Deox Wars: Departure (Editing!)

Chapter Seven

        “Look for any weak spots, and use piercing attacks!”

The spider reached out a long leg to stab at Curan and Caladbolg, but Agnion blocked it, placing Svalinn over their heads just in time. The spider was fast however, and another leg was only barely dodged.

“You’re going to need a bigger shield.” The white wolf snorted.

“He’s right, Svalinn…” Agnion told his partner. “This thing is just too big.”

“Shall I strengthen your Guardian shield in Resonance?”

The white fox smiled. “Splendid idea.”

He took on the familiar glow of resonance, and his body began to change shape. His arms and legs grew longer, and his clothing took on a more familiar pattern.

“Agnion!” Hyli’s eyes widened in shock.

“He’s...an adult again!” Nikolos was just as surprised.

The fox spirit spread his arms wide, the shield expanding to match. He propelled the shield into the Negi, slamming it back into its web. The spider hissed, curling its dark legs over the round shield, but Agnion’s eyes flashed, and the shield burst into flames.

“That’s my guardian!” Hyli cheered as the spider recoiled with a squeal. It crumpled to the ground, legs curling upwards grotesquely.

“Guardians, I hate spiders.” Ascher muttered.

“Well it’s dead now, right?” Hyli whimpered as Agnion ended his resonance. “Let’s hurry up and get out of here!”

“Quetzal and Ash are our priorities,” Saniel agreed. “Let’s focus on them.”

“Hey, you included Ash!” Hyli’s tail wagged. “You do care about him after all, don’t you?”

Saniel only scoffed at her and stalked off down the path.

“You probably shouldn’t have said anything.” Dmitri sighed.

“Quetzal!”

The Drachen looked up from where he and Ash were sitting. Ash was awake, but his movements were sluggish, and his face was pale.

“Are you all okay?” He asked.

“We should be asking you that!” Wren shot back. “Passing out all the time like that, you had us all worried!”

“S-sorry. I just haven’t been feeling very well lately…”

“Why did you guys come back here?” Quetzal asked. “Did something happen!?”

“This world is crawling with Negi,” Saniel tossed her hair. “Powerful, ancient Negi.”

“You don’t say…” The Drachen frowned.

“Quetzal, you said you knew this world, didn’t you?” Ash asked.

The frown deepened. “It…doesn’t look the way I remember. But yes.”

He pointed down the path they’d first taken.

“There’s a…village down there, right?”

“Yeah!” Wren confirmed.

“So you really do know this world.” Acanthus nodded in approval.

“Yeah. And I also know someplace we can hide from the Negi, if we’re lucky.” The Drachen added.

“Then let’s go,” Ash struggled to his feet. “I don’t want to hang around here for too much longer anyway.”