens. Its too human mouth opened and raised as if screaming at the sky. Unwitting to the continued attacks, the surviving Goliath Ratsin bowed to their master. They wriggled violently, appearing to be in extraordinary pain and ecstasy.
Fangs came together as the Titan closed its mouth and the flames dimmed. The massive rat thing grinned, vilely pleased. The assault never ended, but the bowing giants threw everything off. Hollering to the sky as they became azure bonfires themselves. There was an instant change to the flow of battle. The enraged Ratsins dove into battlelines like sharks after seals. Their claws and fangs lashing out frantically. Absolutely unhindered by the panicked counterattacks.
Vincent felt dread and his heart plummeted into his gut. Their plan was rupturing. Time was now against them. He tried to calculate the next best move. A thousand threads of action sprung out for him to consider, but they were all listless in the wind. Too unpredictable or doomed with extra steps. The swordsman knew inaction was worse than a poor choice. Knew it and was still unable to choose.
A shifting in his peripherals brought his attention back to the Titan. Vincent’s eyes went wide and skin pale. Grinning hideously, it was getting ready to move. He could see it in the pose and line of the limbs. Time had run out. The Sixty had lucked out in being underestimated or their foe careless. Regardless of what it was, the swordsman recognized the monster king hadn’t been offering any effort until now. Should the Titan arrive while the berserkers were still alive, deaths would skyrocket.
“Dammit… what do I do?” said Vincent through clenched teeth. “What’s the best move?”
“It’s not all on you.”
He jerked to the side to see a woman in a cloak. Two moonish eyes stared from the darkness of the hood. Off-balanced, Vincent asked, “What? Who are you?”
“Roseline, I keep to myself,” smiled the woman with a tone of laughter. “But seriously, this isn’t all on you. We’re not all alone.”
“Of course not,” growled the swordsman. Not liking or wanting accusations. “There’s no time for this… why am I talking to you? I gotta act… maybe the Goliaths first.”
Roseline just nodded along. “Right, right… I can tell you the best move. You asked, and I can answer.”
Vincent snorted and eyed her like the madwoman she was, “What? How would you know the “best” choice?”
“I see the future,” stated the moon-eyed woman. “So, anyways, if you want to do the best… fight the Titan and give it everything you have.”
“I’ll die,” he retorted sourly.
“Yes.”
“And, yet, that is the best move I can make?”
“Yes.”
He wanted to ignore her and get to fighting. Yet there was this magnetism to her. Something about the cloaked woman compelled him to listen. Vincent considered the sensation and could only conclude through the Mana that he was maybe glimpsing her intent. Like a swordsman sizing up his opponent, he saw the truth in her words.
“You're absolutely sure this is the best thing I can do for this fight? Is to challenge the Titan and die…”
“I see it. Absolutely. The Sixty will make your death count.”
“Alright,” said Vincent with a roll of his shoulder. “Worst case you're crazy and I provide a minor distraction.”
“Your trust and confidence is heartwarming,” replied Roseline dryly. “Good luck!”
“Luck, I thought you saw it happening?” teased the swordsman as he took off towards the Titan. When Vincent took a quick glance behind, the moon-eyed woman was gone. Through the Sixty’s encirclement, he went at his fastest pace. Rose Mana flowed freely as the mindset of the sword descended over all of his thoughts and feelings. A streak of rose light aimed at the biggest monster any of them had seen.
If anyone tried to stop him, Vincent didn’t hear them. His concentration fell wholly onto two aspects and one concept. Simplifying the world down to just himself and the Titan. Two points of existence. Then interjecting a single law and purpose. Cut. The act of a single sword slash. The swordsman’s intent radiating through his Mana. His Form took on a nebulous shape as he used need to forge a tool. Something new bloomed alive.
From the heart of him came words that thundered with meaning. Stand, came the whisper of his mind. The whirlwind in his ears roared, Hold. In the gleam of his sword, Vincent saw Glory. The Titan towered above him, about to dash forward in a burst of mad flames. The swordsman picked his spot before the rat thing. An insignificant warrior before the dreadful beast. It didn’t even see him. Focused entirely upon the Sixty, but the monster couldn’t ignore a single slash. He wouldn’t, couldn’t allow that.
Rose light flashed out in a single horizontal line. More blunt than sharp, but a perfect swing. He Stood, Hold burning within his blade, and Glory spinning inside. With a whisper of intent, Vincent released the empowered slash. The rose energy soared forward, growing larger as it gained momentum. The Titan grew laxed and gave the attack a toothy smug smile.
The slash hit the azure flames surrounding the monster king and impacted on the flesh unslowed. Nothing appeared to happen except a wave of rose energy passing over the body of the Titan. As that slash disappeared so did the beast’s smile. It tried to move, but shifted slowly and jerked like the Ratsin had been restrained. Now Vincent smiled.
His sword began to swing over and over as Hold sang in his blade. Blunt slashes of energy began to rain upon the Titan as its movements got slower. Azure flames roared, snapping the effect in sparkles of rose Mana. The swordsman continued to pile them, holding the monster king in place. Eventually, the Ratsin realized the futility of breaking what was constantly being placed. It glared down at the tiny swordsman and roared.
He Stood under a rain of blows, surviving by the virtue of his Form and the slowing effect of Hold. His Mana was burning out quickly to maintain that strength and endurance. The wounds were adding up from the supernatural near misses. Vincent felt the limit approaching as he deflected two slashes of the claw while leaping over the ground sweeping tail. The moment his Mana ran out the reality-bending aspect of Stand would fail and he would be obliterated. The swordsman turned to Glory. A final act.
The Titan snapped downwards, fangs glistening to snap close around Vincent as he hung in the air over the tail. He dropped everything into Glory as the monster king took him in a whole bite. It stood up, once again smug. Rose energy burst to life like a new star in the sky. Vincent leaped free from the hole cut from the stunted snout of the Ratsin. Burning in rose flames, the swordsman slowed down his fall in one big slash down the torso and leg of the beast.
On the ground again, Vincent shone bright enough to shade the cavern in the color of his Mana. He pointed his sword up at the Titan. The monster snarled while holding the side of its face. Glory was surging, but when it was done there would be nothing left. The swordsman stoked it all into the blade and imbued Hold into it all.
Roaring his defiance, rose Mana exploded upwards into the Titan. The terrible beast was frozen in a pillar of energy. Vincent collapsed as everything left him, Mana, thought, emotion, and life.