Alice dashed forward towards the goblin lord, her path crammed with lower ones filled with confidence at the arrival of a lord. Though that didn’t change anything in stopping her in her way. Sarah instead stayed close to me, filling mana into an already nocked arrow.
“[Arrow Rain; Modify: Exploding Arrow].” Flames crawled upon the arrow before it was let loose, swiftly disappearing into the distance as it flew an arc towards the lord. In midst its highest position the flames stretched outward, forming a massive orb which crashed into the goblin.
Flames burst outwards, covering even the surroundings in it. But before they could dissipate Alice was in front of them, her sword already whistling as she swung it. The wind picked up, carrying Sarah’s flames with it as it blew at the lord, spreading the flames far and wide behind it.
“He wasn’t that tough.” She turned around, waving her sword in a wide arc towards us.
“Watch out idiot!” I pushed my hands out, a circle appearing before them as I formed my mana. A fist shot out of the flames towards Alice who turned back at my warning, much to late though as the fist crashed into my barrier, not even stopping as it broke through it and hit her, making her fly like a puppet.
For a brief moment gravity let go of its pull, only for her to crash into the ground, carving a deep furrow into it.
“Alice!” Sarah shot forward, trying to make her way towards her. But after her first step a shout rang out.
“Arrrg, shit! Asshole!” A hand pushed out of the furrow, grasping at the edge to pull out a battered body. She came into view once more, frowning deeply as she looked at her left arm hanging limply down. “Damn, it hurts!”
She kicked down towards the top of her sword, making chunks of earth shot out from her position as the hilt shot upwards. Her hand darted forward, closing around the hilt to make the whole thing come to a stop. Before I knew what’s happening, she stabbed it into the ground, smashing her shoulder against it.
She didn’t just…
After a resounding clang she looked at her left arm once again, lifting it as she repeatedly closed and opened her fist. “Much better.”
“That’s not how you treat a dislocated shoulder!”
“Your arm can’t be better if it’s turning purple!”
Sarah and I couldn’t help but retort at her, though our comments were left ignored as she completely focused at the lord before her. Her flames started to dance wildly, the one coming out of her shoulder quivered as it started to spread, running down her mangled arm.
“Hey asshole, did you ever get you bones misaligned?” She shot forward, once again crossing the path of the lord. It glanced down at her, sighing as if it looked at a fly while pulling its arm back, the sheer size of it taking the air with it to cause massive winds.
The hand struck out, the speed betraying any expectations one had giving its mass. Nearby goblins were pushed away from it through wind pressure alone, tumbling over the ground while it dashed towards Alice. But as it came near her, she pushed herself above, jumping from the ground towards the lord’s shoulder.
As she fell towards it, she pulled her legs towards herself, kicking down at it when she entered her range. But any attempt at physical punishment seemed useless as it stood still like a mountain, only shaking its head while Sarah held her trembling leg.
“Just how fucking hard are you!?” She shouted out, pulling her arm backwards as flames amassed at it. “Break already!” Her light shone like a bonfire as her arm crashed downwards, a nova of flames pushing outward.
The lord stumbled backwards, shaking her off as she lost balance through its sudden movement. But opposed to taking this chance it instead stopped afterwards, grasping its shoulder as it looked at Alice in shook. Through the opening between its fingers I saw scorched skin.
“How is it!? Let’s break some more!” She rushed at the goblin once more.
It grew wary of the woman that hurt it for the first time, taking a proper stance as it pulled its fist backwards. But instead of dodging Alice pulled her sword back, flames gathering upon it. Then it struck out, the fist crashing downwards towards her.
“Don’t think that will work twice!” In the last second she sprang sideways, her fire fluttering in the wake of the fist. Upon regaining a proper foothold her sword shot forward, burrowing itself into the wrist of the lord. “How’s that!”
The lord led out a raging cry. But as Alice wanted to pull her sword back she stumbled, her blade stuck in the flesh of the lord. That’s gone long enough.
“Hey Sarah, can you take its attention for a moment?”
“Y, Yeah.” She stuttered for a moment, uncertainty in her voice.
“I’ll be right back.” I ran forward, putting strength in my legs as I leapt upwards. Before I could even fall down again scales dashed past me, my snake giving me a ride towards the lord. I can finally understand the thoughts of summoners, they’re quite handy.
In the short moment we didn’t look at Alice the lord lifted its wounded arm, dragging her with it as she didn’t want to let go. She pressed her feet against it, pulling at the sword to free it. The lord instead reached out with its other hand, wanting to squash the thing that hurt it.
I pressed my hand on the snake, giving it my command. Go! “Shaaaaa” With a sudden rush I was lifted upwards, the snake springing forward with me on its back. It opened its mouth, gleaming fangs showing themselves to burrow into the skin of the lord. But before it crashed into the lord I sprang sideways, crashing into Alice and pulling her away from the arm.
Together we fell downwards, crashing into the ground to tumble across it. In the end I was atop her, pushing her into the ground.
“Let me…”
Before she had a chance to continue, I smashed my head down, giving her a clout.
“Ouch, why did you do this!?” She held her forehead, twisting at the sudden pain. Her eyes were like a cloudy mist.
“Calm down idiot. You nearly killed yourself.”
“I didn’t…”
Before she could retort I blocked her mouth with my hand. “What about clinging onto your weapon without looking at your enemy? Just look at the state your arm is in by now.” Though it was covered in flame I could see still the purple sheen beneath it.
She still looked a little defiant, so I raised my hand into a fist, giving her the friendliest smile I could muster as I spoke. “Or do you want another reminder?” She shook her head while her eyes returned to their normal, glistening state. “Good girl.” I pushed myself upward, reaching out my hand to her, helping her up. “Don’t let yourself be controlled by your rage, it clouds your mind, makes you blind to your surroundings.”
“Sorry.” She whispered, unwilling to completely apologize, though her flames stopped their outburst to settle down quietly
It’s enough for the moment. I turned around to look at the lord once more, but before I could look at it another whisper rang out.
“The next time you push me down don’t do it on a battlefield.”
“Haaaa.” I guess Raging-Alice wasn’t that bad after all… At least she’s normal again. “I told you about her, didn’t I?”
“It’s not like she’s here.” She stepped before me, cracking with her knuckles. “Or that she even knows you by now. That still gives us a chance.”
I lost my words thinking about a way to answer her. But before I could do it Sarah stepped near, lifting her bow towards the lord.
“Done flirting?” Her voice seemed emotionless, but a hint of coldness lingered around. “We got more lords incoming.
Leaving this mess to be solved later I guided my attention towards the lord. The snake twisted around it, trying to trap its body, but suddenly I felt my connection with it getting weaker, the snake starting to fall apart into streaks of flame. Atop its head I saw a black shadow, quickly vanishing.
“What was that black thing?” Alice asked us, but I couldn’t answer her. I had never seen it before either.
“That wasn’t the only one.” Sarah voice rang out in warning. Slowly water began to rise around the mountain lord, extinguishing any fire left behind before it continued sideways, forming a giant five-headed snake.
“Don’t tell me the next level of that snake spell is a hydra?”
