Two Masters (epic progression fantasy)

Chapter 5: The Wanderer

Revin grabbed a large stick from the ground and jumped to his feet. He ran towards the man that was going for the monk.

"Hey!" Revin yelled. The armored man looked just as Revin hit his helmet with his stick. The stick snapped in half.

The man studied him; turquoise glowing eyes emotionless. A chill went down Revin's spine.

The man turned back to the older monk. With an angry shout she thrust her sword into the man's shoulder. The sword snapped with a painful clang, but the man's shoulder broke with a grinding crunch. His shoulder plate tore open, revealing gears working in the joints.

These weren't men of flesh and blood; these were men of metal.

The metal man dropped its large sword from its twitching arm, and the stranger grabbed it, lifting it with all her might and ramming it into the metal man's chest. Revin flinched at the scraping metal. The metal man fell to one knee before finally collapsing to the ground. Blackfire growled and barked at the tumbling contraption.

The monk grabbed her sword, which now only had half a blade, and charged. One lunged, and the lizard-creature grabbed the spear with its mouth, tossed it away, and then stomped down with a large foot. The metal man was pushed to the ground, its chest concaving around the lizard-creature's foot, crunching as gears sputtered and spun away.

Revin just stared. Another metal man swung its blade high, and the lizard swung its tail low, knocking the metal man to the ground.

Revin turned to where the monk was fighting another, swords flashing. She blocked the metal man's strike and diverted it to the ground.

Revin leaned down and grabbed a rock, hurling it at the metal man's head. It hit with the clang of a bell.

"Hey! Stupid!" Revin shouted. It ignored him, focused on the other monk.

"Look out!" the monk shouted.

Revin turned. The metal man that the lizard had knocked over lumbered back to its feet, emotionless gaze locked on Revin. His eyes widened. It charged.

He ran.

Its thunderous feet drummed louder as the voiceless creature narrowed the gap between them.

Blackfire ran with him and glanced back. The metal man was right behind Revin, spear ready. It drew it back, ready to thrust forward. Revin jumped to the side. The creature thrust a moment too late.

Revin hit the ground rolling, wincing as his still-recovering rib and arm hit the ground again and again. He stopped and lay face-down on the ground, entire body aching. He groaned.

Blackfire tugged his shirt and Revin rolled to his back. The metal man was just above him, about to stab its spear into the dirt where he lay.

He rolled out of the way. The spear hit the dirt. Blackfire helped him to his feet and he ran again.

The metal man stomped just behind him. He looked forward. A crevasse with a particularly crumbly edge lay just ahead.

He smiled.

He told Blackfire to get behind the metal man and slow down. Blackfire reluctantly obeyed, not wanting to leave Revin's immediate side.

Revin skidded to a stop. The metal man had slowed down, lowering its spear. Somehow realizing it was near the cliff's edge.

Revin stared it down. His hands trembled and his heart drummed. His pumping blood caused his ears to roar. The ground shifted beneath his feet.

Now! He jumped away. Blackfire pushed off the metal man's back and landed near Revin.