Bad this is really bad. I still can't see but I try to roll away from where I got hit since I accidentally spat out a doughnut hole I had in my mouth. I got kicked in the back and rolled another few feet before I could start to see again. I quickly went to defend with my mitts when instinct felt some danger and pushed aside a mace from above. The hole it left made me very sure I would have only barley survived that. 

I rolled onto my hands and knees and getting a single foot up before I jumped to the side to dodge a gauntleted hand swing followed by a low to high mace strike. Not my favorite type of opponent for sure. Backing away more I ate a water puff. Getting hit wasn't going to be pretty so I'd rather not. I saw in the corner of my eye I saw the wyrms  spell slinging back and forth. I even saw a few spells from the Icus cult mages since they were doing well with Hannah's support. 

I put up my hands on either side of my head in a defensive position ready now. He just kept swinging in a circular motion and had even more windup for a swing from my right. I arched my body away from the spiked ball before jumping forward to slam him with a punch to his face. He took it well and didn't get too damaged but I kept at it. Before when fighting May he always had the close range advantage and his mace's windup and effective distance not mattering too much but that changes when the opponent boxes. Now he was backing away and blocking with his right arm. Backing up allowed me to be about the same speed as him but he eventually dropped his mace and started punching back. I'm not sure if he had the boxing skill or even unarmed combat much but his strength stat was no joke.

We kept at it until I took a nasty right hook for a jab which wasn't the best trade and these blue dragonkin came barreling into the guy from the side. The tide on that part of the battle seemed to be in our favor and I switched to a more offensive treat backing up and dealing ranged damage. Greg was finished with the summoner and was being frontline for May. Overall things were looking good.

The battle kept going for another 3 minutes before the mace guy pulled out something and crushed it. The dragonkin blocking for me backed off wary of whatever it was that he crushed. Nothing really happened though until Yoh got below 10% health and was fighting like a cornered rat against 6 people including May.

"You have disappointed me lord Yoh, you shall be punished for losing this outpost" an elegant voice echoed from above. A red dragonkin in a mage's robe with bright red runes tailored into had appeared out of nowhere, floating. They had a staff that held a floating flame so small it looked like it would go out any second. He chanted a few words at the shock of Yoh who had given up resisting and was hunched over with his claws together. It seemed like he was ... praying? The battle had stopped as everyone was looking at the figure who just appeared.

"Great mother please, just give me another chance. I can win this battle for you, I can still-" Yoh stammered before disappearing with the mace user and the rogue Teddy had been fighting. The red robed figure still floated in the room staring at May.

"Scum of Icus, it does me no pleasure to do this but upon the pride of Firren I shall not strike you here. Know that we will send you back to your spineless coastal relatives one scale at a time in due time" the figure said before chanting again for a shorter time before disappearing themself.

There was a silence in the room for a moment.

"WE WON! YAY GET OVER HERE LEE THAT WAS AWESOME!" Greg yelled rushing over. I was caught by surprise and just stood there. 

I then heard a cackling sound to my left and I saw Denny moving through the shadows, slicing everyone in his way. There was no distinction anymore between the blue or red dragonkin or even the prisoners. He moved out towards the front gates with his head waving back and forth followed by his spine slithering through the darkened ground. Damn cleric, can't even do the one thing I asked. I started running towards him "I need a cleric, someone heal that monster before he gets away!" I shouted out.

A few tried to get close but he was moving too fast and there were only rangers with bows in the way since they had the most range and therefore came in last. Damn it I picked up a smaller cleric I saw running slowly after Denny and sprinted as fast as I could. I even used a leg gummy and flavor enhancement combo to try to close the distance but the speed type monster was making its way through the tunnel faster than me still. After it turned a corner I couldn't even see it anymore around the next turn. I heard a screech from behind me seeing Flas catching up. He wasn't going nearly fast enough but I tossed up the roughed up cleric anyway as he passed.

Flas had made it a couple hundred feet in front of me when we reached the exit but I had no idea where Denny could have gone. Flas had disappeared over some trees but going in the forest alone and at this time of night was not advisable. We had been fighting for awhile and moonlight had taken over the sun's duty.

Denny

Denny was gone.

Maybe Flas would catch him a part of me thought but I knew that wasn't happening. Denny was able to dip into the shadows and it was night time, he wouldn't be found unless he wanted to and he seemed set on escaping the cave with less than 30% health left. 

As I was standing there a ranger who had no doubt followed me finally caught up. "Did you catch him in time? Where's Isac?" he asked dumbly.

I stared at this idiot for a second before releasing a breath "I didn't make it in time, I tossed the cleric to the hawk that you should have seen pass you."

"Oh" he said, shifting awkwardly "I hope they can catch up."

What do they even teach in whatever school or learning center they have for cultists, this guy was terrible at this. I furrowed my brows and walked to the side of the cave entrance to lean on a rock. I would wait, just in case Flas or Denny came back. After a few minutes, shorter than I expected, Flas came back with the cleric Isac.

"THANK YOU crazy bird" he said dusting himself off. 

"Did you do it?" I asked.

"No, the bugger got away, I couldn't see anything as soon as it made it into the forest but the bird kept flying above the trees for some reason. It eventually circled a few times in this one spot before coming back here" he said.

"Flas, was he stopping there?" I asked hopefully. The giant hawk let out a low squawk and shook his head.

I closed my eyes and held my head for a long time before going back to tell the others. Tonight had gone wrong and there wasn't anything I could do until morning now.