COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 4: The Unorthodox Entrance Examination (Part 2/3)

          The second molve turned to the boy, that had obliviously collided with its behind. He was slumped against the wall, clutching a sharp object in one hand, the other holding the back of his head while squinting in undeniable pain. The sight produced a slice of pity, and the molve couldn't help feeling sorry for him, so instead of ending the test at that moment it backed off a few feet to growl threateningly in his direction, giving him a chance to get his head back in the game.

          Káel pulled himself to his feet, looking at his palm now streaked with fresh blood. The molve barked and snarled viciously as he heard the responding howls of the other five. He turned to face his enemy, it was a fortress, plated with raw impregnable stone stretching all the way from its head to the tip of its clubbed tail. Except it's broad chest, where its stone skin cracked open to reveal that beautiful orange light, the core of its animation, its weakness. 

          At least, that was what he hoped.

          Káel's dagger warmed up with a soft, white light as he pointed it at his enemy. Arching its spiny back, the molve prepared for its charge. Sharp pebbles scattered like shrapnel as it lurched forth, its monstrous paws poised to take down its prey, but its prey was acting strange now. Unlike the countless others, he didn't move. Even as his narrow gap of escape quickly disintegrated and the crushing mass of a beast easily twice his own size was prepared to flatten him, he didn't flinch.

          Káel wasn't entirely confident about the success rate of his plan, but it was too late to turn back now. Now that he was either gonna try it or be crushed by a living boulder. The beast flew at him with unwavering momentum, leaping to such a height its chest gained level with his shoulders; it was now or never. Káel shoved the dagger deep into the molve's open chest, lodging the blade in the orange ball of energy that apparently had a physical form. A shower of stones rained down as the beast crumbled, pelting Káel with their rough edges. The dagger dropped in temperature until he couldn't hold onto it's freezing surface anymore, and the ball of energy swirled once around his head, then up into the sky, wisping his dagger away.

          He heaved out a heavy sigh, did I kill it? This thought wasn't the greatest source of his relief, he was more grateful to the fact he hadn't become a gruesome wall decoration; but celebration would have to wait while he figured out what to do with the five still pursuing him. He could hear their scraping paws and thick raspy breathing as they closed in on his location.

          He pulled the blue sack out of his pocket, sprinkling a couple of the tiny black marbles into his palm. Two heads popped around one corner, followed by another that peeked around a separate path. Finally, the one that first encountered him came bounding out from the trail directly in front, he couldn't wait for the fifth one to appear; otherwise he'd risk getting caught. He lifted the marbles into the air, shattering them on the ground, and causing them to burst into large clouds of thick black smoke that spread throughout the entire vicinity.

          The cloud spread without thinning, enveloping everything it could catch in a blinding thick veil that reeked of burning trees, blocking any sense of smell it came into contact with. Káel's plan was to elude the beasts under the cover of the concealing smoke, but this task proved to be harder than expected, since he could only distinguish an object if it was at most a foot from his face. Káel turned to hastily walk down the path behind him; he could hear the molves that had been caught in his overly effective trap, they too were stumped on where to go.

          The smoke irritated Káel's nose, tickling his senses and burning at his eyes. A sneeze welled up inside him and he grabbed his nose to try and stop it, but the smoke was relentless. All at once he lurched forwards and shot out a powerful sneeze, but it didn't stop there. The smoke continued its besiegement of his nose hairs and he sneezed for a second time, obscuring his vision with tears, and amplifying the pounding pain in the back of his head.