FrivYeti/CalinPg13
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Bryce began to circle around the clearing, Amanda backing away. The serpent hissed, watching him, and the hobgoblins split into two groups, curving around on either side of him. He frowned, glancing left and right, gauging distances, and then leapt into action.
Ignoring the hobgoblins for the moment, Bryce dove forwards, rolling under the first blast of darkflame. He sprang to his feet, stabbing outwards, but his spear skittered across the serpent's scales without harming it. Cursing under his breath, he sprang to one side, avoiding the sweep of a star-shadowed wing. The serpent rolled forwards, its great head stabbing downwards, and Bryce leapt back, swinging his spear like a club to ward it off. As he did, a hobgoblin swung at his back, its axe glittering in the sun. Ducking easily underneath the blow, Bryce stabbed upwards and backwards, and the hobgoblin screamed in pain, the force of the blow sending it falling over, slamming into a tree. Bryce didn't have time to smile, however, as a heavy tail came slamming down towards him. As he rolled out of the way, he saw a plume of flame lancing down towards him, and, stopping his roll with the haft of his spear, sprung backwards, feeling the heat of the dark flame on his cheek. Another swing of the spear struck home, and the serpent roared in pain as black blood flew.
Bryce landed on his feet,taking stock, and glared at the serpent. "If that's the best that you can do, monster, I'm unimpressed." He set himself to charge again, but spun in horror at a cry from the right.
"No, you fools!" As Bryce spun, he saw the Fair Folk noblewoman dashing towards the two hobgoblins who had been curving around. Disdaining Bryce, they were advancing rapidly on Amanda, their axes raised to kill. She had her spear raised defensively, in shock. Bryce moved faster than he believed possible. Using the haft of his spear, he vaulted into the air, pulling the spear up behind him and curving it above. Using his full weight, he landed on the first hobgoblin spear-first, plunging it directly through the monster's head. As he did so, he snatched the silver axe from the dying brute, sending it spinning to the right and arcing into the flesh of the second hobgoblin. As he did so, he felt a rush of power, and a sense of approval, coming from the hearthstone in his spear. This is what we were made for, defending those who cannot defend themselves. The second hobgoblin staggered, looking down in shock at the weapon buried in its chest. In that moment, the noblewoman reached it, slapping it across the face with a scream of fury.
"I gave a promise, you pathetic spawn!" She clenched her teeth. For a moment, the clearing was silent, and then she turned to Bryce, bowing low. "I apologize for what nearly occured. It will NOT happen again."
Bryce nodded stiffly. "It is good to know that you hold to your word, raksha." The word bubbled up from somewhere deep within him, and he was rewarded by a look of surprise on her face. He set himself, and nodded again. "Now, where were we?"
The noblewoman smiled, drawing her own sword at last. "I suppose it is time for the endgame. I never expected to see one such as you here, and you have fought well. But my Lord's creatures are powerful indeed." As she spoke, the three remaining hobgoblins, although injured, charged as one, prefaced by a blast of flame. Bryce curled around the flame, using it to guard his flank from the first hobgoblin, then bit off a cry of pain as the second drew blood with a long curve, ducking under the third. A golden disc glittered on his forehead as he rose, stabbing his spear through the heart of one hobgoblin before spinning and cutting a second across the chest. The Fair Folk noblewoman, her sword high, was dashing towards him, and he prepared to try and avoid that as well, knowing that his wounds were starting to slow him down.
In that instant, however, a fox leapt from the undergrowth, clamping its jaws around the Fair Folk. She screeched in mingled pain and frustration, stopping her advance to stab down at the animal, but it dashed under the blow and sprang up again, raking its small claws across her chest and taking hold. As it did so, Bryce acted, stabbing out again to catch one hobgoblin on his spear, then spinning it into the last hobgoblin and leaving the two collapsed in a pile on the ground. The serpent opened its mouth wide, dropping down towards him, and he backflipped away, leaving him safely a few feet from it. He leapt forwards again, before the serpent could rise, and stabbed his gleaming golden spear deep into its neck. It reared back, hissing in agony, and unfurled its wings. With a single push, it took flight, fleeing towards the north. Bryce spun towards the Fair Folk woman, as she kicked the fox off her and aimed another sword thrust at it. It fled into the underbrush, and Bryce watched it go with bemusement. Lyandara turned back to Bryce, and frowned. "It seems that we underestimated you, sunchild. Watch your back." Before Bryce could reach her, she spun and dashed into the underbrush. For a moment, he considered following her, but instead turned to where Amanda was still standing, shivering.
"Are you alright, Amanda?"
Amanda didn't answer for a moment, and Bryce frowned. It was only when he raised his hand to check a wound and found it glowing with faint golden light that he realized why.
"Bryce... what did that spear do to you?"
