13 Tha A-Team (1/2)
”Dean... where's your falchion?” Luca asked.
”Um... I threw it away,” This was an oversimplification of the actions I took that led to me losing the sword, and I knew I needed to explain further to avoid Luca's criticism, but all I could think to say was, ”But I did it to save Aura...”
Luca gazed at me sideways in a how-could-you-throw-your-weapon-away look that promised me I would get lectured later. Honestly, I was the big brother and yet my little brother did all the lecturing.
”So... what were you planning to do when you proposed a team-up... punch him to death?” Luca asked with heavily dripping sarcasm.
”Well,” this time, I was appropriately sheepish when I said, ”I was hoping you'd distract him while I get my falchion back.”
Luca shook his head and then sighed. It was a double dose of disapproval.
”No need to worry, Luca,” while my brother and I were arguing Aura had walked over to my other side. ”Here, Dean...”
She handed me back my falchion. When I tried to take it, she held her grip on it to say, ”Thanks for saving me.”
Her voice was a soft whisper only I could hear.
”You saved me first...” I blushed. ”But... you saw?”
She released her hold on the sword hilt. ”It was a neat swing, but it curved down a little too much.”
”It did the job okay though, right?” I was grinning now. At least someone appreciated my heroics. Besides, Aura healed me enough that even the blurriness in my vision lessened.
”Lucky shot, if you ask me,” Edo stood on Aura's other side. He gave me a disapproving glance. ”Don't miss next time.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. For Edo, that snide remark was his version of high praise.
”Um... I'm happy to see you're okay Aura, but, can we focus?” Luca suggested. He drew his shadowblade from the sword hilt of his broadsword. ”That guy looks like he's getting restless.”
I glanced over at Azuma who was continuing to survey our quartet with an amused smile, which in hindsight probably meant a terrible thing as the Azuma I fought earlier didn't have a hint of enthusiasm showing on his face.
”I get it now... you're just a battle freak, aren't you?” I guessed.
Azuma's gaze fell on me. He cracked his neck sideways. Then he stretched his shoulders up and down like he was about to exercise.
”I think of myself as a competitor,” he reasoned.
”And you think you can take all four of us on?” I nodded toward my companions. ”Even the big guy over there?”
”I told you... I'm a competitor,” Azuma crouched forward and raised his spear forward with both hands grasping tight on each end of the spear's pole. ”I'll take on all comers...”
It was a credit to my companions that I didn't need to order them around. They knew exactly what to do next because we'd drilled it many times before during that hellish week of training Aura forced me into.
Aura pulled back to a safe distance and readied her staff for firing more Firebolts while Edo moved to the front of us with his own stance mirroring Azuma's. Meanwhile, Luca and I moved to the sides so we could flank him or defend as necessary. This cross formation was something I cooked up back when I first considered our team composition and our strengths.
At the same time as we moved into our places, I yelled, Qwipps, are you there?”
He responded with, ”Varda's alive!”
I guessed as much because I remembered the impact that sent Varda flying came from the flat of Azuma's spear, not from the shadowblade's sharp edge. And since Varda liked to wear dwarven made chain mail underneath her robe, I expected this high-quality product would save her from the worst of Azuma's attack.
”Is she conscious?” I asked.
”Barely!” he yelled back from somewhere on my right.
The fog was still around and the visibility was low past a few yards away.
”Get her out of here and back to the southern hillside. I need her to cause another mudslide!” I yelled. ”Take your whole squad with you!”
”Mud, Dean! What about you?” he asked. ”There are still a dozen Magesong bastards on this side!”
”We'll handle it... go!” I ordered.
I heard a ”Muddamit!” before the buzzing of five gossamer wings began. Then Qwipps and the rest of his squad along with a half-conscious Varda in tow hightailed it back to the southern hillside.
”Was that wise?” Concern creased Aura's brow.
I wasn't sure. It all depended on Azuma and how he felt about his soldiers fighting on the other side of the hill. If he knew what Varda's mudslide did the last time, then...
”Leeroy!” Azuma yelled. ”Don't let that dwarf cast another spell...”
”Yes, sir!” someone answered, and immediately afterward, the group of Magesong soldiers on this side ran past our position without sparing us a second glance. Azuma had obviously trained them well.
Luca looked sideways at me. ”Did you know that would happen?”
”A good commander wouldn't sacrifice his men when he can do something about it,” I answered, confidently.
”High-praise you have of me,” Azuma responded.
The rain cut out suddenly although the clouds continued to glow as lightning streaked across the sky.
We all glanced up. It was time for round two.
”Yeah-yeah... let's get started already,” I said, understanding that the sooner this fight was over the sooner I could head back and command my troops. Besides, Azuma was our only obstacle to victory. ”Edo!”
Both Edo and Azuma charged through the wet, uneven ground, but while Edo swung for Azuma's head, Azuma, who was smaller and lower to the ground, hacked at the inner side of Edo's right leg just above his steel boots.
Clang!
Edo was no amateur. Once he saw where Azuma was aiming he immediately lifted his foot and blocked the shadowblade spear tip with his steel boot. The blade's magical property seared through the steel but didn't penetrate it. But while Edo's foot was raised, Azuma used a leg sweep maneuver with his foot to tag Edo's other leg and unbalance him.
Edo went down on one knee, but this wasn't much of a disadvantage for such a big guy. He sent his glaive in a sweeping arc around him to protect himself from a follow-up attack that never came.
Azuma had bypassed Edo and charged toward Aura who was directly in front of him, and this is where the cross formation I created showed its true worth.
On Azuma's left flank was Luca with his broadsword raised to strike. On Azuma's right was me with my falchion arcing up from the ground. Luca and I called this the Heaven-and-Hell combo which saw us pincer an enemy from the sides and cut him into mincemeat with horizontal slashes from both a downward and rising angle.
Azuma reacted instantly. He stopped mid-charge and repelled both mine and Luca's swings by twirling his spear around to block each strike as it came at him.
Geez, was this guy superb at battle, I thought inwardly while he knocked my shadowblade back. Still, I wasn't too worried. I said the cross formation would show it's worth, right?
Our distraction kept Azuma still long enough for a Firebolt to hit him in the face.
Boom!
A tiny explosion engulfed Azuma's face, probably searing his skin.
”Argh!” he yelled.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Aura didn't stop with one successful shot. She fired Firebolt after Firebolt at Azuma's body with each swing of her Hearthwood Staff like a fire dancer from another world.