Grendilton: Rise of the Shadows

18 | Chapter Eighteen

His Savior

"What the hell are those!"

An ink-like smoke surrounded the headquarters, leaving flickers of purple to trace along the foggy surface. A low ghostly murmur whispered in Connor's ear, sending chills down his spine, creating a disheartening thud to push against his chest.

With their backs against one another, Connor, Iza and the three Summoners from before stood before the dense cloud of smoke while Shaz went to get more help.

"We need Logan," muttered Alex, oscillating water in between his fingers, with his walrus swaying back and forth, summoning bubbles of water to appear.

"Think she'll be fine?" Lexi said with a croak in his throat, releasing a cascade of flames across his chest, hearing his wolf growl in the murky fog. He watched Shaz sprint upstairs, switching his focus between her and the threat in front of him.

Connor had no idea and feared that Shaz might get blindsided or subdued by a shadow. Inhaling deeply, he pushed back his negative thoughts, clenching his fists together tightly, feeling his pulse ravage with fire.

"She'll be fine," replied Connor, taking a step forward, locking his eyes on an unspeakable terror that rose from the ground. "She's stronger than she looks."

Accompanying the bone-chilling murmurs was a weird creature, morbidly coloured and unevenly proportioned. Under the harsh midday light that sieved through cliffs, the shadows appear transparent.

But when it limped along the ground, taking cover under the shade, its skin became a faded copper. Its arms were substantially longer than its body as it dragged along the ground, still stuck in the land from the waist down. The very familiar purple eyes were still ominously haunting, streaking death and misery across them, with its left eye hanging out of the socket like a ball and chain.

"We must keep them away from the beasts," said Huxley, conjuring to his side a giant teal sphinx. "If they get out — then these monsters aren't the only ones who will be in pieces."

Suddenly, one of the shadows began to lift its arms over its head with its chain-like eye starting to toss and twist. With lightning-fast reactions, the creature rushed towards Connor. Its razor-sharp claws were only mere inches away from his gut, but a flurry of ice halted their movement, shattering on impact, sending the shadow flying backwards.

Iza leered at Connor and smiled. "I got your back."

The words of the exuberant ice sage gave Connor comfort, giving him a small nod before diverting his attention back towards the shadows. Their numbers began to duplicate with more rising from the ground, each one letting off that same haunting murmur.

Appearing before Connor's feet was a yellow hex, creating a burst of lightning to revolve along his body. The heat of it all bore through his skin and into his veins, causing him to wince in pain. You've got this.

A large cluster of shadows rose from the ground, staggering in movement. Two of them darted at Connor with its claws pointed outward, similar to a spear. They were halted, blocked by Iza who summoned a clout of ice at their lower bodies.

"Chomp them up, Ivan!"

With a howl echoing in the area, a giant wolf skimmed along the frost, pouncing at the shadows trapped in the ice. The sounds of flesh-ripping apart could be heard, followed by a blood-curdling growl. About a few creatures shattered the ice around them, escaping for a brief moment before Connor sent a lightning bolt straight towards them.

Once again, the murmur echoed around them. Peering beneath Connor's feet was another shadow, appearing almost invisible in transparency. If it weren't for Lexi's quick reactions, the creature would have done some significant damage. The coil around his arms began to glow, twisting themselves into two daggers that Lexi held tightly in his hands.