With Dorian temporarily neutralized, I charged into his last retainer, driving the thug backwards as he caught my vicious overhanded blow on his sword. Shoving against the man, I trapped his weapon against his chest and drove my knee deep into his side, only to have the man viciously headbutt me in the face as he absorbed my blow.
Shit, this guy isn’t your run-of-the-mill thug! I cursed to myself as I tried to banished the all-too-familiar feeling of a broken nose and inhaled a sewer-tainted breath of air through my mouth. Not wanting to lose my temporary advantage with Dorian being out of the fight, I pushed through the pain, working to overwhelm the skilled thug with my strength, pummeling him with relentless and punishing attacks.
Forcing the man to retreat, I managed to push him close enough to see Dorian pull my throwing knife free from his cheek and spit out a mouthful of blood.
“Surrender or die, Dorian!” I called out to the man, feeling my own blood from my shattered nose begin drip down my throat. “There is no third option here!”
“Oh, how I beg to differ, Adventurer!” Dorian slurred through his broken mouth, before shouting something incomprehensible in the air. “It just so happens that your only option is to die!”
Almost instantly after Dorian finished speaking, I heard Quinn’s distant voice shout out, “Lazarus, look out behind you!”
But it was too late.
Smashing into me from behind, the Gnasher’s tentacle swept straight through where I was standing, sending both me and the thug I had been fighting cartwheeling into the air.
And into the water below.
Hitting the water with a thunderous splash, I felt a throbbing sensation in my back as I reeled from the brutal blow that the Gnasher had landed. Floating completely insensate for a moment I distantly noted an alert appear in my combat log telling me exactly what had happened.
A [Hellborn Gnasher] hits you with [Tentacle] for 204 points of damage!
Nearly a third of my health, a part of me noted as I slowly became aware of a persistent stinging sensation on my face as dirty sewer water leeched into my eyes, nose, and burns. Moving slowly, I tested my range of motion, happy to find that the Gnasher’s attack hadn’t crippled me, or that my flight through the air hadn’t caused me to lose my sword.
Hang on, this basin is full of Otyugh. I suddenly realized as I felt something brush against my chest, forcing me into a panic as my brain envisioned myself being drowned and devoured alive. Swinging my sword in front of me, I felt the blade weakly slice through something, prompting me to start kicking my legs furiously as I propelled myself upwards towards the surface.
Breaking through the surface of the disgusting water with a desperate gasp for air, I found myself retching from the stench as I forced myself to open my eyes to see where I was. The burning sensation intensified as the filthy water pooled in my eyes, I shook my head to clear them as I swiveled about and tried to find a way out of the basin before any other Otyugh discovered me.
Spotting one of the walkways nearby, I began to paddle my way over, seeing several flares of fire burst from above as Molly, Quinn, and the rest of the Thief Lords fought for their lives against the massive Gnasher that Dorian had summoned.
That just fits you perfectly, doesn’t it, Gavin? I berated myself as I swam towards a walkway. Everyone is fighting and you’re too busy taking a swim.
Continuing to retch and berate myself as I swam, the ladder quickly grew closer, and I began to allow myself the faintest hopes that I would be able to make it out of the basin without attracting any attention to myself.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Feeling a tentacle wrap around my ankle, I found myself yanked sharply under the dark waters, my eyes searing as the water invaded my vision. To my surprise, however, I was somehow able to see through the murk, spotting a second tentacle reaching outward and wrapping itself around my crossbow, which hung from a belt around my waist.
Making a split-second decision, I swung my trusty blade through the strap tying the crossbow to me, causing my weapon to speed away from me as the dimwitted creature pulled its tentacle back towards its mouth, thinking that it had secured a tasty morsel. Pulling even harder, the second tentacle gripping me by the ankle gradually dragged me further from the surface of the water, seeking to drown me in the filth-filled basin.
Fighting the near unbearable pain of leaving my eyes open, I saw the Otyugh swimming through the gloom as it struggled to pull me downward with only a single tentacle, the second busily throwing my stolen crossbow into its open maw. Kicking as hard as I could, I worked to loosen the creature’s grip while swinging downward with my sword. Used to fighting aboveground, the blade moved at a snail’s pace as my arm guided it through the water and slowly sliced through the tentacle holding me, sending the hungry Otyugh retreating into the murk in pain.
Almost instantly, my downward descent stopped, and I thrashed my way upward back to the surface, breaking through an arm’s reach away from a ladder.
Reaching upwards, I grabbed hold of the ladder and dragged myself out of the water, gasping wildly as my heart hammered in my chest. Sucking in a deep breath, I forced myself onto my feet and began moving towards the platform. As I ran across the walkway and back towards the fight, my eye caught movement from a distant walkway as Dorian fled, running at a full sprint down his entrance’s walkway.
He’s escaping! My heart jumped into my mouth as I tried to find a way that I could catch up to the renegade Thief Lord, realizing that there was nothing I could do. By the time I reach the center platform and run down the walkway, he’ll be gone and the wall will be sealed behind him.
Gritting my teeth as I ran, I pushed Dorian’s escape to the back of my mind as I redoubled my efforts to reach the center platform and get back into the fight that I had effectively abandoned in favor of catching Dorian.
Rushing up the ramp of the platform, I arrived just in time to see Stroud land a powerful blow across the creature’s maw with his massive axe and carve a row of teeth from its jaw. Several magic missiles crossed through the air a heartbeat later as Quinn and three remaining Smiling Jades continuously threw magic at the possessed creature, scoring its rocky hide with dozens of magical burns and pockmarks.
Littering the ground were over half a dozen bodies of the retainers that the Thief Lords had brought with them, some of them crushed, having fallen prey to the thrashing tentacles, while others appeared to have been burned alive, unable to dodge the creature’s burning spit in time.
Charging forward, I continued my scan across the battlefield, searching for both Molly and Isabella, fearing that they were among the dead on the platform or had also been knocked into the water below.
“Lazarus!” Molly’s voice called out, causing my head to swivel in its direction, spotting her kneeling over Isabella’s fallen body as she turned to look towards the Gnasher’s tentacle that was lifting itself high into the air, readying itself to crush the pair. “I can’t move her! Not in time!”
“Stay there! I’m coming!” I shouted back at Molly, seeing her eyes widen in surprise as I angled my charge towards her.
This is going to be close, I told myself as I dug my feet into the ground and sprinted across the platform, seeing the Gnasher’s tentacle begin its downward descent towards Isabella and Molly. Pumping my feet wildly as I ran, a desperate plan slowly came together, one that I had no idea whether it would work and which stood a good chance at getting not only myself killed, but both Molly and my new Thief Lord. I’m going to need the sigil’s help for this, and pray that it is enough.
Triggering the sigil for the first time in what felt like ages, the crimson haze immediately consumed me as fire shot through my veins. Feeling the power of the sigil in my step, I tightened my grip on my sword as I ran, lifting it up over my head as the Gnasher’s tentacle continued to fall.
As I rushed to my fallen Thief Lord’s aid, I spotted a massive wound crossing Isabella’s chest; Molly was desperately trying to heal the gushin
g wound while Isabella’s eyes stared blankly into the air. With a single glance, I knew that Isabella only had seconds remaining before death took her, unless Molly managed to stem the flow of blood gushing from her chest.
I’ve already lost one Thief Lord this week. I felt the sigil pulse in sympathy as it sent yet another wave of energy through my body. I am not going to lose another one!
With a scream of pure rage, I rushed past Molly and ground to a halt, staring up at the massive barbed tentacle descending towards me. Bracing my feet for the impact to come, I hefted my blade above my head as I continued to roar in defiance, praying that my reckless idea didn’t end up killing all three of us.
I heard Molly scream as the Gnasher’s tentacle came down on the edge of my blade, the impact driving me down to my knees. I felt bones crack in my hands from the blow, causing my grip on my sword to falter momentarily. Yelling through the pain, I fought to maintain my grip on the blade as I felt it bite through the Gnasher’s stone-like hide, forcing hot ichor to spew from the wound.
Pushing back against the tentacle’s incredible strength, I slowly forced myself back onto my feet, feeling my weapon slice even deeper as the tentacle began to thrash in pain. Sawing my sword through the tentacle’s flesh, I cut upwards with every single ounce of strength in my body, feeling the translucent blade carve through the creature’s limb and burst free from the other side.
With a primal roar of pain and fear, the Gnasher pulled back the now bleeding stump of its tentacle as the severed half landed heavily by my side. Swinging the gushing limb around wildly, foul ichor rained from the air as the creature whipped its sightseeing tentacle towards me, its burning eyes staring at me with rage.
Growling furiously, the creature’s body began to glow once more, signaling yet another round of burning spit as it looked to seek vengeance for its severed limb.
“Lazarus, I need more time!” Molly shouted out behind me, her familiar voice easily piercing through the veil of rage that hung over me. “You need to distract it!”
“Got it!” I grunted as I forced my battered body to move away from Molly and Isabella, feeling spikes of pain shoot through my hips and knees with every step I took.
Hobbling along the platform, I draw the Gnasher’s attention away from Molly as she continued healing Isabella. Watching the creature’s body carefully, I saw the flare of magic in the creature’s mouth brighten a second before it launched the burning spit out of its maw. Having seen the ability before, I had a better idea of what to expect when the creature launched three burning gobs of fire at me, and managed to evade them as I rushed towards its main body.
“Its body is too tough!” I heard Quinn yell as I ran past him and the three identical copies of Smiling Jade. “Focus around its mouth where the armor is weaker!”
With no time to acknowledge the mage, I continued my charge towards the bulk of the Gnasher, wary of its one remaining tentacle that it kept positioned high in the air. Shifting my glance downward, I saw a burnt-looking Stroud flanking the side of the creature swing his axe once more at the Gnasher’s maw, only to have it impact stony red flesh as the creature shifted, causing his weapon to rebound harmlessly.
“Damn it!” Stroud shouted, seeing my approach out of the corner of his eye as he wound up for another strike. “Watch for the tentacle above!”
Stroud’s warning came in the nick of time as my temporary glance downward was enough to miss the limb’s sudden descent as it swung towards me, seeking to crush me from above. Making an instantaneous decision to roll forward, I barely managed to tumble under the tentacle’s heavy attack as its impact caused the entire platform to rock.
Feeling bones protest as I forced my broken body back up to my feet, I found myself staring upwards at the massive bulk of the Gnasher as foot-long teeth protruded from the possessed abomination’s maw. Following Quinn’s advice, I swung my blade in a powerful cleave, the wickedly sharp weapon easily slicing through the thinner armor surrounding the creature’s mouth and several teeth in the process. Howling in pain, the creature rocked backwards as it reflexively forced its body upwards away from my attack, giving me a perfect view of the three stubby limbs that it balanced on.
“Its legs!” I shouted out loud as an idea came to mind, hoping that Stroud would be able to hear me and understand what I meant.
Rushing forward before the Gnasher recovered from my earlier attack, I ducked under the gargantuan creature’s bulk and thrust my blade deep into what I could only assume was the Otyugh equivalent of an ankle. Feeling bone crack as I brutally drove my sword straight through the Gnasher’s leg, the limb gave way, sending its massive body crashing to the ground.
Not wanting to risk trapping my sword, I pulled my weapon free and played for space as the Gnasher’s body rolled forward, then to one side as Stroud’s axe found another one of the creature’s legs. Backing away from the creature, I winced as a howl of pain erupted from the massive maw before me, the pointblank cry loud enough to leave my eardrums ringing.
Thrashing wildly as panic began to set in for the creature, the Gnasher’s sightseeing tentacle whipped downwards as it desperately scanned around its fallen bulk for either me or Stroud. Finding me first, the Gnasher’s red eyes flailed through the air as the body opened its massive maw with a roar, revealing countless rows of wicked teeth. Gagging from the stench of raw sewage that emanated from the Gnasher’s mouth, I couldn’t help but notice rotting and decaying clumps of flesh and garbage caught in between the creature’s teeth, along with fresher body parts whose clothing reminded me of the other Thief Lords’ retainers.
Within seconds of the mouth opening, a cascade of magic flew through the air, hammering the tender and vulnerable flesh within the creature’s maw, causing the Gnasher to shut its mouth with a snap.
The mouth is its weak spot! I realized, mentally kicking myself as a sudden and crushing fatigue fell upon me and caused me to stumble as I backed away from the fallen creature. An urgently flashing alert appeared in corner of my crimson-hazed vision.
You are low on health!
HP: 193/710
Damn it! The sigil is killing me! I realized as I dismissed the ability, feeling the intoxicating rush of power fade away from me. How long have I had it activated?
With the veil of rage dissipating from me, I felt all my wounds intensify, causing me to groan in pain. Feeling incredibly hot, I realized that moisture was steaming off my body as it desperately tried to cool itself, the prolonged use of the sigil having caused my temperature to skyrocket. Panting with deep breaths, I forced my legs to keep moving as I put distance between me and the fallen Gnasher as it writhed in pain from the combined assault of the mages.
“Wait for it to open its mouth again!” I heard Quinn’s voice shout from behind me. “That last attack really hurt it—shit, look out!”
Whipping a tentacle faster than it ever had before, the Gnasher swept its appendage in an arc high over my head and directly towards the assembled mages. Caught flatfooted by the sudden attack, the barbed end of the tentacle slammed into one of the three remaining Smiling Jades, impaling the mage onto its spikes before yanking backwards and lifting the screaming mage into the air.
“No!” The two remaining copies of the Thief Lord shouted simultaneously as they threw a wave of magic at the fleeing tentacle. A handful of the attacks splashed across the Gnasher’s relatively unarmored appendage, scarring it wickedly as it lifted the flailing mage towards its body, the spines holding its victim firmly in place.
“It’s going to eat her!” Quinn shouted behind me as the Gnasher brought the tentacle in front of its toothy maw. “Focus on its mouth when it opens! It’s only weak from the inside!”
It’s only weak from the inside, Quinn’s voice echoed in my head as I watched the Gnasher’s mouth begin to open, revealing soft pink flesh inside the creature’s body. Barely anything that we’re doing right now is hurting it, and despite losing a tentacle and two legs, it’s still full of fight…we need to
—I need to—try something different.
Swallowing hard, I stopped backpedaling away from the creature as I summoned my courage for what I was about to attempt, hoping that I would be able to survive long enough to do some damage. Putting one foot in front of me, I pushed off of the ground as I launched myself forward towards the Gnasher, watching the creature’s mouth stretch wide open, completely filling my vision with wicked teeth.
Magic flew over my head as I charged towards the creature’s open mouth, the bolts of magic singing deep wounds into the creature’s sensitive flesh. Finding a burst of speed I hadn’t known I had left, I closed the final few feet towards the creature as its tentacle brought the impaled mage into its mouth and viciously began to shake her loose.
Reaching the edge of the Gnasher’s open maw, I leaped straight into the tooth-filled cavity. Timing my jump carefully, I landed on what used to be a torso of one of Stroud’s retainers, the remnants of the thug’s body having been caught between the creature’s teeth. Pushing off before I lost my momentum, my legs carried me deeper into the creature’s mouth as I leaped to another severed appendage and one step closer to the black pit that was the Gnasher’s throat.
I never thought I’d be force-feeding myself to a creature, I thought to myself grimly as I readied myself for one final jump that would send me plummeting down the Gnasher’s gullet. Just before I leaped, a raspy, gurgling cry echoed from above me as the Smiling Jade caught on the Gnasher’s tentacle finally tore free of the thrashing appendage and landed limply on the edge of the creature’s throat.
Flailing weakly, the wounded mage desperately scrambled to find something to hold on to in an attempt to stop her slide backwards into the creature’s stomach, her now unmasked face spotting me rushing up the creature’s mouth.
“Help,” the young elven woman gasped, her eyes widening in terror as she slid over the edge of the Gnasher’s throat and vanished.
Hell to Pay (Ascend Online Book 2) Page 18
