Chapter 81: Barricade
Marcus didn’t wait for the Lion to make the first move so he wouldn’t be caught off guard; instead, he stepped forward, moving further away from the line of Two-ringed Bearers, and raised one hand toward the sky.
His raised hand immediately began attracting all the surrounding winds with a crazy amount of force; even Morden and everyone around felt their clothes flapping heavily.
"You want a choice to be made so fast and so soon," Marcus said, his voice carrying an edge none of them had heard from him before.
"Then let me make one."
Morden felt his own hair whip against his face, and he instinctively took half a step back.
’That’s not normal wind, at least from what I know. Uncommon-grade genes can’t create effects like this,’ Morden thought, watching the funnel grow denser, tighter, until it looked almost actually solid.
’If I am to guess what Grade this thing actually is, I know it’s above the Uncommon-grade and its power also seems more ethereal, just like when those Monkey leaders were fighting.’
’So I would say Epic,’ Morden thought while his stomach tightened.
’At least Epic.’
The fact that he had seen Epic-grade abilities before was the exact reason why he felt that things were about to go bad if those two actually began to battle.
’I just hope they at least try to hold back,’
The thought did nothing to settle the knot forming in his chest.
The Flaming Lion’s ears flattened against its head, the first real sign of concern it had shown all night.
"So you finally show your hand," the Flaming Lion said, though its voice had lost some of its earlier confidence and pride.
"I was hoping I wouldn’t have to, but your actions are leaving me no other choice," Marcus said.
The wind funnel snapped forward at a speed that was faster than anything Morden had seen anything move, slamming directly into the Lion’s front legs.
The Lion staggered but its flames still held on, and they even roared fiercely back at the wind.
For a creature that had looked untouchable minutes ago, the sight of it stumbling even when it was just a little was almost jarring.
Around the clearing, the horde’s screeching grew louder, more frantic, as if they could sense their leader’s stagger even from where they were standing.
The Lion recovered quickly, digging its claws into the scorched earth and letting out a roar that could only be described simply as ear-shattering.
Flames roared back to life along its mane, brighter now, angrier, and it lunged straight for Marcus without a hint of hesitation.
Marcus didn’t move from where he stood. Instead, the wind around his hand reshaped itself and formed something closer to a blade than a funnel.
Behind Marcus, the line of Two-ringed Bearers broke formation without anyone giving the order, several of them turning to watch the clash instead of holding their position.
"Look," Darlus suddenly said while he grabbed Morden’s arm.
Morden followed his gaze and saw it too; a gap had opened in the barricade, albeit small, but it was still there. It had formed where two Bearers had drifted a step too far forward trying to get a better view of the fight.
"Now," Lisa whispered, though she was already moving.
Morden had always known her to be quick on her feet, so he didn’t hesitate, so he wouldn’t be left behind; instead, he pulled Darlus along.
The three of them slipped through the gap together, remaining low as they weaved between startled Bearers who were far more focused on the storm of wind and fire tearing up the clearing behind them.
Nobody called out after them; no one even noticed they were gone except one small inconspicuous figure in the crowd,everyone else’s attention was still locked on Marcus and the Lion.
Morden managed to get one glance backward as they ran, just in time to see the wind blade collide with the Lion’s shoulder, sending up a spray of sparks and scorched fur.
Then the trees swallowed the light, and there was nothing left to see but shadows and the glow of firelight bleeding faintly through the branches.
They didn’t stop running until the noise of the fight had faded into the distance, muffled by trees and distance and the pounding of their own hearts.
Finally, Darlus doubled over and rested his hands on his knees while breathing hard.
"Okay," he managed between breaths.
"We’re out. We actually made it out."
"For now," Lisa said, glancing back the way they’d come, her two knives still tight in her hands.
’Can she be someone behind us or what?’
Morden didn’t say anything at first, his mind still replaying the wind tearing through fire like it was nothing and also the fact that they hadn’t managed to catch up after so long.
If Marcus could do that, casually, in the middle of a conversation, then whatever was actually happening around them was bigger than any of them had realized.
’Are Epic-grade actually that easy to find?’
"Morden," Darlus said while he straightened.
"You’re doing the thinking face again. What is it?"
Morden looked between the two of them, Lisa still scanning the treeline and Darlus’s expectant gaze.
"I don’t know," Morden admitted.
"We got away from the fight, but we still don’t know what any of this is, why we’re chosen, or what the horde even wants."
He glanced back toward the glow of firelight still flickering faintly through the trees.
"When you put it like that, running away sounds like the smart option forever," Darlus let out a short, humorless laugh.
"It’s not an option," Lisa said quietly.
"Not really. Not with the horde still out there," and nobody argued with that.
The three of them stood there for a moment, catching their breath, the weight of everything unsaid settling heavier than the running ever had.
Finally, Morden straightened up, forcing his voice steady even though nothing about the situation felt steady at all.
"So what do we do now?"