Adventurers! 09

Hill waded through the lizard men.  He swung Party Starter in wide arcs, forcing them to give him a wide berth.  Fell and Leif were waiting already at the door to the temple.  The elf was working on the door’s lock, and Fell was working out a series of complex gestures.

“Hill,” Fell yelled across the melee.  “Stay still for a second!”  She barked a few sharp words, and threw her hands forward; thumbs up.  Gouts of flame shot from her fingers, forming a wall of fire on either side of the fighter.  Fell tilted her hands to either side, leaning the walls of flame over the mob of Alligorn.  Fire fell on the crowd.

A few of the lizard men unfortunate enough to be in the path fell back howling; the others backed up considerably.  This cleared the path a fair bit for Hill, which was a good thing.  It also reminded the remaining lizard men about Fell and Leif, which all things considered, was less good.  The Alligorn that weren’t currently on fire hissed at the two near the door, and advanced.

Fell opened her hands, but the flames shooting forward were barely more than a flicker.  “Hill!  Stop being still now!”

Hill wasn’t actually being still at all.  There were less lizard men in his path; what with the fire and all, but that wasn’t the same as clear.  Hill elbowed his way through a small group of distracted lizard men, trying to rush his approach.  He ended up with a spear through the shoulder for his efforts.

Hill grit his teeth against the pain, and smiled at the lizard man who’d stabbed him.  He’d learnt long ago that shrugging off damage was an effective way to throw off your enemy.  Viciously cutting an opponent in half was another fine way; so Hill did that as well.  He stared over the gore at the other two lizard men.  Being thrown off was pretty contagious, and the two were seriously reconsidering their day.  Still, the other half dozen had missed half the action, and were coming for Hill regardless of his intimidation aura.

Fell shot off some quick, violent hand gestures, and slammed the butt of her staff hard on the ground.  Two giant translucent fists appeared above the lizard men closing in on her and Leif, and smashed the ground.  The lizard men unfortunate enough to be directly beneath the fists were reduced to paste.  The others were flung backwards as the ground shook.

One of the lizard men leapt over the giant fists, and rode the rocking ground towards Fell.  It hissed loudly as it stopped face to face with the wizard.  It took a moment to growl and posture, and seemed slightly confused when Fell failed to be impressed.  The lizard man didn’t even see Leif slide behind it, and didn’t know about the elf until it’s throat was already opened by one of Leif’s blades.  Blood geysered from the wound, and hosed Fell down thoroughly.

“Thanks,” Fell stated dryly as she flicked blood from her face.  “Thanks a lot.”

“Saved your life,” Leif replied.

“You didn’t,” Fell began, but the elf was already turning his attention to Hill’s fight.

Leif tossed the bloodied dagger at the lizard men surrounding Hill; and lodged it deep in the back of one’s skull.  It dropped, only to be replaced by another lizard man.

“Hey Hill,” Leif yelled over the fray.  “Remember the part where we escape through the mysterious temple?”

“Kinda busy here,” Hill grunted back.  He yanked Party Starter from where it had become lodged in a dead lizard man; slamming the hilt of the blade into the jaw of an incoming Alligorn.  A new lizard man leapt onto Hill’s back; as though to show just how busy the fighter was.

Fell twisted her hands into a series of intricate shapes, and pointed at the lizard man on Hill.  An arc of neon blue electricity shot from her extended finger.  Sparks flew from the twitching monster as it slid off of Hill.  Lines of electricity shot suddenly from the dead lizard man into the next nearest enemies.  The fingers on Hill’s free hand twitched, and smoke wisped off his back where the lizard man had been in contact with him.  He turned a slow annoyed glance to Fell.

“Saved your life,” Fell called out.

Hill considered a response, but found nothing that would be polite out loud.  He watched as both his comrades looked with sudden horror over his shoulder.  Hill didn’t bother to ask, and spun quickly; and brought Party Starter up in a defence.  Hill parried as a large club swung down at him.  The Lizard King was evidently bored of the side lines, and had come out to play.

Hill pushed the Lizard King’s club upward; and tried to swing Party Starter through the opening.  The Lizard King laughed as he sidestepped the wide blade.  He brought his club back down hard on Hill’s already injured shoulder.  A loud, and unsettling crack echoed over the hamlet

Hill felt his arm go numb.  It was his off hand, but it was still off setting.  He swung upward at the Lizard King, who again shifted out of reach.  Hill extended at the end of the swing, managing to catch the tip of Party Starter under the King’s upper lip.  He pulled away, and left a gaping tear in the Lizard King’s face.

The Lizard King showed no notice of the wound.  He laughed as blood poured from his ruined lip.  “Getting tired little warrior?” he mocked.  “You put the sword down; I’ll make this quick.”

Hill answered with another swing of his sword.  The Lizard King didn’t step aside this time.  He took a slash across the chest, just to show he could take it.  Hill stopped a moment as the Lizard King smiled over the pain.  That’s how that feels, he thought, just before the King clubbed him in the side.  Hill stumbled back; his ribs moving with a life of their own.

The Lizard King shook his head at Hill.  “You can’t beat me,” he declared simply.

Hill looked over at his dead arm, and at his tenderized side.  Part of the thing that got stupid fighters killed was their pride.  “You’re right,” Hill agreed.  “I’m in no shape to win against you fairly.”  With that, Hill dropped into a low crouch

The Lizard King blinked confusion as Hill dropped.  He howled his annoyance suddenly as a dagger flew over the warrior, and buried itself in the King’s shoulder.  The Lizard King stepped back as the ground split before him, and a pillar of molten earth and fire shot between him and Hill.

The Lizard King hissed his anger, but made no move to chase Hill as the warrior and his companions dashed into the temple.  The Lizard King smiled as the doors slammed closed between the adventurers and the lizard men.  It was as it was supposed to be.

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