Eight Intertwined

160 - Lizardmen

Cyrus was the first one to strike at the lizardmen, and he released a blast of jagged icicles in an attempt to break the crowd apart. The herd split, but only slightly and only for a handful of seconds. In that time, Ophilia summoned a quick blast of lightning magic to stagger them again. Tressa and Primrose followed the former's previous strategy of using wind magic to knock the beasts against the icicles and kill them that way. Once again, it worked like a charm, and the herd of lizardmen finally began to divide. 

The split didn't last for long this time either, and Alfyn hissed between his teeth before slashing his axe above the wall of ice at the lizardmen who tried to lunge for Cyrus. His axe cleaved through the bone clubs without any issues, and the lizardmen were left staggered enough to relent for just a few seconds. H'aanit and Therion readied their weapons before finishing the monsters off, H'aanit with her arrows and Therion but releasing a blast of fire from his knife. The flaming magic was less effective than icicles, but it still did the job as long as the creatures had already been stunned. 

At the center of the chaos, Olberic held off the lizardmen on the left while Erhardt did the same with the right. It was almost impressive how easily they were able to slip into their old routine. Olberic and Erhardt didn't press their backs together directly the way they would have if they were still knights, but it wasn't necessary either. They knew they could rely on one another even without that. Olberic slashed his blade in a wide arc to stagger the lizardmen before he ran toward them and stabbed at each monster that tested his patience. Erhardt did much the same, and while he was faster than Olberic, his attacks were slightly weaker. Erhardt's speed was superior, but Olberic's raw strength would triumph over his any day. They were forces of perfect equality, always searching for weaknesses they would not find in one another that did not exist in themselves. 

Erhardt stabbed at the last lizardman on his side of the field just as Olberic slashed across the chest of the monster in front of him. The last few beasts let out a scream of pain and rage before they collapsed to the sand. Erhardt let out a heavy sigh, keeping his eyes on the shadows like he thought they would begin to attack him along with the lizardmen at any moment. When none of the phantoms of his past or present launched at him, Erhardt allowed himself to breathe again. He turned to face Olberic slowly, not giving the rest of the travelers a second glance even as they approached. "Olberic," Erhardt started, barely seeming to believe the name was leaving his lips at all. "Of all the..."

Olberic did not look over at Erhardt directly, at least not yet. "How long has it been, Erhardt?" he asked instead. He found the wall of the cave just to Erhardt's left much more interesting in the moment, and unless another lizardman lunged for his throat, that would remain true. Olberic already knew the answer to the question, but he somehow doubted Erhardt did. After all, the inquiry was a vague one. How long had it been since they saw one another? How long had it been since they fought together instead of on opposite sides? How long had it been since they thought of each other? How long had it been since their paths diverged in every bitter way imaginable? How long had it been since Erhardt cared for him?

If Olberic was intent on remaining vague, then Erhardt would meet him in much the same way. "Long," he started. There were a thousand other things he could have said, but none of them would have answered every question on Olberic's tongue in one fell swoop. "Too long..."

Olberic swallowed around a knot in his throat he had not realized was there until that moment. "I need to--"

He barely got those three words out before a pair of noisy shrieks pierced the air once again. Olberic flinched, resisting the urge to throw his hands over his ears and show weakness in front of his greatest enemy and oldest friend. They had been wrong to think the lizardmen had all been taken care of, it seemed. There were others, and they were approaching steadily and quickly.