Survival in a Strange World

Chapter 14: Dark Magic

A chill raced down his spine as the wicked fingers of the night tickled the back of his neck. Random areas of Blue's body jolted painfully. His escape was cut off by the river of lava. Raider was dead. The hoard that killed him crowded together into one evil monster. And Blue had just drawn its attention! The last embers of the firework above twinkled away leaving darkness to consume the world.

Arrows whizzed towards him. Vindicators roared. Twisted pleasure exuding from the mass of noise. Blue tried to move but his feet were cemented to the ground. An arrow pierced the ground beside him. Another narrowly missed his head.

Come on. Said an inner voice. Draw your sword! Run! Anything!!!

Tearing his feet from the ground, Blue sprinted to his right, arms and legs pumping as hard as possible to reach full speed. The swarm of Vindicators undulated and veered to follow Blue. He could hear their shouts from behind. Deep voices throwing insults and rage as they homed in on him like a predator chasing its prey. The Pillagers continued to shoot at him. Arrows flying past Blue or hitting the ground just beside his feet. Blue zigzagged as he ran, hoping to avoid getting hit. He was already panting hard. The toll from his dash to reach Raider catching up with him.

Blue stumbled over a mound of dirt and risked a glance over his shoulder. Then flinched as the silver edge of an axe flew towards him. He ducked reflexively. The spinning blade sailing over his head. Then he saw a weapon-less Vindicator leap from the top of the mound. A wild look in his eyes and a roar from his mouth.

Blue slid away, making sure to distance himself from the lava too. Then grabbed the handle of the blade resting in his sheath and stepped forward. The Vindicator had landed clumsily and barely managed to stay on his feet. Blue jerked his sword out, keeping the handle pointed toward the enemy and ramming it into his gut. The Vindicator doubled over from taking the hit, coughing furiously as he did. Then Blue whipped his sword round and thumped the Vindicator in the back of the head, watching him collapse to the ground.

Another arrow whizzed over Blue's head, reminding him he didn't have time to celebrate the small victory. He looked up to see the other Illagers still charging. Getting closer by the second. Vindicators were leading the pack. Pillagers reloading crossbows behind them. How could possibly fight them all?

Suddenly a flurry of arrows from the left barraged the oncoming enemies. Several arrows took a couple of Pillagers in the head, knocking them down. The Villager archers on the wall were providing Blue with cover fire. Then another arrow impaled a Vindicator's leg, causing them to stumble and trip. But Blue's attention was drawn to the robed Illager. He had turned his mount toward the wall, raising his arms in a menacing pose. Black clouds of smoke began to emanate from his hands. Was that... magic?

The clouds of smoke began to compress, forming into black blocks. The rider thrust his arms forward. The black smoke shooting from them into the ground. Blue watched as the patch of earth began rippling and undulating, travelling under the lava and towards the wall. The archers continued shooting at the Illager squad, unaware of whatever the robed Illager had done. The rippling ground hit the wall. And a moment later, a huge shape burst from the ground, reaching up into the air. A giant grey worm like monster, nearly as tall as the town wall itself; it opened its mouth wide, revealing a hundred sharp black teeth and emitting a deafening screech before it chomped down on the battlements.

Stones were crushed between its jaw, archers engulfed in a single bite. Then it reared back, and as quickly as it had appeared, it retreated into the ground, taking chunks of the wall with it. Blue stared in silent horror at the attack. His entire body awash with disbelief at what he'd just witnessed. His gaze shifted back to the robed Illager, meeting the joyful expression of the twisted man.