Food Chain Chronicles: Cataclysm and Nightmares

To Quell a Nightmare

                    Her shadow whipped in the candlelight like a frenzied spirit desperate for escape from its shackles whilst her footsteps pattered rapidly down the stone corridor.  Heavy breaths and light curses accompanied the massive rumbling from the chaotic world above.  Dust and rubble fell onto Visia's bleach-blonde hair, which was pulled into a long, low ponytail that juxtaposed with her black cloak.  The ragged wear of the article clearly presenting the tale of her struggle to acquire the notes she held in her hands.  Finding the cottage in which it was held was an endeavor by itself, but escaping the razed lands without getting caught in the Nightmare was a hardship all its own.  Perhaps she should thank the Constructor for his role in distracting the opposed behemoth, though becoming targeted by one of his constructs could have just as easily proven to be her undoing.  She hated to admit it, being a woman of faith and science alike, but her survival on this journey was thanks to sheer luck alone.

                    The corridor lead to a stone wall devoid of any blemishes, a perfect structure.  Placing her palm against it, a purple gleam flashed from her hand, Visia twisting it to the right before the light crawled along each crevice of the wall like curious worms searching for their soil.  Once contact was made with the surrounding barriers, the wall came down in a surreal melting of stone and mortar.  Entering the next room hurriedly, blue torches lit the circular area and the exhausted woman was met by six other robed figures.

                  "Visia!"  A bald, dark skinned man exclaimed, breaking the circle and rushing to her, "I thought you had perished."

                  "I told you I could make it."  She pushed the notes against his chest and turned on her heels to rush out once more, "I have one more set I need to collect before we can complete the binds."

                  "You can't go back out there."  The man said, pulling on her shoulder to bring her attention back to them, "You need to rest.  One of us can get them."

                  "We don't have the time for me to explain to you where they are."

                  "You might not-"

                   "Morus."  Another man called to him, quickly closing the distance between them.  The bald man faced the paler, full bearded sage, who gripped Morus' collar and pulled his head down, the man placing his lips to his ear.

                   "Don't let your feelings for her get in the way of what's important."  His words were hushed, a faint whisper into Morus' ear, the man simply closing his eyes and nodding in response.

                   "At least let me accompany her, Ardus."  He compromised, "We're both versed in the Magatic arts.  We can defend each other if nee-"

                    The earth rumbled viciously, roars and eruptions of crashing forces vibrated through the room, the occupants swaying and stumbling from the disruptions.  They were starting to grow accustomed to this.

                   Ardus stared at the two younger mages, the older man pursing his lips and running his fingers through his beard before shaking his head.  He reached out and snatched the notes from Morus' hands and looked to Visia, "I don't have to tell you again, do I?"

                   She shook her head, "No. I'll never forget.  If we can help it, let them fight."

                   "Good.  Cause if Pecan Swirl or Hungry Patient even lay eyes on you, and we don't get the notes back here in time, the realms are doomed."

                 Thunderous steps and outstretched hands accompanied Pecan Swirl's attack, the behemoth rushing headlong into Hungry Patient's barrage of fiery projectiles.  The beast tanked each shot, the force and pain doing nothing to halt his assault.  His eyes were on the source of the attacks: a metallic seven foot construct that was planted firm in the ground, an angular base with a spiked rod jutting from the top and a wide circular chamber pointing forward that was delivering the powerful blows.  Roaring out as he cocked his arm back, Pecan fired it forward, but his target shattered to pieces before impact, the sharp shards flying up in all directions.  Grunting out, Pecan turned on a dime and held his hands out, a deep blue energy encasing him in a semi-circle.  A blaring force crashed into the energy, courtesy of a giant axe that was crushed down upon it by another descending behemoth.  A shockwave ripped up the ground around them, destroying whatever structures still stood.  The shards that were once the turret began to circle around the crushing Hungry Patient before he grinned bright, his white teeth contrasting his dark skin and unkempt goatee.  The shards pummeled into the axe, adding another layer to the blade, and doubling its size and strength, causing Pecan's energy shield to crack from the pressure.  The giant warrior opted to forgo the shield, releasing it before it shattered and hopping just out of the way.  There was no time to retaliate however.  The axe's shards began to reconfigure, shaping the giant blade into a massive, crushingly powerful hammer.  With a powerful swing to his left, he connected clean with Pecan's abdomen, the monster grunting out and wrapping his arms around the weapon and planting his feet firm.  He held his ground, Pecan pulling hard on the weapon, the likes of which Patient was unwilling to release, and swung it and its user over his head across the arena.  With a heavy drop, Patient was grounded, Pecan falling to one knee and breathing out heavy.  That strike did more damage than he anticipated...