Wayspring Wanderer, page 31
He followed the Hyenaman with the gaudy painted Goggles for a minute before he saw a second trio of Gliders approaching way off in the distance, and another group of four not far behind them. Oskar knew he lacked the experience for a prolonged “hyenafight” with eight Gliders. Eleven, Oskar thought with a curse as three more dots appeared on the distant horizon.
We need time. Way more time.
Oskar sunk in the air, acting as if he were wounded and desperate to get away from Gaudy the Giggling Clown, and was able to draw him and his cheap looking Goggles away from his team, still running for their lives. He could see them moving as fast as they could towards the Gryphus Vulture’s lair, visible now in the distance. Oskar played it as slow and safe as he could, barely dodging a few throws and exaggerating his minor injuries to keep the Hyena on the attack.
// We’re not using Gaudy the Giggling Clown. I refuse. Please find something else. //
The Hyenaman, now down to his pair of spears, tried to close the distance for a better shot. Oskar spent twenty minutes letting the fella almost catch him before dropping or rising into a different current to drift away. He didn’t want to kill the guy just yet; he needed to keep him distracted and fighting so that the Gliders who’d responded to the smoke alert would… hopefully… come to his aid.
The dots in the distance had been steadily getting closer, and both he and Gaudy were tired of the life-or-death vigilance of their battle.
The Gliders that had responded to the initial smoke alert didn’t give a rat’s ass about Gaudy, though. Their angle became clear… and it was straight towards Oskar’s brother and the Kobolds who were trying to clear the last mile or so to the lair, and hopefully a shelter the Windgliders wouldn’t enter. The final Hyenaman, with no help coming, decided he no longer wanted to be alone in the air with Oskar and angled himself towards Oskar’s team in the distance as well.
Oskar chased the panicking lone Glider heading towards his friends, who were minutes from entering the outer boundary of the lair. Oskar was about to catch up when Gaudy activated a skill that sent him diving towards the group at breakneck speed, pulling further away from Oskar.
Oskar knew as he improved his control and power with Sora, he might eventually learn to mimic the powered attack, but all he could do now was dive after him. His speed increased dramatically as Sora responded to his need, and skill or not, he was swiftly gaining on Gaudylocks… but it wasn’t going to be enough.
// Urgent- Dorn Collective Gambit:
Don’t Die Gambit! Gliders incoming! I’m not generating the failure conditions. If you don’t know what happens if you fail a Don’t Die Gambit, you deserve to find out what happens when you fail a Don’t Die Gambit. Oskar is probably confused, but he’s safe up here, so I’m not worried about him. //
Your mother’s confused.
// And your brother can’t clap. //
What the hell is wrong with you?!
// I’m so sorry, I literally can’t stop. //
53
THE GREEN REED THAT BENDS IN THE WIND…
Reacting to the “Don’t Die” Gambit immediately, Touwon spun and slung one of his kurangs at the Glider that was closing in on them. Gaudy managed to avoid the strike, but consequently dropped out of the low air current he was riding and barreled toward Touwon at dangerous speeds as Oskar raced to catch up.
One glance at Touwon’s wide-eyed face told Oskar the Kobold wasn’t going to be able to get out of the way in time. Touwon threw his hands up in a feeble defense as the Glider covered the last few feet in what seemed like slow motion as Oskar’s heart lurched in his chest.
Just before impact, Erik threw his hand out toward Touwon and made a fist. The draw of power on Erik was noticeable, and his knees sank for a brief moment. He caught himself just as Gaudylocks crashed into something invisible, inches away from Touwon.
Sand flew in every direction at the impact, but slid off a small, shimmering dome that now surrounded the wide-eyed Kobold, thanks to Erik.
Unfortunately, the Hyenaman was also protected from the unexpected impact, either by his own version of Kinetic Transfer or another skill.
Gaudy hit the ground roughly, but with no apparent injury other than a shocked look on his face. The Hyenaman turned and was still trying to orient himself when Oskar finally caught up with him.
Oskar landed on the Hyenaman with a concussive blast, perfectly timing his own Kinetic Transfer. The pinecone-shaped point of his spear barely seemed to register the impact as it obliterated the Hyenaman’s body. Blood and gore flew in every direction, and it was only sheer luck that Oskar’s mouth was closed.
Still enveloped in Sora, he gently glided to the sand after impact, a much smoother landing than his last. The dust and rocks floated through the air away from the impact as if in slow motion, but the impact had crushed the Glider.
Then, Oskar stumbled to the ground, losing his grip on Sora, having forgotten that he was no longer wearing his prosthetic. The debris and sand fell to the ground with him.
Penny ran to Oskar, checking on him, and only acted satisfied when he looked her in the eyes and gave her a scratch under the chin.
Weird how checking on me turned into her getting pets. Cute little sneak.
With the immediate danger gone, Touwon’s focus shifted instantly back to the prosthetic.
Looking up from the hot sand, Oskar realized Erik and Touwon were somehow completely clean, the latter now working furiously on the broken foot and seemingly oblivious to everyone else.
Wait?! Did Erik’s OCD ass use another shield to keep from getting blood on them?!
// I ain’t no snitch. //
Uh-huh.
The dust began to settle, though, and after a quick look at the horizon, Fox cursed. Oskar looked back to see they were running very short on time.
Fox poked Touwon, urging her Kobold friend to move, and then walked over to Oskar. She pulled Oskar to standing as she stalled a concerned Erik with a gentle wave of her hand. His brother stepped back with a sigh, obviously frustrated with his inability to help.
Oskar’s limited mobility meant they had to reach shelter quickly before the reinforcements arrived. With a muttered Kobold curse, Touwon tucked the prosthetic foot back into his bag and rushed to help Fox and Oskar. Touwon settled himself under Oskar’s other shoulder, and the group, looking back warily, pushed through the last forty yards to reach the wide, flat opening in the dunes horseshoed around the Gryphus Vulture’s lair. They were moving too slow, though, and were further slowed as the enemy closed the distance enough to launch attacks.
Oskar’s presence on Touwon’s back prevented him from blocking the incoming poisoned spears, but Erik’s shield ability was coming in clutch. The shields were split-second now, existing exactly as long as they needed to. However, the effort was beginning to wear Erik down, and his breath grew ragged. His pace slowed considerably as they drew closer. With forced determination, Erik blocked two more spears before stopping momentarily. Letting out a grunt, Erik released a burst of energy, and a wide beam of light from his shaking hand blinded their closest pursuers.
The group Erik had targeted was forced to land, blinded and not wanting to be in the air if the enormous beast returned. One of the Gliders Erik blinded hit the ground with a crunch, unable to time his landing with an ability.
Unfortunately, the rest of the reinforcements were beginning to push into the valley on foot. They were fearfully glancing upward and then toward the cave, expecting the Gryphus Vulture to show up enraged at the invasion of its lair to wreak havoc on the whole situation.
As their due situation became clearer, Oskar felt his face grow hot with anger.
No, not now. Not after everything we’ve been through!
In their present state, they’d never make it to the lair entrance without the Hyenamen closing the distance and filling them with spears. Their situation was beyond desperate, and they all made the unspoken decision to not die with their backs to the enemy.
They turned to see more enemies than they could possibly kill in open battle, and Oskar subconsciously squeezed the Kobolds in a gentle hug.
More enemies than should be possible.
It was an idle, pointless thought.
The Hyenamen were steadily closing within spear range as the Dorn Collective readied themselves.
Oskar watched as Erik’s single, sunken eye met his, then drifted off into the distance.
Responding to the look with a grim smile, Oskar couldn’t stop from making a joke. Gallow’s humor, he’d heard it called.
“Tonight, we dine in… heck?”
Erik grinned at the inside joke, but his gaze remained fixed on the horizon.
Their dad had, more than once, given the boys a stern look for that particular quote from the movie 300. The fact that it wasn’t a harsh word, though, was almost a belly laugh and a slap on the back from their stoic ol’ man.
I’m not gonna let Dad bring me down when I’m having an otherwise stellar day, though, Oskar thought as he let out a long breath.
“We’re going to make them pay heck for it, though.”
Under his arm, Fox nodded seriously. Erik answered with a side eye, then continued his brooding.
He’d come all this way to save his brother, and it just didn’t seem fair to Oskar.
Fair has no place in a world like this.
Still, he supposed dying with his brother free was better than Erik being slowly tortured and enslaved for the rest of his days.
His PUB sent more threat warnings washing across his vision.
How the hell did they all get here? There’s so many. But again, I guess it doesn’t matter.
The horizon was now a canvas of threats, each represented by a new dot and a flash of green, yellow, and even a few red threat warnings from his PUB.
Now that they had the numbers, the horde of creatures began to spread out in the valley as they made their way toward Oskar’s group. Screams, barking growls, and hysterical laughter echoed in the valley as the sounds bounced into and then out of the cavern behind them.
I just got my brother back, and now, after everything we’ve been through, I’m gonna lose everything. Fox, Touwon, and Penny are family too, and all I wanted was to keep them safe.
Since they’d entered the valley, Oskar had been trying to get Penny to leave, first by suggesting it, then by pleading with her. She wouldn’t budge, though.
With a sad smile, Oskar felt her coming out of the sand nearby as Erik walked up and took Oskar’s weight so the Kobolds could fight. Faces grim, the pair took a step forward to stand in front of the brothers.
Penny tensed beside Erik and Oskar, who were still watching the growing number of Hyenamen close in when one of the cursed shadow creatures came up out of the sand just outside the valley.
This time, it was a disfigured Hyenaman with a giant left arm that dragged in the sand behind it. It stood tall, and then it threw back its misshapen head and screamed a scream that like the other creature, sounded like two separate voices. The viscous black material drank in the light and the creature stomped forward, the Hyenamen steering well clear of it.
As their enemies stalked across the ground toward them, still cautiously watching the sky for the slain Gryphus, Oskar finally channeled Sora and Talau. It responded by spooling around him, stronger than ever. Oskar pushed it outward as far as he could and it enveloped both him and Erik, not quite reaching the Kobolds.
Not enough.
Spears flew toward them. More spears than Oskar or Erik could hope to stop, but Oskar pushed himself further. He ignored the building pressure in the back of his skull. He ignored the feeling of being watched by things that should not exist, but the pressure built.
Memories came, but not like before; he had some control over it. This time, it was of when he’d finally arrived at the motel, riding into the parking lot on his brother’s motorcycle chased by a snowstorm, and of how it felt.
The constant pull north had disappeared. For better or worse, he’d arrived… wherever he was. For the first time in months, the fear he felt was all his own.
Regardless, after the previous few months of hell, fear was no longer the monster that snuck into his room to keep him awake at night. It was, occasionally, the hand around his throat that choked him into a few hours of much-needed unconsciousness, but he’d learned to live with that.
And now? Standing here, facing down more enemies than they could hope to defeat on their own, he felt none of it.
If you want to watch so bad, then watch me die. I don’t care anymore. I only care about those who fight beside me and whatever power it takes to keep them safe. I need to protect them.
The magic inside him responded to that need. It resonated like the ringing of a bell, and he felt his own magic swell in power with each echo of a pulse he could not see. Sora, Talau, and what could only be the Magic Within spun inside him in invisible crystalline patterns.
Oskar felt something… someone… reach out to him. Something that knocked gently on the door of his very soul, and he opened the door. The pressure that threatened to pull him apart washed away just like the fear he’d felt in that hotel… what felt like forever ago. The magic swelled outward and covered the entire group, and as the Magic Within stabilized through some power not his own, the colorful swirl of magic around them smoothed so perfectly that it now appeared as a dome of frozen, shimmering glass.
The noise of the world faded away.
Oskar watched what should have been their deaths flying at them, but the spears struck the perfect glass surrounding them and dissolved into nothingness.
The trillions of eyes… the broken, shuddering being or beings that were watching him from outside of… everything… looked away.
For better or worse, he’d made it here, wherever here was. He’d saved Erik. He had a family again.
I’m not yet broken. Just a little bent.
Erik’s hand abruptly tightened on Oskar’s shoulder. All five of them blinked in shock as a sudden gale of freezing wind hit their backs through the glassy magic emanating from Oskar.
It was followed by, of all things, a cacophony of meows and hissing.
Power blazed behind them, and no one dared look back. Just the thought of doing so made the hair on the back of Oskar’s neck stand on end.
54
PSPSPSPS
They stood, the freezing wind at their backs blowing through the perfect dome of magic Oskar still held around them. He felt Penny bump against his foot as she attempted to get as close to Oskar as possible, both looking up at another fifty or more spears flying their way.
The pressure he’d felt in the base of his skull a few moments ago—the dread and oppression that accompanied the sense of something cosmic and horrible staring into his very being—fled in the wake of the power blazing behind them.
Or more likely, left in boredom when it was clear I was no longer in danger of tearing myself apart at the seams, but I’ll take it. The pressure was almost too much that time.
The thought lingered only briefly; the second volley of spears bore down on them, and he watched them come.
Unmoving, Penny was still pressed up against Oskar’s foot, and Erik’s arm was still tight around him. The Kobolds had, consciously or not, stepped closer to one another and were almost touching. Even the PUB sent a small vibration through his Bracer in what Oskar suspected was a PUB hug.
My little family. Here together and facing death.
// Can we… //
We’re not doing a group hug. Plus, I’m pretty sure one of the Kobolds would stab me.
This time, instead of allowing the perfect dome of magic surrounding them to destroy the incoming spears, he knew he had the power to strike back. He pushed Sora outside the glasslike dome and swept them all into a whirlwind of air that he created, surrounding the barrier. The colors that the currents of Sora shone with looked odd through the glassy dome. He could almost see a hint of purple patterns in the perfect dome, and Oskar realized that this must be what the Magic Within did. It was glue, fuel, or maybe a mold. It made itself what it needed to be, responding to the needs of the user.
Oskar held the magic for a second until the straggling spears were caught up in it as well. The spears gained speed, trapped in the swirling Sora, as he pushed himself harder. When Oskar felt the weapons on the verge of destruction with the force of it all, he launched them, en masse, back towards the approaching enemies, who were finally slowing as the wind and the strange power reached them.
The baffled Hyenamen were just now realizing that the hissing and meowing couldn’t be coming from their quarry, and instead meant something had just gone very, very oddly wrong.
Some recognized the danger and tried to dive away, but the mass of spears struck faster than they were able to react to. Oskar wished he’d been able to spread the spears out over a larger area, but watching them carve through the front line of enemies was deeply satisfying, anyway.
Desperately, Oskar held onto Talau and Sora, dropping the swirl of wind around them to strengthen his hold on the dome of magic, the mix of power that kept his little family safe, infused or empowered by whatever was happening behind them.
Or who-ever, rather.
The wild look in the eyes of the nearest Hyenas as they stared past Oskar and his group at the mouth of the cave strongly reinforced the feeling he’d had telling him not to look back.
He felt what he’d initially thought was a small earthquake, but Talau told him otherwise. This, whatever it was, was spiritual.
The Magic Within. It sounds like… is that purring?
A sudden rush of cold air triggered a torrent of memories that overwhelmed Oskar’s thoughts, and he reeled between reality and something close to a fever dream. He could hear his heart beating in his ears as everything dimmed around him. The world seemed to slow as the memories took hold. A wave of complex emotions, a mixture of guilt, fear, and determination, washed over him, momentarily muting the ever-present awareness of their danger and his role in it. He fought to remain fully present in the moment, but gently, the memories took over anyway.
