Stormlands ( Book 2 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: All in a Days Work

Graiden watched as the snake fell, and held his breath as Avris flew away. He shouted towards his soldiers, and they redoubled their efforts. Graiden turned to move towards the direction Avris had flown, but stopped, glancing back towards the balcony.

"Lugaria!" he called, squinting towards where the man had fallen. When he heard no response, he started for the keep without hesitation, worry building in his chest. Before he could make it to the door, he heard a slithering, wet sound.

Graiden stopped and pulled his weapon back to his hands. He heard a few screams, and watched his men slaughtered by the gigantic snake as it slithered over the wall like a wave. Panic gripped him as the snake arced for him with hatred in its eyes. It was bleeding, torn apart by Avris claws and it's mighty fall, but it looked upon the soldiers like its anger was all that kept it fighting. His spear flew from his hand and struck into the side of the snakes mouth as it lurched forward over rubble and dead men.

Its movement was so unnatural that Graiden could barely step aside from its staggeringly fast approach, and he only had a fraction of a moment to right himself with his weapon poised, as it turned, and shot for him again.

He caught the creatures fang on his spear and twirled aside, but was not quick enough to block its tail, which smashed him face first into the stone. He felt his nose crush, and tasted a warm and gushing flow of his own blood.

He heard a series of yells, of his men coming to his aid and he heard them die. When he found his feet again, he glanced to the hesitant soldiers and healers. "Stay away!" he yelled, "Get those men to the heal—" before he could finish his sentence he was back on the defensive again, stepping as far as he could to the side to avoid being caught up against the building. He ducked low to avoid the fangs, and shuddered as they carved gouges from the stones above him. He stuck out with this spear thrice, and left a series of holes in the snakes hide, as he stabbed in, acidic blood splashed out, and covered his armor, strong enough to eat though the enchantment that deemed it unbreakable.

He kept moving, deftly dodging its every strike and watching its tail carefully until he had walked the giant thing in a circle. His back was to his men. He knew he could not back down. Not after the power this thing had displayed. If it escaped, he was sure that it could easily wreak havoc on Aughk'tor, and he had come here to end this.

Its fangs flashed for him again, and they struck through the leather at the tip of his boot. He huffed out a terrified breath as the end of his boot was town away, to reveal a sock that still held a complete foot. He struck out, opening a criss-cross of slashes across its body and speaking quickly under his breath to imbue each of his strikes with radiant energy.

The snake-demon hissed and recoiled, curling up in a circle. As its head reared, Graiden saw a deep, bleeding wound on its side, and took a chance. He hefted his spear with one hand and threw it forwards. The weapon sank into the already open wound, and as it stuck, the soft glowing light tore the wound wide, and he watched as the snake shuddered.

Before his weapon returned to his hands, the snake struck again and though he tried to dodge he felt one fang slice down his back. He felt a dizzying burning sensation as poison seeped into his veins, and felt his body begin to lock up as that pain spread throughout his limbs. His spear returned to his hands, and the rings upon it clinked together.

He struck out once more as the snake reared again, and drove his spear between its eyes as its fangs pierced his chest. As he fell back, he heard the clinking of the gold rings upon his weapon, and as his vision faded, a smile crossed his features.

*

Lugaria panted as he pulled himself up, dragging his useless leg with him. Whatever this creature was, it was not solely a snake. Nothing of this plane had a poison like that. He sank his fingers into the cracked stone bricks beside him, and watched as the snake struck for Graiden.