Chapter 135 - Underestimated

Hey guys, I made a minor change to the end of the previous chapter. I've tried to make it self explanatory in this chapter, but I suggest you read the last 10 or so paragraphs of Chapter 20. I just made the start of the encounter more interesting.

“Archers above us!” Celaine snapped, shooting her an arrow at someone on the roof. There was the sound of scrambling. A roof tile fell and shattered on the floor nearby.

Hump didn’t need to be told twice. He filled his staff with power, envisioning a spell formation in his mind. “Shield,” he said, and essence exploded from his staff. It formed a dome around them, the air shimmering as it expanded from the space over his focus. A crossbow bolt struck the barrier just as it took form, bouncing off and hitting the ground.

And then his barrier was fully formed. They shot a couple more bolts, but they were harmless. If that was the best of their fire power, Hump had nothing to worry about. These thugs had underestimated them.

The lead thug let his coat fall open and took what appeared to be a baton from his belt, only there was a white heartstone embedded in the end. Not a baton, but some sort of crudely made wand.

The focus shone white, essence spiralling toward it as the man gathered power. He swung it like a bat and the air howled, blasting toward them. Loose bits of brick crumbled from the wall, pebbles were ripped from the ground, all of it bombarding Hump’s shield. Hump leant into it, adding essence to himself, pressing his weight against the wind to avoid staggering back. It was a powerful Wind Blast, but it was unfocused. The thug had a decent amount of power, but he lacked the ability to control it and condense that strength, leaving the attack inefficient.

"These aren’t just kids, Doug,” The man behind Hump shouted. “What are we doing?”

“Shut up,” the lead thug shouted. “We ain’t running like dogs from this trash. Not without the black stone.”

He swung out again with his bat, then again, essence blasting through the alley, leaving tears along the walls like giant blades. Far from enough to breach Hump’s Shield though.

“Are you sure you don’t want to run?” Hump called out, letting a smirk reach his mouth. “It’s not too late, Doug.”

The man narrowed his eyes. His baton started to shine with power as essence built for a second spell.

The man Hump had struck with Rockshot was already returning to his feet. His left arm bulged unnaturally at the elbow, likely dislocated. Where the Rockshot had impacted his forearm, the skin was torn and matted with blood. Pure essence flooded the wound, making the blood shine blue.

“Nilton, are you good?” the lead thug said.

The brute of a man took something from his pocket and held it to his nose, breathing deeply. Hump felt essence fill the alley, familiar yet strange at the same time. The same thing the bandit warlock had used. There was little doubt that at least a number of these six were warlocks too.

The man used his uninjured arm to grab his other wrist and then with a sudden jerk, pulled the bone back into position. He let loose an animal like snarl. Essence shone brighter, the flow of blood slowed. He flexed his arm, bending his fingers into claws, glaring straight at Hump.

He grunted, nodding in answer. His face didn’t show a hint of pain.

“Then bring this damn shield down!” the lead thug shouted.

The brute grinned. His legs started to shine with bronze light, calling upon the power of the earth, though Hump couldn’t tell what for.

“I count five,” Bud whispered.

“Six,” Celaine said. “There’s a second one hiding on the roof over there. Hump, if you buy me a few seconds when you drop your shield, I’ll handle them.”

“I’ll blast them,” Hump said. He glanced over his shoulder, noting the weapons of the two behind them. One carried an axe and shield, the smaller of the two, a woman, carrying a short sword. “Bud, keep the two in front of us off me and I’ll see what I can do about the ones behind us. Looks like they might both be warlocks.”

Bud drew his sword. “Got it.”

“This time don’t hesitate to kill,” Celaine added.

“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “I’ll do what I have to.”

Hump took his spellbook from his belt and it opened to the page on Essence Blast. He’d need to invest more into Tier 1 spells after this to make better use of its power, but for now, a big hit was all he needed.

“Are you ready?” Hump asked.

“Ready,” they both said.

The moment the martial thug started to charge, Hump dropped his Shield. The man’s feet thumped across the ground, trailing bronze essence, heavy as hammers. Nothing Bud couldn’t handle, and not Hump’s job right now.

Hump turned his attention upward, gathering the remnant power of his Shield and blasting it above him. The two crossbow wielders fell back shouting. At his side, Celaine leapt up using Spring Step, jumping from one side of the alley wall to the other, leapfrogging her way to the rooftop where the silver light of Power Shot soon followed.

Hump glanced back to where Bud was engaging, meeting the martial’s charge. Frostfire erupted along his blade, making the alleyway flicker with light. His aura descended, icy cold in the alley, the air shimmering pale blue around him. The martial stamped his foot against the ground and a spike of earth shot forward, but Bud cut it aside with a two-handed swing, then carried on forward, forcing the man back, the thug’s spiked club unable to keep up.

Hump turned to deal with the two quickly closing in behind, the shield holder up front, the rogue behind, both of them cautious in their approach. Hump stamped his staff against the ground, the earth cracking as his essence flooded it, tendrils of bronze sparking from his staff and lacing the ground, taking it under his control. He felt the ever-present timelessness of earth, the unending power. All Hump sought was a piece of it.

“Explode Earth,” Hump barked. There was a crash as the muddy path erupted toward them both. The lead man raised his shield to protect his face, then disappeared behind the dust. Before Hump, destroyed earth now barred their path. The ground torn up and full of rocks that Hump could now use as ammunition.

Hump stretched his staff out, willing the stones to rise by his command. They floated into the air, suspended by essence. He stabbed with his staff, launching a dozen rocks into the dust. There was a shout beyond, and as the dust cleared, the shield holder had fallen to one knee. Blood was pooling from his leg, and he was breathing heavily. Further back, the rogue had retreated, avoiding the worst of the attack.

Suddenly, the rogue charged, shadow coating her as she sprinted. Hump channelled essence through his spellbook. “Blast.”

A wave of blue shot forward, and the rogue jumped, kicking the shield holder into the blow as she used his shoulder for a boost, leaping into the air. The shield holder was shot back, screaming, rolling hard against the ground. Hump paid him no mind, taking aim at the rogue and preparing another spell, but the woman suddenly evaporated into a cloud of smoke. An ability Hump had seen more than once from Skander. Enough to know to whirl around, Parry Shield already on his lips.

He swung his staff as the rogue appeared behind him, streaking smoke, his sword descending toward him. Hump’s spell caught the blow, the impact knocking the rogue back. The rogue was fast, but Hump already had his next spell ready, channelling it through his book.

He sent a blast directly into the rogue’s chest, sending her crashing into the wall at his back. She gasped, crumbling to the ground, sword falling to the side. Using Transform Earth, Hump bound her arms and legs in stone and turned back to the shield holder. The man was on his feet, fleeing down the alley with a limp before veering down a different path.

He turned back to help Bud. The knight still engaged with the club wielding thug. The man moved as if he didn’t have a broken limb. His face was contorted with fury, with rage, with… it was like the bandit warlock. Bestial, transformed by a corrupt power.

Behind him, the lanky thug wielded a baton like club as if it were a wand, tossing out blades of wind that forced Bud to parry, distracting him from the thug.

Celaine shot an arrow, but it was like the air around them had turned to liquid. It lost its momentum and floated to the ground.

She leapt, landing behind them, both oblivious to her presence. Even to Hump, she felt almost as if she wasn’t there, masked by shadows, covered by an aura of obscurity. Only her eyes gleamed in the dark, shining with the green of dragon’s blood. Her arrow glinted silver, and she released it straight at the lead thug. Its momentum slowed, but it tore through the dense air. Slowed, but not stop, though its trajectory had been changed.

The man took the shot on the left side of his stomach, tearing open his side. He cried out, clutching the wound with his hand but keeping his feet.

Fast as a flash, the thug launched himself at her, abandoning his club springing after her on all fours. The earth conformed to his movement, enhancing his strength. He threw up a handful of stone and it shot at her. Celaine dodged, then used Spring Step to jump, aiming for the roof.

The lead thug aimed at her, the air around her shimmering and her momentum slowing. The brute hauled himself up the wall, hands like claws. And then he had her by the ankle. Celaine was dragged down and slammed to the ground. Her body bounced as she impacted the ground, her head swayed from the impact. She gasped, eyes lulling.

“No!” Hump shouted, stabbing at the thug with his staff. A beam of essence shot out, but the leader managed met it with his own Shield. Hump forced more essence into the spell, roaring with fury. The shield shattered, and the man was sent flying back, the beam taking him in the shoulder.

The brute landed on top of her, reaching for her neck with claw like hands. Somehow, she managed to grab him by the wrists, her dragon blood strength enough to hold him back, at least for a moment, but he had to be three times her weight. But she couldn’t hold him off. She rummaged for her dagger, the man’s free hand finding her throat, but she brought the blade up against his side. It found flesh, but she didn’t have the leverage to push all the way through his armour.

And then Bud was there. His blade pierced the man’s back, going all the way through to his chest. The thug’s eyes went wide, his body shook, and then it went limp. Celaine shoved him off of her. Bud stepped back quickly, crashing against the wall behind him where he just stared. Hump ignored him, stepping past Celaine as she regained her footing, and pursuing the man behind the attack.

He fled down the alley, blood coating his coat at his side where her arrow had struck, and a hand pressed to his wounded shoulder where Hump had struck. Essence gathered around him, and his speed picked up. Hump raced after him as fast as he could, but as he rounded the next corner, the man was gone.

“Shit,” Hump cursed. He backtracked, finding Bud with his back to the wall, staring at the body of the man he’d just killed.

“The ones on the roof?” Hump asked.

“Both dead,” Celaine said, her voice strained. They both looked toward the rogue woman, unconscious within Hump’s bindings, but still breathing.

“Two escaped,” Hump said. “I couldn’t catch the leader.”

“Maybe we can get it out of her,” Celaine said angrily. “Mother, I’m stupid. Nobody’s ever caught me like that. What was that trick the wizard pulled?”

“I think he changed the density of the air,” Hump said. “He wasn’t very skilled, but he had some power to him.” Hump glanced at his friend. “How are you doing, Bud?”

“I killed him.” Bud dropped his sword, his hand shaking. “Gods above.”

Celaine pushed herself to her feet and brushed herself off. She had a nasty cut on her cheek where he’d launched one of the nails from the club.

She gripped Bud’s shaking hand. “You killed him, and he deserved it. You protected me, and you did your duty.”

Bud stared at her and gave a nervous nod. “I did my duty.”

There was a touch of ice to the air. Celaine must have sensed it too as she released his hand and stepped back.

“He was a warlock,” Bud continued. “A user of evil powers, and he was using them to try to hurt you.”

Blue light shone in his eyes. From his feet, icy began to crystalise. He dropped to his knees. And the bitterly cold essence of Kelisia descended from the sky. The god pillar a beacon of Bud’s triumph, and of Kelisia’s approval.

Behind him, Hump heard more footsteps thudding through the alleyway. He forced himself with all his will to turn his will, finding a guard squad rushing their way. They came to a stop as the god pillar came into view, and all four of them fell to their knees, heads bowed. Even if it wasn’t their god, Hump would have understood. This power, this close… it was beyond imagination.

He turned back to the pillar of Frostfire and marvelled in the might of Kelisia. Around Bud, his god glyphs took form. His third blessing had finally come.