The world snapped into hyper-focus. The roar of the battle faded to a dull hum in my ears as my Agility-fueled perception took over. I could see the spit flying from the lead lizard's jaws, the strain of the muscles in Logan's neck, the way his axe, used like a shield, scraped against the creature’s scales, sending up a shower of sparks. The second lizard lunged, its claws scything through the air in what should have been a blur, but to me was a slow, deliberate arc of death.
My sword was already moving. I didn't swing; I flowed, the blade slicing through the tendons and muscle of the lead lizard's rear legs. There was a wet, tearing sound, and the beast’s hindquarters collapsed, its momentum carrying it forward into Logan’s unmovable defense. I saw Logan pivot, putting his entire weight into the collision. The sickening crunch of the lizard’s skull caving in was a punctuation mark on the maneuver.
My focus snapped to the last lizard as it landed beside me. I summoned the dead Player's shield to my arm a split second before it lunged. The impact was a brutal, jarring shock that vibrated up my arm and into my teeth, nearly tearing the shield from my grasp. I was driven back a step, the metal groaning in protest.
It didn't charge again. It lowered its head, yellow eyes tracking my every move, its tail lashing back and forth, kicking up dirt. It was learning. Hunting. I raised my shield, my sword resting on top of it, the point aimed at its throat. We circled each other, a deadly pause in the chaos.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
It feinted left, and my eyes caught a blur of motion behind it—Logan, charging in, his axe raised for a killing blow. The lizard reacted with impossible speed, leaping sideways to avoid the strike.
It landed exactly where I knew it would. I was already moving. As its feet touched the ground, I lunged, not with my arms, but with my whole body. The tip of my Jian found the soft spot behind its front leg, and I drove it home. The blade sank deep, and the beast went rigid, a final, shuddering breath hissing from its jaws before it collapsed.
Lesser Lizard killed – 25 XP gained.
Shit. The thought hit me like a physical blow. That was one for the gunners. Dammit.
The sudden, ringing silence was what broke the spell. The constant thunder of rifles had stopped. I risked a glance at the gun line. Every single SWAT officer was on their feet, their weapons lowered, their faces pale with shock as they stared past me.
They were all looking at the gate.
I whipped my head around. The low hum from the portal had become a deep, guttural thrum, a sound that felt like it was stretching the air itself. A giant, scaly arm, as thick as one of the lesser lizards, pushed its way through the shimmering blue curtain. It was followed by a monstrous, wedge-shaped head. The beast opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of glistening teeth, each one as long and thick as a grown man's arm.
