Chapter 76 - Almost to Plan (Patreon)

Wizard that he was, Hump decided his time would be better spent preparing a formation rather than gathering firewood for the trap. In hindsight, he hadn’t considered that would leave him only a few dozen paces away from a den full of man-eating monsters, alone, and carving lines into the dirt.

Smart move, Hump. Smart move.

He was too far away now to hear the creatures inside the den, but still found himself wishing he’d spent more time learning his veils. Even Minor Illusion would be a comfort right now, just in case he needed it. Anything that would hide him from view more reliably than a tree if one of the creature’s did decide to take a peek outside.

He did his best to ignore that fear and focus on the formation at his feet instead. It took a steady hand, and an even steadier will to draw the intricate patterns that made up each rune. Using the essence channel of his bracelet, he was able to make up for his nerves and maintain his control. The last thing he wanted was for his intent to slip now and ruin the formation. With a bit of luck, the fire trap they were setting would be enough of a distraction for them to handle the creatures with ease. If not and they were forced to retreat, he would at least have this as a backup.

He was not yet skilled enough with Earthen Grasp to use it without a formation. A week was hardly enough time when learning any new spell. Parry Shield was one thing, being a variant of a spell he was already familiar with, but this was something entirely new.

Understanding and memorising each of the formational channels would take weeks for most wizards of his rank, but using the copy he made using his spellbook, he was able to identify how the spell worked at a foundation level. After that, all he needed to do was manipulate his essence in the same way. Committing it to mind with the consistency necessary for a spell was something he still hadn’t got the hang of, but he’d circumvented much of the learning process. While not ideal, the formation would serve as his retreat spot. A way for him to impede the movement if anything with teeth decided to chase him.

He’d chosen a small patch of mostly clear earth for the spot. With his spellbook on the ground beside him, it was a simple matter of carving each rune into the ground and fixing them with intent.

Spellbook

Earthen Grasp

Classification: Battle Magic

Spell Tier: 2

School: Alteration

Range: Medium

Description: Call upon the earth to create an arm as an extension of your own, to bind your foes in soil and bury them in stone. Essence requirement increases with the size of the arm and force of the grip.

The butt of his staff steamed bronze smoke as he carved each line, leaving a glowing trace where it touched. As each rune was finished, the impression in the ground became fixed and smooth, and he felt the thrum of power. There were six runes in total, the largest and most complex of which was at the centre and represented the palm, while five smaller ones symbolised the fingers and thumb.

The others returned with a large bundle of fallen pine wood. Dylan had bundled it tightly together using his vines and carried it easily on his shoulder. The rain had left much of it damp, but that wouldn’t matter when Hump set the entire thing alright with magic. It would go up like a tinder bundle; the only problem was getting it inside the tunnel without alerting the creatures.

It had taken about fifteen minutes for him to complete his formation. From the intent that radiated from it, he knew it had been a success. It beckoned him to use it, to fill it with power and bind the earth to his will.

“Are you ready?” Bud whispered.

Hump glanced up at the cave. The shallow slope leading up to the tunnel entrance was strewn with fleshy bones and body parts that somehow made it seem much steeper. “Hopefully we won’t need it but it’s there just in case. At least I’ll be able to slow one of them down.”

“I suggest you hang back with Hump,” Celaine told Bud. “Dylan and I can prepare the trap on our own. There’s no way you can get close enough in that armour, and it will only take a few seconds to join us.

“Agreed,” Bud said.

“Good. I’ll feel more comfortable with you at my side while working on the formation.” Hump glanced at the bundled wood, tightly bound thanks to Dylan’s vines. “I think our best bet is if you carry all that on your own, Celaine. You’re the least likely to give us away. In the meantime, Dylan can start planting his seeds.”

“No complaints here,” Dylan said. “I’ll need some time anyway.”

Celaine heaved the pinewood from the ground as if it hardly weighed a thing, a shower of needles pouring out as she did. Her dragon-enhanced strength made it look easy. “Then let’s get moving.”

Despite all she was carrying, Celaine was still the quietest of them as they moved up to the cave. Fortunately, the ground was still damp from the recent rain, leaving the leaves soft beneath their feet. As they grew closer, Hump caught the whispered echoes of the occasional snarl. They were distant enough for Hump to think they were quite far underground, which made him wonder how effective smoke would be after all. Either way, the creatures wouldn’t miss it. They would come, though perhaps not quite as handicapped as Hump hoped.

When he reached the tree, he stopped, placing his pouch with the dragon egg in a hidden spot within the nest of roots. He and Bud watched quietly as the other two continued up to the cave. Only when Celaine had successfully placed the bundle of wood inside and backed away did Hump let out a relieved breath. The cave itself seemed to veer down, but from this light and angle, there was no way of telling how far.

As Dylan set about placing seeds around the entrance, Hump turned his focus to the formation. Compared to Earthen Grasp, Transform Earth was simple. It only took him a couple of minutes, by which point Dylan’s preparations were already complete. The plan was proceeding perfectly. Perhaps it was some of the anger he’d thrown into the River and Waves finding its way back out, but Hump was feeling strong today.

At a nod from his companions, he pressed his staff against the base of his formation and flooded it with essence. The effect was instantaneous. He felt the earth beneath him as if it were an extension of his body. At his command, the earth crumbled and rose into the air, in a stream of fragmented clumps and grains. It floated forward, reforming over the cave entrance. He left a hole at the bottom to leave room to light the fire beyond. All in all, it was a rough, uneven job, and moving so much earth had left him a little cold. He was certain it would crumble on impact, but it would also keep the smoke inside.

As he made the final touched, a clump of the inside broke off and fell, landing on the wood. A thud echoed inside, and Hump winced.

The den went silent. Hump didn’t move. He didn’t make a sound. None of them did. Then, two red eyes appeared through the hole at the back of the tunnel. They peered back at him, and a deep, rumbling snarl escaped the den.

“Spark!” Hump roared, stabbing his staff toward the hole. The wood inside erupted in a pillar of flame, hissing and popping as steam and smoke exploded into the tunnel. It puffed out of the hole, blocking the beast from view. Heat radiated from the hole like an opened oven, and Hump heard yelps inside.

Bud was already rushing forward, his feet hammering the ground as his armour chimed. He took up a position at the front alongside Dylan, his sword ready. Together, they blocked the path from the tunnel, leaving room between them for Hump and Celaine to attack.

As the fire grew, one of the beasts let loose a blood curdling snarl that was unlike anything Hump had heard. The yelps stopped, and the others joined it, their snarls and loud as a wolf’s howl. Dylan made a motion with his hand and vines rose from the ground around the cave entrance. They overlapped across Hump’s earth wall, forming a thick web that braced it. Smoke billowed out from inside, and the snarls were cut short by heavy choking.

Celaine readied an arrow while Hump placed his staff against the Transform Earth formation and drew upon the stone around him. It floated to him, a half dozen fist size rocks that shimmered with bronze essence, suspended in the air before him.

Hump heard the tap of footsteps. The fire blazed. Then a heavy thud struck the wall, crumbling it to pieces. Smoke poured out in thick streams, but the vines held the beast back, leaving it to panic as it was caught in flame and smoke. The creature screamed, tripping and falling into the flames, where it flailed. Its desperation sent the fire scattering. As it screamed, its body smouldered. Its flesh blackened and bubbled, and the smell of burnt and roasting meat filled the air.

It shrieked like a demon straight from hell, yet its pack paid it no mind.

They charged through the now smothered flames, using their fallen pack member as a steppingstone even as it screamed and floundered beneath them. The lead creature tore through most of the vines with a swipe of its claws, then slammed through the rest with the weight of its body. It charged blindly from the cave, snapping and snarling at the air as it pushed its way out of the smoke and into view.

Its head was vaguely dog shaped, but more than twice as large and with a thick, muscular neck. The beast had no fur. Instead, its body was covered in pink-grey skin that looked tough as old leather. It had a mane of bony spines along its back, and moved on all fours, its front legs longer than its back.

Celaine used Power Shot to launch a silver arrow through the flesh of its neck. It yelped, stumbling and scampering off to the side, but its leathery hide prevented the attack from piercing too deeply. While the beast still choked on smoke, Bud charged it to finish it off.

Hump didn’t have time to watch as two more escaped the tunnel, the final one larger than all the others. It seemed unconcerned by the smoke; its blood red eyes filled with nothing but hunger. Hump didn’t need to think twice about which one to aim at. As the smaller of the two veered off to attack Dylan, he levelled his staff at what he took for the pack leader and barked, “Rockshot.”

The stones around him shot forward in streaks of bronze, slamming into the closest of the beasts. The creature screamed, collapsing to its knees and rising back to its feet. It shook its massive head, then whirled to face Hump. Its eyes locked with his as its black lips peeled back to reveal red stained canines.

Hump’s heart went still beneath the beast’s glare. A chill ran through him as a snarl escaped its lips.

Oh shit.

Hump called upon his essence as the creature sprung forward on long legs, its claws tearing the dirt up beneath it.

The attack was so fast, there was no time for words. Hump threw up his staff in its direction and screamed as essence surged through him, driven purely by instinct. The air shimmered as his shield spread before him to meet the creature’s charge.

The air cracked as its head slammed into the shield with the full weight of its body. Deep fissures webbed across it. Hump gasped as the beast’s momentum carried through, flinging him back through the air. He hit the ground and rolled down the slope, catching his ribs on a rock.

He looked up as he managed to stop his roll. The beast shook its head, unsteady on its feet. It snorted, steam flaring from its nostrils, but its eyes found him again. A fiery hunger burnt within them. It bombarded him like some great pressure. He was mere prey. He couldn’t stand before such hunger.

No. He felt a surge of power from his core, much like his resistance training with Vivienne, throwing off the creature’s influence.

He rolled onto his back and raised his staff. The creature pounced, jaws wide, claws reaching for him. Hump channelled essence to his staff, fuelling his spell with fire. He took aim and roared, “Blast!”

Fire filled the space before him, bright as the sun. The heat singed Hump’s face, but from the snarls of the beast beyond, he knew he’d hurt it more. As the fire died, he saw a long-charred scar along the creature’s torso. It stumbled back, growling at him like nothing more than a wounded animal. Before it could collect itself, a silver light flashed and buried itself into its side, piercing deeply. It let out a pained yap and limped backward, struggling to stay on its feet.

Hump took the moment to glance at his companions. Bud had finished off the first of the creatures and was closing in to help Dylan, who had the final one backed against the rock formation. Arrows spotted each of their bodies. Hump could see the fear in it now, just like that of its pack leader. They were cornered animals, injured, surrounded by the dead members of their pack.

The pack leader let loose a growl, then snapped. Instantly, the other charged forward, barrelling between Bud and Dylan. Bud’s blade carved a long, icy wound along its side, but it didn’t stop. It collapsed against the pack leader, falling to the ground at its feet and whining.

Hump’s eyes went wide as the pack leader tore into the flesh of its fallen companion. Blood splattered its face and body, as the other screamed, fighting to break free. But the pack leader just feasted, as if consumed by a ravenous hunger. Bones crunched beneath its jaws, flesh tore, and bite by bite, its body bulged. Celaine fired three arrows into it, but the creature didn’t even grunt. Its bones cracked and warped, sticking out from its spine and joints in grotesque malformations. In seconds it had doubled in size, its skin stretched thinly to cover the new formed mass. Arrows fell from its body and the long burn along its side healed.

Bud roared as he charged closer, but it whirled on him, letting loose a growl that made the ground rumble. The knight stopped in his tracks. There was a flash of red, and once more Hump felt the pressure of a predator bore down on him.