Unbound

Chapter Four Hundred And Sixty Six – 466

Chapter Four Hundred And Sixty Six – 466

Where have you been? Pit screeched. It inundated him the moment he slipped from the darkness and into Pit's core again, a wind that bent trees and sent insects and small creatures scurrying.

Felix flinched as he landed on the soft, leaf-strewn ground. Whoa calm down. It's been like ten minutes. What's wrong?

It felt...bad. You hurt when you left, and I didn't like it. Pit took several gulping breaths and the wind died down. Outside, Felix could feel him shifting his paws on the Gnome's lap before finally settling down. What did you do, exactly?

Made a phone call. Felix landed among the trees of Pit's core, and through the hollows in the twisting trunk he could see the arguing forms of the Knights and Gallants. Pit was still sitting in the lap of the Prioress, and he was staring out at a map of some sort that had been projected into the center of the room. Oh that's neat. Looks like the map my Stronghold can make. Does that mean this place is classified as the same thing?

Pit gave a warbling shrug.

Probably does. Hm, can you get closer?

Pit laughed inwardly, hiding the reaction with a shake of his jowls. Felix felt a small hand pat his doggy head. This lady is holding really tight.

Alright. He could make out a good amount of detail, still. The Redoubt itself was composed of four towers of varying heights, easily identifiable by the darker striations on the dun-colored stone. The wall around it were two fold, with a smaller inner wall around the towers and another, even taller one around the outside of the fortress. Felix was familiar with the former, as he and Pit had scaled it in order to get into the meeting, but the full extent of the outer wall was illuminating. A solid quarter of the Redoubt was connected to Bogfeld and its own mostly wooden walls, while the remainder of the structure jutted out into what was once a small plateau. Now it was a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water and the bush-like tops of trees. This also meant, however, that if there were still threats in the town, then they could reach them through the dry streets of High Side. In fact, a few red blobs were somewhere off in the city itself, ambling aimlessly among the flooded residences and broken shopfronts.

How can we fix this? That was the thought that kept running through his head. Felix knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the reason for Bogfeld's "Troubles" was his own actions. Sure, he hadn't set off the chain reaction that unleashed an entire sea into the Scorched Expanse, but it wouldn't have happened had Felix not been there. No. Instead we'd have an army of unstoppable Paladins doing whatever they pleased. Interfering was the right decision, I know that. Felix leaned against the braided trunk of Pit's core tree, pressing his forehead against its rough bark. But I have the power, and we're ahead of schedule by a day or so. I can help.

While Felix committed the map to memorynoting all the features he could of Bogfeld, the Redoubt, and some of the PrioryKnights argued with the Menders, talking back and forth about how they wished to deal with the "intruders." He was both surprised and delighted when they came to the excellent decision of sending out someone to parlay with his people. Felix was just about ready to reach out to Harn and change the plan, when the bells began to toll again.

His angle wasn't great, sitting in the Prioress' Gnomish lap, but he could parse out the layout of the fortress around them as well as the growing series of red blobs that were amassing at the northwestern wall. The creatures had simply appeared out of nowhere, and their numbers were increasing rapidly.

The Knights scrambled, Covain and the Knight Commander taking lead and directing their captains on where to go. Gallants followed after, the Knights' pour cousins, with Mana swirling in their channels. The Menders around him stood, one of the last to leave the chamber, but Felix paid them no mind; because, for a brief second, a deeper, darker red marker had swelled beneath all the others before vanishing. The Prioress stood, holding Pit softly around the middle, and afforded Felix a final look into the projected Mana map. He didn't see the deeper crimson again.

Pit. We need to get out there, Felix sent. Now.

Got it.

"How shall we assist, Prioress?" Dahria asked for the rest of the Menders. The lot of them had their inscribed staves out, the sigils already glowing with green-gold Mana.

"Have the triage tent moved to the center of the northern courtyard, away from the western walls." Alessa jabbed her tiny hand at some rushing Knights, halting them in their tracks. "You and you, assist my people in moving the sick and injured along with the tent."

"But"

"We are"

"Your citizens are wounded and in danger of death," she snapped, and despite the Knights both being tower Humans, they cowered beneath her glare. "You will aid your people, or I'll see to it your Knight Commander strips you of your rank this very instant."

"Go. Do as she bids."

The Knights jolted, noticing the figure to the Prioress' side and knuckled their foreheads. "As you will, ma'am." They rushed out, followed by the majority of Alessa's Menders as watery roars filled the air outside the warded threshold.

"Thank you, Tris."

"Your healing is worth a great deal more than your ire, Alessa." The Knight Commander looked after her Knights, more of which were running from the warded chambers. The ground quivered as monsters still attacked. She frowned. "I hope we will not have need of either today."

"As do I," Alessa admitted, brushing a lock of white hair from her youthful face. "We shall do our best, regardless."

The frown deepened on the Knight Commander's face. "Why are you holding a Dire Hound pup?"

Alessa smiled, still holding the russet Hound in a cradling carry. He twitched, his legs kicking a bit as he growled at the ruckus outside. He seemed riveted on the door. "A stray I found in your tower. Do you recognize him?"

"No, but the kennels are often full to bursting, and with all the refugees," Tris' face tightened as the words trailed off. "Still, it should not have been allowed inside. I'll speak to the Captains and find out who was on guard duty."

Alessa grimaced, trading a brief look with Dahria. "Come now Tris, surely no one needs to be reprimanded for a single stray"

A tremor shook the entirety of the tower, sending Alessa crashing into the Knight Commander just as the projected map burst into blinding light.

"Blighted Night!" Tris exclaimed at the same time. A wave of foul, unearthly buzzing tore through the chamber, it's dire passage tearing sparks from her ancestral armor. More than one of her Knights fell back as their breastplates burst into brilliant, emerald flame. "Fire! Gallants, suppress!"

Alessa, however, fell to her knees and the pup in her hands kicked with a sudden, terrible Strength. It landed several strides away, and the Prioress watched in dawning amazement as its fur wisped into static electricity. That buzzing washed against it, almost visible, rippling its russet fur into...feathers?

"Damn it," the Hound said.

"What?" Dahria said, almost dropping her stave.

"What?" the Hound asked, before gasping. "Whoops!"

Run, Pit! A voice from nowhere shook through the Prioress harder than the beast's discordant bellow. Now!

Covain shouts. "That's no Dire Hound! Monster! Monster in the chambers!"

"Good idea!" the HoundPitshouted, before taking off like a loosed arrow. A flurry of Skills chased after the beast, from shadow jaws to water lures to even small crossbow bolts, and all of them missed. They weren't even close, the beast dodging each and every one of them with an erratic grace that Alessa couldn't track.

Covain was screaming. "Close the door! Trap it!"

Run for it!

Alessa winced; the voice was screaming at the edge of her Perception. A Knight just on the other side of the door slammed a gauntleted hand into a series of red-lit glyphs. The array was crushed, and a thick, steel door dropped from the ceiling with all the finality of an executioner's axe.

And with a burst of lightning, the small beast ripped straight through it.

"Wow! That hurt!" Pit shouted, trailing pieces of clinking metal from between his feathers. "You didn't say it was gonna hurt!"

You ran though a steel door, dude! Yeah! It's gonna hurt.

Armored Humans and Orcs and Hobgoblins leaped for them, but Pit was too fast. Skills smashed stone tiles and fluted columns, missing him by entire strides in most cases. The real threat ended up being the Gallants, who kept throwing patches of sticky stone or conjured tripe wires in front of him. Pit actually had to try and avoid those.

"Gah, I thought the mages were bad!" Pit chirruped in annoyance. "And what was that back there?"

It felt like Dissonance! Felix growled. If there is another Primordial around here, I'm going to lose my shit. Find a window and jump out. We need to get free.

"Stop creature!"

A man in rusty armor stood before them, blocking their path forward at the edge of the long corridor. A wide, arched opening was just beyond him, and Pit could see the chaos unfolding just outside the walls. The lotus on his breastplate gleamed in the torchlight. "Halt! Or I'll stop you!"

Pit didn't stop. More Knights were rushing from behind, hurling spears and arrows all imbued with Skills at his back. So the tenku did the only thing he could, accelerated to incredible speed and body slammed straight into the Half-Elf mage.

"WAA!"

Together, tenku and mage tumbled out of the arched window. Venali screamed, but Pit's back burst as his Mask finally fell away. Huge wings erupted outward, his Body resuming its pony size and regal, perfect head...and just for fun, Pit borrowed a little something from his Companion.

Hey! Those are my!

"ARMS!?" Venali screamed, as black scaled appendages materialized out from Pit's underbelly and seized him by his polished breastplate.

Mantle of Tumult!

"Whoa, stop screaming please," Pit said. Lightning spun off of his true form like a storm cloud. "It's very loud."

"Wha-but, what?!"

"Oh those? Those are my Helping Arms!"

You're welcome.

"AAAAAAAAH!" was all the Half-Elf managed.

"Ugh, the screaming." Pit banked around the towers, still dodging the volley of glowing arrows that chased after him. But if he had been quick on the ground, he was greased lightning in the sky. "I'm gonna drop you off, Venali."

Gently, Pit.

"Yup!"

Pit slalomed through projectiles, Mana swirling around his crackling wings before diving down toward the festival grounds. People were running, terrified of the monsters at the gates and now shouting in alarm at Pit's descending form. There, among the stalls and wagons was a displaced mound of hay where children had been playing. Several of them ran from it, scurrying into the worried arms of their parents, but thankfully Pit sensed none remained in the pile. "Dropping you now!"

"Waiiiiiiiit!"

Felix's arms released the mage at Pit urging, and Venali only let out a brief wail before he tumbled unceremoniously into the pile of hay. With a mighty flap of his wings, Pit arced back upward. He could see beyond, to the city on their left and straight ahead where the waters churned like rapids. Creatures with dark scales, bright, glowing eyes and lashing tentacles slammed against the fortifications. It was almost fully night, but they were easy to see for Pit, let alone for Felix.

Let's go to work, Felix sent. Pit screeched in response, an affirmation and joyous battlecry in one. In an instant they flew over the walls, gathering greater and great speed...and bounced hard off of a prismatic shield of Mana.

"SKREEEAAWW!"

Pit fell onto the battlements, slamming into the stone hard enough to crack it, and the storm shroud around himself burst in a cascade of vibrant light. Knights and Gallants were everywhere, converging on the spot with Agility that belied their bulky armor, and they surrounded the Chimera with drawn weapons and menacing expressions.

"Do not move, creature!"

Pit let out an apologetic trill. "Sorry, Felix. I thought we'd go right through."

"Kill the beast," snarled a Knight, holding aloft a halberd that glowed a vibrant blue and stepping forward...only to find a hooked blade at his throat.

"Anyone that touches him will die," Felix said softly, and carefully flexed his Spirit. It spilled outward like a slap in the face, driving the breath from everyone within a hundred feet. "Put up your weapons. All of you."

The halberd and other weapons retracted, Mana vapor vanishing as Skills deactivated. Pit let out a cheerful chirrup, and regained his feet. "Good choice! We're mighty, you know."

"Pit."

"What? We are!"

A seismic bellow blurred the air, forcing every single one of them into a wincing flinch. From the waters just outside the shimmering shield rose a massive creature of vile proportions and dozens of oozing, goopy limbs. Water and its smaller brethren fell from it like foul debris, and Felix whipped his hooked sword away from the guard. "Get those weapons back out, folks. And open a hole for me. We got a monster to slay."

"I can't do that!" Halberd-man sputtered.

The oozing tendrils smashed into the barrier, sending flecks of red crazing across the shield and shaking the battlements beneath them. Felix shrugged. "Unless you wanna fight it alone."

The young Knight dropped his halberd and fumbled with a glowing brooch. An array of floating sigils manifested from the item, shining with the same glow as the shield.

"Smart man." Felix held his hooked blade in one hand, and brandished a short dagger in the other. As the Knight twisted the brooch, an iridescent gap opened in the shield before them. "Pit! That's our cue."