Chapter 38: Fallout

  The dying Bellum crumbled into pieces. His body parts rained down on the spire destroying large portions of it. The floor that Corin was on tilted. Corin saw his blade and the artifact laying next to him. He grabbed them and tried to run towards the staircase but the floor tilted even more. Now Corin was no longer able to keep his footing; he fell and slid on the tilting floor. Looking ahead all he could see was the vast landscape of the Serno Valley ahead of him.

  “We have slayed the Giant, Corin!” Nanaua yelled as she slid next to Corin.

  She was covered in clay, her own blood, and resplendent with gemstones of all colors sticking to her scales. Corin had never seen her so excited before.

  “Yes, but we are falling to our deaths!” he shouted back.

  Nanaua did not even bother to answer. They approached the edge of the floor now. Corin could see ahead, there was nothing ahead but the ground at a distance.

  “Jump!” A voice shouted at them.

  Corin looked up, Kadus was circling the skies above them.

  Corin looked back down.

  “Jump? Where?” He screamed back. There was nowhere to go. They were now mere moments away from the edge.

  “The time for questions is later!” Nanaua shouted as she grabbed Corin with one hand. In the other she had grabbed her pike. At the very edge of the tilting floor she jumped with Corin.

  “Hold on to each other!” Kadus yelled at them.

  Nanaua brought Corin close to her. The gemstones shards covering her body felt like little blades slicing Corin.

  “Ouch!” Corin yelled.

  “I'll do my best to guide you down!” Kadus yelled.

  Corin felt two sharp talons grabbing at his clothes. He looked ahead and saw where Kadus was aiming. Large trees had gathered in an area just ahead of Corin.

  “Are you going to throw us at the trees?!” Corin shouted.

  “Would you rather the ground?” Kadus shouted back.

  Corin had no response. The sparrowling did everything he could to hold Corin and Nanaua aloft as he guided them to the trees, but the two furtives were too heavy.

  “Argh!” Kadus yelled as he tried to steady his flight and guide the two. He lost altitude fast. They were not going to make it to the trees.

  “Rage old bird! Rage! Today we defeated one Titan! Tomorrow their kin follow” Nanaua yelled at him.

  “Aaargh!” Kadus shouted with renewed vigor. He steadied his flight and guided them straight to the trees.

  “Brace!” He yelled.

  He and Nanaua let go of Corin. The three of them tumbled into the crowns of the trees, slowing down as they impacted various branches. Each smack was less violent than the last, but they were all painful. Eventually Corin felt himself land on a net weaved of vines.

  Corin breathed heavily. His entire body screamed in pain. He tried moving his extremities, though they ached none seemed broken.

  He slowly got up. He got off the net and walked down the marsh looking for his comrades.

  “Nanaua? Kadus?” He shouted.

  Corin heard movement behind him.

  He turned around slowly.

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  At first Corin thought he was looking at Nanaua. The furtive was a similar size and shape. But he recognized the dragoor quickly.

  “Throk!?” Corin yelled.

  “Vulgros, do not address me as your peer.” Throk replied. His eyes burned with hatred.

  Throk did not have any more bandages wrapped around him any more. He wore resplendent armor, the kind that Corin had seen Nanaua wearing the first time they met. He carried a tall spear with him. He pointed it at Corin.

  “No it can't be.” Corin said as he stumbled backwards.

  “I must say Vulgros,” Throk said as he walked towards Corin “I have killed many in my life. Most of them were not personal, and even those that were I only did for my own personal gain. But you? I will kill you just because I hate you.”

  Throk rushed at Corin.

  A swath of branches came down from a tree to block the rushing Throk. He cleanly cut through them with no difficulty.

  Corin held his blade up. He knew he had no other choice. Running would not get him far.

  Throk was upon Corin. He sliced at Corin across his body. Corin could see it coming and easily avoided it, which is exactly what Throk had in mind. With no hesitation as Corin stepped back Throk hit him on the side of his head with the flat end of the spear. The smack sent Corin reeling. As he steadied himself he raised his blade. He slashed at Throk. Throk smacked the blade away and slashed Corin across his left shoulder.

  Corin backed away, barely able to hold on to his blade. Throk once again came at Corin. This time he swiped wide across Corin's face. As Corin leaned back to avoid the spearhead, Throk followed up with the butt of the spear, hitting Corin in his midsection and leaving him gasping for air. As Corin gasped, Throk sliced at Corin's right thigh forcing him to go down on one knee.

  Corin could not stand. He held his blade in his hand and used it to hold himself up, to stop himself from falling on the ground. Throk came to him and put the spearhead on Corin's neck and raised his head so that they were staring at each other.

  “What you feel is but a fraction of the pain and the agony that I felt after my encounter with the Giant.” Throk said. “In your last moments I want you to know that all you did was for naught. Your friends along with the Onsiel have been captured. Before the Onsiel is sacrificed to Lord Tonatiuh she will see her friends killed in front of her.”

  “You coward!” Corin shouted at Throk.

  “Coward?!” Throk yelled back. “Me?! How dare you say that to me!”

  Throk punched Corin in the face with such force that he knocked him to the ground.

  “Your time is over Vulgros” Throk said.

  Corin heard rustling somewhere behind Throk.

  Throk instantly turned around and was beset by a torrent of strikes from Nanaua. She wailed on Throk, slashing at him from every angle possible trying to create an opening, but Throk held steady.

  After a near miss from Nanaua Throk thrust towards her, missing her by mere the slimmest edge.

  The two combatants stared at each other now waiting for one to make a move.

  “Your footwork leaves much to be desired na Nanaua. Your time as a fugitive has not been conducive to your prowess in combat.” Throk said with a smile.

  “Spare me your mind games Throk!” Nanaua replied.

  “Not in the mood to talk to your former comrade? I guess you would rather just kill us, just like with Nerua.” Throk said as he smiled at Nanaua.

  “Don't you say her name!” Nanaua shouted as she charged at Throk.

  The two were locked in a back and forth struggle, Nanaua on the offensive and Throk waiting for an opening. But Corin could see that Nanaua was not fighting at her best. Her movements were rash and it was taking her more effort than required to keep her attack ongoing.

  I need to help her.

  Corin tried to get up, his whole body screaming in agony. He was able to stand on his own two feet.

  Nanaua slipped in between one of her attacks. The opening Throk had been waiting. He was able to slice at her thigh, a deep wound. Nanaua quickly yelled in pain.

  “I'll enjoy destroying you as I did your friend!” Throk boasted.

  He went on the offensive now. Unlike Nanaua's earlier onslaught Throk was calm and every single hit of his carefully placed. With every impact Nanaua's grip on her pike weakened and her reaction slowed.

  Corin gripped his blade as tight as he could. He struggled to take even two steps.

  Throk sliced Nanaua's arm now. As she reeled Throk prepared for his killing blow.

  Corin threw himself at Throk grunting and slashing. Unaware of his exposed flank Throk reacted too slowly, Corin sliced his forearm.

  “You damned Vulgros!” Throk yelled at Corin as he kicked him away. The impact sent Corin back but Nanaua was able to regain her composure.

  Now she and Throk were once again trading blows. This time Nanuau seemed to be getting the upper hand on her opponent who seethed with the indignity of having been attacked by Corin.

  “Reinforcements are coming!” Kadus yelled overhead. “You are about to be surrounded!”

  Corin could hear the rustling behind the trees. He looked up. He could see a large group of well armed furtives coming up. He counted at least twenty.

  “Nanaua!” Corin yelled. “We need to retreat!”

  “Ah yes why don't you listen to your pet Nanaua!” Throk chided her. “We already have the Onsiel, why don't you worry about yourself!”

  “Zhi? No!” Nanaua screamed. She attacked Throk once more with abandon. In her carelessness Throk was able to find an opening and sliced her across the face. Nanaua stumbled backwards.

  Now as he stood, the reinforcements coalesced around Throk on either side.

  Nanaua stared at them and readied herself. She knew that she would die, she just wanted to take as many with her as possible.

  Damn!

  “Yprum take them!” Kadus yelled. “Ears!”

  The signal!

  Corin closed his eyes and covered his ears.

  He heard the explosion go off. Throk and all his reinforcements were disoriented from the blast. Nanaua was as well, it seemed as if she ignored Kadus’ words.

  Corin ran to her and tried to pull her away.

  “Fight!” She said as she struggled with her surroundings. She pushed Corin back forcefully.

  He fell back and felt the vines begin to entangle him. He broke free and went to her again. This time he expected the resistance. As she pushed back he held tight on to her and threw himself back with her onto the tree.

  The vines entangled both of them now as the trees took them away.

  “Fight! I must fight!” She kept yelling.

  “After them!” Throk yelled as he struggled to stand up.

  But they had other problems. The trees coalesced around them and snared the reinforcements. Some were dragged beneath the ground, and some were swallowed into the trunks of the trees. Throk felt a branch begin to wrap around him and broke free. With no hesitation he escaped leaving behind the others to fend for themselves.

  “The others Yprum!” Corin asked as the trees continued dragging them away.

  The attackers came in a blitz. Neither we nor your companions were able to react. I'm sorry to say but your companions have been taken.

  And thus Nanaua and Corin were dragged into the depths of the marshes. The triumph over the Giant, now a distant memory.