Chapter 626 (2/2)

In an instant, Randidly produced Acri and used the Spear Advances, Ash Trails to rush forward and smash into the nearest wight that was dropping down. Screened by the moss dome, it didn’t see it coming at all and took the spear through the chest. Randidly felt the bones there shatter. Unfortunately, that breaking ripped Randidly’s spear out of the thing’s frame, and it flew backward with a howl before he could finish it off. The moss dome was quickly ripped to pieces and flapped away in the cold win.

Without the cover of the moss dome, rain crashed downward, inundating them all. But they were professionals. Silo dropped his strange empathy play and followed the wounded wight into the shallow water nearby.

Azriel hissed through her teeth. “So it was Zeitguard. And three. How… optimistic of them.”

With a huge movement, one of the Zeitguard spread its arms wide. Another pair of claws condensed, about triple the size of its true claws. With these, it slashed at Randidly. Grinning, he utilized his newly created When a Shadow Departs, Fireflies Dance. His body exploded forward, moving within the wight’s guard. Its eyes narrowed and the larger claws dematerialized even as Randidly thrust at the wight with his spear.

That energy swirled around and settled into its true claws, which it raised to meet Randidly’s attack.

As the Sun Stills.

The wight was smashed backward, its right claw shattering from the clash. But to his surprise, Randidly stumbled to a stop. His mouth twisted. He overpowered the other party, but this momentum was completely stopped. His bare feet skittered across the wet stone of the island. It only took him a split second to find a grip, but by that time the wight was back on its feet, its pale eyes filled with pain.

Its right claw was held close to its side. But before it could act, Azriel was beside it, and her spear went through its head. There was a sound like a scream, but also something like the noise a tea kettle made when the water was boiling inside of it. The body of the wight collapsed to the ground.

Randidly spun around. His Skill had only created three ember flies, and they seemed to struggle in the downpour. But two had made it over to the wight that was fighting against Skarch. She seemed to be faring relatively well, but still, Randidly used When a Shadow Departs, Fireflies Dance again to move towards the marked Wight.

This time, Randidly felt the strange boost. It felt like in addition to pushing himself towards the enemy, he could pull himself off of the mark left by the ember firefly. But just as he appeared in a shower of six more ember fireflies, the Zeitguard twisted strangely and used the strength from Skarch’s hit to move quickly away from the fight.

It shrieked as it was moving, and Randidly frowned as it avoided the Spear Roots he attempted to blindside it with. Raising its claw, it scratched at the air and ripped a hole. Within a second, it had disappeared into the other side of that portal and the rip closed behind it.

“Cheh, pretty good at running,” Skarch said with annoyance. Then she looked over at Randidly and Azriel and seemed to feel a twinge of guilt. “...sorry I couldn’t delay mine very long. Finesse isn’t my strong suit.”

Randidly and Azriel exchanged a glance. Thunder crashed above as Azriel shrugged. “...no, it is my mistake. I was well aware of Randidly’s ability to control an opponent, but I chose to go for the sure kill. Perhaps it was unnecessary, but-”

“Dammit!” Silo swore thunderously as he stomped back over to join the group. His shoulder was wounded, and he took a long swig of a health potion. “Although that one was wounded, it managed to escape with its life… still, it is an impressive accomplishment to wound one of the Zeitgard. They are notoriously slippery. Thank you for assisting me, Randidly.”

Randidly’s eyebrow twitched. What part of that was him assisting Silo…? Wasn’t the wound struck by him?

“It is enough that no one else got wounded-” Silo paused as he casually stepped around the crumpled body of the wight. Then he blinked. His jaw dropped. “Wha-... what?!?”

Azriel walked over to Randidly and patted his shoulder with a straight face. “Thank you for assisting me, Randidly.”