Urael found Irgod's question about Riniock's whereabouts strange. Surely, the Ikshari knew they had entered different portals – if not, he would have at least assumed as much. From the very start, this exchange made no sense. Irgod wasn't searching for answers; he was trying to unsettle them.
With Kieg dead, it was now just him and Abrant against Irgod and Piddruin.
They were at a disadvantage. Irgod had seen Urael fight before, but the Gorleans had no prior knowledge of their enemies' abilities. Worse, both Iksharis specialised in fire magick, which severely hindered Urael's own effectiveness.
'Abrant…' Urael whispered, careful not to draw attention. His companion leaned in slightly but kept his expression neutral. 'Go on the offensive. I'll cover you.'
Abrant didn't need further instruction. He had already reached the same conclusion.
His boot twisted against the stone floor, pebbles crunching beneath him as he launched sideways. Their enemies' eyes snapped to him immediately.
As he moved, he began casting his spells. Unlike most acolytes, Abrant specialised in thaumaturgy – pure energy-based magick with few direct counters. Fortunately, fire held no natural advantage against it.
'Pidd, watch it!' Irgod barked, shoving his companion aside before lobbing a fireball.
Abrant darted away, narrowly evading the projectile. His spell completed, and a condensed wave of energy shot towards Irgod, tearing through the air like a column of rampaging odh particles.
Irgod threw up his arms, shielding himself just in time.
That was Urael's cue. He hurled a volley of razor-sharp icicles at the Ikshari's exposed side, certain they would find their mark.
But at the last second, Piddruin lunged in front of Irgod, blocking the attack.
'Damn it…' Urael muttered, already preparing his next spell.
Before he could strike again, both Iksharis raised their hands in unison. Twin bursts of flame erupted from their palms, sweeping across the battlefield in a relentless blaze. They spun in place, ensuring fire engulfed every corner.
Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the inferno ceased.
A low rumble shook the cavern.
Irgod and Piddruin hesitated, withdrawing their flames. As the smoke cleared and the embers died down, their expressions twisted in disbelief – Urael and Abrant stood unharmed, shielded behind flawless magickal wards.
Neither side had time to celebrate or lament the outcome.
The ground trembled again, this time more violently. Dust rained from the ceiling, and loose stones quivered as if an earthquake had struck.
Then came the sound of something moving.
A monstrous shape emerged from one of the tunnels, its enormous body clinging to the ceiling as it crawled into view. It was so large it rivalled a great lidthrag.
At the sight of it, all four combatants instinctively readied their spells.
'What in Murat is that…' Irgod swallowed hard.
The creature slithered into the clearing, its massive frame shifting to rest against the cavern wall. For a long moment, it ignored them entirely, its enormous obsidian eye sweeping the battlefield, searching for something.
Then it found it.
Amidst the scorched remains left by Irgod and Piddruin's flames, a charred corpse lay still smouldering – not Kieg's, but the reptilian creature they had slain earlier.
'Boss…that's its parent,' Abrant murmured.
Urael gave a stiff nod, barely daring to breathe. His assumption turned true after all.
The beast's lips curled back, revealing rows of jagged teeth. Its glare, once unfocused, now locked onto the Iksharis.
Surprisngly, the beast had a certain intelligence to it. With what was visible, it had put the pieces together.
The youngling had been burned, as far as it could tell. Irgod and Piddruin still held flames in their hands. They were the guilty ones in its eyes.
Irgod's eyes widened with realisation. 'Shit…' he grabbed Piddruin's arm and bolted.
'Damn you, Gorleans!' he shouted as they fled.
A bone-chilling roar erupted, shaking the cavern with violent force.
Irgod and Piddruin didn't dare glance back. Their only concern was reaching the tunnel ahead – a dubious refuge, but a refuge nonetheless.
Behind them, the dark-scaled beast stretched the pale filaments along its back and lunged from the wall. It crashed down just above them, landing atop the tunnel entrance they had chosen for their escape.
By sheer luck, they had slipped inside just in time. The monster's immense size kept it from pursuing them directly.
But it didn't give up so easily.
A massive limb forced its way into the tunnel, claws scraping against stone as it groped for them. They were already too deep inside for it to reach.
For a moment, it seemed like they had truly escaped.
Then, with a growl of frustration, the beast withdrew. Its long limbs tensed, and without hesitation, it hurled itself down to the cavern floor. The sheer force of its landing sent tremors through the ground, nearly causing Urael and Abrant's hearts to stop.
They barely had time to process their relief before the monster made its next move.
With deliberate steps, it backed away from the tunnel entrance. Then, in a sudden burst of speed, it launched itself forward, slamming headfirst into the narrow passage.
Stone cracked under the force.
For several seconds, its massive frame wedged into the tunnel, seemingly trapped – until the rock around it buckled and gave way.
With terrifying tenacity, it tore through, forcing its way inside in pursuit of the Iksharis.
Urael and Abrant stood frozen, watching in stunned disbelief. A cold shiver ran down their spines as they imagined what might have happened had the beast turned its rage on them instead.
'Safe to say those two are fucked,' Irgod muttered, though the sweat glistening on his temple betrayed his unease. 'Let's get the hell out of here before it decides to come back.'
Abrant didn't need convincing.
Reluctantly leaving Kieg's charred remains behind, the two vanished into the tunnels, swallowed by the darkness ahead.
Deeper into the narrow tunnel, Irgod and Piddruin ran, hearts pounding. They were out of breath, but the surge of adrenaline kept them moving forward, faster than they thought possible.
For a fleeting moment, they thought they were safe. But as they dared a glance behind, their eyes widened in horror.
The beast was still on their tail, closing in fast. It was almost upon them.
Yet neither maegi faltered. The end of the tunnel loomed ahead – both a glimmer of hope and a potential trap. Once they reached it, they could find another way out, but that also meant the predator would be free to fully unleash its fury.
Finally, they reached the tunnel's end, only to collide with two figures blocking their way.
Piddruin crashed into one of them, both tumbling to the floor. Irgod was intercepted by a hand that shot out, gripping his neck before he could pass.
'Well, this is a pleasant surprise,' the man holding him said, his voice dripping with amusement. 'Fladd's prime disciple, isn't it?'
Irgod's vision blurred for a moment, but he quickly recognised the man who had him pinned as one of Gorlea's staff members. The person on the floor… 'Riniock!'
'He seems to know you,' Noidron chuckled, sparking lightning with his free hand.
Irgod's panic grew as he struggled to turn his head and catch a glimpse of what was behind them. His expression screamed urgency, a reaction that didn't escape Noidron's notice.
Piddruin groaned as he rubbed his head, momentarily forgetting about the creature chasing them.
'Put me down,' Irgod rasped, his breath constricting. 'Quickly...before it catches up…'
Then the ground trembled.
Noidron spared a quick glance, and his eyes went wide with shock. The beast was upon them.
'Geoseri!' Riniock screamed as he regained his senses at the perfect moment. He recognised the monster from the journal, and terror filled his voice. 'That's a geoseri! Block the tunnel before it reaches us!'
Following Riniock's advice, Noidron released Irgod and unleashed a destructive lightning spell, charging it with deadly precision.
Irgod bolted, leaving his fellow disciple behind.
Noidron hurled his spell forward. The ball of lightning shot through the air, then halted abruptly. As the geoseri's enormous form approached, the spell detonated, unfurling into tendrils of electricity that struck the monster, stunning it long enough to collapse the tunnel above.
Rocks rained down, sealing the path.
Silence followed.
'That was too close,' Riniock breathed, a sense of relief washing over him. As the threat subsided, his attention returned to their unexpected visitors. 'That was Irgod, and this is Piddruin.'
Piddruin stirred, his face a conflicted mix of confusion and relief. His gaze met Noidron's, who glared at him with quiet malice. Piddruin lowered his head.
'We need to catch him,' Riniock said, determination hardening his voice. 'But first, let's deal with this one.'
'Gladly,' Noidron replied.
Before they could even move though, the tunnel erupted with a deafening explosion. Rubble flew towards them, knocking them off their feet, and dust clouded the air, blurring their vision.
The geoseri emerged from the wreckage, barely a scratch.
Noidron was the first to recover. He stood quickly, though his fingers were badly damaged, some twisted beyond recognition. Gritting his teeth, he downed a potion, the healing liquid snapping his bones back into place.
'What a monster…' he muttered, coughing as he regained his composure.
The geoseri spread its filaments in every direction and let out a roar that shook the tunnel. It scanned the area, its gaze locking on its next target – Noidron, who had been the one to strike it.
The monster's new priority was clear.