Chapter 25: Like a Sacrifice (1)
Keep them away from me, Aban Saddi said.
Xerxes leapt forward, using a master cut called the Squinting sh to alter his angle of attack at thest moment and skewer the Abhorrent. It squealed and lunged back, allowing him to bring his sword up again. Then he swung it down in a somewhat inelegant move that clove the creature in two.
Wrenching his de out of the gore, he turned to see his fathers right fist glowing brightly as he threw an experimental blow at an Abhorrent.
Aban Saddi was still working on his spell, and Ninsunu stood there with her bestial hands clenched into fists.
His fathers first blow missed, but the secondnded, punching a hole into the creatures head area. Meanwhile, the second Abhorrent near his father was circling around to get an angle of attack.
Xerxes dashed toward his father, arrived a momentter and immediately targeting the second spider-like beast. Leading with a kick, he followed with a downward sword strike. The blow wasnt clean, and got stuck in the Abhorrent. When the thing jerked away, Xerxes nearly lost his grip on his weapon.
mming his foot into the beast next to where the de was stuck, he wrenched the sword free and then made a stabbing attack. The creature dropped.
Next to him, his father had dispatched the other Abhorrent.
Dad, look, Xerxes said, gesturing with his chin. Four more of the things had climbed out of nearby alleys. Three were small, like the ones theyd just killed, but one wasrger, with the disturbing face-like head.
Were not out of the woods yet, his father said.
Ill take the big one.
Xerxes wondered what the hell Ninsunu was doing just standing around, but there wasnt time to spend too much thought on it. Apparently, Aban Saddi waspletely focused on his own spellcasting. Buhhu spells clearly took time to cast.
Xerxes ran to intercept therger of the iing Abhorrent, while his father faced off with one of the smaller versions.
Not wanting to waste any time, Xerxes went in for a killing blow. However, the creature reared up to avoid the de, and his attack went wide. He immediately redirected his sword, not stopping his momentum. Stepping slightly left, he avoided the swipe of the things legs and grinned as the tip of his sword found flesh.
Before the creature could even hiss, he shoved the sword hard, causing it to stab deeply into the Abhorrent.
Get ready! Aban Saddi shouted. Once I summon the juveniles, I cant afford any distractions. If I
All of a sudden, Ninsunu lunged toward Aban Saddi, tackling him in a bear hug.
What? he shouted as they fell to the ground together.
Xerxes twisted and shed, ripping the Abhorrent apart, then jumped back to gauge the situation. Why had Ninsunu knocked the Head Mage down? Had a bigger threat arrived?
He saw Ninsunu in her bestial form on top of Aban Saddi. He saw his father trying tond a clean blow on one of the three Abhorrent that were slowly surrounding him. He saw more spidery Abhorrent crawling out of alleys toward them.
Off in the distance, the massive trunked monster was looking in their direction.
What was going on?
Nina, what what are you doing? Aban Saddi shouted, his voice muffled.
Xerxes eyes were transfixed on the massive Abhorrent as it turned its shoulders, then took a step in their direction. As it did, the flying creatures around it swirled to gather in front of its face, creating a clump of darkness. Then a sphere, which pulsed out, then in, and suddenly Xerxes had a very bad feeling.
Dad, watch out! he said, just as the ck sphere turned into a beam of darkness that shot toward them.
Xerxes jumped to the side, though it wasnt necessary, as the beam didnte close to his position. Nor did it get close to Aban Saddi and Ninsunu. Instead, it mmed into the spot where his father had been standing seconds before. A loud buzzing sound filled the air as the beam melted a furrow in the stone for about two seconds before vanishing.
Dad! he yelled.
Im fine! his father responded.
He saw Ninsunu getting to her feet. Further back, he saw that the cloud of creatures around the Abhorrent was significantly thinner.
We need to move! Xerxes said. In the back of his mind, he realized that Aban Saddis spellcasting had been interrupted. The Head Mystic surely had more spellcastingponents on hand, but what about his supply of mm? Buhhu mages needed to expend massive amounts of it to cast spells, and if Aban Saddi had gotten to the final stages of spellcasting before being interrupted, he could theoretically have wasted too much mm to be able to cast another spell.
However, as Ninsunu stood up, Xerxes heart dropped.
The Head Mage, the only Mystic on Mannemid and the strongest mage they had, hung limp in Ninsunus arms. At first nce, Xerxes thought that perhaps the Head Mage had hit his head in the fall, and had been knocked unconscious. But the man had spoken twice <em>after </em>being knocked down.
No, Ninsunu was holding Aban Saddi the way a wrestler would hold an incapacitated opponent. Xerxes had training in martial arts, and though he didnt consider himself particrly proficient in grappling, he knew a thing or two. And Ninsunu was definitely using a chokehold.
Given that she was a High Seer, she didnt have the same level of physical strength and toughness as Aban Saddi. However, the shapeshifting abilities of Sinitu mages could provide an edge in that regard. Besides, a chokehold was a chokehold, and if administered properly, could easily be used by a weakerbatant to quickly neutralize a stronger one.
From what Xerxes could see thats what was happening here.
Nina he said, unsure of what was ying out.
Ignoring him, she bounded forward three steps, then nted her foot and leaped into the air, sailing up to stand on the rooftop at the end of the park.
Ninsunu raised her voice and shouted, Ya sath Syhahlwnafhoth!
The words meant nothing to Xerxes, but the mere sound of them caused a chill to run down his spine.
<em>Theres no way</em>, he thought.