Iceblade Ascendant

10: HUNTED

The sound of heavy feet approached from the tunnel beyond the now opened doorway, and Jaewyn turned to Kalethe with narrowed eyes.

"Ok, you know something you're not telling us. I need to know the situation, now." Her tone was firm. For a moment it looked as if Kalethe would argue, but he blinked once before replying.

"Fine," he snapped, breaking eye contact. "I intended to tell you the whole story when an appropriate time came, but..."

"Kalethe, now. We need to know why you're here, and what those things want. You know all about it, don't you."

"They're called the Grath, a species of sentient, fungus-based creatures. But before I tell you about them, you need to know about the book I found."

"We don't have time for history lessons," Jaewyn snarled.

"To cut a long story short, I found a magical book," Kalethe continued, "which allows me access to your Spiritscape. After much exploration..."

"Wait, back up," Zephyrle interrupted. "What do you mean allows you access? Can you get into the Spiritscape?"

"Impossible!" Thalleron scoffed. "Without a Dream Amulet and a portal..."

"Don't ask me how it works, just know that it does," Kalethe thundered. "Once in the Spiritscape I discovered an artefact of incredible power in what I thought was a ruined shrine. Thinking it abandoned, I took the relic. Unfortunately, the Grath didn't appreciate this and came after me as I made my way out. I fled, but they caught up with me near the Deepmoss Dream Portal, and a battle ensued. However, the portal was damaged and rifts were opened in the fabric of the Spiritscape."

"What? That was you?" Thalleron was horrified. "Do you realise the potential damage..."

"In my defence, I didn't intend for that to happen," Kalethe retorted.

"You're playing with power you don't understand!" The mystic was visibly angry. "Who knows what manner of catastrophe you could bring about because of your actions!"

"Well we know they brought the Grath," Jaewyn said brusquely.

"I was then able to flee through the book back to Aramir," Kalethe continued,"emerging in your continent of Belanyr."

"So the Grath tracked you and followed you here in their magic meteor," Zephyrle stated, her eyebrow raised.

"They must've exited the Spiritscape and come through the blue cracks," Thalleron mused, his brow furrowed. "So what's this artefact you found?"

Kalethe was about to respond, but there was no time. The Grath appeared at the doorway and lumbered towards them.

Jaewyn fired her dragynfire at the first Grath to come at them. A massive blast of orange-gold flame erupted from the weapon's maw, setting its victim on fire. The creature roared, flaying around with lashing tentacles as its leathery hide burned. The others barged past their hapless comrade. There were three in total: monstrous, fungoid monstrosities similar to the ones the elves had fought before. The enhanced Grath was among them.

"Attack," Jaewyn prompted her team, and the others leapt forward to intercept the Grath. Dropping the dragynfire, she unsheathed Arnjo and slashed at the burning monster. The double-edged blade cut deep, spilling blood on the chamber floor. Jaewyn danced aside, evading the reach of the beast's flailing arms and hacking single-handed at her foe with her sword. The intense heat from the fire didn't bother her, even if it touched her. As a fire elf she was immune to the effects of fire, the flames actually made her stronger. She grinned with satisfaction as her blood flared up, filling her with unrivaled power. A burst of flame erupted from her Pulse Talon and she used it to light up her blade. Now flaming brightly, Arnjo severed something in the Grath's leg, causing it to stumble and seizing the opportunity, Jaewyn swept her blade across her foe's head.  Eyes burst under the impact as the gold blade struck a clean blow down the side of its face. Struggling to rise, the Grath was blind to her sword as she twirled and stabbed, flicking the rune to extend the blade whilst it was inside her enemy. The Grath bellowed as the blade punched deeper through the side of its fungal chest.