Hello again, my dears. With holidays approaching, I've had a very busy week. I appreciate your patience with me 3 Hope you will enjoy this chapter! Expect another one to be posted within a day or two. I need to catch up!
Chapter 10 – Sacred Hallownest
"Are you afraid?"
The Nailsage asked the Knight, as the two saw the horde approaching, slowly. It was as if the swarm of spikes, swords, eyes and tendrils was savoring the moment of the kill. The two stalwart defenders of Dirtmouth stood close to one another, hands clenched around their nails. The Knight knew not what to answer. Afraid of death? No. Pain? Somehow, the aches from the searing touches felt distant. Insignificant even. As if belonging to someone else. A cry from behind brought the tall bug back into focus. Cries and lamentations of those behind them. If the two of them were to fall, what would become of the rest? The reminder was right in front of them, as the shambling corpses of the ant brothers, and others unfortunate enough to be caught in the way of the shadow horde were nearing closer. The Knight briefly looked over his shoulder, and then slowly turned to face the Nailsage, who waited for the answer, patiently.
He nodded, two times.
A small smirk appeared at the bottom of Sly's face.
"Yeah. I am afraid too. Nothing worse than to fail, when others need you the most."
The Knight tucked its head into its shoulders, eyeing the silent foes. Somehow, that remark made him feel like it failed, somehow. Someone. Something very important. Alas, it could not recall. No matter. They were all going to die soon, anyway.
"I will take the smaller ones. You keep the shadow bladesbugs busy. If we are to fall, let no one say we did not give our best!"
The Nailsage knocked on his chest, two times, before grasping the hilt of his huge blade with both hands. Swiftly, he launched himself into the air, before coming down on the mass of shadows like a buzz-saw. Cleaving through the swarms of tendrils and tentacles out to try and grab him. Before they could, they'd have to come through a wall of blades, spinning maliciously. The Knight hesitated, but then saw the taller figures turning to face the Nailsage.
No, you will face me.
DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!
An ear-piercing sound of metal against metal, as the Knight issued its challenge, by slamming the flat of its blade against a lamp-post. The three larger shadows turned to face their nemesis. Without the smaller shadows swarming around, the tall bug could see them now. They were about his size in height, their heads sprouting many sharp horns, like thorns coming out. Their nails were thorny as well, like harpoons. Their eyes were like 8 narrow slits with a dim pale light glowing inside. All those eyes were now upon the Knight.
They charged.
Letting out a bloodcurdling screech, the shadowmonsters ran towards those who would dare to oppose. They were fast, crossing the little square in less than a blink, raising their blades to cut down the Knight. But when they struck, its image disappeared in a brief flash of darkness so much like their own. The nails hit nothing, leaving deep gashes in the ground.
"AURARGGHHHH!"
One of them let out another screech, as a metal nail emerged from its chest, before being pulled back. It fell unto its knee, one of the arms grasping at the wound, or where it should have been. The Knight took a few steps back, assuming a stance, holding the blade above its head, with the tip pointed at the three creatures. They looked at their foe once more, and the tall bug stared them right back – their glowing eyes against its, filled with darkness of the void. One of the creatures charged, and slammed its blade against the Knight. The force of the blow made it take a step back, and deflect most of the force off to the side.
Strong… If only I had my other arm…
Another strike followed. Another. The shadow warrior struck without grace, finesse, or thought, seeking to overwhelm the Knight through brute force. It defended, taking steps back, and deflecting the strikes, desperately scrambling for solutions. One of the deflections did not go too well – the angle of the blade was not sharp enough, and the blow landed through the block, onto the shoulder. Cutting and biting through the shell.
Uhhh…
Over its foe's shoulder, the Knight could see the other end of the battlefield. The Nailsage was mighty. Each spin he made around himself cut swaths in the hordes of smaller shadows. But they kept coming. The flow of shadows from the well seemed endless, and for each shadow slain, two emerged. The spinning was getting slower, it could tell. The shadows seeking to overwhelm the small bug with sheer numbers! The Nailsage knew it too. To stop spinning was death. He jumped, launching himself into the air, and landing on the roofs of one of the small huts.
"Uhh…huhh… huhhh… So many… Where do you all bloody come from?!"
A little reprieve, before the hero jumped back into the fray. There was no option to stop. The triangular blade cut into the viscous mass of shadows, splattering them, as they surrounded the Sage once more.
CRSSSKRRRT…
The gnashing sounds of metal escaped every time the Knight and one of the three shadow warriors crossed blades. The one thought mortally wounded got up on its feet, the gap in its chest closing. Now, all three of them attacked at once. No chivalry. Once more, the Knight blinked behind them, but the impaling strike was parried, as one of the shadow creatures turned around to meet it.
They're learning…
Slowly, the Knight and the Nailsage were pushed back. The shadows enveloped the empty huts and poured out from the windows like darkness from the eyes of those they have claimed. A few more steps, and they found themselves against the door and the walls of Sly's own shop. There was no room left to retreat. One of the shadow warriors stepped over the line the Knight drew, wiping it off from the sand. The Nailsage wiped the sweat off of his forehead. If it even were sweat. More like water condensing on the surface of its shell.
"Hahhh… ahhh… Damn you all to the Abyss. You ready for one last charge?"
The Knight nodded, pointing the sword forward as if it were a lance. At least one of these three bastards had to go down. Not for the sake of those behind, but… for personal ego. If they failed, they'd be doomed anyway.
But then… they stopped.
A strange rang from behind. It was long and howling, reverberating through the cold night air. It sounded like… a horn. As one, the shadow creatures turned to face whatever it was, but it was too late! A moving mass of shells, shields, nails and lances struck right in the center of the shadowy mass, scattering them. There were dozens of bugs, armed and shelled, seeking to fight their way through! One of the shadow warriors turned to face and strike the shiltron that moved and stabbed at everything like a giant Goam, impervious and intimidating. It was then, when the shields parted, and something briefly escaped from inside the armored ranks.
HRSSSSK!
The crisp sound of the blade cutting through shadow. So fast one could not even perceive the blow. The dark being's head fell from its shoulders, and dissipated into nothingsness. The other two looked at their 'brother's' demise, astonished. They did not see what happened. But the Knight saw something.
A red cloak.