Chapter 50: Ride Like Thunder, Roar Like Lightning
For all the roaring and clashing across the battlefield—Juveniles and Adults wrestling in the dust, elemental attacks bursting against Gilded Hollow's barrier, explosions of light and darkness flashing above the walls—everything seemed to quiet for a moment when Dreadtide rose from the swamp he had conjured in the heart of the fighting.
He was colossal.
The Elite sea-monster towered over almost everything around him, his bloated dark hide glistening like oil beneath the battlefield light. His head resembled some grotesque marriage between an octopus and a creature dragged from the deepest ocean trench, thick tendrils twitching around a vast mouth while abyssal blue light burned where eyes should have been. His arms ended in enormous hooked claws crusted with shells and old growths from seas that might no longer exist.
From his throat came a sound like a ship sinking slowly beneath black water.
Then he attacked.
Dreadtide opened his maw and released a torrent of jet-black water.
The stream struck with such pressure that it cut across the battlefield like a blade. Juvenile Aetherkin were thrown aside. Walls cracked. One abandoned structure buckled when the water sliced through its lower floor, and stone hissed as the dark liquid struck heated ground.
Then came the mist.
Purple miasma poured from Dreadtide's body, spreading low across the earth. Grass blackened beneath it. Creatures caught near the edge staggered, several clutching their heads as their eyes flashed red.
Renji watched from the wall.
"He's corrupting them."
Daichi looked at the creatures beginning to lash out at allies.
"And doing it quickly."
Golden threads immediately brightened across several affected defenders as Caelan's distant fate-links reacted, resisting the foreign influence—but Dreadtide continued pouring miasma into the field faster than the weaker creatures could retreat.
Then the wind changed.
A small figure descended through the poisoned haze.
Luminel's remaining wing could no longer carry him properly, but magic and controlled wind held him aloft as he dropped like a pink comet toward the battlefield, spear raised above his head. He struck the ground in front of Dreadtide, releasing a ring of compressed air that swept outward and ripped a broad opening through the miasma.
"You shall not corrupt this city, you overgrown sea sponge!"
Dreadtide answered with a roar.
A tentacle thicker than a tree trunk swept toward him.
Luminel vanished.
Pop.
He reappeared above Dreadtide's head.
Lightning crawled down his spear.
"FAE SHOCK!"
A bolt as thick as a tree crashed from the clouds and struck Dreadtide directly in the skull.
The Elite monster staggered.
Smoke rose from his hide.
He did not fall.
Not even close.
Dreadtide surged upward, tentacles whipping through the air. One smashed through the remains of a building. Another snapped toward Luminel fast enough to shatter the air.
Pop.
Luminel disappeared again.
He materialized beside Dreadtide's shoulder and drove another spear of lightning into him.
The battle became a violent dance.
Luminel could no longer rely on his damaged wings for the effortless aerial movement he once possessed, so he compensated with teleportation, wind and thousands of years of experience. He never stayed where Dreadtide expected him. Every enormous swipe met empty air. Every attempt to surround him with tentacles ended with the fairy appearing somewhere else and answering with lightning, compressed wind or another insult.
"Learn to aim, you soggy calamari!"
Dreadtide snarled and raised both claws.
A dome of black water formed around Luminel.
The sphere snapped shut.
For a moment the fairy vanished inside it.
Then the entire mass twisted.
Wind screamed from within.
The black sphere tore apart beneath a spiraling hurricane, foul water exploding outward as Luminel shot through the opening.
But Dreadtide possessed something Luminel currently lacked.
Stamina.
Lightning struck him repeatedly.
His flesh burned.
Tentacles split.
Dark blood spilled into his own swamp.
And still the creature regenerated.
His water returned.
The poisonous miasma continued seeping from his enormous body.
Luminel raised his spear and summoned a chain of miniature storms.
Ten bolts descended in less than a second.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Dreadtide disappeared beneath white light.
When it faded, the monster was still standing.
Luminel hovered above him with considerably more magical assistance than he wanted anyone to notice.
He breathed heavily.
"Persistent brute."
Dreadtide opened his mouth.
A spiral of cursed water erupted upward, black liquid threaded with violet fire.
Luminel's eyes widened.
Pop.
He disappeared just before the attack reached him.
The cursed torrent struck the roof behind him and melted the stone into bubbling sludge.
Luminel reappeared farther away.
"You're tough, I'll give you that."
He raised his spear.
"But next time I'm bringing a larger thundercloud."
A blast of concentrated wind struck Dreadtide squarely in the chest.
The colossal sea creature staggered backward into the miasma, tentacles thrashing furiously as he temporarily retreated deeper into his conjured swamp.
Luminel descended onto a nearby rooftop.
He landed rather than hovered.
For once, he seemed perfectly content to remain there.
"Still alive."
He leaned against his spear.
"Wonderful."
Farther along the outer defensive line, the earth itself was having a considerably worse day.
The Elite Scrapreaver defending that section stood amid churned soil and broken stone, his enormous mechanical body vibrating with the roar of his internal engine. Exhaust poured from pipes behind his shoulders. Missile compartments clicked open along one arm while his massive opposite fist slammed into the ground.
Across from him stood Quakewyrm.
The Elite earth-dragon resembled a moving mountain. Thick mineral armor covered its entire body, and golden metallic deposits ran through the plates like veins of ore. Mutated wings rose from its back more like enormous secondary limbs than anything intended for flight.
The Scrapreaver revved.
"COME ON, ROCK FACE! I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"
Quakewyrm did not answer.
It attacked.
BOOM.
The dragon smashed both forelimbs into the earth.
A devastating tremor rolled outward.
The ground split.
Cracks tore through the battlefield like wounds opening across the soil, swallowing debris and throwing defenders from their feet.
The Scrapreaver's engine screamed.
He launched himself over the expanding fractures and landed on the remains of a collapsed wall.
"GONNA TAKE MORE THAN A LITTLE EARTHQUAKE TO SHUT ME UP!"
Behind him, several injured Juvenile Aetherkin were retreating toward the city.
The Scrapreaver glanced back once.
Then planted himself firmly between them and Quakewyrm.
The earth-dragon charged.
Far too quickly for something its size.
One of its immense back-claws opened, ready to crush him.
The Scrapreaver spun.
Missile ports flashed.
"VANQUISH MISSILES!"
A barrage screamed through the air and struck Quakewyrm directly across the face.
Explosions rolled over its armored skull.
Smoke filled the battlefield.
The dragon emerged through it with little more than scorch marks across its golden mineral plating.
The Scrapreaver stared.
"OH, COME ON!"
Quakewyrm's tail moved.
The enormous iron-like mass at its end swung with the force of a falling building.
The Scrapreaver raised both arms.
Impact.
The ground beneath him exploded.
He skidded backward for dozens of metres, metal feet digging trenches through the earth while sparks flew from his armor.
He coughed smoke.
Then grinned.
A faint golden mantle still shimmered over his body—the thin layer of stellar Ki Caelan had spread across Gilded Hollow's defenders.
The Scrapreaver looked down at it.
Then at Quakewyrm.
"I'VE GOT A LEGENDARY BOOST AND I STILL CAN'T DENT YOU?"
Quakewyrm lowered its head.
The Scrapreaver's grin became wider.
"GOOD."
His engine roared.
He charged.
"If I can't break you—"
Quakewyrm swung.
The Scrapreaver shot beneath the attack.
"—I'LL MAKE YOU CHASE ME!"
He tore between the dragon's legs, dragging the enormous machinery built into his arm across Quakewyrm's underside.
MAXIMUM DEMOLISHER!
Sparks erupted.
For the first time, Quakewyrm roared in actual pain.
Not much.
But enough.
The Scrapreaver laughed.
He was not winning.
Not remotely.
But the injured creatures behind him reached the wall.
And Quakewyrm remained focused on him.
That was enough.
Elsewhere, Stormmane had discovered that being naturally evolved into an Adult did not make every Elite suddenly considerate of his feelings.
Several Juveniles lay scattered around him.
Two Adults were embedded in nearby craters.
Stormmane stood in the middle of them, golden stellar energy shimmering faintly over his orange-red fur while blue lightning crawled through his mane. His single remaining hand gripped his sword tightly.
"WHO'S NEXT?"
Three enemy Juveniles charged.
Stormmane moved once.
A burst of lightning erupted.
A few seconds later, all three were airborne.
One disappeared behind a wall.
Another landed in a bush.
The third remained in the air for an oddly long moment before gravity remembered its responsibilities.
Stormmane looked pleased.
Then he heard whistling.
He turned.
Something small came walking through the smoke.
Very small.
Round.
Metallic.
And smiling far too happily.
Blastcore.
The Elite Aetherkin's compact body barely reached Stormmane's waist. Enormous metal fists hung from thin arms, and explosives covered enough of his body that standing near him seemed like a questionable decision even when he was friendly.
Blastcore skipped toward him.
Actually skipped.
Stormmane stared.
"You've got to be kidding."
Blastcore grinned.
"Hey, Fluffy."
Stormmane's eye twitched.
Then one of Blastcore's fists detached.
It flew toward him like an artillery shell.
Stormmane raised his sword.
FLASH.
BOOM!
The explosion launched him backward through the wall of an abandoned building.
Dust erupted.
For a moment nothing moved.
Then Stormmane staggered out of the rubble.
His mane was singed.
One ear twitched.
"...That was real."
Blastcore giggled.
Then disappeared.
Stormmane barely tracked the movement.
The tiny Elite slid low beneath his sword and drove one metal fist into Stormmane's ribs.
BOOM!
Stormmane flew sideways.
Blastcore was already gone before he could counter.
Stormmane hit the ground, rolled and came up with his sword raised.
Lightning exploded along the blade.
He swung.
Blastcore ducked beneath it.
Stormmane changed direction.
Miss.
Blastcore punched.
Stormmane twisted away.
The fist exploded against the earth.
Another came from the opposite side.
Stormmane blocked it with the flat of his sword.
The detonation drove him backward.
Blastcore bounced away, laughing.
"Too slow!"
Stormmane's expression became murderous.
There were insults.
And then there was that insult.
He rushed forward.
Lightning wrapped around his body.
Blastcore slipped underneath the first strike.
Stormmane turned his hip and kicked.
Blastcore rolled with the impact and immediately rebounded.
His knee struck Stormmane beneath the jaw.
It exploded.
Stormmane staggered backward with smoke rising from his face.
Blastcore landed lightly.
Stormmane stared at him.
The Elite wasn't breathing hard.
Wasn't slowing.
Was barely trying.
Stormmane tightened his grip around the sword.
"So that's how it is."
Blastcore rocked cheerfully on his heels.
"Come on, kitty-cat!"
Stormmane lunged.
Sword.
Miss.
Kick.
Dodge.
He finally landed a strike with the hilt.
Blastcore spun through the blow, landed and sent another explosive punch into Stormmane's chest.
BOOM!
Stormmane crashed onto one knee.
His breathing became heavier.
The golden mantle around him flickered.
Blastcore remained smiling.
That was when Stormmane understood.
This was not simply a tiny creature with explosives attached to its hands.
Blastcore was Elite.
A being forged at an entirely different developmental level.
Stormmane had grown enormously stronger since his natural evolution.
It did not erase the gap.
He stood.
Lightning surged through his mane.
"Cute little demon."
Blastcore smiled wider.
Stormmane raised his sword.
"I'm not finished."
The battle gradually stopped feeling like a battle and became something closer to a storm.
Explosions rolled across the outer city.
Lightning crossed the sky.
Fire and ice tore through clouds of dust while the golden shimmer of Caelan's support mantle moved among Gilded Hollow's defenders.
Stormmane was still fighting Blastcore.
Calling it fighting had become increasingly generous.
His fur was scorched.
His ribs hurt.
His sword had acquired several new dents that he planned to complain about later.
Blastcore still bounced around as though this were entertainment.
"Come on, Fluffy!"
Stormmane breathed hard.
"Not... slow."
Blastcore tilted his head.
"What?"
"You're just..."
Stormmane glared.
"...too small."
Blastcore began laughing.
Then the ground started to shake.
Not from Quakewyrm.
An engine.
A very familiar engine.
VROOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Stormmane turned.
A blur tore over the hill.
Red-black armor reflected firelight.
Blue-white energy streamed behind spinning wheels.
The Roadstreaker hit a broken section of wall, launched into the air and landed sideways in front of Stormmane with a violent screech of tires.
Quickflare.
Stormmane stared.
Quickflare's engine revved.
"You look terrible."
Stormmane's ears flattened.
"What do you want?"
"You're losing."
"I noticed."
"Badly."
Stormmane tightened his sword grip.
"If you came here just to say that—"
Quickflare lowered himself slightly.
"Get on."
Stormmane stopped.
"What?"
"You wanted to ride."
Stormmane stared at him.
Quickflare revved again.
"Get. On."
Stormmane looked at the Roadstreaker's back.
Then at Quickflare's front.
"There isn't a seat."
"Didn't ask if you wanted comfort."
A bomb-fist came screaming toward them.
Stormmane moved.
He jumped onto Quickflare's back just as the explosive struck the ground behind them.
BOOM!
Quickflare accelerated.
Stormmane nearly fell off immediately.
"Warn me!"
"You've been begging for this for four days!"
They shot through the battlefield.
Adults scattered from their path.
Quickflare threaded between craters, broken walls and enemy attacks with terrifying precision while Stormmane crouched low, clinging with his legs and keeping his single hand free for his sword.
Behind them, Blastcore came bouncing through the smoke.
He hurled another explosive fist.
Quickflare swerved.
The projectile struck the road and blew half of it apart.
Stormmane looked over his shoulder.
Lightning gathered through his mane.
"If this doesn't work, I'm blaming you."
"You shoot."
Quickflare's engine screamed.
"I steer."
Stormmane grinned.
"Deal."
He twisted backward.
Lightning gathered around his remaining fist.
"LION KING'S FIST — RAIJIN STYLE!"
He punched.
A colossal lion-shaped mass of golden-blue lightning erupted across the battlefield, fangs formed from electricity as it roared toward Blastcore.
The little Elite's eyes widened.
He swerved.
The lightning passed close enough to scorch one side of him.
Blastcore looked down.
Then laughed.
"That tickled!"
Stormmane's face fell.
Quickflare accelerated harder.
"We'll hit him."
"Eventually."
"Hopefully before you fall off."
"I hate you."
"You're still slow."
Stormmane's lightning immediately intensified.
They raced faster.
Wind screamed past them.
Stormmane raised his fist again.
"LION SHOCKWAVE!"
One punch.
Two.
Three.
Golden-blue bolts burst outward in rapid succession.
One tore through an enemy Adult.
Another blasted apart a mound of rubble.
Blastcore dodged the first two.
The third struck his side.
BOOM!
Smoke swallowed him.
Stormmane twisted around.
"Did we get him?"
Quickflare's engine lowered slightly.
Then the smoke parted.
Blastcore was still standing.
Singed.
Smoking.
And wearing the happiest smile Stormmane had seen all day.
"Ooooh!"
Blastcore looked down at himself.
"That one made my toes tingle!"
He produced four bombs.
Stormmane's eye widened.
"Go left!"
Quickflare went right.
"What are you doing?!"
"Winning!"
"THAT'S NOT LEFT!"
The bombs landed.
KA-BOOOOOOM!
Stone, dirt and several extremely confused enemy Aetherkin flew into the sky.
Quickflare burst from the explosion trailing smoke.
Stormmane was somehow still on him.
Barely.
Blastcore came bouncing after them.
And the chase continued.