Antelligent Design

108. Timely Intervention

I’m not a fan of magic fences at the best of times. When I’m trying to break out of an encircling horde of thousands of monsters, I really don’t want to see one. Thus, my first thought when this wall of golden light appeared in front of me was ‘oh plops.’

Because it doesn’t take a genius to know who’s responsible for this inconvenient impediment. Sure enough, to either side of me, two Setsulah mage servants have appeared, seemingly from thin air.

Aren’t you guys supposed to be somewhere else right now? Why the heck are you here!

My feet scramble to halt my momentum as I tumble forward, but I fail to stop in time.

BAM!

I slam into the barrier of flowing light, the shock of the impact reverberating throughout my exo-skeleton. That frickin’ hurt! But they stuffed up this time. Those mages are closer than they were last time. I brush off the impact and focus my eyes on them. Robed and hooded as always, there is very little I can make out of their bodies, but they’re close. Each not even ten metres away.

I don’t know if this is a trap or if they’re just taking advantage of the situation, but I’ll happily take another one of these guys down, even if it means having to ride the lightning again.

Dash!

Activating Dash, I streak forward at high speed, my mandibles open wide, ready to rend and tear at the mage to my right. Before I chomp down, a tingle from my antennae warns me something is coming. I slam on the brakes, my legs scrabbling to halt my momentum, just as another barrier springs into existence, shielding my target behind a protective wall of golden light.

Dammit!

Out of the corner of my eyes, two more of the mage slaves appear, their barriers joining together with the first, protecting them from my wrath. I don’t like this. Not one bit!

Indecision and uneasiness strike me. What should I do? Dig under? Run back? What if more of them are coming or are already there? Will my acid break through?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

The air rumbles at the power of that voice and, in the back of my mind, I note the suffocating aura that rolls off momma croc growing stronger, ever so slightly. And then again.

She’s coming!

Oh no-no-no-no-NO-NO-NO!

I’m NOT going down here like this!

I refuse to end my second life as croca plops. Refuse! I’d rather be fed to a nest of claw-centipedes. I’d rather be melted down and eaten by an acid slug. Heck, I’d prefer to be chewed up by a stupid thorn lizard than get eaten by Garralosh!

I spin in place, expertly presenting my business district to the first barrier.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

As I spin, I unleash my acid of perpetual prosperity which splashes into the barrier and adheres to it, sizzling as it begins to eat away at the Mana.

[Tiny! Get over here, buddy!] Unfortunately, Tiny has been caught inside the barrier with me. [Crinis! Any chance you can tenderise any of these mage slaves?]

Since she’d been hanging back, Crinis hasn’t been trapped with us, but she still has plenty of monsters to deal with, even if they’re temporarily stunned for a moment.

[I’m trying, Master!] she cries. [There is something blocking me!]

I curse. They must have planned ahead after seeing how Crinis operates in order to prevent her getting a tentacle on these mages. Makes sense. I don’t think the big lizard wants to risk any more of them and wouldn’t have sent them out if he thought they’d be separated into bite size chunks.

My acid is bubbling away at the barrier, but it’s taking its sweet time. Were they able to counter the effects of the acid in some way?

I’m not a fan of this, not a fan at all.

With a flash, another barrier forms behind me, completing the encirclement. Most frustrating of all, every one of the six Setsulah used to create this cage of light walls is on the outside. Cowards! How dare they entrap me like this. What did I ever do to them? Other than kill one of them that time…

What’s happening now?

To my shock and surprise, the combined barriers beging to slowly extend upward. Looks like they’re intent on creating a complete cage! I check on the progress of my acid, but it isn’t working fast enough for my taste. They must have done something to resist its effects, the crafty sods.

However, they didn’t count on one thing.

[Tiny! Grab me and jump out of here!]

[Raaaaah!]

Not needing to be told twice, Tiny grabs me up in his arms and throws me onto his back where I cling with all the strength my claws can manage. As the barrier continues to close overhead and the oppressive aura of Garralosh presses down on us, Tiny takes two running steps and explodes forth.

He pushes every fibre of his bunched leg muscles to the limit and bursts into the air.

Holy smokes!

The air whistles over my carapace, pushing my antennae back against my head and driving the micro hairs on my face nuts.

I knew Tiny had some jumping power, I’d seen him leap often enough, but being carried by him is a very different experience!

We soar through the air and out of the still-forming cage, the light barrier melding shut beneath Tiny’s feet.

THUD!

We slam into the ground and only my Grip Skill keeps me from falling flat on my face. Haha! Stupid mages! You think you can trap us that easy?

Oh snap!

No sooner do we soar out of the barrier and heavily land, than fire begins erupting around us. The Setsulah mage servants had dropped the light barrier the moment we’d escaped and are now attempting to BBQ what they failed to contain.

BOOM!

Yeeouch! That was close. Fireballs fly through the air, accompanied by jets of flame and arcing balls of flaming death that rain down from above.

Isn’t this a little excessive?

I cling to Tiny for dear life as he begins to shift and sway, displaying the full extent of his Fancy Feet. With a grace that belies his size, he shimmies here, spins there and navigates the maze of destruction by the thinnest of margins. By gosh it’s close!

The sharp sound of whistling arrows pierce through the roar of flames, lifting my heart. Isaac has turned up! Right on time.