139 The Plan that Failed (2/2)

I wasn't as physically strong as Luca, but my determination was at its peak. So, as I reached the second gate, I poured all my strength into that single slash, and — all I managed was a deep gash across the three bars I'd attacked.

\”Shit!\” I hissed.

\”Dean, move!\” Luca yelled from behind me.

I did as he asked.

And I was just in time too because Luca had launched himself forward with broadsword in both hands, and with a single sweep and a cry of, \”Wild Strike!\” he'd cut into the gashes I'd made along the three bars and sheered them in half.

There was an \”Oo~~oh!\” from the audience behind us. Hell, even I was impressed at my brother's reckless attack although I didn't react aloud.

\”Now, see here,\” Roselle began, but he was quickly silenced by Luca's second Wild Strike cutting into the lower half of the three bars, effectively opening a second hole I could jump into.

However, before I could go through the gate, a loud howl from behind reached my ears.

I glanced over my shoulder and watched as kobolds came flooding into the entrance we'd come from.

Enna and Pike were the closest to the door, and so they were quick to react, but I could tell that they would be overwhelmed by the new enemies if the rest of us didn't help them.

We were trapped, caught in a hard place between two very aggravating situations.

I turned my attention back to the rear of the corridor and watched as the kobolds were once again manhandling Ty and dragging him through a side door.

\”Dean!\” Ty screamed. \”Help me!\”

\”Ty, I'm coming!\”

\”Dean!\” Aura yelled behind me. \”We need you and Luca now!\”

\”Shit,\” I said, hesitating.

But Luca, after one final glance at Ty, had already turned around and doubled back to our team.

I cursed inside as I knew there was no way I could break through the third gate without him. To choose between my friend and my party, Luca had taken that choice away from me.

I watched Ty's head disappear through the side door, and I knew we had failed.

\”Roselle!\” I screamed. \”I swear you're going to pay for this!\”

I sent Roselle an angry glare that made the pixie take a single step back, his eyes with apprehension.

\”N-now you know what it feels like to have your things taken from you!\” he yelled through the bars of the third gate.

I turned my back on that fool of a pixie — promising myself that I'd make him regret crossing us a third time — and ran back toward my comrades.

\”Luca, Pike, clear us a path,\” I ordered as I ran back to the front. \”Enna, Qwipps' watch their back. Aura, Varda—\”

\”Spirits of the sacred flame, I call on you to ignite the fire inside these warriors.\” Aura raised her staff high above her head. \”Lend them your will of fire and send them your fiery blessing!\”

Aura's fiery blessing wrapped around Qwipps, Luca, Enna, and Pike like a glowing red aura, helping them intensify their attacks against our enemies.

At the same time, Varda pulled out a large pebble from her pocket and raised it forward.

\”Spirits of earth assist me in breaking bone, empower this pebble into a fist of stone!\” she chanted.

A dim yellow light radiated out of the space between Varda's fingers, and when she released the power from her hand, the pebble shot out of it, growing in size and turning itself into a boulder shaped like a fist.

\”Duck,\” Varda yelled.

As the others followed her suggestion, the fist of stone soured past their heads and slammed into three of the frontline kobolds, launching them back toward their allies behind them.

\”Muddamit, Varda! That almost hit the back of my ehad,\” Qwipps yelled at her.

\”I warned you to duck,\” she countered.

\”Enough talking,\” Enna interrupted.

She shoved her katana down on the chest of one of the fallen kobolds.

Then she glanced over her shoulder. \”You people talk too much.\”

She stabbed another downed kobold in the chest before the rest of them regained their footing, but by then, my team was already within range and we made short work of them.

Once the dust had settled and we were the only ones still standing, I glanced over my shoulder one last time to look back at the side door they'd taken Ty through.

\”Dean, we have to go… There are more enemies outside now,\” Aura said. \”We're out of time… we can't rescue Ty if we're going to get caught here.\”

I felt like I'd been robbed at the very last second. The frustration of it grated on my nerves. But, I wasn't about to give up. Not yet. I had one more trick up my sleeve.

\”I know…\” I said. \”Let's get out of here.\”