Last of His Kind

He let go of her leg, but not because of the axe she threw at his face, but because the spot where his jaws had touched her leg, amber was spreading. It started to cover his greenness at his head, diving through the protective layer to attach itself at his face. He had no eye for the Knight anymore, fear took over all his senses. He allowed the greenness to pull back from his body so he could try and get the amber off his face. Every other place where the Amber had found way of enclasping his body, it was also growing rapidly. He tried to growl, but the amber found its way over his mouth, his nose, his eyes. He threw his arms all around him, slashing with heavy monster arms at the amber, trying to rid it of his face no matter the damage he would place on himself. But it was of no use. 

All she could think of was holding her leg together, and after a moment’s hesitation she encased her calf in Amber too. It’d be a bitch of a thing to call back, and she risked getting fragments of rock left behind in the wound—not to mention any Blue working on her later would curse her for it. But better that than bleeding out here. 

Here… where she hadn’t died. Still in shock, she could only stare at the now-fully encased Monster. The man behind the Greenness looked shockingly young, a blank stare on his face that made her stomach heave as she recalled the boy she’d accidentally doomed to the same fate so many years back.

Killah closed her eyes, banishing all thought except one simple one—get out of there. Because this field wouldn’t stay empty for long. Someone would spot the new landmark she’d made, and knowing her luck, it wouldn’t be a fellow Knight. She winced as she struggled to her feet, the casing around her leg a block that would weigh her down. She’d never be able to fight like this. 

Her brow was slick with sweat and blood had spattered over her clothes, but she gritted her teeth and began a slow trek across the field, back towards the direction of the camp. She clumsily stooped and picked up her axe from where she’d dropped it, but she was practically dragging it as she continued. Suddenly exhaustion hit, exhaustion like days in the desert. She stopped moving, but stayed standing. It was all she could do. Killah stared up at the sun, and wondered how long she had before the Monster’s keepers came looking for their beast.

The Monster leapt at Killah, and she blocked his claws from reaching her torso with the haft of her axe, redirecting him with a twist. But the distance he’d covered, even with her Amber slowing him down, nearly pinning him to the ground it looked like, he’d gotten his jaws within range, and she didn’t pull back fast enough. Teeth sunk into the flesh of her leg, tearing and ripping, blood soaking her pant leg. Killah screamed in pain, and fell.

She had just enough awareness to keep focus on her Magic, not letting the flow of Amber from her palms stop, but she dropped her axe. Kicking out with her other foot, she aimed for the Monster’s jaw, but whether it would be enough to prompt him into letting go of her, she didn’t know. Now the only thought in her mind was keeping him away from her, and the Amber layered itself over the lower half of her body as well as his arms, trying to keep Killah encased as much for her own safety as trapping the Monster. She couldn’t believe this was how she was going to die, after everything. It didn’t seem right, not when she’d just gained so much.

Orractous didn’t understand what it was with one’s doom, why did these things always seem obvious at the moment it was too late? He had sunken his green glass teeth in her leg, biting hard and enjoying the victory over a lesser prey. The scream surged more adrenaline through his body, it what good was that when the realization came that he was in a worse situation than he could’ve ever guessed before. 

He let go of her leg, but not because of the axe she threw at his face, but because the spot where his jaws had touched her leg, amber was spreading. It started to cover his greenness at his head, diving through the protective layer to attach itself at his face. He had no eye for the Knight anymore, fear took over all his senses. He allowed the greenness to pull back from his body so he could try and get the amber off his face. Every other place where the Amber had found way of enclasping his body, it was also growing rapidly. He tried to growl, but the amber found its way over his mouth, his nose, his eyes. He threw his arms all around him, slashing with heavy monster arms at the amber, trying to rid it of his face no matter the damage he would place on himself. But it was of no use. 

Her net of amber was reaching and wrapping around any part of him that was in range, but it seemed like it didn’t matter much to him—and it wouldn’t matter much to her, either, if she ended up beneath those claws. He could probably crush her easily, barrier or no barrier, if he put his full weight into it. He dodged back from the clumsy swing of her axe, though, as if some instinct of the man was still aware that the weapon could injure him. The snapping of his jaws came within inches of her legs, and she skipped back, staying just barely ahead of him. It could have been a trick of her eyes in the sunlight, but she could have sworn he was smiling at her.

Trying to keep her fear at bay she focused on the amber. That was where she was having the most luck so far, anyway. It even looked as though some of the substance had sunk through the green barrier—a sign, maybe, that she could still cause him some sort of harm. Breathing heavily, she knew she couldn’t keep him back with her axe for too long. But maybe it would be long enough that her magic could do its work. She only needed to stall, fending him off with the blade in one hand and her magic in the other, continuing to send layer after layer of amber to solidify on him every time he drew near.

Orractous had yet to taste flesh between his green teeth, he was determined to inflict a wound and to crush the woman right after. There was one thing missing that kept him from being overrun by the monster. He didn’t crave her meat, he didn’t need to kill her. The sadistic part - though a huge part of his Monster - kept him from being absolutely dangerous. An animal would kill to eat, he simply killed to win. And killing a Knight, well, that was a greater bounty all together. He remembered the last time he had killed a Knight, some Star Magician who had kept him from finishing off a Green Magician. 

Snapping at his prey, leaving her enough chances to dodge and flee from his attacks, he finally came to notice how the Amber was affecting his body. The infection was growing, the liquid grew around his body, some of it sinking down to his limbs, joining what had already stuck to him. He hadn’t noticed it because the Greenness was something different of its own, moving without needing movement, creating its own size and weight. He stalled snapping after her, edging backwards a bit as he concentrated on that part of his ability that could turn gas to liquid, liquid to solid, and so fort. But the Amber was beyond his control. Soon his whole body would be locked within it. 

Her gamble had paid off—sort of. He’d chased after her, to be sure, but as she checked over her shoulder, she tripped over some pebbles in the way, and fell, landing hard on her side on the rough ground. The Monster easily reached her, and his jaws snapped at her leg, nearly catching her flesh in their razor-like teeth. She squirmed to get out of his range, spinning out amber as quickly as she could, trying to net his legs before he could get close enough. She could practically feel his bite closing around her neck, and it spurred her into action.

Attempting to spring to her feet, Killah turned slightly, and it left her side vulnerable. She realized this, maybe a moment too late, and swung her axe back over her, more in a last-ditch try to keep him from pinning her than anything else. Silently she sent out a prayer to any gods that may be listening—her own, Kelt’s, whatever the demons believed in, she’d take anything at this point. She didn’t come this far to be taken out, not like this.

The prey fell, it made the chase less of an excitement, but the stupidity of it blew a growl of sadistic joy through him. He extended his jaw to snap at her. She cowered away from his teeth, so he snapped again, and a miss when she jumped on her feet. The prey was playing. He growled lowly when she swung her axe at him, sending him fending off a bit, frustrated at himself for believing the tiny weapon could dent his armor. He had yet to notice how amber was attaching to his limps, growing heavy against the greenness, some of it seeping through his heavy protection and onto his skin. 

He’d gone to all fours, like an animal—and he seemed as much animal as man, at this point. The way his eyes tracked her every movement, it was like a beast preparing to catch some smaller, weaker animal, and that was her only advantage. She wasn’t an animal, he was. If she could think faster, more rationally, if she could plan her moves, she may be able to survive against someone who was only reacting in the moment. For once, she actually would need to rely on her wits. Great, fucking great. Couldn’t she just have challenged it to a game of Kings and Maids?

Dropping the third ball of amber, Killah rolled to the side as he leapt at her, pulling her axe with her. She wrenched her shoulder painfully as she got back to her feet, panting slightly. The Monster was still faster than she was, and it worried her. No amount of forethought would help if he caught her. She instinctually wanted to run, but she knew that he’d follow her if she did, he wouldn’t let prey just get away—so, she did just that. She turned and sprinted as if she genuinely thought she’d get away. Because if he did as predicted, she’d be ready. She already had another fistful of amber, and looked over her shoulder to see if he’d pursue like she thought he would.

The Emerald Magician growled with frustration when his prey vanished from his grab and leaped to the side. He pushed his claws into the ground as he came to a stop, turning around on his back legs with a stout movement. He was sure to keep his good eye on the Knight as she decided her next move. Like a scared little rabbit she had decided to run away, to flee from a much mightier opponent. 

The monster charged towards her, but his momentum carried him straight and he couldn’t escape the sticky ball of amber when it connected with his leg.

She did succeed in slowing him, a little, but the way the green substance—or was it light?—compensated and swelled with the area, she didn’t let herself feel triumphant about such a small victory. Plus, he looked like he was getting furious and that was never a good sign when the opponent outweighed her as much as he did.

Killah stepped away, waiting to see what he’d do, and readied a second ball of amber as quickly as she was able to. She couldn’t afford to have a hand occupied if he charged her, but this tactic of keeping him at arms length might buy her time to continue the assault with her magic. Hurling the second ball for the center of the monster’s mass, Killah continued to circle and was instantly readying a third.

His prey was moving. He didn’t know at which time he had started to think of her that way, maybe when she proved to be an actual force to be recknoned with. Or not really a force, more like an annoying rat that nibbled on his feet. He growled when the second ball of amber caught at his shoulder. His slowness annoyed him. The Greenness grew once again, the weight however grabbed on his body. He didn’t need the movement, but he required his lightness. For what he didn’t know. 

There wasn’t much Killah could do besides watch the Monster take out the two soldiers between them. She tried to track his motions, see a little what his fighting style was like besides the obvious—feral and vicious. She’d get no second chances if she messed up, that much was certain.

She prepared a ball of amber in one hand, collecting strands of the substance into a large sphere that spun and shone in the light. As the Monster seemed to grow bored with his prey, and turned towards her, she breathed deeply to still the panic that threatened to take over at the sight of him, and that grin of his.

He lunged for her, and she swung out with the ball as though it were the end of a flail, hoping to catch a limb with the sticky stone, or at least land a good blow. If the amber made contact, the stone may stick and be the first step in weighing this creature down enough that she would stand a chance. The minute she released the amber, she had her axe up and steady in both hands, preparing to block—and maybe counter-attack, if she was lucky.

Orractous studied his opponent fairly quickly, he wasn’t sure if engaging so soon was a good decision. Under normal circumstances he was one for sitting back and studying the situation. No, wait, that was only when decisions were being made, when words flew, not weapons. His grin got wider as the monster within growled with anticipation. Fight and blood and killing, those were the things he most enjoyed. 

Not him, really, just the monster. The monster was most interested in the Amber that ebbed in her hand. Orractous himself more in the girl that wielded it. She had a pretty face, it was a certain kind of determination that made him dislike his decision, but he kept going. 

As far as Killah could tell, the green light was some sort of barrier—not unlike her own, only visible and much stronger, as shown by the futility of the attacks being launched at him. There was something almost animal about his appearance. Then she remembered the stories, and her throat threatened to close with sudden fear. This could be the Green Monster. He’d slaughtered so many of them, including Amean’s friend Gythan that she’d heard tales of.

If she was right on this, she was probably already dead. Soldiers scattered around him, some broken and dying and others merely running for their lives. Killah considered it for a brief moment—but if she let him past her, he’d just run into someone else, maybe someone she cared about. At the very least she had to try and get closer, to get more information on him. That way, if they found her still conscious after all this, she could at least tell them something, some piece of intel on him, before she died. It’d be more than she’d ever thought she’d leave behind her when she went, if she could help defeat him.

Killah gave hand signals to the people behind her for them to clear off, and they did so without a second warning. Then she stood, brandishing her axe, her eyes trained on the green shape as it drew nearer. Her own Amber magic glinted around her in the afternoon sunlight.

Having faced off many soldiers by now, Orractous took a quiet moment looking around, seeing if more were heading his way. He saw a woman, a Knight by the look of battle in her eyes, and Magician from the Amber protection around her. A bit like his, but made foremost for protection, to trap others, while his was easily used to be on the offense. Tow more soldiers had a go at him, one with a giant axe, the blade of the weapon scratching the greenness, where glass had formed. It dented it, but only barely, giving the soldier new adrenaline to continue. 

But now was different, in so many ways. The big one, that this time she actually cared about surviving. And winning.

A flash of green in the distance, and the sound of soldiers’ cries caught her attention, and she narrowed her eyes. As her enhanced vision focused, she made out a man surrounded by greenness—some sort of light, or… but whoever he was, the man was cutting a swath through the fighters with ease. “Wait here,” she said to the soldiers with her. “Magician.” It was a fair guess, given his appearance. Advancing, she watched warily, trying to determine what she was up against, hopefully before he got close enough to have a chance to figure out the same about her.

Clawing his way through two soldiers who had set up large steel shields against him, Orractous found that this momentary barricade made others move towards him, attacking him on all sides when he didn’t sweep through the crowd. He was able to fend them off, they couldn’t break through his protection, only stall him. He knew their hope of defeating him was there because no one on the side of the Goodlands had a good idea of what he was. The Chosen One, as Varamadras sometimes put it, the last Emerald Magician, a form of Magic that few even knew how to recognize, a General, one in title only.

Eriek made his way through the camp carefully, avoiding the weapons tents and the areas where other Mancers and soldiers were sparring. He’d spent a hundred years doing the same thing through various battles but he still hated feeling as if he had to watch his every step around camp to avoid triggering flashbacks and hallucinations.

Luckily for him it was around the time of evening that everyone started coming back into camp so it gave him something to do. Refilling water buckets, taking food to those unable to get out of their tent, kindling fires, etc.

One of the smaller fires near the edge of camp was starting to dim, so he stopped to build it up a bit before continuing his rounds. Once he sat down though he realized just how tired he was. He may not have been out in the field fighting the enemy but working around camp was just as tiring if not more exhausting.

Lazily poking at the fire with a stick, he flinched when he heard armor dropping to the ground a few feet away. He hadn’t heard the other mancer walk up. He glanced up and recognized the very identifiable green hair that belonged to Orractous Darfoe.

It took a few moments before Eriek realized that he was being stared back at. “Sorry, I wasn’t meaning to stare.”

Orractous knew about Eriek, few didn’t. A lot of years ago the man had been captured, survived years of torture and returned broken. A few things were very clear about him: he was loyal, he was strong, and he would never be the same again. But still legends of his bravery, and that of those who came to rescue him, inspired others. No matter who you were, people were there for you, the Mancers were a family, and they would go through the most dangerous parts of the world to save one and other. That kind of loyalty, that kind of bravery, Orracotus never expected anyone to do for him. He was envious of Eriek, but most of all, he was torn. 

‘Oh, no, it is okay,’ he said, especially slow as he averted his eyes and stared back at the fire. He wasn’t sure what he could see in this situation to make it less awkward, a vibe he was creating just through being here.