“And I will lead them on a merry chase.”

Inception/Looper

I was flying! I’d managed to fall with style before but now I was no longer falling which was just a little bit important to me seeing as what was still chasing after me below. I had never managed this before but necessity is the mother of many successes. I had to do it, so I did. This gave me a little bit of time to plan. A line of corpses laid out in a line along the course the tangle had taken as they chased me. Grandfather still picked off one every time it fell far enough behind the pack for it to be taken out without him being swarmed. Now that I was not quite so panicked, I could truly appreciate the monstrosity of the creatures. Part eel, part snake, part crocodile they undulated quickly across one another as much as the ground a snarling snapping tangle that had terrified me on their first emergence. To be fair they still didn’t make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy. But I could appreciate the evolution of the predatory design from a distance at least.

What to do? What to do? Now that my flight was stable, I had time to worry about my destination.

I couldn’t lead them to the town. They would wipe out half the town before the gates were even closed. Suddenly our town’s open gate policy, and lack of guards or watches, did not seem the smartest decision the town had taken. Understandable seeing as nothing had happened in my living memory but not now. We were going to have to wise up with an entrance to the depths of the Lodestone on the edge of our island.

I couldn’t lead them to the lake. They could wipe out any or rather more like all of the species native to it. That was a major source of our food supply for the town not to mention the financial foundations of our Silversea house. Besides, that was just another slower route to the town. We also did not I realized have a wall to stop anything coming out of the lagoon. Another oversight in hindsight. I was aware that there had not been a lot of town planning in building Wester Town but perhaps this would provide the impetus for some moving forward.

I couldn’t lead them into the forest. We might never find them again if they burrowed into the soil as they had seemingly burrowed out of the earth. It would be best to end them here and today. To keep circling the air teasingly just out of reach. The problem with that was that my mana was not going to last forever. Already I could feel the strain as my mana ticked ever downward my spending of it outpacing my regeneration.

What direction did that leave me with? The only direction I could take them that did not end in the imminent demise of our population was the sea but unlike their initial emergence from the depths of the Lodestone, I doubted that I could force them off the cliff again if they could see it coming. Even if I did would that not only delay their return if they survived the fall? My thoughts were cut short by a whistle. I turned once more to fly toward the edge of the island cliffs while looking for the source of the whistle surprised by what I saw. It was not my grandfather.

. . .

Disaster had struck as soon as the Archbishop had lit up the stone marker. The clergy had quickly fallen back onto its consecrated ground while the knights arrayed themselves in front of them. The diver’s daughters, who had joined the trip, fell in behind them with their backs to the edge of the cliff they had nowhere to escape to and no time left to run. The monsters were coming. The Moasau eels were a known denizen of the depths but their appearance was usually preceded by a lower-level threat or race running from them to the surface. For them to emerge first meant that this was a new entrance to the Lodestone and that anything could come forth next.

Tearing his eyes away from the threat approaching. He searched for the Silversea scions. It would be a cruel fate to find such future pillars of the compass civilization only for them to be snuffed out in their infancy. Once he found them his eyes struggled to comprehend what he was witnessing. The elvish tutor Lady Acacia had formed a wooden dome to protect her and Lady Silversea. That was hardly surprising with the elves’ racial focus and strength in growing and manipulating wood. Though the speed at which she had completed it showed both a high level of skill and status. What was troubling was the fact that Lord Silversea and his Guardian Grandfather were outside of the dome not inside of it. Worse, they had made a run for it and there was no way in which they could protect them.

Splitting the scions, on the one hand, was a wise idea. One would be needed to carry the house if the other fell today. But to think the grandfather thought he could outrun the Moas Eels was either arrogance in the extreme or frantic fear that had decided for him. Although he was moving far faster than a man his age should be able to still move. He had clearly put the majority of his status points into Dexterity but how long would his stamina last when moving at such speed? They would see sooner or later whether it had been the right decision. But there was nothing he could do for them now, so he turned back to face the Mosau Eels as they raced towards the group. Their knights would be able to dispatch a fair few of them and were well protected by their armour. Healing them would keep them in the fight longer than any other men, the problem was their positioning. There were no walls for the clergy to shelter behind and no time to build them. The knights were handicapped by attempting to protect them, anchored to a single position rather than being able to wade into the monsters to deal out death and he could not see how they could possibly protect all of them without a few of his companions and guests falling in the process.

Then the Mosau Eels turned just a little. It was subtle at first and easily missed. He had not noticed it when he had deactivated the light but the mosau eels were no longer targeting the stone and the people surrounding it. They were travelling on a different tangent and had changed to a new target, the child, Lord Silversea. He placed a hand on each knight’s shoulder to stop them from stepping forward as the Mosau closed. If they were not engaged, it looked like they would pass right by them. It was not ideal for the lord, but it would give them some time to consider their options and reposition themselves maybe even build some defences. Hopefully, the grandfather knew what he was doing. We could only stare as near death passed us by to chase the two across the cliff tops. They were still running away but the Mosau were still chasing.

“They left without us.” Said one of the daughters sounding offended at the fact that the grandfather had run away with his grandson even though it seemed to have drawn the monsters away.

“Be grateful they did, the Mosau have chased them instead of mauling us.” Sir Jacques reprimanded. Before he turned to the Archbishop, “Your excellency, we cannot guarantee your safety attempting to reach the boats. You need to fortify this area. For when they return.”

“What do you need?” The Archbishop asked aware that the grandfather and grandson’s deaths might be the only reason they survive the monster’s return.

“A swallow’s nest tower, you need to be out of reach so that we can tackle them head-on without worrying about your safety.” Sir Jacques quickly responded. “Preferably with a 10-arm length moat funnelling off to either side of the tower. If they are as aggressive as they were when they emerged a few can end up pushing the rest off the cliff. Just keep it curved, slopping and smooth so they won’t be able to see in time to stop when they run off the edge of the cliff.”

“Do we have t . . .” the Archbishop stopped asking the question. His time would be better spent preparing what had been requested but he could not help but watch with morbid curiosity as Arawn ran out of steam and it looked like the Morau were about to catch up. The poor boy, the least he could do was to watch his demise.

“Did he . . .” the aborted question much like his earlier one was due to the changing circumstances he found himself watching. Arawn had just thrown his only grandson away from the Morau surely he knew that would only buy him another second or t . . .

The child floated in the air gliding forward more than falling down the monsters chasing his shadow that flittered across the ground in front of them. He watched astounded as the boy continued to slide through the air ahead of them always slightly out of reach though they jumped snapped and snarled at his feet.

“Your excellency as fascinating as his performance we only have a short while until his mana runs out and they return to finish eating us. Focus on what you have to do while we worry about allies and enemies.” Sir Jacques redirected his attention to the problem at hand. It was not just his life at stake but the lives of his followers and guests as well. It would only be a matter of time before they also turned on them.

“Bishop Bailie, on me.” He shouted drawing him close. “We need to raise a tower to protect the marker and ourselves then create a ditch for our guards to dispatch the threats from the lodestone.”

The clergy gathered around the two and without questioning placed their hands on their shoulders. “In the light of the Lodestar.” They chanted in unison as they funnelled their mana into the two senior members. Around the edge of the consecrated compass emblem walls began to rise the stone taken from the surrounding cliff top forming a growing peninsular or stack as the Archbishop focused on raising the walls while the Bishop focused on providing the stone required while deepening, widening and strengthening the ditch surrounding the tower. It was not their finest piece of work but it would hopefully last long enough for the Mosau to be dispatched when they inevitably returned.

“Your walls are too thin.” Their work was interrupted by Lady Acacia’s critique. They had exited the wooden dome its wooden walls following the women as they walked. The wood flowed up and over the stone walls forming an oak-panelled interior that continued to grow in thickness and height as the bishops returned to their endeavours in growing the height of the tower and the depth of the ditch. With each arm’s length in height, they grew the two knights stepped further away from the construction forced by the disappearing stone to do so.

“I’m sorry about your brother.” Druna stepped forward to console Aleera. It seemed the immediate threat of death and the likelihood of her brother’s demise moderated her strident criticism of the Silversea family. They might argue over pearls but disasters of life and death were another matter.

“He’ll be okay,” Aleera whispered half in belief half in hope. Druna did not dare to contradict her. The girls without a task at hand to occupy themselves watched over the growing walls as her grandfather and brother reached the end of his stamina. He had slowed and stopped on another outcropping of stone in the far distance. The monsters still rushing towards them.

“Should she be watching?” one of the clergy murmured to another not quite crass enough to add the words, ‘her brother’s death.’

She was rebuked by Lady Acacia, “You should all watch for a second you might find yourselves surprised.” Construction paused for a moment as they all watched for the inevitable clash of monster and man. The pause would allow a little mana to regenerate and they would need some in reserve for healing the Compass Knights.

They watched with bated breath as the old man lifted his grandson one last time in defiance. Only to see the poor child be thrown towards the lagoon in the middle of the island. Their outrage shifted to disbelief as the child failed to fall. From such a distance he seemed to float above the earth seemingly suspended in the air he slowly slid through the air just out of reach of the snarling snapping tangle that fought beneath him still fixed and focused on devouring him.

An artefact or higher-tiered skill was clearly in effect but they had not never seen such a skill or heard of such an effect. Their eyes snapped to Lady Acacia and Lady Silversea in disbelief. But found no disbelief in their eyes, only relief that what they had hoped for appeared to have worked.

“That should buy us a little more time. Your ditches need to be deeper and angled like this.” She took control of the situation once more her suggestions closer to commands than anything else.

“But what about the lake and the town.” Shouted one of the daughters. “What if he leads them there? They’ll be slaughtered.” they continued to watch the boy’s flight as he grew closer to both.

“He’s a Silversea, not an idiot.” Aleera defended her brother hoping against hope that when it mattered most, he would not make a moronic decision. “There! He is turning.” She shouted back.

“Well, where is he going to take them? His mana won’t last forever?” She was back to arguing with Aleera now that no one was in imminent danger of dying. Her sympathy and peace were short and swiftly ended either by fear or habit.

Lady Acacia and Archbishop Grigori both began to speak at the same time.

“Here . . .”

“We need to draw . . .”

Lady Acacia nodded her head to the Archbishop in deference allowing him to take the lead.

“The Silversea Scion needs to draw them here.” He repeated his position. “We need to defeat them here and now.” He declared. “The town is not ready, and we cannot allow them to disperse and start multiplying.”

“Aleera.” Lady Acacia commanded.

Without hesitating, Aleera whistled shrilly, the sound cutting through the air powered by several skills. They all watched the child’s course turn toward them.

“To your positions.” commanded the Archbishop.

“Any chance of some harpoons or spears?” Kaius asked Lady Acacia as the wood continued to thicken on the inside of the tower.

“Certainly, how many would you like?” she calmly replied reaching into the wooden wall to pull forth a javelin for him.

“Us too.” One of the daughters added stepping forwards the rest following behind.

Meanwhile, the Knights, still outside the tower, stepped behind stone pillars grown to hide their positions outside of the safety of the ditch that encircled the tower. Then it was a waiting game, as they watched warily from the top of their small tower but they knew they would not have to wait very long at all.

. . . .

As I turned my flight towards the source of the whistle I realized that I was looking at a squat tower on the very edge of the cliff. I could no longer see the stone marker but was sure it was at the centre of the sudden edifice that appeared on the cliff top. There was even a ditch hopefully deep enough to swallow the Mosau Eels running around it. I knew where I needed to go; hopefully, I would get there before my mana or my heart gave out from the pounding pace it was thumping at.

Flight, actual flight, took more mana than a simple glide and I was feeling the strain. The spellcraft and spell song we had learned allowed me to use a little more finesse than simple brute strength but I was still running out. I hoped it would be enough to reach them.

As I glanced behind I could see that the eel-like monstrosities were still hot on my heels. A few more of their corpses lay in our wake which meant that Grandfather unburdened by me was still following my trail even if he was hidden from conventional sight and even my mana sight. I would have to ask him how he managed that as soon as possible. Especially as it seemed that that sense might be the one by which the eel monsters were tracking me. Their eyes were white and unused to the sun.

I continued to glide a little lower to conserve my mana which only encouraged them to run faster in an attempt to catch me as I came a little closer. It would not be long before we returned to where this had all begun.

Ten . . .

Nine . . .

Eight . . .

I grew ever closer, I could see them standing on the edge of their tower wielding wooden spears that I worried would do little against the monsters following behind.

Seven . . .

Six . . .

Five . . .

Lady Acacia was pointing down at the ditch gesturing for me to lead them into it. I dipped lower closer to the ground trusting her direction despite the increased danger it put me into. If they rushed forwards I was now within their reach.

Four . . .

Three . . .

Two . . .

The ditch had a slope leading down into it and on ‘One’ I shot down the slope at speed before turning along its curve. The monsters followed a second behind me still ignoring the people and the tower with their preference for my blood and bones over theirs.

The curve in the ditch meant that I could not see where I was heading so my eyes flickered to my HUD and I finally understood where I was going. Or more importantly where my followers would be ending up.

The final turn of the ditch was sharp and a challenge to make but make it I did and the exit to the ditch become immediately obvious to not only myself but the monsters following me.

I soared out into the sky again and up as the lead eel-like monsters screeched and shredded the floor with their claws in an attempt to stop their plummet off the cliff top once more. But the rear of the tangle ploughed into them from behind as they tried to halt themselves and they found themselves flying forward and off the cliff to drop to their death on the rocks below.

My sharp ascent slowed my forward momentum and I was able to drop safely onto the top of the suddenly grown tower’s rear wall. The clergy and their guests even my father failed to notice my arrival focused as they were on the monsters that had failed to fall. I looked over the edge of the tower to see the two knights barrelling forwards with their shields held high in an attempt to force the few eels left, that had failed to fall, over the edge. Their bodies were pin-cushioned with javelins that Lady Acacia was still pulling out of the wooden walls for the clergy, diver’s daughters and my father to throw. They did not stop fighting though and now that they were no longer sliding forward they were beginning to press back.

I tracked the fight as best as I was able to unable to add much more after leading them here. I was tapped for mana and still too small, possibly scared, or probably sensible to risk my unarmoured body attempting to get any closer. I watched in amazement as the Compass Knights bodies seemed to light up with their mana and they managed to force the monsters back another step. They pushed with their shields on one arm while stabbing any monster that managed to slip past them with their other. Their sword arms flickered with mana as they flickered forth to skewer another eel. This was either an application of a skill drawing their mana forth or another form of mana usage that I had yet to see or be taught.

Then finally Grandfather arrived. Visible to all he stepped into the ditch behind the two knights and his knives flashed out. Every time an eel attempted to squeeze past the two armoured knights another knife would flash forwards burying itself in an eye or brain. The two knights relieved from watching their flanks were able to put all their strength and focus into pushing forwards and the final few monsters plummeted to their demise as they were pushed off the cliff.

The knights gave a grateful nod of thanks to my grandfather before there was a relieved sigh from all of the clergy and guests as they sank down to the ground. Only the knights, Arawn and Lady Acacia remained standing and vigilant and therefore were the first to see me standing on the tower’s edge.

“Welcome back young lord.” Lady Acacia inclined her head to me, accompanied by the shocked gasps of the guests as they realized I stood above and behind them. “Remember your entrance should never go unannounced.” She added with a smile.