[Arius POV]
"Yo, Arius! Why are you glooming in the corner? Don't worry, we can do this. Let's get going."
Walking to the entrance of the cave, Big Brother Jaque starts pointing to the many places we will go around. After so many large stone monsters moving around, the originally flat terrain had turned into a field of rubble with many holes and boulders sticking out of the ground.
There was one spot in particular where a large rock was pushed into the air creating a very protected area behind it. That area would lead to a location really close to the barrier so that's where we were going to go. The only problem was that the large rock was on the far side of the barrier away from us so we would need to travel even longer.
"Before we go, Arius, cover your body with this powder."
From the ground, he pulls out a handful of dark powder. Giving half of it to me and covering himself with the rest. Taking the powder, I simply follow Big Brother Jaque's lead and start smearing it all over me.
"Big Brother, what is this stuff?"
"It's a little bit of Exerac mixed with some of the ground that I grinned up. It'll help disguise and stop light from reflecting off us."
With my curiosity satiated and our bodies looking like we rolled through the dirt, Big brother Jaque gives a final gesture to be quiet before getting on his knees and elbows and began crawling out of the protection of the cave.
I really started feeling the butterflies in my stomach, I didn't have the adrenaline of battle to soothe my worries and nerves.
'What if something happens? What if THAT happens? Will I be able to see Lorr-'
'SHUT IT! Arius, having these thoughts means you're already those things more likely to happen. What do YOU want for the future to be?'
There was no need to respond, even if my natural instincts were against me, I'll need to seal them up and deal with them after this was over. Getting on my knees with a back covered in sweat, I quickly crawl after where Big Brother Jaque went.
...
The ground was cold, rough and cold. There was a sense of serenity when you feel your life is on a knife's edge. Your senses are all dialled up to 12, allowing you to notice things that you've never realized before. The feeling of your arms and elbows scraping against the ground, your shoes pushing into the ground to move you forward, the unique smell in the air.
The sounds are the ones that frighten you the most. When you're trying not to be noticed, the sounds of your clothes moving across the ground make you second-guess every action you take.
BOOOMM! RUMBLEEEE!!
A deafening sound snaps me out of my daze, the sound was so loud I felt the earth itself shake. Raising my head slightly to look toward the source of the sound, I see one of the giant stone monsters smashing its body against the barrier, destroying any terrain and other monsters in its area.
"my..gosh..."
Unconsciously, I let out a small whisper of my thoughts. So quiet that I thought I said it in my mind. Looking around to see where I was, I felt a small amount of sweat drip off my forehead. Not even halfway there, we were taking a small path that was a small distance from the side wall. It was the place with the most rubble, thus having the best chances of remaining undiscovered.
Seeing a small stone monster approaching, I lower my head and continue following Big Brother Jaque down a small path. The last thing I want is to get into a fight at this time.
...
'crawl...crawl...just don't think of the pain... crawl...*bump*....?'
After countless small movements forward, I bump into Big Brother Jaque.
'Why did he stop?'
Slowly moving next to him, we make eye contact and he gestures to me to be quiet and to look ahead. A tingle of excitement flared up in me, in front of us was our goal! The giant boulder sticking out over 50 meters in the air.
The only problem was that between us and the boulder, there was a large stretch of just flat untouched terrain.
'What are we going to do?'
This untouched terrain was a good thing and a bad thing. The fact that it was untouched probably means that there aren't a lot of large stone monsters around but we won't be able to stay safe in the rubble.
Tock Tock Tock
Just as I was starting to swirl back into my thoughts, I hear the sound of rocks tapping against rocks. I quickly turn over and see Big Brother trying to get my attention. He gave me a mini heart attack, I thought it was a stone monster next to me.
Getting closer to Brother Jaque, he brings his mouth to my ear and starts whispering.
"arius, we're going to make a run for it, ok? Just follow my lead.*TOCK*.. CR*P!"
With an echoing sound behind me and a shout in my ear, I don't what's happening. Only that something has gone really, really wrong.
Turning around, I see Big Brother Jaque taking out his sword and slashing at a medium-sized stone monster. This stone monster was a lot different compared to the others, it was a lot more humanoid with a large round body with two small arms and legs protruding out. Quickly getting to my feet, I take my pickaxe getting ready to fight back.
"Arius, don't fight. Just get to the boulder."
"No, I'm going to fight with you! If I turn back now and run away, I'll be a coward. I must help Big Brother!"
Activating my spectacles, I'm greeted by a wave of purple. Instead of emitting the normal blue, this stone monster was producing purple mana. Nonetheless, since it was currently busy with Big Brother, I took this opportunity to strike it at its weak spot.
Circling around the monster, a see a familiar patch on its back. Jumping up, holding the pickaxe with both hands. I strike the area as hard as possible.
CRAK! BOOOOM!
"AAAH!"
I feel my body colliding with the ground. Dust going into my eyes, breathing ragged, I was launched.
"What the heck happened, Arius?"
"I don't know! When I hit the spot, a beam exploded out and destroyed my pickaxe."
"This thing's beyond my pay grade. We gotta get out of here!"
With that, I see Big Brother's sword catch fire and he swings it into the face of the monster, before quickly running toward me.
Feeling myself being lifted up, Big Bother starts running towards the big boulder.
...
[Jaque POV]
I find myself asking a question that I asked too many times in the last few days.
'What is going on? I could barely do anything against that stone monster, even throwing my flames at its face seems to only stun it for a bit of time. I got to get out of here.'
Sheathing my sword and taking Arius in hand, I quickly start running toward the giant boulder. I can probably hide there.
"BIG BROTHER, TO THE RIGHT!"
'SHHHHHH*T'
BBBBBBRRRRRMMMM
Looking to my left with Arius' call, all I see is a giant rock coming at me. Accompanied by the terror and the heightened desire to live, I lean as far right as possible before pushing all my leg muscles to launch me and Arius as fast as possible.
BOk! DoK! POK!
BOOOMM!
"Ack!"
With my body bouncing and scrapping against the ground from my not-so-soft landing and the shockwave from behind me sending me against the wall, only the pain I was feeling helped keep me awake.
'I definitely lost a scale or two just now.'
With a few scales missing and a broken rib, I slowly prop myself up against the wall as I catch my breath. The battle I had with that strange one attracted the attention of the big fella, who decided to march on over to join the fun.
Brrrrrrrr
'And look who's back.'
With the strange stone monster running toward me, my back against the wall and my sword still in its sheath, I was left with no option but to somehow engage.
"Well, ha, since it's the last straw, might as well try it."
With my skill pumping mana like crazy, I tense up. I had to feel it. The cool blue substance feels more and more sluggish to will to move. Control it. Condense, condense. Storing it to the limit of what the container could handle.
'Come on, come on. MOVE!'
Everything hurt. It felt almost unnatural as though forcing the mana was tearing and scratching at my soul. The pain intensified as I hit my limit. A concentrated ball inside me screamed to escape from my clutches. Giving it what it wants, I start to force it out.
"ACK!"
Propelling with the force of a raging river, my mouth is forced open as a concentrated stream of mana shot out. The mana was gushing everywhere covering the area in front of me with a light blue fog.
The strange one never stopped running. With its arms held high, ready to smash me to mush, it arrives in front of the fog. One step, two steps, three s-
"DIE!!!"
Igniting the mana, I felt a flash of heat before a deafening explosion sounded.
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Dakria's Fun Fact: Skills set a base, a foundation for so much more. They open doors of growth and creativity. If there are skills and there are people to use them, there is a solution to every problem.