Phelain Starr

Scrutinizing azure eyes swept the chamber, focusing on the hollow. The giant Ratsin came in striding casually. A tint of curiosity in its body language. Before the eyes fell on the Sixty, Phelain noted that the screaming from giants’ lair had gone silent. Pressure. That was the next thought from the arisen warrior. The considering look that followed a twitch of surprise felt palpable. There was a sensation of weight pressing down on his shoulders just from the stare. They froze and it watched.

A wet snuffle that gargled down to the throat before the monster reacted. It screamed an alarm through the entrance behind. One quick, short roar was the response. When the giant rat faced them again it was with a wicked grin. It roared with lusty pleasure and pride. The beast beat its furred chest in celebration. All the while flexing and snarling in a predatory display. The air became saturated with abominable clamor.

Then the giant charged. Azure energy billowed from its body like a dust cloud. Mad blue lightning dancing along the crystallized spines. Phelain felt the stone rumbling beneath him from the weight of each step. The arisen warrior grimaced as the Ratsin approached. Filling their entire field of vision with its size. Fear. He felt the dread sinking into his bones. Hector trembling beside him. Phelain balked. Rejected the feeling. That white light within ignited. A vow never forgotten. Sword and shield raised as he prepared to fight. Running wouldn’t be enough.

“SPLIT AND SCATTER!” commanded Malachi. “Initiate Fighting Retreat! Warner, our teams will provide the cover!” Their leader called out the pre-arranged orders. The Sixty broke free of their shock and began splitting in two. Leon tossed up a massive barrier to slow the monster down, but one lash of an azure fist shattered it. Buying them nothing as the Ratsin maintained their racing pace. Molly’s voice snapped in the air and purple energy flung into the rat’s eyes. It snarled and fumbled into a trip. As it tumbled, the raid group was given enough time to split out of the path. The Ratsin passed between them.

When the giant came to rest, it leaped up and threw a tantrum. Stone broke at the beast’s feet. Meaty fists beat at the purple cloud harassing their eyes. There was a violent flare of blue as the energy manifested outwards from the body. Phelain flinched and closed his eyes. In the dark of his eyelids, there was still the glare from the blue. The roar from the Ratsin forced him to open them again. The rat panted, but the purple curse was gone.

Phelain shifted forward a step, wanting to meet the monster before it could charge again, but that wasn’t his duty. He clenched his jaw as the white fire within him churned for a release. The arisen warrior was forced to watch the parties of Malachi and Warner rush in to do what he wished to do. With an effort of will, he turned back to his party. Augmented by the rest of the fighters, their job was to continue moving towards the opening. Get the vulnerable into the tunnels before more giants could cut them off.

He angled his people to shelter healers with a curving line. A few people were set to watch the Giants’ Lair and Phelain held his team on the side that faced the monster that had already appeared. Slowly they backed up towards the entrances with wary eyes. The arisen warrior wanted to help the others, but he couldn’t. He would have to discharge his duty first.

The giant Ratsin got one step in before the Sixty began their assault. Malach led those who were chosen to stay behind. Primed to slow the beast down if not defeat it outright. A rainbow of lights streaks between monster and people, a rain of Mana empowered arrows. They pierced and exploded on impact. The effect was negligible. It roared into the incoming fire and blue ooze scabbed over the wounds quickly. That didn’t stop the archers, their laughing commander only pushed them hard. Arrows began to concentrate on anywhere vulnerable. Phelain saw a green arrow slip up a nostril. The explosion within stopped the rat in its tracks to rub at the irritation. A scream of frustration battled with the mad chortle of the redhead.

Spells boomed into life, flashes of color, and weighted words. Large violet shards sliced into the right foot of the giant. It howled at the mutilation and shrieked again when Jorgenson’s gray-green wind descended upon the head. Using the moment of distraction, the attacking group moved between the giant and Phelain’s group. The frontliners pressed forward, weapons gleaming with Mana. As the electrified wind faded a fur scoured face was revealed. Raw red flesh with slits where blue blood bled. It snarled in rage and azure flames dripped from their fanged jaw. When the monster roared, a stream of vile fire streamed forward. Mana shields expanded from the shieldbearers, their stances dug in but skittered backward across stone by the force of the flames.

Molly’s spell summoned purple needles that slammed down into the skull to break off the attack. The little slivers began to dig in as the Ratsins scratched at their own flesh. Deep rivulets of azure blood flowed as the monster dug out or shattered the purple needles. Enough sunk in that it flailed in pain. Lashing out wildly at nothing.

An orange streak led a charge forward to the stumbling beast. Phelain felt a surge of envy and awe as Warner leaped. Catching ahold of the Ratsin’s spines, the brawler climbed upwards. Bursts of energy flashed as melee strikes ravaged across the monster’s body. The big man arrived at head level and threw a punch that flared orange on the chin. A blow that spun the Ratsin drunkenly onto one foot. Malachi captured the opportunity by casting Barrier: Impale. Clear crystal spears tore upwards through the rat's foot. It fell back on an inhale of pain.

The Sixty dove in to pummel the prone monster, but azure light brightened. First as sparky motes and then a surge of blue lightning. Electricity formed a protective dome throwing back anyone that was too close. Warner’s cry as he was flung away was heard quickly. The brawler got back up with a sneer. Malachi called for another barrage of attacks and to pull back. More arrows and spells dropped down onto the Ratsin. Some were blasted away by the azure energy, but most passed through.

Phelain’s group was almost to the gate and Malachi was halfway when Molly gave the warning. Her spell was spent and the giant stood up. It looked mangled yet furiously alive. Blue ooze coated the numerous wounds, giving it an almost gelatin look in patches. It slammed a fist into the ground with a snarl. Stone powdered. A great deal of dust filled the air. The monster was completely obscured from view. Groans announced that many around the arisen warrior had their hearts leaped into their throats too. Seemed so impossible and cursed that something so big cool essentially disappeared.

He caught the glow of azure eyes. The Ratsin had shifted far to the flank. Worse, Phelain saw that the others hadn’t seen it yet. Blue flames began to gather as the arisen warrior called out for Leon and Russel. The rest of his team followed him as he recklessly stormed ahead in a desperate hope to do something. Anything.

A beam of mad rage burst forward, a stinging bright blue. Acting on their party leader’s order a barrier was thrown up by Leon. Pure white half-dome that appeared over Malach’s group. The beam immediately dented the shield, sinking in as the defensive energy wavered to hold on. Barrier acolyte hissed as he tried to maintain it as long as possible. Even shrinking the shield so it could focus on blocking the point of impact. It lasted just long enough. As the barrier failed, the earth acolyte finished his molded wall of stone. Azure flame hit the shaped rock and was channeled to the sides. When the blue breath faded, the wall was heated to a dull red.

The Ratsin’s jaw closed, a last dribble of azure flame overflowing through the fangs. It looked down upon Phelain. His sword blazed white as he stared up at the monster. Standing at the point of his team, he felt pride. They had followed him once again. Needed validation. Reaffirming his faith in himself.

The arisen warrior knew he should feel afraid at this moment. A goliath of a beast stood over him with glowing blue eyes, fear would only be natural. He grinned, carefree. To him, this felt correct and true. Righteousness ignited within him and empowered his sword. The blade burned brightly. Shining defiantly because there was something wrong. Phelain stood before the monster and vowed to extinguish it.

He stepped forward and made a massive swing. Put all his effort into it to steal the initiative. The Ratsin was tilting downwards to look at them when the slash expanded. Becoming a massive wave of white flame. It bashed into the midsection of the beast, shifting a few steps. The mangled feet of the monster tripped up and it fell into a sitting position. White spread quickly across the mangy fur before sizzling slowly over the flesh. Phelain felt the flames within him dim by the use. Limited, but still more waiting in his chest

Hector was screaming to fall back, but his partner was the first to see the counterstroke. Ever aware of his surroundings even when panicked. The giant spun to its feet so that the gnarled tail passed along the stone floor in a great arc, a warding gesture that slapped aside anything near it. The tail came barreling towards them, all too close for them to escape out of range. Together the two shield wielders threw up a barrier. Defenses barely holding, they were pushed across the ground closer to the Ratsin as the tail came to a stop. An angry blue sun blazing around jagged claws rushed down at them.

His partner held up a shield bright with desperate Mana and Phelain thrust up his blade. Confidence breathed through his veins, the white flame thickening along the sword’s edge. The two forces collided. Hector’s shield crackled as the hand came down. The golden shield slowly breaking down under the pressure. Both were forced to their knees as the sword went up to the hilt. Purifying fire rushed in a wave around the wound, pushing the azure flames back from touching them. It ran up the arm as the Ratsin’s pleased snarl turned into a yelp of pain. The arisen warrior felt the fire within shrink again.

One more time, he thought. One more time I can lash out with it and then I go numb. It’s too new to last long… Phelain huffed and puffed as the monster backed away grabbing its half-burnt arm. The giant glared at the two of them, revealing those blue-tinted teeth threateningly. It breathed and roared at the ceiling.

Blue light began to emanate from the crystalline protrusions on its body. Mad energy that consumed the sight of the beast. There was only a black shadow to say the Ratsin still existed within the mad flames. The stone around it began to warp, not like from heat, but as if the solidity was thrown into question. Reality becoming less firm around this singularity of rage. The angry blaze took a step and the firmament quaked. Air shivered and the stone rippled. It took another and everything shattered.

A wave of thunderous sound and stone shards spread away from the monster. It came like a storm bank, warbling sounds trapped in a cloud of sharp rocks. Slowly the effect seemed to approach them. Crawling forward and devouring the gap. One moment they were outside the storm and the next it was all around them. The shards of stone slammed against them, yet it seemed the same rocks over and over. The pressure grew stronger and the thunder louder. Phelain’s feet began to lose grip on the ground as even his thoughts were deafened.

The storm of sound and rock lifted the arisen warrior up. Tossed him into a tumultuous fury, where up and down lost meaning. Phelain looked for Hector, hoping for his quiet support. All there was to hold on to was the white warmth in his chest. He tumbled in the air, rocks slashing him from every angle. Some passed by like comets while others were just in the path he was traveling. Cuts and scrapes added up until drops of blood rotated around him in orbit.

When the wave ended, it was abrupt. One moment Phelain was hanging in the air and the next slamming into the ground. He looked up, seeing a changed landscape. The good news was that the storm had pushed the Sixty closer to the tunnel back down, but the bad news was everyone was left in various states. His eyes caught the shine of new blood on several people. He coughed, the air was dusty. The arisen warrior stood up to test his limbs. Finding only soreness and mild pain where his wounds pulled. Others could stand up, but too few. A tremble ran through the ground.

The giant Ratsin croaked into the air, the normal brassiness of its voice dusty. Still, the sound carried, intoned with a feeling of satisfaction. It looked dwindled, muscles deflated and azure glow dim; yet the rat thing looked very pleased. Grinned savagely as the scattered force of the Sixty. Slowly, like a victory lap, the monster strolled towards them. A promise of wickedness in the twitch of the claws.

Malachi’s voice roared over the battlefield. Raw and rugged as he commanded an organized retreat. Whoever was standing was trying to move towards someone down, but there was too much confusion. Too many people were still disoriented. Recovering too slowly from the aftermath. Phelain looked at the coming giant and knew there wasn’t time. There was never enough time and they needed help now. The thought surged through him. Galvanized his Mana within. The white fire surged strongly through his limbs. There was still one major use possible, but the arisen warrior promised the Sixty it would be enough.

“I’ll help,” vowed Phelain as he turned away from the tunnel, from the Sixty. His sword blazing like a tail behind him as he charged towards the grinning beast. He wasn’t alone. An orange streak roared beside him. Warner screamed joyfully in his battle fury. The arisen warrior joined in. Crying out a challenge so that the Ratsin would concentrate on the two of them.

The beast roared a welcoming challenge. Azure eyes looked at them with the certainty of a victory already claimed. Phelain couldn’t quite blame the beast for the confidence. Two men rushed a giant. Bloodied and roughed up. They didn’t look up to the fight, but neither slowed. If anything they sped up, Warner laughing viciously.

A wave of blue power slashed across their path. The arisen warrior threw himself to the outer side and dipped under the arm to keep going. Warner bashed through. Orange exploded at the impact and the monstrous wrist cracked wetly. Bent horribly, the claws were always snapped towards Phelain. He had to tuck in his head to dodge the arm as it lifted out of the brawler's way. The obstacles out of the way, the big man took two huge bouncing steps before leaping upwards to tackle the Ratsin in the chest. The beast rolled with the impact and tried to slap at the mad man clinging to the rank fur and flesh.

Phelain charged at the shifting feet. His goal to give people time to retreat guided his thoughts. He raised the white fire blade towards the ankles. With a great and careful effort, the arisen warrior used a trickle of the power left in his chest. A downward angled cut, a line of white flames boiling azure blood. Parting foot from leg. He skipped out of the way as the Ratsin fell on its knee. Unable to stand on the bleeding stump.

The giant snarled at the arisen warrior. It struck with the broken arm, forcing him to back away. Warner took the moment of distraction to dive at the unmarred hand. The brawler landed on the wristed and raised his hand in a chopping gesture. Orange light gathered as the Ratsin turned to look in time to see Warner’s hand slice through the thumb. The beast screamed and thrashed. While writhing it managed to toss off the big man. Phelain shifted over as the other man stood up with a grin, still holding the severed thumb.

In a gesture of disrespect, Warner lifted the thumb like a spear and tossed it at the crippled monster. The blue stabbed into the chest of the Ratsin before dropping to the ground. The big man chuckled derisively.

Cocking his head, the arisen warrior heard in time Analia's voice in the air. Deafening and clear. Phelain warned the brawler just before a massive ball of gray-coated darkness passed over their heads. It slammed right into the middle of the abdomen. The giant howled as it dug into the flesh, the shh sound muffling everything like static. A few futile efforts by the Ratsin taught it that the orb couldn’t be pushed away. Parts of its hands had been dissolved away. The spell lasted long enough for the two of them to catch their breath. When the darkness faded, a hole steamed with exposed organs.

He saw the heart and was moving in the next instant. Warner was just taking a step when Phelain was halfway there. A great leap, white fire surging in his veins, and the arisen warrior was standing inside the wheezing giant. Its lungs were badly damaged, partially missing. His sword of white fire rose as if guided and pierced the beating organ. His thought descended into the warmth within and whispered to it, Bloom.

Fire came alive and spread quickly through the giant. Azure blood boiling as madness was purified by the white flames. Phelain leaped out of the way, exhausted and drained. The warmth was gone for now. Drowsiness had taken over the spot within his chest. Warner stepped up to him and slapped him hard enough to stumble forward. He would have keeled over had the brawler not also grabbed him for some celebratory shaking.

“Damn boy, that was a neat trick!’ exclaimed Warner as the giant Ratsin burned and crumbled into itself. “That thing caught up like a brush fire. You got some muscle now, kid!”

Phelain smiled back, happy to take the praise, but mostly his attention was on the rest of the Sixty. Their efforts had given everyone time to vacate into the tunnel. The arisen warrior made a note to himself to find Analia to thank her before sleep caught up to him.

The two of them waited only long enough to grab the core before rushing over to the others. There were roars and screams coming from the Giant’s Lair again. At least Phelain was rushing. Warner glanced over longingly.