Failing Again

The cave shuddered from the crushing weight of the stomping of a giant’s steps and the slamming of their club. Ragar dodged the foot meant to flatten him. Yu Li fired a volley of bolts from her crossbow, each one landing but deflected from its thick hide. She sidestepped from the overhead swing of the iron-banded club, leaving a crater.

“Everyone gather!”

Gavrik slammed his tower shield into the ground. Before him, the Sun sigil on the front of the shield expanded a wall of golden light horizontally two yards in length. Behind him, Layshale, Ragar, and Yu Li gathered together for protection.

Just then, a constant blast of magic struck the barrier with great force. Gavrik struggled, his boots planted, but nearly forced back while standing against his shield. The great blast of red fire erupted from the single optic of the cyclops, as magic poured into a constant stream. The mighty beast took joy in its newfound strength, eager to destroy its enemies.

“What the hell is this thing made of?” Yu Li checked her crossbow, finding it undamaged from her shots.

“I’m sensing magic surrounding it; protecting it!” Layshale cracked the earth with the butt of her oak staff.

A green surge of energy pulsed from the staff into the earth. From below, a burst of massive vines launched from the sides for Gavrik’s barrier, wrapping around the arms and legs of the monster. The cyclops struggled to free itself from its confines, dropping its heavy weapon with an earth-shaking crash.

“The eye, go!”

Both Yu Li and Ragar made their move. The Fox woman aimed and fired a bolt, as the Human fighter moved with surprising dexterity despite his armor, climbing from the side of the cave’s wall and up the cyclops’ back to his shoulder. He pointed the tip of his sword and pierced the singular large eye with no effect. Both blade and projectile bounced from the eye, with Ragar catching the ever-so-subtle ripple of magic before the iris locked on to him.

The Human fighter felt an odd heat near him and saw black fire sparking in his peripheral vision. Quick to disengage, Ragar landed from the cyclops’ shoulder, watching as the vines burned away in a blazing abyssal inferno. The cyclops broke from its binds, roaring aloud with a mocking laugh, revealing the missing and jagged teeth in its maw.

“Damn the Matron’s milk! Definitely magic keeping that eye from being stabbed!” Ragar cursed, taking cover behind the wall of light.

“Where is it coming from?” Gavrik shouted, taking the brunt of the fiery beam again.

“Those flames, shadow magic! There’s a mage somewhere under a cloak.” Layshale, familiar with the forbidden element, connected the dots. “Gavrik, we have to-.”

A ball of black mass was launched from behind the party, splashing onto the ground and forming a pool of shadow. Gavrik was the only one whose feet made contact before the others moved. The quivering pool latched tendrils to his legs, pulling the Dwarf down into the cold void.

“Oh, hells!” He cried, releasing his shield.

The barrier faded, collapsing into nothing. The optic blast struck the shield away, leaving the four defenseless. The cyclops approached, its heavy footstep bringing it to loom over the Dwarf. Ragar thrusted his sword to the shin, with no damage. Yu Li tossed a combustion bomb that didn’t even make it flinch. Layshale froze, her blood running cold as the cyclops recovered and raised his club to end her friend.

The massive weapon crashed down to a loud clang, iron to iron. Layshale blinked to comprehend what she saw. An Elf standing over Gavrik, her great iron blade held high like a shield to repel the large club. Her marks dim, the muscles in her arms, legs, and back working to support her weapon, while her feet slowly sink into a black pit. For a moment, Layshale noticed a flicker of something powerful, primal. A form that appeared to take shape around her Fallen kin’s body, something large, resonating with Vael and sharing its strength.

“Raaaah!” Vael roared aloud, an unnatural cry of defiance as she pushed back with overwhelming strength. “Soaring Falcon!”

A burst of wind in the shape of a large bird struck the club, knocking the massive weapon from the cyclops’ hand. It banged against the back wall of the cave, causing chunks of boulders to crash to the ground. The others moved to avoid being crushed.

Vael reached down to pull Gavrik from the pit, who sank halfway in. She struggled from the force of the shadows, the tendrils snapping apart before tossing the Dwarf aside.

“Get out of here! Now!” Vael barked, swinging her free arm towards the exit.

Layshale could only nod, rushing over to her defender to recover him. Ragar gathered the Dwarf’s equipment, and Fu Li was already scurrying towards the cave’s entrance.

Vael pulled her feet free from the shadow pit before the cyclops attempted to slam his fists down. She dodged, allowing the giant’s hands to plunge into the creeping shadow, the tendrils taking his limbs in.

“Lesser beast.” Vael seethed before unleashing another Soaring Falcon.

The aetherial bird soared up, carrying an intense compression of wind magic within. Upon impact, the bird exploded in a powerful burst of air magic, shattering the ceiling of the cavern. Massive boulders crashed to the ground, slamming the cyclops onto its back. Once again, the beast allowed itself to sink into the pit that expanded wide enough to engulf it.

Vael watched with visible disappointment at not seeing it perish. She took her leave, feeling a set of eyes boring into her very being. She ignored it, rushing out of the collapsing space to cross this unseen enemy and take them down.

——

“I cannot fathom you failing again!” The finely dress woman’s voice barked, though still retaining her elegance.

“Miss Rockwell, my allies and I have battled a cyclops once before, but this beast was very unusual.”

Vael stood nearby, arriving in Ralefort with the adventurers. The Elf and the Human woman were already discussing all that had happened in the forest cavern.

“I find it hard to believe that you and your motley crew are Gold rank.” The Human woman, Miss Rockwell, was beside herself. “Failing to slay this beast will not be a good look on your records, but to lose the gold from the Conglomerate?”

The thought of it brought the glamorous woman to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her heels clicked on the cobblestone with a weight that everyone felt. She moved in a circle, making her way back to the group.

“Crescent Raiders!”

Her voice commanded immediate attention, prompting Ragar and Gavrik to straighten up despite their fatigue. Fu Li barely moved the entire time, aside from her tail constantly swishing about, and Layshale, appearing to be losing mental cohesion, leaned on her staff in exhaustion as her ears drooped.

“I may be your sponsor, but I won’t be for long unless you get your act together! Else you’ll be on your own and sent to Silver.” Rockwell announced, her disapproval of their efforts sounding drained. “We still have time to recover and deal with this threat before returning to Rivera’s Reach.” She pointed at the Foxian, starting with her. “After we rest up, Fu Li, you and Layshale must scout the surrounding area. Use whatever you need to find our query. Ragar and Gavrik, start digging. We have to find that gold. And you, Dark Elf!”

Vael’s brows lifted in surprise at her sudden involvement. She didn’t have time to answer before the Human woman changed her demeanor—a gentle smile, an offering hand, and violet-blue eyes that saw a welcoming opportunity.

“I have something to discuss with you, if you’ll join me for dinner?”