Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 55

"Here they come!" Maun ran towards the newly-arrived arachnai, far more cheerful than he should be.

More sand bulged in nearly a half a dozen places. Severance realized very quickly that if they was going to survive this, then he was going to have to fight. His war fans appeared in his hands.

"Sky Dance!"

He could feel the burst of heat within, like someone had flicked on the power switch and opened the circuits. Electrical energy flared around his hands.

While he didn't really care what happened to him, he didn't want Maun to be melted into a pile of goo. The memory of Wellon being speared through by bones was never too far from his mind. He didn't want to see anyone else get hurt like that.

It's too late for me though. His expression contorted, and feeling of wild recklessness coursed through him. He thrust a closed war fan into the sky.

"Flare!" Thunder rolled in a cloudless sky, and a single bolt of crackling energy dropped onto an arachnai's head just as it emerged from the sand.

One of its eyes exploded. The creature immediately collapsed, taking Severance by surprise. That was easier than he'd thought it'd be.

"Behind you!" A dagger flew past Severance's ear, close enough that the wind of its passing stirred his hair. Whatever it hit made a sickening squelch.

Upon whirling around, Severance's eyes widened. An arachnai staggered barely a yard away. Sand still fell from its body, shaken loose as it violently twitched from the agony of having an eye claimed by a shiny blade.

Not like it's any real loss, he thought hysterically. It had eyeballs to spare. There were dozens, each one a black pit of nightmares.

A second blade sung through the air, flashing over his other shoulder to bury itself in a second eye. The arachnai fell down like a bag of bricks.

Maun calmly walked past Severance's frozen form and reclaimed his weapons. "I suggest you move now, unless you want to enjoy the experience of being dissolved."

Severance somehow moved himself half a dozen yards away in a mere two seconds. Unfortunately, his hasty retreat brought him within reach of several other arachnai. He spun, fans slicing through the air.

"Flare!" Thunder rolled and another arachnai hit the ground. Severance immediately scooted away from his victim, all too wary of that freakish yellow gas. If he got melted, then he wouldn't be able to help Maun very much.

More of the creatures skittered towards him, their many legs making a constant pitter patter that almost sounded like rain. It would have been a calming sound if the source hadn't been so unnerving. He ran, and the horde of arachnai followed him, their huge legs easily overtaking him.

Thankfully Maun was never too far away. He rushed in and targeted the closest ones, downing several in the span of mere moments.

"Quickly," he called, and hurried to a relatively open area a safe distance away.

When Severance caught up, Maun smiled brightly. "Not bad, you're getting the hang of it. Target the ones farther away, and I'll deal with the close ones. Sound good?"

There wasn't a chance for Severance to answer, for the group of arachnai was currently surrounding them on all sides. More yet were still bursting from the sand. In a matter of minutes, the arachnai had gone from a handful to a horde of epic proportions.

This was going to require some serious firepower. Severance didn't know if what he had would do the trick, but it was a good a time as any to see what his new skill, Ionize, could do.