NEVER SPLIT THE PARTY: The Adventures of the Creeping Bam (BOOK 4: The Hunt)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: THELGAEWYNN

As I shuck my axe from the solar plexus of the folding body of the half-orc fighter, I step aside to let it drop beside me as I take in the corridor ahead, and the sheer chaos unfolding around me. Second level down, now, and it's as much utter chaos as the one above was, and again I'm a little surprised how many of Jammund's people there actually are down here. The longer this moving skirmish goes on as we try to press deeper, hoping we might be able to meet up with the others, or at least push through to them if they really are truly hung up, the more I wonder if they might've been expecting us. Like maybe Jammund, or more likely Vandryss, just decided to gather as many of their remaining forces down here as they could just in case we decided to come. Given I already killed six making my way down here and maimed a bunch more besides, I wouldn't be too surprised.

When Lady Naru got that message from Kesla, we were already in the thick of it, I had to jump to protect her when she suddenly went still while her last foe was still slumping at her feet after she cracked his skull with that staff of hers. She wasn't out of it more'n a few seconds, I'm sure, but when she came to again she was suddenly wide-eyed and a little flustered, like something very big had changed in that short time. Then there was a massive booming crash from somewhere almost directly above us, and the whole structure shook, loose dust from the ceiling wafting down around us while we all picked ourselves up again. The fight started up again the next moment as everyone remembered what we were actually about.

So I didn't hear about what actually happened until a few minutes later, when we finally had that level sufficiently brought to heel that we could take a moment to regroup. Kesla and Shay had gotten themselves into some major difficulties trying to make their way to us, and had used that little communication stone that Lady Naru made for them to beg for some help. Namely by sending Driver 8 into the building, in the most violent way he possibly could come. I imagine the whole theatre's in absolute chaos now as everyone panics and tries to get out as fast as they can.

Up ahead, Lady Naru's spinning her staff as forcefully as the width of the walls with allow her, warding off those around her as she opens ground to keep them from overrunning her. Beyond I see Zuldrad cutting his way through more, while I'm the closest on this side, while Brung and Darwyn are both doing their own work with those who've managed to get past.

If the halfling's still feeling any lingering aftereffects from her wounds and the subsequent wear, she ain't showing it now, moving with the exact same kind of quick, lethal agility that I've seen Art move with before now. It actually took me a few moments, when we first started, for me to realise this is actually the first time I've had a chance to really watch her in action, and I have to admit that she is damn good, as nimble and vicious with a blade as Brung, in fact. I have to admit, now I've seen just what she's capable of, that Darwyn really is something special, easily marking herself as just as talented a prowler as her friends.

As I take the moment to check on them both, I also notice she and Brung seem to work well together, almost seeming to move in some kind of elaborately choreographed dance as they weave around each other. Darwyn ducks aside after spilling the guts of one of her foes and then skips left to avoid the sword-swing of the one behind him, only for Brung to leap up at him while he's still fumbling from the miss and start cutting into him. Meanwhile she's already moved onto her next target. They clearly don't need any help from me.

But Lady Naru clearly does. I turn back quick and shove myself up into a powerful crouched run, holding my battleaxe low as I focus on the nearest of the wary, well-armed mercenaries clustered around her. Each still falling back from her spinning staff as she sweeps it about, looking for an opening which she's working hard not to give any of them, knowing it's only a matter of time before she falters once and lets them in after all. Which I ain't about to let happen.