Stoneweaver

Stoneweaver - Chapter 17

That had been a mistake. It had turned out better than he should have hoped, but challenging the boy to a duel had been stupid, and could have ended his plans. Just going there had been idiotic, way more than necessary. At the least he'd lost one advantage for getting around, and attempting a new face would take a bit more work than he had time for. And another source of flesh.

Alighting on a nearby roof, Welden turned to watch the activity around the Hall, barely having time to dive away from Kulth's charge, sliding uncontrollably down the roof's slope. It took a moment to recover his balance, and he hastily pushed away from the roof, controlling the air around him to project him as fast as he could away from his pursuer.

A glance back showed Kulth hadn't lost much momentum in changing direction, and seemed to be steadily gaining, his face tight with a determined anger. Turning to scan the terrain for useful features, he found only the expected gently sloping roofs with a couple of smokestacks visible, which would be the food courts.

Making a few erratic turns as though trying to shake pursuit, he made a last second dart to the side, grabbing a smokestack to help cut his speed, and using it as protection as his air avatar unwound, lashing out to where Kulth approached.

The turbulence caught Kulth off guard, and he went tumbling across a roof.

Not waiting to see where he landed, Welden wrapped the air around him again, and dove down into the nearest street, flying along barely above head height, and zipping around a few turns until he felt far enough away to land at a run, not slowing till a few streets away from anyone who'd seen him land.

Catching his breath, he walked on as he gained his bearings, ensuring the gem from his still active air avatar lay obscured from view under his shirt. He still received a few glances from passers by staring at the wound to his chest, which had died down to a dull throb now, but which he'd need to look at. He tried closing his shirt over it, but the blood had soaked through it enough that he'd need something else to cover it before he got to the docks.

The wide eyes of pedestrians staring into the sky behind him alerted him to danger, and he half turned his head to see Kulth almost on top of him, moving at a speed which could take his head off despite his airy protection. He narrowly ducked in time, but Kulth moved so fast that Welden still got blown over.

Hastily rolling to his feet, he shot up into the air again, high above the city, glancing back to find Kulth nowhere in sight. Turning quickly, he took in the skies all around, but couldn't spot him. What was he waiting for? He hadn't crashed during the last attack, had he? Better to assume he planned an ambush, and it'd be safer to duck down where he'd need to show himself above the roofs to keep track of the flight.

He'd barely started to descend when the flash of something almost invisible caught his eye, too late to avoid being slammed in the chest, the air blasting out of him. Without time to recover, he felt his invisible carapace being crushed by an equally transparent force.

Then he spotted the zelxus. Kulth had sent his air avatar up alone. But that meant he needed to see it to direct the attack, so if Welden could take it out of sight, and get free, he could probably escape. Or if he could touch the gemstone and disable it, but it kept flitting about evasively.

Then he spotted Kulth darting towards him, and realised he'd animated a second air avatar. He barely had time to fight against the grappling avatar enough to start moving before Kulth slammed into him, sending him spinning, as the second one still held him firm, continuing to put pressure on him.

He dove away, determined to stay ahead of Kulth until he'd dealt with this one. Fortunately, with Kulth's focus split between the two of them, he couldn't direct the one he wore to move as fast as he had been, so while Welden had to fight to control his path, he managed to stay ahead.

It only offered a temporary reprieve, he knew, and he'd need a way to even the odds, before Kulth's greater experience fighting with these things won out.

Maintaining his path, he flew clear of the leading edge of the city, out over the sea, continuing to struggle with his invisible assailant, probably more than he needed to. A glance behind showed Kulth still followed at a distance.

Welden allowed his height to drop, getting closer to the water, and slowed slightly, keeping his back to his pursuer so he didn't see him slip the tazarine from his pouch. Pushing through the avatar grappling him, he held the gemstone in the water.

"Rulthor." He released it as the second awareness awakened in his mind, but kept it below the waves as his flight slowed even more, his struggles appearing wilder, more desperate, and he turned to watch Kulth diving at him now, closing for the kill.

The water erupted at the last moment, even as Welden ducked aside, and the pressure on him evaporated as the blast took Kulth's concentration. He managed to keep the first animation around him, though, but it didn't stop him being pulled under.

His struggles continued, and Welden saw him struggling for breath. He seemed unfamiliar with operating in the water, and hadn't the time to consider using his air for breathing, not that he could really spare any from the struggle.

It would be easy enough to hold him there until he drowned. This was a fight after all, and he doubted Kulth would show him any mercy. And after all the things he and his men had done, all they'd taken.

But they hadn't taken everything.

The water erupted, pushing Kulth up towards him, and Welden punched down towards where he saw the zelxus. The sheathe of air surrounding his hand pierced its protection.

"Kulthor." The air dissipated, and Welden caught the gemstone before it fell.

His other hand collected the tarazine as he dismissed the water, which collapsed back into the waves, along with its former prisoner.

Kulth still breathed as Welden flew away. Coughing up water, but still alive.

Keeping watch in case his pursuer had another gemstone, Welden relaxed slightly as he neared Melmyrn. Kulth should be able to swim towards the city's path from there.

Alighting on the docks, amidst a number of nervous stare, Welden moved towards his nearby stash. He'd need something to disguise himself before he got close to the starboard docks.