Maroon Escape to Meadows and Bees (Part One)

Chapter 10

"KABLOOM."

Rocks and debris scatters everywhere as one Death Stalker throws its claws about, destroying the entire cave around it. I'm thrown out the cave as well, and if it weren't for the few trees nearby, I wouldn't have been able to catch on to anything with my swords' chains. I manage to loop my chains around my body and pierce the swords into the trees. I'm sooooo glad I learned this morning how to finally catch myself. It's pretty useful—despite Blake's complaints.

"Are you sure you need my help for this?" Blake jogs over to where I'm hanging. "You seem to be doing fine so far, even with your risky tricks."

"Ha ha. Very funny," I say, panting. "Can you at least catch me for my fall? I don't like this height." I drop from between the two trees. It was quite an impactful fall, based on the resulting cracks in the ground, but at least Blake lent a hand to lift me up. She didn't prevent the impact my poor feet had to endure though.

"The smaller Death Stalkers are crawling out. I'll take care of those while you fight the large one." Blake zips past the main Death stalker with one of her shadow clones. "Call me when you get the chance."

"Right, totally." Totally possible to take on a scorpion 300 times larger than a baby and pull out an earpiece for communications at the same time. I brace myself. The monster's already plowing its way past the boulders to reach me.

Focus. Analyze the enemy.

It's large. That's an understatement. It uses seven limbs to move, four on the right and three on the left; one leg was likely previously removed probably by another huntsman. Despite this, the Grimm shows to have a mostly stable balance. Technically it should be faster than me, but it is a heavy monster after all. I can use my swords and swing with momentum to go quicker and dodge its heavier attacks.

All around the death stalker are bone-like structures that offer it strength and protection. However, its underside, legs, and the tip of its tail seems to be major weak points. I can try finding a way to target that. Somehow.

It's here!

I barely manage to jump away as the death stalker lunged its left claw towards me. It's surprisingly thinner than the other claw, so maybe I could jump on top of it to get closer access? Its claws can't raise much higher as if it were to scratch its back; the only enemy on its back would be the stinger and any movement.

All right! "Come on! Bring it!" I grin as I shoot a lazy strike at the death stalker with one of my swords.

The monster takes  another step closer and swings with its other claw. I rush in and slide under the claw. Good thing this guy doesn't have a mouth! Only ten glowing red eyes. I slash at the right claw as the monstrosity thrashes about its face.

"Hyup!" I finally jump on top of its thinner left claw and balance myself as the death stalker continues to swing around. I jump onto its white-plated back as soon as the death stalker lunges its stinger at me the first time.

Too slow!

Can't get too confident now; I need to focus. I can't think I won the fight before it even started or else I'll start slipping up!

The monster roars again. "THUNK!"

Damn! It threw rocks at me? I get a bloody scratch on the cheek while all this monster has undergone was barely a dent in its armor? What the hell?!

Aside from passive-aggressive thoughts, I carefully move towards the base of the monster's tail. I'm sure it'll be moderately safe to cling onto that as the monster moves while I plug in the earpiece and call Blake. Totally. I throw out a chain and loop it around the death stalker's tail and half-skip, half-swing towards it. Finally, I plug in the earpiece and call Blake on my scroll. "How's it hanging? Me personally, I'm partially hanging right now."