056 Those Who Watch the Sky - 56
56 – Children thrust Into the Sky 14
“You are an interesting lot. Both skillful and ignorant. I
never would have believed that so complex a spell could be sustained once I
started removing wizards from the ritual. I must say you have impressed me.”
Balgun stroked his mustache as he looked down at the red
robed spell caster seated in shock on the ground before him. The wizard had
thought their post atop a nearby spire of rock separate from the cliffs it was once
a part of was the perfect vantage point to focus on their spell. They could never have suspected that a
sorcerer with a mobile fortress would have parked against it and skipped to the
top. Balgun did however and the solitary figure was no match for him. Now
sprawled on their haunches they faced a questionable future.
“Still, I suppose I can’t afford to let you go. If I leave
even one of you alive who knows the ritual used to bring a Foreigner city to
ground, then I can be sure Melrin will try again and again to lure out Mote. I
hope you’ll forgive me, but it is what it is.”
Reaching out a massive hand Bulgun cupped the wizards head
in hand and crushed their skull with no effort to speak of. Releasing the dead wizard,
he clasped his hands behind his back and turned to look out at the distant
crater. It was hard to tell how much affect the death of the wizard had on the
ritual through the clouds of dust that swirled in the crater from the battle
that was finally dying down, but it still seemed negligible.
“Perhaps this is a new spell that they’ve taught
themselves. With all of the raw nectar in the air from the battle they could
very well make up for their lack of spell casters to sustain the ritual. I
suppose I should have gone after their primary Gate first then. A lesson well
learned on my part. Hmm?”
As Balgun eyed the crater he noted that it was not just the
battle that was dying down but that the crimson hued colossus had vanished
while he watched. His brow wrinkled with concern and he gave out a long sigh.
“It seems I have little choice but to hurry. It is unlikely
that Elliot would have called back his companion for any foe save for Melrin,
the Poltergeist, or its guardian. They will need a way out soon and I hope Bird
is not long behind me.”
Turning his back on the crater, Balgun proceeded to skip
effortlessly down the spire of rock to where he had left his mobile fortress.
He had a sinking feeling about the proceedings within the Foreigner city and
moved with haste to do his part.
“You know Link, I can’t help but feel like we’ve been
really lucky so far ~♪”
“Really? I was feeling the exact opposite.”
“Huh–⁈”
As Link and Melody ran down the overgrown halls of the
central column of the Foreigner city, led by Link’s mermaid double who swam
through the air ahead of them, the two debated the fortune they had had so far.
Where Melody had found good luck Link was unhappy and began complaining to the
confused harpy.
“I mean think about it, Melody. There hasn’t been a single
trap, monster, failing structure, or defense mechanism we’ve had to deal with.
We’re in such a hurry we’re not exploring anything and now the city is starting
to shake so we’re running out of time before Balgun gets it in the sky again. I
could explore this place for what feels like forever and all I can do is follow
after everyone else. That’s not fair!”
“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha… I really can’t believe you Link ~♪ I was just thinking how lucky we are that we haven’t had
any difficulties, yet you’re complaining about the lack of difficulties… ~♪”
“Melody, adventures are supposed to be exciting and we
haven’t had any excitement at all since leaving Balgun’s. The voice I keep
hearing could be exciting, but that’s something that should stay boring, I
think.”
“No, that is something we should be grateful for staying
boring ~♪ Though, there is something happening that might prove exciting ~♪”
“Really⁈ What is it⁈ What is it⁈”
“Li~nk! Is this really the time⁈”
“Actually Melody, it’s probably best not to ignore this ~♪
It’s probably too late even ~♪ Bu~t, if you look behind us–”
As Link’s mermaid double talked, Link and Melody could not
ignore the terrible sounds of destruction rapidly bearing down on them from
behind. Looking back as prompted they were in time to see the majority of the
passageways they had been traversing suddenly ripped away in massive sized
chunks following the same path they were on. Not able to stop running Link and
Melody exchanged terrified expressions as the former’s mermaid double finished
her statement.
“–you’ll see that the colossus from outside is coming
through ~♪”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner⁈ ~♪”
“Who cares Melody⁈ We just need to outrun it!”
“How are we supposed to do that–⁈ LI~NK‼”
That Link and Melody had as much time as they did to react
to the encroaching colossus was impressive on its own, but time ran out before
Melody could finish asking her question. All around them the mechanized halls
of the Foreigner city were torn away with a violent force as the arm of the
crimson hued colossus plowed through their surroundings. Melody was better
equipped to deal with the sudden loss of their environment as her wings popped
open and caught the wind shaped by the wordless song falling from her lips.
Link was less fortunate, but her shattered mind allowed her to act with
complete freedom laughing all the while.
Her cape disappearing like a blown-out flame, Link grabbed
her sword as her cape took its scabbard with it. Skipping from flying chunk of
debris to flying chunk of debris Link was afforded an impressive view of the
colossus as it prepared to bring its arm back through the path it cleared.
Unlike when she had last seen it, it was no longer a loose figure but rather
something chiseled like a suit of armor out of a twig. Even as close as she was
it was impossible to tell that the red metallic sheen of its surface was in
truth blood, and Link could not help but be impressed.
“W~o~w‼ Just how massive is Elliot’s gate to feed something
like this the nectar it needs to keep functioning? It must be exhausting.”
“Perhaps this is not the best time for us to be marveling
~♪ Impressive as Elliot’s Ambrosial Gate must be to support this, this one
detects Nectar from other sources as well ~♪ This one fears that it won’t hold
together much longer, which is a shame since it seems to be the most solid part
of our environment ~♪”
“Eh–⁈ Really? Do you think the Beast
could bolster it and let it carry us all the way to Elliot?”
“It is a possibility ~♪ Keeping up with it might be
difficult though ~♪”
“Eh, heh, heh, heh! That’s perfect! I was looking to have
some fun!”
“Li~nk! What part of this thing tearing up the Foreigner
city around us is fun⁈ At this rate we’re going to be
crushed!”
“Just watch Melody!”
Looking away from the path she was planning, Link waved at Melody
as the harpy tried to find her way through the debris.
“Watch what⁈ You’ve been locked up for
almost a whole season! Where are you even drawing this strength from⁈”
“My chainmail of course!”
Smiling broadly as she stopped waving at Melody, Link
returned her attention to more enthusiastically taking advantage of the debris
cloud she skipped, flipped, and twirled through. She knew she would not likely
get more than one chance to catch up with the colossus and as Melody was too
busy keeping herself flying through the debris cloud, she would have to be
perfect. It was absolutely thrilling, and her eyes shimmered with anticipation
for the colossus’ next strike against the Foreigner city.
Moving as quickly as she could in the impossible situation,
Link hurried in the direction of the colossus’ left arm as it reared it back.
With tremendous force it brought its left arm around in front of it tearing
away the interior of the central column of the Foreigner city and clearing the
path for its next step. Its whole body lurching away from Link it seemed
unlikely she could catch back up with it, yet Link kept on smiling. The hard
part wasn’t there quite yet and she carefully eyed every piece of debris
lingering in the air. Time seemed to slow down for her as her anticipation
mounted before finally, she saw the colossus pull back it’s right arm.
“Eh, heh, heh, heh! Here goes!”
First the colossus’ left arm tore back through the interior
structure of the central column of the Foreigner city, and then as it stepped
forward with its right foot its right arm followed through providing an even
more devastating blow then the recoil of the prior. Link was less concerned
with the righthanded attack and instead knew she had to be ready as the return
of the left hand transitioned into the windup for the next lefthanded attack. Knowing
her moment had arrived she leapt from the last large chunk of debris that could
serve for temporary footing at the end of her carefully chosen path. Thrusting
her sword straight down into the flesh of the colossus she attempted to slow
her descent but discovered that the colossus was not as solid as she had hoped.
“Gya–⁈”
“Link!”
Melody shouted out as Link stumbled and crashed along the
colossus’ arm but could do nothing in the crimson construct’s wake to help.
Fortunately for her she did not have to as she soon saw Link up and running
again accompanied by a familiar blue light.
“It’s dangerous to forget that blood is not solid ~♪ We
should be grateful for how much nectar maintains it or we could not have used
this one of us’ power to stand on it at all ~♪”
“Eh, heh, heh, heh. That’s true, but running is more
important right now!”
Not lingering to argue with her mermaid self, Link focused
on sprinting along the arm of the colossus before it launched its next attack.
She hadn’t even considered how short a distance it was to how fast she was
moving and had to stab her sword again into the colossus just to make sure she
followed its arm instead of running off of it. Even compensating for that she
could not hide her look of confusion as she reached the colossus’ neck before
running right into it. Then the colossus unleashed its next lefthanded attack.
Copyright © 2019 Joshua D Tarwater
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