Riniock sprinted through the tunnel, ducking and weaving as ethereal arrows whizzed past him. His pursuer was undoubtedly faster, but the constant need to cast spells slowed the maegi down just enough to keep Riniock ahead.
He traced the path from memory, his eidetic recall serving him well. The tunnel twisted and turned, its natural curves offering occasional cover from the relentless barrage. Each arrow struck the stone with violent force, splitting rock and leaving jagged scars in its wake.
If one of those hit him, it wouldn't just pierce – it would tear through flesh, muscle, bone, and viscera.
Riniock retaliated when he could, hurling spells behind him in desperation. Yet, just like Fladd had once done so effortlessly, the maegi swatted his attacks aside. Though not as gracefully accomplished as the academy master, his adversary still managed to parry the magick with little effort, sometimes using nothing but his bare hands.
Nothing worked.
If Riniock wanted any hope of success, he would have to close the distance. Face-to-face combat through Mesyo Mahas or his dagger seemed like the only options. But even then, uncertainty gnawed at him. Against an opponent like this, neither choice seemed promising.
At a fork in the tunnel, divided by a thick stone pillar, Riniock conjured a wall of ice, sealing both paths. One side, however, was deliberately thinner – a subtle trap.
As expected, the mercenary crashed through the weaker section, shards of ice scattering like broken glass. The moment he emerged, a dagger hurtled straight towards his throat. He jerked his head to evade it, but the blade twisted mid-air, tracking his movement.
With a surge of odh, he slapped the weapon aside, sending it clattering into the low ceiling where it lodged firmly. 'Hmph, parlour tricks.'
Riniock burst from his blindside, his palm aimed at the mercenary's chest. He struck with all his might, hoping to disrupt the flow of odh within him. But the man's reflexes were unnervingly sharp. He caught Riniock's wrist mid-strike, the impact vibrating through Riniock's bones.
'Bold,' the mercenary said, his voice low and amused. Then, without warning, he drove a magick-imbued fist into Riniock's ribs. 'But useless.'
Pain flared through Riniock's body, stealing his breath. The mercenary's grip tightened, but Riniock refused to yield. In a flash, the man's free hand was raised and formed a shimmering ethereal blade. As it came slashing down, Riniock made a desperate choice. He twisted his body violently, dislocating his shoulder to slip free. His right hand shot up, striking the man's wrist with an outstretched pair of fingers. The sudden blow forced the mercenary's fingers to release him.
But the fight was far from over.
The mercenary recovered quickly, slashing horizontally. Anticipating it, Riniock summoned a gust of wind beneath his feet, propelling himself upward. The surge lifted him high enough to reach the embedded dagger. His hand gripped the hilt as he yanked it free.
He descended swiftly, dagger aimed at his foe. Yet even as the blade found flesh, it failed to pierce. Some unseen force repelled it – a protective layer, impervious to ordinary weapons covered the man's entire arm, where Riniock had struck.
'You little shit!' the mercenary snarled, his patience snapping. He drove a brutal kick into Riniock's stomach, sending him hurtling into the tunnel wall. The impact cracked the stone behind him, and agony shot through his body.
Yet despite his apparent victory, the mercenary's expression twisted in frustration. His hand dangled uselessly, limp as a severed rope. He shook it, attempting to will it back to life. But no matter how much he tried, the limb refused to respond.
'What in Murat did you do to my hand!?'
His manic gaze returned to his prey, who coughed a spatter of blood onto the rocky tunnel floor.
Riniock felt the weight of that glare and panicked.
No spell worked on him. His ward shattered beneath the mercenary's magick. Blades couldn't pierce his skin, and Mesyo Mahas would be useless a second time.
'Damn...' He coughed again, crimson streaks clinging to his chin.
There was no other choice. His trembling hand plunged into his inventory, fingers fumbling through his belongings. Whatever fate awaited him would be determined by whatever he found.
The mercenary paced forward, his functional hand gathering odh once more. A tall blade, gleaming and jagged, formed around it.
Wrath burned in his eyes. Malice twisted his lips.
He had no intention of sparing Riniock the agony of what was to come.
But then, Riniock's fingers brushed against something smooth and cold. A glassy texture. He hadn't considered using it until now. With no time for second thoughts, he drew it from his bag and hurled it at the advancing foe.
The phial spun through the air, its contents seemingly empty to the naked eye.
'An empty phial?' the mercenary scoffed, easily catching it midair. He turned it between his fingers, his grin twisting further. 'Is this your final struggle? Pathetic.'
His fingers closed and the glass shattered.
'Now, to more pressing matters –'
His words faltered. The mercenary's feet locked in place. His vision spun.
Colours that didn't exist pulsed across the stone walls. Swarms of light drifted from the cracks, buzzing like insects. The tunnel itself twisted, its surface morphing into a writhing hive.
The mercenary lashed out at the hallucinations, swatting at the glowing motes. But no matter how much he flailed, the lights did not yield.
'What did you do –'
He froze again.
Before him, where Riniock had sat huddled, three monstrously distorted figures loomed. They circled protectively, their forms warped and grotesque. Eyes like molten gold gleamed from the shadows.
Riniock smirked. The celspore phial Linry had crafted worked perfectly. Whatever horror the mercenary now witnessed, it was enough to keep him distracted.
Clutching his side, Riniock staggered to his feet. Pain gnawed at him, but he endured. Even though the mercenary's strength dwarfed his own, the enemy now fought phantoms.
Despite the clear disadvantage, the mercenary's determination didn't waver. With grim resolve, he summoned ethereal arrows and fired at the spectral guardians. The figures twisted and writhed, blurring into indistinct shapes. To him, it seemed as though Riniock's protectors faltered.
'Got you now, you shit.'
The mercenary surged forward, aiming to strike down his target. But Riniock had prepared for this. He conjured a volley of wind bullets, infusing half with frost. Razor-sharp icicles materialised, joining the barrage.
A ward would have been too slow. Instead, the mercenary raised his arm, shielding his chest and part of his face. Ice spikes pierced his skin, whilst the wind bullets battered his flesh, tearing through him like unseen blades.
Yet, to Riniock's dismay, the assault failed to incapacitate him. Blood seeped from his wounds, but the mercenary remained standing.
'That's it! I'll fucking kill you!' he roared, lunging at Riniock.
But before his hand could reach him, the mercenary jerked to a stop.
To Riniock, it was as though some invisible force restrained him. But to the hallucinating mercenary, the three distorted figures reappeared, clawing at his limbs. He thrashed wildly, trying to break free, though nothing truly bound him.
Riniock's heart pounded. The celspore's effects warped reality so intensely that even the mercenary's body reacted. He was utterly vulnerable.
'Let's end this,' Riniock murmured, preparing a final spell.
But the killing blow never came from him.
A flash of lightning seared through the tunnel. A real hand, not some illusion, tore through the mercenary's chest. Crackling sparks danced around the wound as the mercenary's body stiffened. Blood poured from his lips as his strength failed him.
Riniock's eyes widened as the figure behind the attack came into view.
'Sir?' he gasped.
Noidron yanked his hand free, the mercenary's lifeless body crumpling to the ground. He glanced at his bloodstained fingers with mild disgust before meeting Riniock's gaze.
'Riniock,' he greeted calmly. 'Glad you're alright. Sorry for butting in. Looked like you had it handled.'
'I appreciate the intervention. You came just in time.'
Noidron's eyes shifted to the corpse at his feet. 'Seems they found another way in. It may already be too late for others.'
'Who's they?'