SNAP
SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!
CRASH
Another thunderous crash rattled my bones as the Kite barrels over yet another tree. The wood splintering as the trunk snaps in half. Spraying sharp chips of wood that shower against my back and stick into my hair.
I cling tighter to Thorpes back as he stumbles a bit from dodging out the way so quickly. His face and neck are slick with sweat. His breathing a bit labored but he doesn't stop moving as he already puts us as many meters away as he can get. But unfortunately with this thing chasing us it isn't much.
We've been trying to get away from it for what feels like an hour but what is likely more 10-15 minutes. It's sort of hard keeping track of time when you are under constant threat of being snapped in half by a bird with a head the size of a whole cow.
Thorpe is VERY fast and after each dodge he can put us a good several meters away from it in a few strides. But that has unfortunately proven to be not enough at all as the Kite, despite its size, tears or tackles through anything in its path just as quickly.
Case in point right now. Thorpe is able to get us passed half a dozen groups of the thick spiky pine trees. But the Kite literally just charges through most of it before launching itself through the tree tops and dive bombing right back in like it's swimming through the forest!
The monster tears its way through the canopy to get down to us. Thorpe immediately leaping back out of the way as the creature crashes down where we just were. The old man misjudging the distance to another tree as he stumbles and slams his back, and ME, against a trunk. Knocking the wind out of me as I grunt and gasp.
"SHIT! YOU OKAY?!" He yells before flinching and dropping low just before the Kites talons sweeped in to try to grab us. Its talons embedding into the trunk of the tree instead. The creature screeching in frustration while Thorpe runs.
I cough and groan. A dull pain ebbing over my back. "I'm…I'm good."
Old Guard growls in frustration just as much as the monster, albeit for the opposite reason. "God damn that bird is tenacious."
I groan in response, already hearing the Kite rip itself loose of the tree and start pursuing again. Atleast since it got stuck we've gotten much further away than usual. "How hasn't it knocked itself out doing this?"
Thorpe nervously chuckles through labored breaths while still running as fast as he can muster. "I have no fucken clue sadly. I've fought a few Kites before and their stalwart but this one really takes the cake. Not to mention it seems absolutely obsessed "
I grimace at that. Guilt that I've been trying to press down is welling up inside. "I…I'm starting to think it might be because of me…" I mean who knows what sort of quirks my hidden class has.
Thorpe actually laughs, but in a worried and exasperated kind of way. "I didn't want to be the one to suggest it. But we'll figure it out!"
Even with the assurance it doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence. That anxiety flaring up again that I thought I was done with. But I don't have much time to dwell on it before that prickly sensation seems to coat my whole body. "DODGE!!!"
But it's much too late, atleast for Thorpe who unlatches me from his back and tosses me off to the side just as an entire uprooted tree slams into him, sweeping him away and out of sight.
I crash to the ground HARD. Tumbling for several yards and bouncing against rocks. He had to throw me with enough strength to get me out of the way. It's hurts ALOT. And thanks to my experience with the adult jackelope, I am intimately familiar with what it feels and sounds like when my ribs break.
Blood rushes up into my mouth after finally roll to a stop. The moment I lift myself up my body lurches forward on reflex to expel about a fourth of a cup of blood onto the forest floor. Wheezing I yell out, panic wracking through my body. "THORPE!!!"
Unfortunately the only thing that answers back is the Kite that is now crashing through the canopy above me.
In a split second [Leap Stride] I dodge to the side as the monster tries to snatch me up but just gets fistfuls of dirt and rock. But since I didn't have stable footing I ended up leaping askward and only about an inch or two off the ground. Causing me to connect with large rocks and tree trunks in the way. But thanks to the skill the impacts don't cause much actual damage but it certainly is disorienting.
But I don't have much time to shake myself out before the Kite is bearing down on me, charging through the spiked pines. Knocking the trees over or downright shattering them. The monster itself paying no mind to how hard it hits them, even with its head.
I can do little but [Leap Stride] away again, unable to orient myself properly. Sailing over the grass again until I hit something. The space I was getting clawed and pecked mercilessly a millisecond later.
I knock against the side of a tree and get spun halfway around it. The hit knocking the wind out of me again. Which I am getting very tired of but it's better than breaking something.
Quickly rolling over to see where the Kite is next. But the pin prickle sensation washes over my entire body. So sharp that it hurts.
It's too late to get out of the way. Not fast enough. My head is able to catch the sight of it in my peripheral. Its beak opening wide to swallow me whole. A mere foot away.
It feels like time slows to crawl.
But my right hand still reaches back and grabs the hilt of my sword instinctually.
A shock runs up my spine.
I suddenly feel more energized in a split second than I ever have before.
A heat licks the back of my neck as my sword just slightly slides free of its sheathe.
Images flash over my vision. Something I haven't seen in years. Not since I first opened that skill book.
Violet flames. Shifting, curling, and slithering unlike any fire I've ever seen.
Neither hot, nor cold.
A word touches my lips. Bottom lip touching my upper teeth to speak to form the first sound…
Then a bright flash of light from the left ends the vision as it strikes the side of the Kite, sending it rolling off to the side. The massive birds body impacting the tree with a sickening crack. The tree no longer yielding to the Kites indomitable strength.
A burning spear embedded halfway into its side. Thorpes spear. Spreading a bright golden fire across the monsters feathers as it screeches in pain.
The Kite squirms, turning its head to try to yank out the spear but keeps burning it's face in the attempt. But it is making progress. Slowing inching it out with each tug.
A hand suddenly wraps around my midsection from behind and now I'm back on the move. Thorpe switching me to behind him. "Are you okay?!" I call out while latching back onto Old Guards back.
Old guard is covered in dirt, armor torn up a bit, a few bruises across his arms and face. Blood leaking from his nose. "No im not okay! IT THREW A GOD DAMN TREE AT ME!"
I flinch. "Sorry…I…I was worried."
Thorpe exhales after another stride of his legs, speeding us away at a slower pace than I expected. "Didn't mean to snap at you. Just…really agitated."
I can't blame him at all for that. "What did you do to it?"
Thorpe wheezes some. "One of my strongest skills. Can't use it repeatedly…needed a clean shot…takes a lot of energy…" he gasps out. Obviously not able to move as quickly as he'd like to anymore.
I nod. That skill definitely looked like it hurt and I can still hear it struggling with it even tho we have to leave Old Guards spear behind with it. "I think I figured out how it's able to tear through the trees so easily."
That hit from Thorpes spear proved what I had been considering. "I think…it has my [Leap Stride] skill."
Old Guard groans. "Ahhhhhh that makes sense…it protects against impacts…and it's using that to turn itself into a living battering ram." His brow furrows in thought. "It must be eating a lot of jackelopes then. I'd be impressed with its intelligence if I wasnt so pissed off about it."
Thorpe sighs really heavily. "Damnit! My skill just ended. I was hoping that would last longer."
Shrill screeching echoes behind us from quite a distance but the sound of it is getting louder and louder. Along with the unmistakable thunder of shattering wood.
I tap on Old Guards chest. "We can't keep running, it's not going to work. You are already exhausted from that Skill and it's going to catch up any second."
The old man growls through his teeth, weaving through a few trees. "I know! But fighting it is bad for both us. I'm exhausted and your not near fast enough to dodge its attacks."
I sigh. I mean I certainly don't like this anymore than you do old man. "We are screwed either way. If we want to have a chance we need to try to damage its back legs. Without those it can't use the skill." Altho I pause for a moment."At least I think so…"
Old guard skids to a stop and drops me down, turning to face in the direction the Kite is obviously barreling its way through. He holds up his right hand wide with his palm open. A golden light shining from it before his spear appears in his grasp.
My mouth drops open. "You can do that!?"
The old man gives me a tap on the leg with the lower end of his spear "Focus up. We're going with your plan. I'll distract it, you go for the legs."
I shake myself out of whatever awe I was stuck in and quickly nod. Unsheathing my sword and facing the direction of our quickly approaching enemy.
And despite the deep fear in the pit of my stomach. I can't help but feel overwhelmingly excited.
A gravely voice suddenly sounds out from our right a few meters away. "Now what behemoth did you two piss off?"
Thorpe and I slowly turn our heads towards the voice. Even as the sounds of the Kite bounding ever closer echoes through the trees.
Standing between a few of the pines is a man wearing tan practical robes with wrapped cuffs. A green tunic visible by the robes neck line. The hood of the robes hangs behind him. Appears to be early 30's with long sandy blonde hair down to his shoulders. A bit of stubble on his face and dark circles beneath his eyes. His right hand holds onto a long oak staff.
The man smiles tiredly at us. A few other human shapes moving from the trees behind him.
"Need some assistance?"