Summoner 21, page 8
“Got it!” Braden shouted.
Almasy peeked around the ox-like summoner and gave a thumbs-up, while Gawain offered a firm nod.
I returned the gesture, and then I commanded my pyrewyrm to take us down to locate the rift.
Be careful, mast-- Gryff, Sera instructed me from within my consciousness. Things are already so different since the moon made its shift. There’s a possibility the monsters have been affected more than we realize.
“Thanks, Sera,” I replied. “I hope you aren’t right, but I’m prepared for it anyway.”
As we descended toward the emerald-green ground outside of the Enclave, I heard a sound above us, and when I looked up, I caught sight of an enormous aircraft that had to belong to the second team of mages. Though the craft was too far away to make out the pilot, I gave a thumb’s up in their direction.
When I turned back around, I recognized the shimmer of a rift just beyond us, and a rush of adrenaline surged through me. The rift wasn’t too particularly huge, but it was big enough that this fight wasn’t going to be a simple one, and while I was nervous, I was prepared to kick some serious ass.
The aircraft flew past us and landed just beside the rift with impressive grace for a ship so large. A team of mages hopped out with an even more impressive speed, and I watched as the group headed straight into the Shadowscape. Part of me wished I was there with them, but the other part was ready to take down these monsters that threatened my home.
My pyrewyrm released another screech as we flew closer, and when I caught sight of the monster Conor warned us about, my eyebrows shot up in surprise.
The monster that stood in front of the Enclave was one I hadn’t encountered since Headmaster Sleet found me in Ralor’s Stead. Maker, it was the very same species of monster that had encouraged Sleet to bring me to the Academy in the first place, so it was strange to see it outside of Varle.
It was a cyclops, and not only that, but it was a fire-eye cyclops. Forty-feet tall, and at least half that wide, the monster loomed above us and tightened its flame-covered fists as it took in the sight of our mounts.
At first, I felt a small sense of relief when I identified the enormous beast. I’d fought one of these creatures when I’d been a much less talented summoner, so I’d be much better off than I had back then.
However, as I studied the cyclops’ movements, I realized it moved in a way the last one I’d fought had not.
This monster’s single eye darted around with an unnatural erraticism that made me nervous, and its body twitched as if it were entirely on edge. It was almost as if electricity was running through the monster’s veins, and the twitchiness of it reminded me of a rabid, cornered animal.
“Maker, what’s wrong with it?” I asked, and the moment the words escaped me, I caught sight of Braden and Gawain. The pair of mages seemed to have the same thought on their minds, and I simply shook my head in response. I wasn’t sure what was causing the monster to behave so differently, but if I had to venture to guess, I would say it had something to do with the moon.
The monster’s single orange eye darted around until it caught sight of me, and then a fearsome growl escaped its maw.
“You don’t scare me,” I murmured. Regardless, I had to take the monster down and keep it from stepping any bit closer to the Enclave. The xanyarstone would keep the beast at bay, but there was a chance its behavior would make it an even larger threat to the civilians if something went wrong.
I considered the best monster to take on the fire-eye. Normally, a water-based beast would be the most helpful, or a water elementalist, but Conor had gone with the other team. I could always signal for him to join my squadron, but before I replied on that option, I wanted to find my own solution.
The last time I’d battled a fire-eye, I’d used a combination of an ice willow, electric imp, and bullet bass to break down the monster’s body chemistry, but I had this strange feeling in the back of my mind that told me something more was afoot.
I glanced through my cache of monsters and weighed the options. I needed something large enough to easily overpower the fire eye, so I went with one of my most reliable monsters: the baroquer.
The creature was somewhere between thirty-five and forty feet, heavily muscled, with a flaming sword that blazed just as brightly as the licks of flame surrounding the fire-eye’s fists. Fire against fire was normally a poor decision, but the baroquer had the physical prowess to handle such an immense beast like the cyclops, and it would be able to distract it while the rest of us worked to take it down.
The pyrewyrm ducked down to the ground, and once we landed, I threw my shooting-star shaped essence crystal and summoned the baroquer.
My summons clenched its fist around the hilt of its sword as it awaited my command, and it sent a feeling of excitement through our bond. My monster loved to battle, and I could tell it was raring to go up against this opponent in particular.
“Stay level-headed,” I reminded the baroquer. “I know you have this in the bag, but I need you to be prepared for the cyclops to try something off the wall.”
The baroquer nodded its large head in agreement and then turned to face the fire-eye. The cyclops tilted its head to the side in a raptor-like manner and hissed at my monster, which made the flames on the baroquer’s sword crackle even further.
The fire-eye strengthened its stance before it took a tentative step forward. The flames around its fists darkened in shade, and then it swung its muscular arm toward my baroquer faster than I’d anticipated.
Luckily, my summons had impressively fast reflexes and managed to catch the cyclops’ appendage before it could make contact.
The baroquer swung his enormous sword and managed to land a hit directly at the side of the fire-eye’s head, and the cyclops let out a roar and took a few enormous steps backward. The ground shook with the motion, and I found myself thankful I was atop my pyrewyrm.
With all of the movement around us, I reached through the bonds with my monsters and searched for my bullet bass. Then I utilized my new ability and imagined a coating over myself and my teammates. Bullet bass armor was near-impenetrable, and I would be safe from most outward attacks if necessary.
Well, safer than I’d be otherwise, of course.
I rested my hand on my bandolier as I watched the baroquer and the fire-eye assess one another like a pair of human males preparing for a boxing match. The monsters uttered bone-chilling growls that filled me with a strange sense of power, and my lips curled up into a grin as my baroquer’s yell transcended that of the cyclops.
“Fuck, yeah.” I smirked, and then I sent a wave of my will through the bond to my summons. “Swing your sword again, only this time aim for the knees. That cyclops needs to be knocked down a peg, and I think that’s the best way to do it.
My baroquer turned back and gave me a firm nod, and then it brandished the hilt of its sword as if it were made of gold. The monster’s fist looked like it could crush the cyclops in a single blow, and I was surprised my monster could exercise so much restraint. I’d have ended the monster before this confrontation had begun.
My monster raised his blade into the air, let out a single yell, and then swung the thick sword with impressive might right across the back of the fire eyes’ knees. The cyclops let out a sharp shriek that nearly deafened me, and then it toppled to its knees with a seriously impressive thud.
“Strike again!” I commanded my summons, and then the baroquer brought his sword up once more.
This time, the cyclops managed to roll and duck away from my powerful summons, and a pang of irritation ran up my spine. Cyclops weren’t known for being especially smart, but how did this one happen to evade my attack so easily?
The one-eyed creature let out a thunderous roar, and it took a confident but disjointed step toward my monster.
“Gryff, look out!” I heard Braden’s voice call out just as a fireball flew through the air and nearly struck me.
My pyrewyrm spun just in time, but I nearly fell from the back of the monster as it circled. Luckily for me, my reflexes were strong, and the bond between my monster and I was strong enough that I was able to anticipate the creature’s actions.
“Thanks,” I called out to Braden just before the fire-eye could let out another powerful bellow.
I commanded my pyrewyrm to fly higher, and as we ascended, I considered the best course of action. The baroquer could swing its flaming sword all it wanted, but it wasn’t going to take down the fire-eye. I needed something with water that could officially take out the blaze.
Before I could make the next move, I noticed activity near the rift, and my heart dropped as a whole mess of creatures made their way out of the portal. Among them, I spied trolls and other monsters that were generally seen as pests, but they all somehow had the same erratic, jittery walk as the cyclops.
What was going on with them? What was making them all behave so hyperactively?
“Almasy and I will take out the crowd!” Gawain called out to me as the vingehund hovered in place. “You and Braden worry about the cyclops.”
“Right.” I nodded, and I watched Gawain and Braden fly in the same direction. Almasy hopped off the gryphon while Gawain dismounted the vingehund, and I recalled the canine-like summons to her essence crystal.
The pair of elementalists wasted no time, and I watched with an impressed gaze as the mages unleashed walls of their respective elemental magics. The ground around the swarm of trolls and other monsters suddenly dropped, and the erratic creatures fell into the pit Almasy had created.
As they disappeared into the hole, Gawain’s fists glowed with fire magic and then released an inferno straight into the pit. The shrieks and screeches of the monsters filled the air like a dissonant symphony, and the sound sent a chill up my spine.
“Gryff, what do you want me to do?” Braden shouted over at me.
Suddenly, the fire-eye began to glow, and the flames around its hands crackled. The licks of fire shifted in color and shape, and my jaw dropped in confusion as I realized the fire had changed into electricity.
The monster was clearly a fire-variant, so how was it suddenly wielding electrical energy?”
“What the fuck,” I whispered as the electricity crackled around the cyclops.
“Uh, Gryff?” Braden called out to me. “What’s… why is the monster…”
The summoner struggled to find the right words, but even I was at a loss. Elemental variants never deviated from their particular element, it simply wasn’t possible.
White light flashed before us and temporarily blinded me. I shielded my eyes to keep them from harm, and when the brightness faded, I whipped my head back over just as my baroquer fell to the ground.
The sheer weight on my monster made the earth tremble, but the cyclops was unphased by it. My summons crackled as electricity sparked off it, and I shook my head in disbelief.
“Get back up!” I commanded my monster, and my hands trembled as I considered my next move. The fire-eye was not going to be as easy as I thought, and I needed a new battle strategy.
The baroquer had flame and strength on its side, but I needed something that could go up against lightning.
Wait.
That was it.
I reached into my bandolier, retrieved a crystal, and summoned one of my less-utilized monsters, a creature known as a sprucebore. The monster was rare and incredibly strange-looking. Its large body resembled a bright red beetle, but a tall structure that looked like a metallic tree rose from its back and high into the air.
The monster was unable to create its own lightning, but it was able to redirect it, and that’s exactly what I wanted it to do.
The fire-eye turned its attention away from my fallen baroquer and instead focused on the sprucebore. My summons approached the cyclops slowly, completely unaffected by the enormous, rabid-seeming creature, which only seemed to piss off the cyclops.
“Holy shit,” I heard Braden chuckle behind me.
“Back up,” I instructed him. “This could be dangerous. I’d suggest you take your gryphon and swoop up Almasy and Gawain just in case.”
“On it.” Braden nodded, and then he disappeared to follow out my instructions.
Once I was sure Braden had things handled, I commanded the pyrewyrm to fly further away from the cyclops and the sprucebore. If there was going to be lightning, I wanted to put some distance between myself and the monsters.
My summons dutifully carried us far away from the angered cyclops, and I watched the electrical energy radiate from it like a pale aura. The sprucebore remained in place, and I commanded it to stay put and let the cyclops approach on its own.
Sure enough, the cyclops ran at the beetle monster, raised its rust-colored fists into the air, and unleashed beams of electricity upon my summons. The entire area lit up, and I turned my head to shield my eyes. Energy hummed in the air, and once it was safer to do so, I looked back and gave the command to my monster.
“Redirect it!” I shouted, and the sprucebore did just as it was told. The very same lightning the cyclops had sent out flew right back at it, and the fire-eye howled in pain as it was electrocuted by its own magic.
The enormous, one-eyed monster fell flat on its back and sputtered as lightning crackled over it. The ground trembled from the weight, and I was glad I’d elected to take to the sky.
I let out a whoop of victory that was soon echoed by my teammates. That had been easier than I’d thought.
As the cyclops twitched on the ground, I glanced over at the rift, but it remained open. The catalyst must have been pretty well-hidden, and I began to worry about the other team.
Luckily, Almasy and Gawain’s fire pit had worked perfectly, and the crowd of trolls and other monsters had been contained and defeated. Now, all we needed was for the cyclops to turn to dust, and then we could return to the Enclave and discuss strategy with the headmaster.
“Hey, Gryff,” Gawain called out to me. “Why hasn’t the cyclops exploded?”
“I-I don’t know,” I replied. An elemental attack like that should have taken the monster out, so why was it still on the ground?
My question was answered pretty quickly when the cyclops suddenly rose up from its place.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
It hadn’t worked after all
The cyclops stood to its full height, stretched its long, rust-colored limbs, and broke into a satisfied smile. I watched with horror as electricity appeared around its fists once more, and dread flooded through me.
What the fuck was I going to do now?
“Look out!” I shouted as the cyclops unleashed another wave of electricity toward my baroquer, but before the lightning could strike, my sprucebore jumped in front of my sword-wielding summons and blocked the attack. It absorbed all of the elemental magic into its metallic-tree appendage, and it strengthened its stance before sending it right back at the cyclops.
I sent a wave of appreciation through the bond to my summons. The electricity would have taken the baroquer down if it weren’t for the sprucebore, and I was grateful the beetle-like monster had stepped in to help.
The cyclops crackled with energy once more, and as it studied my monsters, it seemed to realize any electrical attacks would be thwarted by the sprucebore. The lightning around its enormous fists shifted back to fire, and I let out a heavy sigh.
This thing wasn’t going to quit anytime soon, was it?
Not wanting to waste any time, I commanded the baroquer to come at it again with brute force, and my monster happily obliged. The pair of giant monsters shoved against each other’s shoulders as they locked together, and I shook my head.
This cyclops was almost impossible to take down, and I considered the other monsters in my cache. I didn’t particularly want to unleash some of my larger summons, but I was running out of choices.
My baroquer pulled away from the cyclops and braced its stance as it awaited my command. The cyclops glowed with fire magic, and its grin grew even wider.
“Hey, ugly!”
I looked up as a huge wave of water crashed over the fire-eye, and I heard a loud, crackling sizzle as the cyclops’ flame-covered fists were put out. I peered up in awe as a flash of silver flew by my face, and to my shock and delight, I saw the faces of Nia and Cyra. My wives were perched on the back of Kalon, and Nia’s arms were outstretched as she unleashed a powerful burst of elemental magic. The water bored down on the cyclops like a heavy blanket, and it howled under the weight of the water wall.
I commanded the pyrewyrm to take me over to my wives as a grin broke out across my face.
“How did you--” I called out to them.
“We heard the commotion outside,” Nia replied with a lift of her chin. “I know you asked us to stay put, but we couldn’t let you handle a monster on your own.”
“We also had no idea if more than one would appear,” Cyra chimed in as she stroked her summons. “So, here we are, and not a minute too soon, it would seem. You boys have done a fine job, but I think it’s time for the ladies to show you how it’s done!”
“Cocky looks cute on you,” I laughed, and then I gestured toward the fire-eye. “Go forth and conquer. I’d love a moment to breathe.”
“Don’t get too comfortable, farm boy.” Nia chuckled as her sparkling blue eyes danced. “We’re going to need you to help us take the thing down. Let us distract it so your baroquer can carry out the final blow.”
“Got it.” I nodded, and then I turned to Braden. “Braden, summon your chimera. I think I have an idea.”
The ox-like summoner nodded without question and retrieved the pale, icy crystal from his haphazardly-equipped belt. After the smoke from the gem cleared, his ice-variant monster appeared before us, and it let out a fearsome growl.
Part goat, part lion, and part dragon, the chimera had a coat that resembled snow, two heads, a pair of wings, and a tail that shook like a rattlesnake’s. Its large paws ended in deadly talons that flexed into the ground as she prepared for battle.
I looked back to Nia, and I saw my wife’s sapphire eyes began to darken to a deep navy and then even further until they were nearly black. Her pupil started to expand outward into the sclera, and soon, the whites of her eyes were completely eclipsed.
