Jaxon cursed as Alexei simply crashed through the earth wall. He broke away to keep the warrior from reaching Ashton.
Alexei grinned savagely as he thrust his spear into Jaxon's stomach. The spearhead replaced with an enchanted crystal that would incapacitate upon contact.
Jaxon used a dagger to redirect the spear as he brought his sword down on the larger man.
Alexei dipped his spearhead, then brought it under the duke's legs, knocking him to the ground. With a wink he leapt over the duke to go after the emperor. I mean really, when will I have another chance to knock him on his ass?
Neolani leapt over the duke, unleashing a flood of water, Kaveri had burrowed underground. The moment Ashton met her eyes Kaveri was breaking out of the ground beneath them.
Ashton gripped Lucian by his forearm, engulfing him in silver flames as he threw him over the flood of water. Without glancing at the shifting ground he leapt up. Grabbing the spear his Ember had meant to thrust into Lucian's back, he shook it from her grasp so she fell into the nets.
Ashton snapped the spear in half, silver fire slowly burning from the broken pieces as he flipped over Alexei. The blow wouldn't have been fatal, wouldn't even have left a scar after mage healing, but this was a game. Such a blow would have damped the mood considerably.
Lucian rolled back onto his feet, already lunging where Ashton was going to land.
Alexei hesitated seeing his Regina being wrapped up in the nets, but went after the emperor. They had less than a minute to use the mana disruption spell.
Lucian evaded the spear going for his leg as he leapt at the still falling youth. He didn't have time for this! He needed to land at least one blow!
Ashton lightly stepped on Lucian's shoulder before landing on the ground. Alexei wasted no time, swinging his spear so fast gusts of wind were created. Ashton neatly dodged. Soon Lucian and Jaxon joined the melee.
Lucian cursed, Ashton was evading all three of them! It didn't help that Jaxon had already suffered two blows from Alexei in the short exchange, each time freezing up for a split second. If they weren't so resistant to foreign mana Jaxon may have been eliminated already.
Alexei wasn't having it any easier, Ashton wasn't fighting back, but Lucian and Jaxon certainly were. If four swings were aimed at Ashton, the fifth was aimed at him. Fortunately, none of the bone breaking swings landed.
Neolani cursed as she obliterated the nets wrapping her up, Ashton was already several hundred feet away in the seconds it had taken! She chased after the quartet, her charge left footprints in the ground. Kaveri was right behind her, if only their cooperation was better! Then she wouldn't have to give him such specific instructions!
Alexei didn't even have time to curse as half a dozen rifts opened up around them! Throwing caution to the wind, he threw his spear at Lucian, then leapt to hang onto Ashton!
Jaxon cut the spear into pieces as he threw a dagger at Alexei. When he realized what Alexei was doing he also leapt at the youth.
Lucian swept the spear pieces away as he also lunged for the youth.
The moment he made contact Hito released a burst of black fire that wrapped around Ashton's chest. All three took notice of the countdown over Ashton's heart. 4 seconds.
Hito tried to cling to Nix but couldn't find purchase! He slid over Ashton's body, tucking into a roll as he hit the ground. He changed to his battle form as he pivoted in place to launch at Nix.
Alexei wasn't sure why Ashton wasn't charging for any of the rifts, instead dropping to his knees, but that didn't stop him from reaching to clutch Ashton in a hug that would crush a bear!
Ashton dropped to his knees, hands fisted over his head as he brought them down on the earth. The earth imploded as all three men were sent back from the shock.
Alexei flailed, shifting his body to try and find something to grab onto but he was sent hurtling through one of the rifts! His stomach dropped as he realized he was several hundred feet in the air. Well, shit.
Jaxon was slightly protected from the shock by the black clad figure, but Lucian was sent rolling. Jaxon changed course, stabbing his sword into Lucian's cape before anymore of him was sent through a rift.
Lucian swallowed, he was dangling over the snake god's face. He was so close, that if he reached out, he'd be able to touch its nose.
Haven shifted his gaze to the dragonkin dangling like a treat, all he had to do was inhale. What a naughty Beloved, did she think he would eat them? Well, maybe after this deathless game.
Jaxon paled as he saw what was on the other side of the rift, he quickly pulled Lucian up, grateful the cape was so resilient! Not even a tear despite his sword pinning it to the ground.
Lucian turned his attention back to Ashton, one second… then the black flame dispersed.
Ashton winked as he glanced up at Alexei who was still falling. "You should probably catch him." Ashton reminded as his Ember arrived.
Neolani charged past already preparing a spell to cushion the fall. She couldn't afford to lose Alexei's help. Just as the gust of wind slowed Alexei fall, Kaveri leapt into the air to wrap him up. They fell in a giant snake ball but were otherwise unharmed. Unfortunately, their time had run out. Now they had to wait before they could barter for more of Hito's time.
Ashton saluted before he stepped into a rift.
Lucian saw Ashton step out of the rift only a few dozen yards away, he followed. Jaxon was a step behind him as their barrage continued.
Alexei stared at the passing clouds as his chest heaved. He'd been falling so fast he could barely breathe. He glanced over as the butt of his spear tapped his shoulder. "Well, don't think I want to leave the ground anytime soon."
Neolani rolled her eyes, "Come on, we still have a bird to catch."
"I say we try going after the other one," Alexei groaned as Kaveri lifted him up on his feet. His skin already rubbed raw despite Kaveri's best efforts. His flesh was just so… delicate now.
Neolani gritted her teeth as she glanced up, the female was still circling overhead. "Do you have a way to get her down here?"
Alexei rolled his shoulders as he glanced up, "Not a clue."
Neolani watched as the foxes and assassins joined the melee.
Novak was able to force Ashton into a retreat, if only a half hearted one. Honestly, he was surprised the emperor was able to keep up this level of pursuit. Novak was aware Lucian was an accomplished warrior, but being faster than an assassin? He'd thought Lucian brute forced his battles.
Lucian wanted to force the foxes away… but this was the first time Ashton was on the back foot. They needed to keep him grounded! With a curse he shared a look with Jaxon.
Jaxon caught the look even though he was midswing at Ashton, forcing him to flip over the blade, step on Caius's nose, then leap out of the center of their combined forces.
Talvi came leaping at Papa Bird claws outstretched as he tried to leave the encirclement! She missed, but Papa Bird twisted so he landed almost on top of the assassin!
Jaxon gritted his teeth but nodded. Collaboration may be their only hope! "Novak! We can keep the female at bay!"
Novak glanced over the duke even as the youth kicked off his shoulder. Novak was already in pursuit, "Send the mages! Warriors on him!" Even if Hito could get the spell off, if he tried to hold Ashton down, his arms would be ripped off. That's why he'd wanted to work with the foxes, Caius should be strong enough to hold Ashton down, at least for three seconds.
"Understood!" Jaxon roared as he brought his sword down in an overhead strike.
"We can hold him!" Lucian agreed knowing that even enhanced with the necromancer's enchantments, he was probably the only one who could physically hold onto Ashton. He just needed a chance!
Caius snarled as he pounced on his Little Snack at the same time the sword came down, if his Little Snack leapt back to avoid, he could hold him down!
Novak gritted his teeth, "Jakub! Enhance them!" He roared as Ashton slid beneath the leaping fox! Damnit! He wasn't a bird! He was a thousand eyed mud loach!
Jakub didn't hesitate, ordering Bodin and Promise to bless the emperor and Duke. The only reason he hadn't sent them into battle was because Bodin had been struggling ever since they returned from the lake. He could squash down the resistance for single use spells, but twice already Bodin had sent out a call to someone. He didn't dare let them out of his sight for the time being.
Lucian almost face planted as his foot crushed the ground with his enhanced strength. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know how a necromancer's spells had been so effective. Or the priests… anyway, he needed every advantage he could get!
Jaxon's new speed had him swinging too fast, almost hitting Novak as they came at Ashton from either side.
"Damnit!" Novak cursed leaping out of the way. Thankfully, both adjusted quickly to their enhanced abilities. Now he was barely able to keep up as Lucian took over.
Devlin approached Jakub as he kept his eyes on the female, "We need her further away, and to keep Ashton from going through rifts, any suggestions?"
Jakub raised his head, "We need a way to keep them from making more."
One of Devlin's mages gave a soft cough, "We also… need to know why the snake god hasn't made a move yet. Both of them have been within striking distance… It's been almost two hours."
Devlin shivered as he eyed the giant snake watching the female fly around. "We need to make our move before he gets involved. No offense, but… that's not a battle we can survive."
"Let's try and force her toward the snake God. If he's chasing her, we can focus on Lord Nix." Jakub disagreed. The only movement from the snake in the last two hours had been his eyes following the female. They could use that to their advantage. Obsession… was a powerful motivator.
Devlin choked down his refusal, shaking his head, "Okay. How?"
Jakub gave a sinister smile as his hands started to glow with a green light. "There are plenty of corpses here. You create obstacles, I'll direct her."
Devlin watched as hundreds, thousands, of decayed bugs, birds, anything that could fly started to climb out of the ground.
Jakub started flooding the rifts, he concentrated so that each species grouped together, working to block off any route the birds had to each other. Now, he had dozens of corpse tornadoes all going after the small female.
Beloved easily evaded the corpses. Ewww!!! They were so dirty!!!! Some still bad bits of rotting flesh! She dove, spiraled, ascended, all to make sure none of them touched her! Soon they were flooding the sky like locusts!!!! So gross!!! Her song abruptly changed from delight to panicked disgust.
Ashton saw the wall of corpses forming, well, that was no fun. He gave a sharp, piercing whistle as he started a less gentle dance.
Lucian wasn't even sure what happened, one second he had Ashton retreating, nearly on the other side of the clearing from the snake, the next Ashton had passed all of them. The only reason he knew Ashton had passed by was because the foot imprint left in the settling dust.
Beloved screeched as one large, rotting, slimy bird with maggots almost hit her! The sound created a clear path for dozens of meters that she fled to. "Big Snake they are dirty! Big Snake they are gross! Don't let them touch me! Don't let them close!" She cried speeding toward her big snake as tears fell.
Haven was already on the move, whipping his tail so fast a blade of wind encompassed half the sky! Beloved dove beneath his now raised head, hiding among his feathers. Haven ensured none of the earth directly around him had corpses popping out of it.
Ashton's body was covered in silver flames as he burst through a flooded rift, the corpses burning away upon contact. Ashton landed on Haven's head.
Haven's eyes constricted, even as the obliterated corpses were falling, they were piecing themselves back together. He whipped his tail at the sky again, allowing Nix to wrest a small bit of his control.