53 Frost 120 Steel
It was unlike anything Talon had seen or faced before within the depths of the Warrens. The shrieking screams of shamblers being pulled into the writhing mass of shadow, smoke and fire was horrifying to behold. Muscle and sinew snapped, twisting into unnatural angles before breaking and reforming into a usable limb. Muscle formed and bones jutted out to form something resembling armored plating across a skinless body. A face, deformed and devoid of flesh with but a skull to grin menacingly at those around it, turned a corpulent gaze upon those gathered. Talon lifted himself up. The movement made his head spin and he nearly fell back down to the earth. He blinked his eyes, gritting his teeth as he pushing himself up into a kneeling position. His vision cleared just in time to see a dome of power close around the monstrosity that now stared down at them. He took a few steadying breaths as nausea threatened to overcome him.
He was a fool. An arrogant, stupid fool. He had thought, wrongfully, that everything had been planned. He had thought he could account for any creature that might have reared its head. They were not terribly far into the First Deep of the Warrens and away from some of the areas that teemed more heavily with activity. But he had been wrong. Now, as he beheld the abomination that took its first step and drew in its first ragged and torturous breath, Talon felt only shame, humiliation and fear. The thud of someone landing in the dirt beside him barely made him stir from his shellshock. It was only when he felt a hand grab his shirt and yank him to his feet that he was pulled from his stupor. He blinked and came face to face with the angry, terrified eyes of his companion. Talon’s shame increased.
“Don’t you ever do that again! Don’t you ever push me away like that! Do you see what’s happening Talon?!” Talon reached up and removed Aoren’s hand from his shirt. His jaw flexed as he held back words he would have spoken from a place of bruised ego. His bondmate did not deserve that. Instead, he growled out.
“Yes. I could not have seen--” Aoren cut him off.
“Seen!? No! You couldn’t! Neither of us could! I should never have let this happen! I should have stopped this from the beginning!” Talon bit back the urge to shout back. He took in a calming breath.
“You are right. Now let us fix this.” He stepped away from Aoren. He withdrew but immediately his bondmate reached out and yanked him closer.
“No. You do not get to pull away. You do not get to hide from this, Talon. You will face this. You--” Before Aoren could finish there came a rushing in the air followed by a pop. Both of them snapped their attention back to the creature. The barrier used to briefly contain it was shattered. The force of that saw Telion blasted back by the shattering of her shield. Talon did not wait. He broke away from Aoren sprinting, placing himself directly in her path. Opening his arms, he caught her. The air rushed from his lungs as she was flung against him. The young Novalys slid several inches back as he struggled to steady them both. It was only when Aoren came up behind him to offer his strength that Talon found his footing. Gently he set the woman down, assessing her carefully.
“Are you alright?” As Telion opened her mouth to speak, the monstrosity emit a thunderous roar that shook the walls of the cavern. Looking up, it was staring right at them. With a swipe of its arm, it swatted at Rickter, moving to push the wolf out of the way. It’s fleshless body, a writhing mass of bone, muscle and gore, rippled with its movement. Without wasting another moment, it began lumbering toward them. Talon moved to rise but winced in pain as the impact of Telion hurtling into him combined with his previous exertions asserted themselves. The creature raised an arm as though to smash them both when a rush of wind followed by dark wings zoomed past.
“Aoren!” Talon shouted after his companion, his heart clenching in his chest. But the dark winged Kathar did not listen. With both swords in his hands and lightning dancing across the blades, his companion met the creature in battle. He swerved out of the way of the swing, bringing his electrified swords slashing across his torso. As soon as the wound opened, there came a gushing of fetid ichor. Slimy, gore caked tendrils leapt out from the wound, snaking after Aoren. Talon watched as his beloved bondmate sliced them out of mid-air before they could reach him. With his heart pounding in his chest, Talon steeled himself. He stood up, turning to Telion. He eyed her.
“If you strike, strike true. Hold nothing back.” He would not tell her to hide. He knew there would be no convincing her. The sound of a pained cry drew his attention. In a breath, Talon extended his hand. His sword returned to his grip with a thought and he was grateful for its weight. His eyes zeroed in on Aoren. One of his dark wings was ensnared in the foul tendrils along with one of his legs. Bony spikes dug into his companion’s flesh and Talon could see and feel the pain written on his bondmate’s face. Talon did not hesitate. He just moved. The horrific beast roared and swung at him as he charged. He dove out of the way then sprung to his feet taking to the air.
The tendrils had pulled Aoren close enough to the wound that it opened further as though intent on drawing him inside. The young Novalys jumped into the air, wove his aether into the space just before the opening and speared his way through the space with sword at the ready. He cut through the tendrils at the root, eliciting a shriek of rage from the creature. Aoren was released. He flapped his wings and ascended away from the monster. More wretched appendages gushed out of its innards and shot toward them both. Talon erected a wall of force between them. He grunted as it was impacted.
“Drop it!” Aoren called to him. Across their bond, Talon could feel his intent. He listened. As soon as the wall was dropped, Aoren drew in a deep breath and exhaled a gout of fire. The monster howled in pain and fury as the tendrils were burned down to their root. The fire spread across the open gash, charring the flesh and cauterizing the wound. As Aoren ceased his spout of flames, the both of them dodge out of the way of another swing of its arm. They landed together.
“Kill it with fire?” Aoren raised a hand. Talon nodded and extended his blade.
"Kill it with fire." Within moments, Aoren’s chosen element was enmeshed onto his blade. Hearing another howl, Talon looked back to see the creature distracted by Rickter and Telion.
“The lodestones you created? They never went off.” Aoren sighed.
“Great.” Talon resisted the urge to smirk.
“That means they are still nearby. We can use them.” Talon stepped forward. He adjusted his grip on his sword. “Aoren?”
His companion looked at him with a guarded expression. Talon swallowed his pride. He let out a low breath.
“I am sorry.” Aoren stared at him for a moment before nodding. This was not over but now was not the time. With that, Talon turned to shout to his other friends and allies.
“Use fire! Telion! There are fire stones nearby! We will distract it! Find them!” He hoped she would be clever enough to figure out a way to use them to their advantage. With that, Talon jumped back into the fray. He felt Aoren join him. The two engaged the creature just as it turned its attention fully to Rickter.
