Unbound

“No no no no.” Archie was pressed up against the fireplace, its carved beard pressing hard into his spine.

“Archie, it’s gonna be fine.”

“No it’s not. You haven’t seen her, man.” The Gnome—Delven—was taking large, gulping breaths. “She’s unstoppable. She’s like—like death walking.”

“Kid.”

Felix looked away from Archie, to where Harn was standing by the window. Garish orange painted his dented armor in blooms of light. Harn jerked his chin toward something in the distance.

“Siva’s Grace,” Vess cursed with a sharp gasp. “The walls are aflame.”

Felix moved swiftly to another window, and pulled away the now-tattered curtains. There, just around the edge of the inn, he could see the city gates, and they burned like a giant’s bonfire. Flames bigger than houses roared into the night, belching dark smoke and enough sparks to contend with the snow that still swirled down. He didn’t have direct line of sight on the entry point—too many buildings blocked the way—but his Perception picked up the familiar clash of metal, flesh, and panicked shouting.

“Damn it.” Felix spun toward the door.

“What’re you doing?” Archie demanded.

“Don’t be a hero! She’ll kill you! A whole army tried stopping her and they could barely slow her down!”

Felix smiled and put a hand to Archie’s shoulder. “Just stay here. My company will keep you safe.” He straightened up, a plan forming. “Pit. Vess. Beef. You’re with me. Evie, Tzfell, and Laur stay with the Claw and listen to the commander. I’ll need you all on high alert. Harn, if you see her coming this way—”

“We’ll run,” the man finished for Felix. “Ain’t stupid enough to let pride kill me. I’ll keep ‘em safe, kid.”

“Thank you.” Felix spun on his heel and threw open the door, his friends close on his heels.

The streets were full of chaos. Gone was the idle bustle and in its place were screaming throngs of men, women, and children. Panic gripped them all, spreading fires pushing some to stampede down narrow alleys while others were frozen in place by the titanic sounds of battle…and an incredible amount of spiritual pressure.

Felix and his friends ran across the rooftops, easily managing the gaps between wide thoroughfares as easy as narrow side streets. As he moved he seized every fire he spotted with Cardinal Flame, smothering them all without mercy. Vess sent spears of silver flashing outward, pinning through rock and timber before structures could collapse on fleeing innocents, while Beef’s conjured walls of chitin diverted them away from the worst of it ahead.

“So many people are hurt,” Beef shouted from atop his Multipede. Hallow’s Homunculus form was wrapped around his chest and the Sharpwing Matriach flew just above them. “Should we—?”

“We need to stop the Unbound first,” Felix insisted.

Pit had long ago changed back into his tenku form, his lithe body bounding from roof to roof with ease. “I see something!” he shouted.

Five streets down, Felix saw it too. The gate into the city was still burning, and in the wide cobblestone square before it, Dwarves in dark armor fought against monstrosities.

“Are those Trolls on fire?” Beef asked.

“Look how they are grouped, how they run…They are fleeing something,” Vess said.

“My bet is on Imara.” Felix flashed his Voracious Eye, confirming his suspicions. “Sun Trolls. The fire isn’t doing anything to them except making them more angry. Everyone, stop.”

They landed atop a third story terrace at the edge of the fighting, and Felix drew deep on his Mana. Two Skills sounded within him, accessed with his Affinity and shaped by his Intent. He wanted to use Chanter techniques for this one. Acidic Mana streamed from his palms and mouth, swirling and congealing in the air above the battle, until a cloud of virulent green formed. It flashed once before letting loose a deluge of acid rain.

Rain of Cataclysm!

Hand of Calamity!

He shaped the falling rain, directing the liquid destruction directly upon the Sun Trolls. They screamed as it ate into them, extinguishing the flames in their fur but eating into numerous wounds just below.

“Unleash!” Felix commanded.

Golden crescents, silver Spears, and crystalline daggers inundated the Trolls. Ichor gouted into the air as limbs were severed and bodies impaled or straight up blown apart. Beef went so far as to land among them, smashing Bedlam into the earth. The ground trembled, casting several Trolls to their knees just as Hallow’s Multipede smashed into their ranks.

In seconds, the Trolls were obliterated.

The Ironclads and the Watch fell back, their warriors exhausted and bewildered by the turn of events. Felix and friends landed among them, quickly catching the gaze of a familiar captain.

“Mr. Veil?” Doric shouted, pushing past his men.

“Here to help, captain. As promised.”

“Aye, sir. I can see that.” The captain huffed a laugh. “I hadn’t expected—”

The alarm gong rang once again. Someone was beating it rapidly, almost chaotically, as a sharp whistling sound filled the air. Felix jerked back, and Beef shouted.

“Down!”

The watchtower exploded as a ball of liquid sunlight hit it from beyond the wall. Stone, shingle, and Dwarves were evaporated, leaving nothing but a melted hole in its place. The alarm had been silenced forever.

Doric swallowed. “I hope the rest of your men are on the way.”

The gate finally succumbed to the flames that ate at it, falling in an avalanche of charred wood and melted stone. Through that hellscape walked a figure, her armor cherry red where it splashed carelessly through molten stone. The armor itself was spiked and bladed, bristling with weapons at hip, chest, back, arm, and legs. She was…huge. Taller than Felix or Beef by several feet, she was built like a mini giant of steel.

Whoa, Pit sent.

Felix silently agreed. Imara had a greatsword slung casually over her shoulder, held in a single enormous gauntlet. The blade rivaled Darius’ barn-door sized sword for width and had to have been at least eight feet long. He couldn’t see her face—it was covered by a full helm that only had a slot for her eyes—but her attention wasn’t even fixed on them. Felix could sense it in the air, an Intent so focused it was all but palpable. An insane pressure followed her, doubling the feeling that blanketed this section of Birchstone. It shoved at all of them like a mountain had climbed onto their backs. The Watch and Ironclads fell to their hands and knees, while Felix and his friends grunted with strain.

“No wonder they call her Titan,” Vess grunted through her teeth.

Voracious Eye!

As happened infrequently when he Analyzed stronger beings, there was resistance to his Skill. This was…more than he’d ever experienced before. It lashed out, as if alive, attempting to dig claws into his Mind, but Felix shoved it right back. A deep, sonorous howl tore through him, something he knew he could only sense in his Mind—and the world burst into gold. A flash of light and concussive force blasted at him, exploding like a tiny bomb in his face.

Felix jerked back, pain surging across his Body as his Mind reeled.

Name: L032 ERROR_FOUND

Race: Gigas

—ERROR!

Voracious Eye is level 95!

No name. Just a Race. Gigas. Everything else was beyond him and his Skill, even a true estimate of her advancement. He had only grasped the edges of it, but she was clearly beyond any Grandmaster he’d faced.

Felix threw a handsign for his people, but shouted for everyone’s benefit. “She’s too strong, everyone back up! Ranged support only!”

Vess, Beef, and Pit gave him firm nods before retreating. The Watch ignored him altogether, clumped around their lieutenant. The Ironclads, however, looked to their captain.

Doric was breathing heavy, the incredible spiritual pressure weighing on him. He was having a hard time standing. “You’re staying? To fight her alone?”

“Yeah.” Felix didn’t take his eyes off the Titan. She had stopped advancing and was waiting with her sword held in a low guard. “I have to.”

Doric nodded. “Men! Pull back! Ranged attacks only!”

“Aye sir!”

The Ironclad pulled back as orderly as they could, though some struggled to stand at all. After a dozen paces they moved more freely. Felix noticed that the captain, however, refused to back away.

“Doric—” Felix started.

“We bring the fight to her, yeah?”

Felix met the captain’s eye. The guy wasn’t going to back down. “She’s a Grandmaster,” he said. “Maybe stronger.”

“I don’t see you running, Mr. Veil.”

Felix gritted his teeth. “I—”

“Fire!” the Watch Lieutenant shouted, and his men unveiled a ballista that they’d rolled out of somewhere. A massive, spear-sized bolt screamed through the air, so fast it left a trail of silver metal Mana gleaming behind it. It took the Titan directly in the chest.

“Charge!” The Watch Lieutenant screamed, and his people ran. Their armor must have boosted their speed, because they moved faster than Felix expected. Pikes, halberds, and spears converged on the enemy, all of them wielded with a fury so strong it stained the air with its song.

They didn’t even reach her.

Felix’s Perception strained to keep up, but he saw it all. That greatsword shone gold as Imara met the first ranks with a horizontal sweep, decapitating all of them. Then, ignoring the ballista bolt embedding into her armor, she thrust her sword up into the air, which sent golden-yellow rockets of light and heat outward. They shot out in perfect, straight lines that ripped through their armor and chests, leaving only gaping holes behind.

To everyone else, the Watch fell as one. Dead.

“Go,” Felix insisted. A frigid chill tore up his spine as he considered Imara’s power. “I’ve got this, man.”

The captain’s jaw clenched so hard Felix was afraid the guy would bust a tooth. “Fine,” he said, backing up. “We’ll support from the back. Archers! On my command!”

Behind them, the Ironclads hadn’t been idle. Each and every one of them bore monstrously heavy looking crossbows, each one almost as big as a single Dwarf. They lined up their shots, arrows gleaming with swirling magic.

The Titan advanced, stepping carelessly on the corpses of the Watch. She crushed them to paste beneath her armored boots.

“Now!”

A cascade of light fell onto Imara, each one bearing a heavy steel quarrel behind its magic. The few remaining Watch members even managed to shoot another ballista bolt. All of them hit, each erupting into binding vines, clinging frost, dark jaws of shadow, or sharpened spears of metal. The Titan’s form was obscured by the chaos of so much Mana, but it was clear she lurched to a stop.

Doric lifted his hand. “Archers! Reload!”

Without warning the Titan moved.

Holy shit she’s fast.

Felix barely had time to act before she was on top of him, her sword swinging around him at the Dwarven captain. Her incredible reach plus the six-foot blade made it easy…but Felix wouldn’t. He shoved his palm upward, smashing into Imara’s elbow and forcing her blow askew. It tore through the air, whistling and sizzling with magic, but missed Doric entirely.

“No,” he growled and his eyes surged with crackling light. “Your fight’s with me.”

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