A Soldier's Life - 176 - Run!

Chapter 176: Run!

The earth drake yielded a major earth essence while Maveith watched the corridor. Maveith helped me drag the long neck of the drake around to face away from the corridor. If someone came by, the drake would look like it was sleeping. The reward chest was much smaller this time, so I was not expecting it to have another spear inside. It rattled with coins as I picked it up and walked it behind the drake.

I shattered the stone chest shielded behind the drake, collecting a few dozen silver coins and a pair of thick brown bracers. The soft, flexible leather covered from wrist to elbow. They had leather laces to tighten them. I let Maveith try them on, but his forearms were just too large to cover. If these bracers were an artifact, they would not resize or absorb aether from me. I sent the bracers to my dimensional storage and would figure them out later.

With our work completed in the room, Maveith questioned me, “Are we going to descend and attack the boars again?”

I had considered going by myself, but I shook my head. “No. We are just going to wait until it is time to depart the dungeon. Linus or Benito will come get us when it is time.” I slid down the wall to relax in the corridor with Maveith.

Maveith smiled brightly, “Do you want to play checkers?” I nodded absently as he set up the board between us. “When are you going to release Raelia?” Maveith asked after he won the third straight game.

I hesitated to answer, “When it is safe. It might be a time before I can get away from the company.” I reset my pieces on the board, and we continued to pass the time by playing checkers.

Hours later, the pounding of boots and the rattle of legion armor echoed in the corridor. Benito was running full tilt at us and used the wall to slow himself, “The summoner was spotted across the owlbear room. We are leaving now!” He didn’t wait as he turned and sprinted back the way he came.

Maveith was trying to put the checkers set in the bag, “Leave it, Maveith!” I pulled him up and started running back to the safe room. Of course, we were the group that was the furthest away and probably the last ones warned! Benito, the little rabbit, was already gone as we raced down the corridor after shouldering our packs.

Thoughts raced in my head. How much would the owlbear slow down the summoner? Would the summoner figure out we had exited the dungeon? I looked down the right corridor toward the harpy room. I didn’t see or hear anyone, so I assumed they had already retreated, and we were last. Moments later, I could see the small safe room and the legionnaires preparing to enter the exit portal.

A piercing shrieking cry echoed down the corridor to reach us. Castile’s voice cut the racket with an order, “Into the gate! Runic weapons lead! The summoner has controlled the owlbear! It is coming!” Clinking red armored men scrambled forward into the exit portal ahead of us. Almost everyone was through when we emerged into the safe room.

A hulking bi-pedal owl burst into the room opposite where Maveith and I had exited. Its over-muscled body was not congruent with its massive owl head. Just the beak was as large as a man’s head, and when it screeched again, sharp, jagged teeth could be seen lining the impressive beak. Castile’s aetheric shadow chains were swarming over the creature, trying to contain it, but they snapped like spider threads.

Castile, Adrian, and Kolm were the only legionnaires left in the room. “Get into the portal!” I yelled. Not for a heroic reason but so I could use my ability unseen.

Castile nodded to me, understanding my intention, “Move! Eryk will occupy it with his air shields and follow us momentarily.”

Maveith roared a challenge of his own to the creature, and it looked on confused as Castile, Kolm, and Adrian disappeared into the oily surface. I stepped within range of the owlbear, and it spun on me. A foreign intelligence burned in its red eyes. I knew it was the summoner trying to control the feral beast. I removed a good portion of its chest cavity. Its resistance was not even remotely strong enough to resist my efforts.

The beast belched a spray of blood at me and charged on all fours. Fuck, I must have missed anything vital. Maveith stepped in front of me, lowering his hammer. The owlbear’s powerful beak clamped down at the same time Maveith’s hammer connected. A portion of Maveith’s stomach, leather armor, and abdomen was cut from his body. I pressed the blade blade into the shoulder of the beast as it chewed its reward. Maveith stumbled back, leaking blood and bile from a gaping stomach wound.

“Drink your potions!” I yelled at the goliath as I twisted my blade and yanked hard. The pain drew the attention of the creature to me as Maveith fumbled for his potions.

The owlbear had frothy blood dripping from its beak as it chewed. I must have gotten a portion of the lungs instead of the heart. I should have taken a larger portion out of the enormous beast. It stumbled as it stepped toward me. It was definitely close to death. I reached under my armor and took out the aether potion. I would need only a sip to recover all my aether. The owlbear clumsily lunged toward me in almost slow motion, giving me plenty of time to sidestep.

It was also its final act as the massive creature collapsed. I took a swig of the potion, capped it, and sent it to my dimensional space as my aether core was replenished. I kneeled next to Maveith while scanning the corridor. A large splotch of pink skin denoted his injury. It was slowly turning gray to match the rest of his body.

“Did you take all your healing potions?” I asked, inspecting the wound. A decent dent in his abdomen showed where the owlbear got its snack.

Maveith nodded painfully. I produced and handed him my last greater healing potion. The aether from the ones he had already consumed had not been enough to repair the extensive damage. Maveith rasped out, “It’s coming.” He pointed painfully down the corridor.

I spun to the corridor to see a creature bounding down the passage. It must be the summoner’s ice drake. The scales shimmered and looked like undulating ice as it rushed toward us. I was not concerned as I had the aether to deal with it. “Maveith, get into the portal and help the company with the specters.”

Maveith groaned as he stood unsteadily. I think Maveith was missing some musculature as he had difficulty moving. Hopefully, the greater healing potion could restore the soft tissue.

The ice drake skidded to a stop, not entering the room. It had a clear intelligence in its eyes as it surveyed the situation with sharp movements of its head. The owlbear was dead, and there was only one legionnaire and a struggling goliath. I backed up to the portal, making sure Maveith was through. The serpentine neck of the drake slowed before locking eyes to me. Its crystalline eyes appraising me. I wondered if the summoner was in control or viewing through the creature. The black, oily surface enveloped Maveith, sending him to the company in the ruins.

The ice drake took a tentative step into the room, its eyes locked on mine. If the drake had a ranged breath attack, I would retreat. If it got within fifteen feet, I would end it. The room was only thirty feet across, but the drake paused, puffing frosted air in annoyance at me. The sound of soft footfalls behind the creature had me focused on the corridor. The summoner was coming.

The dramatic slow pace of his walk made time feel like it was slowing. The tall, aged elf entered the room to stand behind his white drake. He rested his hand on the crown of the drake and stroked it. I pulled the aether potion back into my free hand. I relaxed my grip on the black blade, pointing it at the ground to appear unthreatening. The High Mage Summoner surveyed the room, his eyes lingering on the owlbear before looking up at me. “Did you kill the dire owlbear, legionnaire?”

I was a little shocked. Did he not recognize me? Should I be insulted? I thought he would remember me from when he looked through the wyvern’s eyes. He had sworn to kill me. “Maybe,” I replied evenly.

His eyes brightened as he studied me. A flash of recognition came over his face. “The void mage,” his voice was hard. “Do not come any closer.” He studied my dilapidated and mangled legion armor, a delighted smile forming, “It looks like you have had a rough time in the dungeon.”

I was trying to decide what I should do. I could argue with him that I was not a void mage. I could drop Raelia in his lap and hope she convinced him not to attack. Or I could escape by taking one step back and joining the company. Instead, I asked a question, “Why did you follow us into the dungeon?”

The summoner smiled maliciously, “You are ignorant of the goings on in the world. I was running out of time for my revenge as I was ordered to return. Your Empire thinks they can horde the secrets of the ancient titans. We cannot let them have it as it would tilt the scale of power too much.”

I figured I might be able to draw out more information if I kept the conversation going. “So they found Atlantium?”

Traeliorn arched an eyebrow at my knowledge, “You are no ordinary legionnaire. A Praetorian agent, then? For whom? I will be sure to let them know you will not be returning to their service.”

His dark humor was an attempt to mimic what I was doing. I chuckled as he was digging for information as well. “No, I serve no one. I am a conscript, forced to join. Being a legionnaire was not by choice.”

“You lie, legionnaire.” The mage said, suddenly angry. Damn it, the summoner was a Truthseeker as well—this time, I could feel the spell form like spiders crawling over my skin. My sensitivity to aether had increased in the dungeon.

I elaborated with the truth, “After I was convicted of a crime and sentenced, I was given the choice of hard labor or the army. I chose the army.”

The elf nodded slowly, accepting my answer. He considered and shrugged, “It matters not. You killed Vaeril. My pursuit of vengeance has cost me much, but the knowledge and rewards of this fascinating dungeon have made up for it. And now you are caged.” A devilish smile formed on his face.

A cold realization spread through my body. I reached behind me, expecting the embrace of the dungeon exit, but only felt a smooth, solid surface. I looked back quickly, and the oily wall was still there, but something akin to my air shield blocked my exit from the dungeon. I was actually impressed the mage had been able to cast the spell at such a distance, nearly thirty feet. He had more tricks than just being able to summon creatures.

“Perhaps we can bargain? Would you let me go for the griffin rider? The elf who was guarding Vaeril?” My bargaining position was not strong. If I could eliminate the ice drake, I might be able to race to the earth drake room and use the exit at the bottom of the stairs to escape.

“Raelia is a prisoner? I will inform her brother when I return. He can launch an expedition if he wishes,” the mage said, unconcerned with the young elf’s fate.

I felt the mage was toying with me and savoring in his victory. I slowly raised my dark blade to enter a defensive posture. The ice drake immediately tensed, sensing a battle forthcoming. “Kylma, relax. This one is mine.”

Seven arcane missiles formed over his shoulder and shot toward me. I hastily erected air shields in front of me. The two air shields were destroyed, the seventh magic bolt burned a hole in my already badly damaged armor, and my flesh burned where the missile struck. The smell of burnt flesh and pain reminded me that I was facing a powerful mage.

“Aren’t we full of surprises!” Traeliorn said, shocked but still not concerned. “What other secrets are you hiding?” His unfriendly smile returned.

“Too many to count,” I retorted reflexively. “If you have a few hours, perhaps we can discuss them.”

The mage sighed, “Well, unfortunately, I don’t have time to continue our banter. I need to eliminate the rest of your company and confront your Emperor.”

It was time to go! I dashed to the right in an attempt to reach the corridor. The ice drake breathed a cloud of frost, but it was not even remotely as strong as the ice salamander as it washed over me. I left an air shield behind me, blocking the corridor. A torrent of lightning crashed into the shield, superheating the air shield, exploding it, and throwing me further down the corridor. My ears were ringing and thinking this was most definitely not a fair fight.

I activated my healing spell form and coughed in pain. I stumbled to my feet, and the mage’s muted shout registered, “No, Kylma!” I glanced back to see the mage had warned his ice drake from pursuing me, but the beast saw me beaten and sprawled on the floor and didn’t listen. The eager drake thudded toward me, excited to finish me off.

The body of the headless ice drake skidded into me. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and my ears throbbed as I stumbled to my feet and ran.