XIV

There were at least ten more of the smaller rock monsters coming for Yoreno. He had hit two out of the air, the third smacking him against his rune-reactive armor, but with so many more about to lunge at him, Yoreno wouldn’t be able to dodge or strike them all.

He thought he heard Mai scream something.

When the explosion hit, he closed his eyes and raised his arm over his face in defense. The force of the explosion knocked him off his feet as little rocks pummeled him. He rolled to his knees and got up. The larger rock monster was lumbering toward him even still as Dell and Lev screamed at it.

Another arrow flicked off its hard stone body as Yoreno ran forward. The little rock monsters were in pieces from Mai’s magical explosion, but their bodies—though in separate pieces—were tumbling across the sand as they rejoined to their bodies.

“Damn!” he cursed.

Now that he was farther head, Yoreno was able to glance up the pathway. Everything looked clear. They just had to get past these rock monsters to continue on the pathway.

Glancing back, he saw that Dorrin was leading the horses.

Dell slashed at the big rock monster. It turned, its movements slow and bulky as he sidestepped and slashed at it from the other side.

As the monster was attacked from multiple angles, it didn’t know which enemy to pursue, and was confused. That was good, Yoreno thought. They could keep it detracted long enough to run past. The only problem was those little ones.

Two more came his way, pushing up sand violently as they travelled under the sand. They jumped and he batted them out of the air, their bodies breaking and rolling about.

This style of fighting, or fighting this style of monster, rather, was not good on his blade’s edge. They needed batons and shields.

The rest of the little ones were close to being active again after regaining all of their parts. “Mai!” Yoreno called. “Hit the little ones again!”

“All right! Everyone—watch out!”

She called out an invocation and another magical projectile appeared from the crystal in her staff and shot forth.

The explosion sent up sand and rocks and little monster bits everywhere. Yoreno put his forearm over his forehead to protect himself from debris and sand raining down all around him.

The sudden explosion and stinging spray of rocks and pebbles startled the horses. They whinnied loudly, their eyes rolling about as they reared.

“Whoa!” Dorrin called. “Easy! Easy!”

Lev ran to him, took two of the horses and calmed them while Dell ran toward the wall, the big rock monster lumbering and shaking the ground with every step. Its height had to be at least double the height any of them could stand.

“Come on!” Lev yelled, and pulled the horses forward past the backside of the big rock monster with Dorrin and Mai behind.

They pulled the frightened horses across the sand, their hooves kicking up debris and little bits of moving monster parts. Yoreno grabbed his horse’s rains. “Mai, distract the big one so Dell can get out of there.”

“Right!”

He took her horse’s reigns as well and then she called out another spell. Yoreno was worried it would wound Dell if she hit too close, but the power of her magic, he realized, was considerably less than it had been before. When it exploded on the monster’s back, it rocked the creature somewhat, but only enough to get its attention.

It lumbered around and made its way toward them, the little ones preceding it.

Dell sprinted forward, his shoulders swaying heavily with every stride across the sand.

“Run, Dell!” Sorika called. “Run!”

He wasn’t going to make it.

The little ones were going to pelt him from behind. Yoreno called out in frustration, mounted his horse and wheeled her around before kicking her in the haunches.

He rode up to the other knight and screamed. “Get on!” Then Yoreno wheeled his horse around. One of the little rock monsters lunged out of the sand right toward him, but he ducked down against his horse’s neck.

She whinnied, fighting his control as Dell jumped onto the back of the saddle. He kicked her haunches again and the horse carried them to safety where the others were waiting and mounting their own animals.

“Come on!” Yoreno called, galloping past them.

“That was close!” Lev called from behind.

Dorrin said, “I can’t believe we made it out of there.”

“Oh…” my said breathlessly. “We did pretty good, I think.”

“Hey, Yor,” Dell said from behind him, his breath heavy. “Thanks for getting me out of there. I thought that thing was going to turn me into butter.”

“It almost did!” Sorika snapped, a note of anger and worry in her tone.

“Mai’s right,” Yoreno added. “I think—even though we didn’t kill those things—that we did pretty good!”

They rode for some time until their horses began to slow, their breathing labored and heavy. Dell slid off his saddle and Yoreno followed.

They all stood about, glancing about for any signs of new monsters, or, unlikely, pursuit by the rock creatures. They were too slow, and the big one wouldn’t be able to pursue like the little ones.

There was nothing, no sound, no noises from behind.

“I think we’re in the clear,” Mai said.

“Yeah,” Dell added.

“Man…” Lev said. “I lost a lot of arrows. What’s worse is that I didn’t manage to kill a single thing.”

“I’m sure you’ll get your chance later,” Sorika said. Then she rounded on Dell. “What do you think you were doing?” She put her hands on her hips.

“What?”

“You used yourself as bait and got yourself cornered!”

“Yes, but—“

“You could have gotten yourself killed, you damn fool.”

“Sor—“ Lev began, but she cut him off with a finger.

“I’m talking to Dellwyn!”

“Whoa!” He put his hands up. “All right.”

“Sor,” Dell said. “It was nothing. I have you guys to watch my back.”

“And we did,” Yoreno added at the risk of Sorika rounding on him, too, but she didn’t.

“He’s right,” Mai said. “Of course it was risky, but we were all at risk and watching out for each other.”

“Like we always do,” Dell said.

Sorika said nothing.

Yoreno was aware that she had a lot more to say, though, and that she wasn’t saying it. Probably because the rest of them were there.

“Fine,” she finally said.

Mai nodded. “We’re all fine.” She put a hand on Sorika’s shoulder and the other girl nodded.

“Let’s keep moving,” Yoreno said. “There’s still some daylight left.”

“I’m so tired,” Mai said. “All those magical castings wore me out.”

“We’ll rest soon, Mai” Yoreno told her. “I promise.”

“Oh, all right then!”