As the wave of Yetis approached Oruldr, it became evident that his kin wouldn't miraculously appear at the last second to assist him. Hope lingered, but without his kin, he knew he'd be on his own until the others caught up. Unfortunately, even they acknowledged their limited usefulness at the moment. Oruldr redirected his focus to the approaching silhouettes. Grunt Yetis led the charge with their four-legged gallop, defining the movement, while Elites and Brutes intermixed behind them. Fortunately, there was no sign of Hunter Yetis. Yet, as he glanced down at his wound, he realized this new form of magic would be troublesome.
Tightening his grip on his warhammer, Oruldr prepared himself. The group approached, armed only with their magic, and he couldn't be certain if any of them, besides Taharqa, possessed anything beyond basic spells. The Grunt Yetis emerged first, just as Taharqa and the others burst onto the scene.
"Oh shiiiit," Menelik exclaimed. "Dat a lotta YETIS!" He slid through the snow, the enchantment on the others dissipating. Raising his hand, a magic circle formed. "Reductive, Go!" A rabbit materialized, growing to the size of a bear. Upon landing, its white fur began to glow. With a mighty boom, the rabbit echoed, "BLUH!" A violent surge of lightning shot from its mouth, crashing into the Yeti's frontline and launching them into the air.
Idris and Taharqa exchanged raised eyebrows at Menelik. "Why can you summon a giant rabbit?" Idris asked, his voice filled with more concern than curiosity. Shaking his head, he focused on the relentless wave of Yetis. "You know, I don't wanna know; let's just try not to die." Idris instinctively reached for his shortsword, only to find Maeve's rapier in its place. "Shit," he thought. "I ain't touching that." He glanced at Menelik, whose magic circle was fading, and the rabbit seemed to be slowing down. The time between lightning attacks lengthened. Turning to Taharqa, who looked equally tired, Idris felt anxiety, knowing it would soon shift into panic and fear as death loomed over them all.
Idris drew in a deep breath, recalling Maeve's words. He reached into his skirt, finding the talisman she had given him. The small round medallion held a skull in the middle, where black cascaded against gold. When broken, it would swiftly transport Maeve directly to them. He held it in his hand, contemplating whether his perceived emergency aligned with Maeve's definition. After a moment, he tucked it back into his pocket as Taharqa approached.
"Any ideas?" Taharqa asked Idris. "I'm running low on mana."
"Same!" Menelik and Oruldr chimed in unison.
"But I can still swing this." Oruldr lifted his hammer, expanded his aura and disappeared. His silhouette materialized on the battlefield, swinging his warhammer, scattering Yetis in all directions.
Menelik dropped to his knees as his spell and the rabbit dissipated into shards of bright dust. Exhaling loudly, he collapsed into the snow. "I'm all out of juice, guys, no more smoke, none." Pain etched his face as mana ran dry, the freezing sensation turning into a boiling pain as his body sought mana from his blood. He reached for a vial near his waist, drinking it, and relief washed over him as the potion worked its magic, replenishing enough mana to ease the burning.
"How many Mana Potions you got left?" Idris asked.
"Left?" Menelik replied. "I ain't ever had to use the one I had until just now. Shit's from like ten years ago."
Idris sighed and turned to Taharqa. "How close are you to burning out?"
"If I don't fight with mana, you'll both keep warm."
Idris looked back at Oruldr, whose speed was slowing, and the aura around him was retracting. He glanced down at the rapier hanging by his side, the dark aura dripping from it, the malice urging him to grab it bare-handed. He started to reach for it but halted, grabbing the cloth from the other side of his skirt. He wrapped it around his right hand, limiting his use of the rapier while preventing direct contact.
Taking hold, Menelik leaned up, calling out to him. "What're you doing? Maeve said it'll kill you if you touch it."
Idris lifted his right hand, displaying the cloth. "I best not touch it, huh?" Gripping it, he felt the weight of its power coursing through his body, attempting to take hold. Closing his eyes, he breathed in rhythmically, focusing his mind until the rapier's aura retreated into the hilt. He adjusted his grip, then turned his attention to Oruldr. The Yetis closed in around him, and his aura nearly receded entirely. Idris glanced at Menelik and Taharqa. "Stay here, and if any Yetis make it past the big guy and me...try not to die."
Idris carved a path through the snow with the rapier, creating a route for himself. Thrusting forward, he kicked off the ground, piercing the armor and chest of an Elite Yeti approaching from behind. Oruldr turned and swung his hammer, knocking them away. Glancing down at Idris, he greeted him, "It's good to see you lad. Don't suppose that sword can clone you?" Idris shook his head with a small smirk, and Oruldr shrugged. "Shame."
They moved gracefully through the snow, guarding each other as they unleashed a swift barrage of attacks against the Yetis. Grunts fell one after another, but the numbers of Elite and Brute Yetis grew, tilting the balance. As the fight intensified, the Elite and Brute Yetis outnumbered Grunts.
"Where are they all coming from?" Idris called out.
Closing the gap, Oruldr swung his hammer ferociously at a Brute behind Idris. "It's an army, Dohon's army," he explained, fending off another Yeti. The overwhelming numbers made it challenging for them to hold their ground. Oruldr grabbed Idris, pulling him up and tossing him on his shoulder. He carried them away from the battle, diverting the flow of Yetis, ensuring Menelik and Taharqa's safety. Oruldr kept a watchful eye on Taharqa, staying within the enchantment's range.
"Why does he need an army this big? The whole island is ice; he can take wherever he wants," Idris pondered.
"Dohon doesn't want land; he wants everyone else to not have it, especially the Dark Elves. He knows he can't get to the Dwarves without breaking the Dark Elves first. He has broken our kin, and the Frost Elves of Rilerton are almost extinct—all because of Dohon. He wants to break Ayce more than he wants to rule it."
The Yeti horde trailed them closely, growing in numbers, making it harder for Oruldr to maintain a safe distance for Idris. He began running toward the others, but his pace slowed as he saw silhouettes emerging from behind. The winds drowned his warnings. "Run, run!" he shouted, but the wind carried away his words. Oruldr lifted his hand to Idris. "I'm going to throw you."
"Throw me?" Idris hesitated, but Oruldr curled his hand, pulling it back. "Save your friends and save yourselves." Before Idris could respond, Oruldr hurled him forward with all his might, knocking the rapier from his grasp and sending him flying into his comrades. As Idris got up, he pointed to the approaching silhouette horde behind Taharqa and Menelik. "I think we need to run."
Menelik, Taharqa, and Idris sprinted east, putting all their strength into widening the gap. Oruldr, heading back south toward Nazzaroth, still possessed strength, but his mana and speed neared their limits. The trio continued running until they noticed the pursuers from the north diverting toward Nazzaroth, not after them.
"Wait, those aren't Yetis," Taharqa exclaimed, lifting his spirits. "THOSE ARE ELVES!"
As the wave of Yetis approached Oruldr, it became evident that his kin wouldn't miraculously appear at the last second to assist him. Hope lingered, but without his kin, he knew he'd be on his own until the others caught up. Unfortunately, even they acknowledged their limited usefulness at the moment. Oruldr redirected his focus to the approaching silhouettes. Grunt Yetis led the charge with their four-legged gallop, defining the movement, while Elites and Brutes intermixed behind them. Fortunately, there was no sign of Hunter Yetis. Yet, as he glanced down at his wound, he realized this new form of magic would be troublesome.
Tightening his grip on his warhammer, Oruldr prepared himself. The group approached, armed only with their magic, and he couldn't be certain if any of them, besides Taharqa, possessed anything beyond basic spells. The Grunt Yetis emerged first, just as Taharqa and the others burst onto the scene.
"Oh shiiiit," Menelik exclaimed. "Dat a lotta YETIS!" He slid through the snow, the enchantment on the others dissipating. Raising his hand, a magic circle formed. "Reductive, Go!" A rabbit materialized, growing to the size of a bear. Upon landing, its white fur began to glow. With a mighty boom, the rabbit echoed, "BLUH!" A violent surge of lightning shot from its mouth, crashing into the Yeti's frontline and launching them into the air.
Idris and Taharqa exchanged raised eyebrows at Menelik. "Why can you summon a giant rabbit?" Idris asked, his voice filled with more concern than curiosity. Shaking his head, he focused on the relentless wave of Yetis. "You know, I don't wanna know; let's just try not to die." Idris instinctively reached for his shortsword, only to find Maeve's rapier in its place. "Shit," he thought. "I ain't touching that." He glanced at Menelik, whose magic circle was fading, and the rabbit seemed to be slowing down. The time between lightning attacks lengthened. Turning to Taharqa, who looked equally tired, Idris felt anxiety, knowing it would soon shift into panic and fear as death loomed over them all.
Idris drew in a deep breath, recalling Maeve's words. He reached into his skirt, finding the talisman she had given him. The small round medallion held a skull in the middle, where black cascaded against gold. When broken, it would swiftly transport Maeve directly to them. He held it in his hand, contemplating whether his perceived emergency aligned with Maeve's definition. After a moment, he tucked it back into his pocket as Taharqa approached.
"Any ideas?" Taharqa asked Idris. "I'm running low on mana."
"Same!" Menelik and Oruldr chimed in unison.
"But I can still swing this." Oruldr lifted his hammer, expanded his aura and disappeared. His silhouette materialized on the battlefield, swinging his warhammer, scattering Yetis in all directions.
Menelik dropped to his knees as his spell and the rabbit dissipated into shards of bright dust. Exhaling loudly, he collapsed into the snow. "I'm all out of juice, guys, no more smoke, none." Pain etched his face as mana ran dry, the freezing sensation turning into a boiling pain as his body sought mana from his blood. He reached for a vial near his waist, drinking it, and relief washed over him as the potion worked its magic, replenishing enough mana to ease the burning.
"How many Mana Potions you got left?" Idris asked.
"Left?" Menelik replied. "I ain't ever had to use the one I had until just now. Shit's from like ten years ago."
Idris sighed and turned to Taharqa. "How close are you to burning out?"
"If I don't fight with mana, you'll both keep warm."
Idris looked back at Oruldr, whose speed was slowing, and the aura around him was retracting. He glanced down at the rapier hanging by his side, the dark aura dripping from it, the malice urging him to grab it bare-handed. He started to reach for it but halted, grabbing the cloth from the other side of his skirt. He wrapped it around his right hand, limiting his use of the rapier while preventing direct contact.
Taking hold, Menelik leaned up, calling out to him. "What're you doing? Maeve said it'll kill you if you touch it."
Idris lifted his right hand, displaying the cloth. "I best not touch it, huh?" Gripping it, he felt the weight of its power coursing through his body, attempting to take hold. Closing his eyes, he breathed in rhythmically, focusing his mind until the rapier's aura retreated into the hilt. He adjusted his grip, then turned his attention to Oruldr. The Yetis closed in around him, and his aura nearly receded entirely. Idris glanced at Menelik and Taharqa. "Stay here, and if any Yetis make it past the big guy and me...try not to die."
Idris carved a path through the snow with the rapier, creating a route for himself. Thrusting forward, he kicked off the ground, piercing the armor and chest of an Elite Yeti approaching from behind. Oruldr turned and swung his hammer, knocking them away. Glancing down at Idris, he greeted him, "It's good to see you lad. Don't suppose that sword can clone you?" Idris shook his head with a small smirk, and Oruldr shrugged. "Shame."
They moved gracefully through the snow, guarding each other as they unleashed a swift barrage of attacks against the Yetis. Grunts fell one after another, but the numbers of Elite and Brute Yetis grew, tilting the balance. As the fight intensified, the Elite and Brute Yetis outnumbered Grunts.
"Where are they all coming from?" Idris called out.
Closing the gap, Oruldr swung his hammer ferociously at a Brute behind Idris. "It's an army, Dohon's army," he explained, fending off another Yeti. The overwhelming numbers made it challenging for them to hold their ground. Oruldr grabbed Idris, pulling him up and tossing him on his shoulder. He carried them away from the battle, diverting the flow of Yetis, ensuring Menelik and Taharqa's safety. Oruldr kept a watchful eye on Taharqa, staying within the enchantment's range.
"Why does he need an army this big? The whole island is ice; he can take wherever he wants," Idris pondered.
"Dohon doesn't want land; he wants everyone else to not have it, especially the Dark Elves. He knows he can't get to the Dwarves without breaking the Dark Elves first. He has broken our kin, and the Frost Elves of Rilerton are almost extinct—all because of Dohon. He wants to break Ayce more than he wants to rule it."
The Yeti horde trailed them closely, growing in numbers, making it harder for Oruldr to maintain a safe distance for Idris. He began running toward the others, but his pace slowed as he saw silhouettes emerging from behind. The winds drowned his warnings. "Run, run!" he shouted, but the wind carried away his words. Oruldr lifted his hand to Idris. "I'm going to throw you."
"Throw me?" Idris hesitated, but Oruldr curled his hand, pulling it back. "Save your friends and save yourselves." Before Idris could respond, Oruldr hurled him forward with all his might, knocking the rapier from his grasp and sending him flying into his comrades. As Idris got up, he pointed to the approaching silhouette horde behind Taharqa and Menelik. "I think we need to run."
Menelik, Taharqa, and Idris sprinted east, putting all their strength into widening the gap. Oruldr, heading back south toward Nazzaroth, still possessed strength, but his mana and speed neared their limits. The trio continued running until they noticed the pursuers from the north diverting toward Nazzaroth, not after them.
"Wait, those aren't Yetis," Taharqa exclaimed, lifting his spirits. "THOSE ARE ELVES!"
