I think we were getting close to the tunnel’s end, though it was difficult to tell in the dark, when I heard movement behind us. Whatever was making the noise, they sounded large and numerous. Tertiums perhaps, or something worse. I had very little desire to find out which it was and Elmidath seemed to feel the same way, as she picked up the pace without me saying anything.

Despite our increased speed, whatever was behind us was catching up. The complete lack of visibility limited how fast we could go, at least if we wanted to avoid breaking a leg in one of the many uneven dips found in the tunnel’s floor. Our pursuers were getting close when we finally stumbled on the tunnel’s end, discernible by the faint light coming from the hole we’d fallen through.

Elmidath stopped, breathing heavily. “Now what?”

“I guess we look for a way out.”

That was what they’d promised us after all. Assuming they were actually telling the truth, which was far from certain. I went right while Elmidath went left, feeling our way along the small chamber’s walls. From what I could tell, I was nearing the end of my circuit when Elmidath called out. “There’s an exit here.”

Wasting no further time, I hurried over to the sound of her voice and we continued through the tunnel. Heavy footsteps and bestial grunts came from behind us, spurring us on. They were so close now that I could smell the foul animal odours of our pursuers, almost certainly Tertium if my senses were anything to go by.

The path beneath our feet, which had been largely flat up to this point, titled dramatically upward and we could see light coming from ahead. We were both running for it when Elmidath slipped on the steep incline. I caught her before she could fall, and dragged her along. Starlight streamed from the exit ahead, revealing Elmidath’s injuries. Her right shoulder was badly swollen and welts blackened her skin. Terrible as they were, this was no time to rest and we continued our flight. The Ortisfel’s minions were right behind us as we burst out onto the surface and turned to confront them.

Shotensho came easily into my grip as a pair of Tertium charged forth from beneath the ground. I cut into one, sending it toppling back down while the spear Elmidath conjured impaled the other. Our attacks served to slow the advance of the rest, but I could already see more struggling to emerge. Unsure of how many we could handle on our own, I decided it was best to retreat. “Run!”

Glancing over to make sure Elmidath was fleeing, I stood my ground. If things got too bad, I could always teleport to her. She was slower than me anyway, particularly with her injuries. Now that she was clear, I dismissed her from my mind and focused on the oncoming Tertium. The first to scramble up the incline caught the point of my blade through its chest. I twisted the weapon, attempting to pull it free, but it was stuck on something.

While I was struggling to clear my weapon, another Tertium climbed to the surface and threw itself at me. I freed Shotensho just in time to intercept its scything claws as they swiped at me. My blade struck its arm, stopping its momentum and nearly severing the appendage. Howling, the creature grabbed at me with its good arm. I’d grappled with more than enough of its kind for my liking and I slipped back out of reach before it could get a hold of me.

It shot after me, looking to bowl me over with brute force, just as I’d expected. I stepped to the side and delivered a powerful cut. Slicing through its belly, its entrails spilled out and I left it to expire on the ground. In the time I’d spent confronting this forerunner, three more Tertium had emerged.

Despite my success so far, the odds had just gotten a whole lot worse. Without Shotensho’s power, confronting several of the Tertium at once was a losing proposition. Especially when I could already see more of them working their way up from below. Thus, I abandoned all thought of victory and concentrated on slowing their advance.

To that effect, I cut great horizontal swathes through the air before them with the intent of driving them back. Given the ferocity with which they fought, I was far from certain it would work, but they did indeed retreat. However, it wasn’t long before one of them tried to get at me between swings. Rather than jumping back and giving them space to do as they pleased, I stepped forward and to the side, relying on the other Tertiums to get in their companion’s way.

They stumbled over each other, furthering slowing those below ground that were still trying to shove their way free from the narrow opening. While they were distracted, snarling at each other as they tried to regain their feet, I took aim and removed one of their heads. It collapsed to the ground, twitching and further impeding the others. For a moment, I really thought I could hold them back by myself.

My hopes were soon dashed, when I misjudged my next strike and narrowly missed another Tertium. Before I could raise the blade once more, the beast was already inside my reach rendering my only weapon useless. That was it then, I was beaten. Not waiting for the Tertium to tear me asunder, I returned to Elmidath with a thought.

Burdened by her injuries, which could only have been made worse by our exertions, she was still outside the wall of darkness when I reached her. I immediately lent her my arm and helped her along, all too aware of how quickly the Tertium would swarm us given the chance. Looking back as we went to judge our enemy’s progress, it soon became apparent that they were going to catch us again before we could reach the darkness.

“Can you fight?”

“If I have to.”

There were at least a dozen of them behind us, far more than I could hold back with just a sword, so there weren’t a whole lot of choices available to us.

“We turn on three then, alright?”

“Got it.”

Watching over my shoulder, I timed my count so that it reached three right when they were almost upon us. We whirled around in unison, dealing death to the Tertiums. In one great swing my blade severed an arm and bit into the owner’s chest, while Elmidath let loose a flurry of scarlet spearpoints that tore into the beasts. By the time I’d readied my weapon and was lining it for another strike, she’d dropped three of them. Not to be outdone, I threw myself forward, heedless of the reaching claws of my foes.

Skipping off my armour, they dug into my exposed flesh but I struck true and cleaved deep. By then the Tertium were massing around us, and I was forced back by their sheer weight of numbers to Elmidath’s side. She was reading a group of tenuously connected points for another lethal wave, when she staggered and her creations fell apart.

For an instant I thought she’d fallen to enemy action, but there were no new wounds on her. I caught her with one arm as she fell, leaving me defenceless. Shielding her limp body as best I could, I tried to make a break for it, all the while knowing I’d never be able to outrun the Tertiums while carrying Elmidath. With no time to look back, I ran toward the darkness.

Several of the beasts soon outpaced me, racing past and cut off my retreat. With no way around, I stopped before them and set Elmidath down that I might use my sword. I was staring them down, determined to sell my life dearly, when the Tertiums froze in place. Baffled, I continued to stare for a few moments but they scarcely moved a muscle.

Resolving to question my good fortune later, when it was safe to do so, I lifted Elmidath once more and carried her around the Tertium line. As I was passing, one of the creatures stepped out to block my path. I was trying to raise my blade, when I realized it was just standing there. It looked me up and down, then grinned at me, exposing a mouth full of razor teeth. “Consider this a final parting gift.”

When I continued to stare in stunned silence, the Tertium shooed me away. “Hurry along, you’re running out of time.”

“Thanks.”

I gave the Tertium, or rather what had to be Tanith controlling the Tertium, a nod, before fleeing with Elmidath.