The Dragon's Wrath: Ashes of the Fallen (36 page)

This time, they were under a surprise attack.

They were the ones lost and confused.

Footsteps could be heard, a soft pitter patter almost like rain drops. Numerous rats were running, slapping their small feet against the cold hard rock as they unknowingly ran to their deaths.

Behind this corner, I would make my stand.

I waited with the axe-side out and held above my head, patiently listening.

The noise grew increasingly louder as the distance between us shrunk, seconds passed as only seconds were left. Then, as the first rat came by, I released my swing with a downward-arcing side swing, as if I were chopping into the base of a tree.

No noise.

Then all noise.

The soft contact with metal on flesh felt as if I were swinging into mud as not one but two rats were caught on the end. Flinging their severed bodies off, I glanced back as the first rat that had ran past exploded in white flame and was sent flying back in the direction from which it came.

Surprised, startled, I looked at Katherine as she chained another spell.

Her white hands glowed as three spherical flames took shape. Having completed her cast, she released the three white balls of holy energy without delay. They cut through the air, and if my eyes weren't betraying me, changed direction as they flew around the corner and out of sight.

Lost for words, I stepped forward to see the corpses of four rats on the floor. Looking past those bodies, I saw a white circle had formed underneath the collective of stupefied rats that were still left alive. The soft white hue beneath their feet had begun to glow, and then with a soft dim pulse outwards, the light reached its maximum extended distance and froze in place.

For an instant, everything stopped.

Then a rapid collapse of the circular light followed, shrinking towards the center as the light flickered and appeared to vanish for a split-second. A blink was all it took as I watched with curiosity and amazement for what would come next.

Fire, would come next.

Directly above the small circle of illuminated ground, a sudden eruption of searing white-fire shot forth and up towards the ceiling. The plume of [Holy Fire] pouring up and out, only to splash back down off the mountain rock above.

The five [Wild Rattanorv Gammas] were caught and entirely engulfed in flame with their cries silenced by the intense flames. They were burning for what seemed like an eternity as all I could do was watch. A second and a half later, the fire diminished and the heat dissipated as swiftly as it had arrived.

In the space where five Rattanorv had been standing no more than two seconds before, five unrecognizable corpses were laid bare in front of our eyes.

Katherine was serious.

And, she was fast.

Nodding my head slightly sideways in a gesture to continue forward, I stepped over the dead bodies of the rats and pressed on. Katherine followed in silence, ready for whatever came our way.

Silence, wasn't only coming from our side though.

No, there was a mutual silence in place now.

The entire cave had gone quiet as we came upon the path that had troubled me the last time. The rocks had split into two distinct pathways, a Y-shaped corridor. Both of which headed downwards into what I liked to call an abyss.

An abyss, because I couldn't see anything.

It was dark, incredibly so.

All I knew the last time, was that the left path smelled slightly worse. This time was much the same. The right side had an old odor that wasn't quite as strong… it wasn't that different, really.

The
fresher
odor from the left side, gave them away yet again.

Yeah, it was still a pungent odor, and it still hung in the air. Even with the strong breeze blowing through. My nose itched, but a twitch was all I bothered to do for it.

My weapon required both hands.

Not bothering to close my eyes this time, I didn't need to let my senses lead like before. The path we were taking was a familiar one.

We were going to go left again.

The two us headed down the left path until we reached the large, gigantic cavern. Sunlight still shining down through the gaping hole in the ceiling. A curious place, one that forced me to swallow the lump in my throat as I stared out at the boulders that littered my view. I was anxious now, having already experienced this moment.

I was expecting them to pop their heads out next.

They didn't disappoint.

Dozens of beady eyes were peeking around the edges of the rocks before us, cautiously watching us as they hid in relative safety. If they were as simple minded as they looked, it wasn't too farfetched to assume they would use similar tactics.

There was no reason to believe that they would differ, unless they somehow recognized me as the one from before and took extra precaution.

That, was farfetched though.

"Kate, stay back until it starts," I quickly blurted out as I lifted my halberd and started to pace to the side. "I'm bringing this fight to them, embrace the chaos."

Breaking out into a run directly to my right, I cut across the room in an instant as a dozen eyes multiplied to a hundred. Hands were aglow in glorious synchronization as they had lined up and prepared to unleash a frozen hell.

Bodies shifted and heads turned, in an attempt to follow my path. Keeping at full sprint, I reached the edge of the cavern in a few seconds as I  quickly dove to the ground, not bothering to look.

Like clockwork, a hundred frost bolts impacted and exploded all around me. The air directly above froze over as crystals of ice floated down over me. Completely covered in white frost, I rolled to my back and prepared to jump. With a one-count I was back on my feet as I turned into the oncoming second wave.

Their relentless assault had begun.

Strafing sideways as I continued to sprint in an effort to circle them, cold beams of ice shot forth in a colorful array of blues and whites. Another second and a tumble, dive and roll separated me from certain death. Kicked up dust rose in a cloud behind me while I pushed forward, a full charge in effect.

The third wave came at an angle that was even easier to dodge.

Simply outrunning the frost bolts and watching them sail harmlessly off into the distance, I continued to charge. I was getting closer, another wave, and I would be there.

Their eyes were glowing in the distance, reflecting the sunlight in the shadow of the crags. In those eyes, fear was growing by the second.

Hands raised as legs began to shake.

Blue glows, only half in number.

Then, no glow.

The fourth wave never came.

Smashing into the first Rattanorv with a shoulder check sent one flying into three others as they tumbled to the ground completely entangled. Raising my halberd with a half-motion, I released with a checked swing that cut through a face with ease. Resetting almost immediately, I swung again with reserved strength as the weight of the axe-head easily sliced through the soft-tissue of the rats.

Blood splattered and splashed everywhere as I cut down rodent after rodent. Three consecutive swings and seven rats were strewn about in chunks and pieces. Consumed by the moment, my eyes were burning with rage as I let out with unfettered aggression.

This was a slaughter.

The rats, frightened, terrified of what they saw before them, attempted to run.

I gave chase, cutting them down without breaking my stride. A swing from the left took three heads off, while a swing from directly above split another. Thrusting forward into the back of one and then flinging it off into a group of others, the impact jarring them to the point where they remained motionless in the panic.

Rushing over, the momentum of my swing cleaned through a group of five as two were sent flying from the impact with the shaft and three were sliced to bits. Yelling at the top of my lungs, I challenged them.

"YOU WILL ONLY DIE TIRED!"

Panic stricken faces stared at me as they trembled in fear.

They tried to regroup.

A group of seven packed tightly with hands aglow caught my eye, only for me to notice the soft white hue underneath. Ignoring them, I charged in another direction as the corner of my eye was filled with fire. White hot holy fire, countless feet high, burning and rendering fat and flesh all the same.

The bodies had started to pile.

Blood and burnt flesh had filled the air.

Defecation, littered the floor.

A frost bolt, wayward and errant, hit me in the waist as I continued to run, oblivious to the pain. The impact was inconsequential, their spells were meaningless to me.

The anger that had consumed me was boiling over.

They would pay for what they did.

Those fuckers from [FWB].

Frost bolts rained down on me, hitting me in the chest as I dismembered a rat, hitting me in the back as I stabbed one through, hitting me in the face as I stomped a face. They couldn't stop me now, they were all going to fucking die.

Raising my halberd in front of a helpless rat, I dropped the axe down intending to split it in two. Only, a frost bolt hit my hands and sent the weapon bouncing off a rock and into another rat. My target was split, but my weapon was lost in the darkness.

Fifteen rats remained as I had been blinded by my rage.

My thirst for blood was becoming insatiable.

I wanted more.

Flash stepping into a group of them, I grabbed them with my bare hands and snapped a neck and spine with ease. My near superhuman strength too much for their weak bodies to overcome. One rat tried to run as I smashed two of his friends together, and a quick step on his tail halted its retreat.

It turned to me, almost pleading.

But my boot found its way through.

Sweat rolling off my face, I was completely soaked in blood and my boots were covered in shit. Literal shit, figurative shit, and all kinds of shit I didn't know of.

Body parts were everywhere, corpses were everywhere.

Katherine, was there.

Standing in the center of the light.

She stood like an angel with arms open, as I started to regain my sanity.

My heart was racing, my breath labored, my head… was heavy.

Then I realized, that my stamina bar was nearly fully depleted.

Physical exhaustion had already set in.

Letting out a sigh, I looked around the room and witnessed the carnage that been laid out. The room was a complete mess… over a hundred dead Rattanorv were spread evenly throughout. Some clusters were burnt, but most had suffered melee wounds.

I looked the part of an ax-murderer, more than a hero-adventurer.

Yet… I wasn't bothered by that fact. My anger was overflowing before the fight, during the fight, and immediately after too. Now, I felt relieved, relaxed and justified.

"Ouch," I said as I tried to stretch my arms.

One look at my body, and I was hurting.

Cold burns covered me from head to toe and half of my face felt numb. My health was critical too, at only twelve-percent. Though twenty-four seconds to live was fine enough. Katherine had the mana to spare.

Still standing where I had come to a stop, Kate beckoned me over to her side.

I obliged.

While walking, I continued to look at the destruction I had caused.

There was really an unbelievable number of dead.

Taking a seat next to Kate, she worked her magic and brought me back to life in quick order. Restoring my health first was of the most importance, and then recovering my injuries right after that.

They weren't serious injuries though.

Thinking over the details of the fight while I let Katherine work, it was rather surprising how quickly the Rattanorv fell apart. Intelligent and able to devise a strategy, they fought wisely en masse with large group tactics yet when forced into an unknown situation they broke down and panicked. Consumed by their fear, they lost all sense and barely offered any resistance.

They were physically pathetic and had no weapons, while equal in level to the [Outcast Goblins]. Without any organization, they weren't much better than a lowly fox.

Their only saving grace, was their large numbers and ranged spells.

I died the first time due to my overconfidence.

This time, my overconfidence with a slight change in strategy, decimated their entire clan. As far as I knew, this cave was now clear and free of rats.

That was pathetic.

Staring blankly at the walls that surrounded us, I finally noticed a flashing icon at the bottom of my visual field. A system message, alerting me to something… something most likely connected to what had recently transpired.

I hesitated, unsure if it was a good thing or a bad.

Well, there was only one way to find out.

Opening the message a single
ding
chimed. Followed, quickly, by a series of system event messages that I hadn't seen in a while. Ones that brought a smile to my face.