Enna Is a Land God- Book:2

Unsettling Rumors

"Enna duck!" Ozzie fairly screamed. I did not hesitate in the slightest, knowing the boys fear all too well. I immediately dropped to the dirt and rolled as far as I dared before shooting back to my feet, spinning on a heel so as not to leave my back exposed.

Ozzie let out a war cry and I saw him whiz past me, orange fur flashing in the unseasonably bright sunlight. He kicked off the ground with one pawed foot, taking to the air, short sword glinting. To the left of me another young monster hurried forward. This was Gabreal, a hobgoblin with green skin, blue eyes and slate grey hair gathered at the back of his head in a short tail. He also carried a short sword, and though he had more power behind it than Ozzie, he did not have the foxie's agility.

"Lorma!" I shouted, looking toward the goblane woman just behind me, her red hair so vibrant it was almost blinding at this point. "Do it now!"

I heard the woman finish her chanting and a reddish gold spell circle appeared beneath her feet, followed by a rushing strip of earthen spikes shooting toward the enemy. I watched, irritated I could not do more, as Ozzie and Gabreal jumped out of the way. the man they had been trying to hold down didn't even flinch however. Belying his age, the man leapt into the air, an evil grin on his face and a glinting blade in each hand.

"In coming!" Ozzie called as he and Gabreal hurried to catch up with the advancing man. "Enna, take the left!"

I nodded and ran to flank our foe as he rushed in on to Lorma. The goblane raised her hands and did not flee as she started to chant a simple fire spell, hoping to hit the man as the boys and I got him from behind. I lifted my own dagger, the rubies glinting brightly in the sun light, and took aim at the base of his neck.

But I was not surprised to find that our maneuvers had no effect on the old man. He ducked my strike, causing me to stumble forward. At the same time he caught Gabreal's blade on one of his own. I had just caught my balance, just in time to see Ozzie catch a pommel to the gut and go flying backwards.

"Shit!" I cursed, and dove into my magical stores. I was in no way good at using my magic yet. Usually fox fire was the best I could manage; but like Lorna and the other goblane, I had been trying to work with it all the same. The hobgoblins and the foxes may not have an affinity for its use, but I was not about to ignore any weapons in my arsenal.  But, before I could even think about chanting a spell i felt a hand grip the collar of my robe. Well... shoot.

One second I was standing and the next I was flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me. Next to me, curled in a ball, was Ozzie. I looked back at the fight and saw that Gabreal was attempting to get a hit in but none of us were a match against this foe. But that did not stop the others from trying, and so it would not stop me either.

I watched as Gabreal was sent flying just as Ozzie and I had been. Then I saw Lorma's eyes turn to saucers as, she too, was interrupted mid spell and sent flying backwards into a training dummy. I cursed once more while on the ground but pulled on my magic all the same, picturing the spell circle in my mind. Instead of chanting I shouted one word "Iifree!"

I was surprised when it actually worked and a ball of red fire was sent hurtling toward the man. I was not surprised, however, when it had no effect what so ever. In fact, with the flick of his wrist, one blade came up ad deflected the spell right back at me. It landed in the dirt in front of my face and exploded, showering me with rocks and giving me a mouth full of gravel.

As I coughed and spluttered, the old man laughed. "Alright, that's enough then." He said, still chuckling.

"I think," groaned Ozzie next to me, over my spluttering. "When the say 'monster' they mean him..."

"Oww. I think you are right." Agreed Lorma, still trying to detangle her hair from the straw of the target she had been thrown into.

"Buck up!" Chided Nord, eyes sparkling as they always did every time he got the chance to bash us about. "You are all improving and that is what matters. At least you came at me with a stratagem this time!"