Of Blood and Loss

VI: Niruith

Morgan noticed that they were headed into a dust haze, the fortress began to crumble and tumble down to the base of the hill. At some points, Hercules even had to dodge dust before finally bringing everyone to a halt. The deteriorated exterior of the walls of the hold were beginning to form an avalanche of dust, stone and marble. They had to head back a little to avoid breathing in the storm of dirt amd century old stone. "What the fuck is he doing?" Hercules scowled out. Achilles eyes danced around, his mind at work trying to figure it out. The laughing had stopped; not that they could hear it against the loud groans and creaks of an ancient earth being ripped from its roots.

Morgan looked around, the very ground they stood on had began to crack and and quake, getting thicker and larger as it began to reach the hill. Finally, the ground let out a huge crimson cloud; as if the world itself poured out a geyser of blood. The cloud formed an orb around the existing fog of filth. The red smoke danced around the dust like a skater on ice; small flakes of red ash drifted aling with the smoke. It spun faster and faster. Dust around Achilles and Hercules had begun to kick up, causing them to hold their arms in front of their faces. Hercules glanced at Venus, she was staring at him; pain ridden in her eyes.

The bloody ash had finally faded away, leaving the dust to begin to settle and clear, yet none of them could see through how thick the smog is. Morgan caught up to Achilles and Hercules, he couldnt hear what they were shouting at. The ringing in his ears from the harsh, brash wind hadn't ceased its rampage. It felt like it was echoing around in his skull. Hercules' shouts and calls were just empty noises, no different than the trees dancing in the wind. Until a single noise penetrated the echoes.

A groan. A scream. It was low and earthen, the sound of the world itself roaring out; yet near the end of the cascade it was sharp and high, like metal ripping at each other. Like two titans clanging swords. A desperate, terrible screech.

The nightmarish roar had cleared the boys head; only to be met with an awful silence. The soft sound of dirt tumbling down, a soft breeze running from beneath his legs toward the hill. "GET BACK KID" Hercules' barks finally met Morgan's ears, but it was too late. The boy's eyes were overpowered by two balls of light. Two searchlights glaring deep inside and beyond him; scanning his soul. He was met by a familliar fear. Morgan was entirely still. He recognised that fear more than any love, pain or happiness before. It was so vivid in his mind he felt catastrophic, the words "No no, gods no" repeated around in his head.

The roar echoed out again, shaking the trees to the roots. The sky was full of birds escaping. The dust began to settle, as an outline began to form. The hill was still there, except it was lifted up by something. Something that harboured two terrifying eyes. Morgan began to search the outline, and found two awful claws. Two fat pincirs, each about the size of its body. It was this pretty pink/orange colour, a sunset that held nightmares. The dust was truly settling; The hill and castle say atop the beast, its grass and roots draped over the monsters face, just the eyes and two feelers remained. Things began to click in Morgans mind, it was a Hermit. It began to lumber forward, scuttling unnaturally fast on small, thin legs.

Everyone moved out, but Morgan couldn't help but feel lightheaded. This new beast wasnt nearly as fearsome, but its roar was even louder than Egalitith's; and now he has to fight it. Achilles grabbed Morgan's arm as he ran past with a smile. Niruith had lifted its claw, it groaned and showered dirt as it was beginning to striked down.

As he ran closer and closer, Morgan slid to the side of it at the last second. Hercules launched a slug into the side of the claw, yet it left no mark nor budged in its smash. Morgan scrambled onward, catching up to Achilles and Hercules up ahead. Venus stopped for a second and fired into the beasts face, but it was clear she would have to get a lot closer to deal any damage. Niruith already had its other claw raised up, ready to smash again. Achilles waited for the right moment before unleashing a stream of lightning, managing to force the beast's arm to the side using its own strength. He was lucky. Morgan took the opportunity to leap onto the claw, carefully placing his hand between each razor sharp "tooth" that say in the middle.