Ashes of the Fallen

There was no reason to believe that they would differ, unless they somehow recognized me as the one from before and took extra precaution.

That, was farfetched though.

"Kate, stay back until it starts," I quickly blurted out as I lifted my halberd and started to pace to the side. "I'm bringing this fight to them, embrace the chaos."

Breaking out into a run directly to my right, I cut across the room in an instant as a dozen eyes multiplied to a hundred. Hands were aglow in glorious synchronization as they had lined up and prepared to unleash a frozen hell.

Bodies shifted and heads turned, in an attempt to follow my path. Keeping at full sprint, I reached the edge of the cavern in a few seconds as I  quickly dove to the ground, not bothering to look.

Like clockwork, a hundred frost bolts impacted and exploded all around me. The air directly above froze over as crystals of ice floated down over me. Completely covered in white frost, I rolled to my back and prepared to jump. With a one-count I was back on my feet as I turned into the oncoming second wave.

Their relentless assault had begun.

Strafing sideways as I continued to sprint in an effort to circle them, cold beams of ice shot forth in a colorful array of blues and whites. Another second and a tumble, dive and roll separated me from certain death. Kicked up dust rose in a cloud behind me while I pushed forward, a full charge in effect.

The third wave came at an angle that was even easier to dodge.

Simply outrunning the frost bolts and watching them sail harmlessly off into the distance, I continued to charge. I was getting closer, another wave, and I would be there.

Their eyes were glowing in the distance, reflecting the sunlight in the shadow of the crags. In those eyes, fear was growing by the second.

Hands raised as legs began to shake.

Blue glows, only half in number.

Then, no glow.

The fourth wave never came.

Smashing into the first Rattanorv with a shoulder check sent one flying into three others as they tumbled to the ground completely entangled. Raising my halberd with a half-motion, I released with a checked swing that cut through a face with ease. Resetting almost immediately, I swung again with reserved strength as the weight of the axe-head easily sliced through the soft-tissue of the rats.

Blood splattered and splashed everywhere as I cut down rodent after rodent. Three consecutive swings and seven rats were strewn about in chunks and pieces. Consumed by the moment, my eyes were burning with rage as I let out with unfettered aggression.

This was a slaughter.

The rats, frightened, terrified of what they saw before them, attempted to run.

I gave chase, cutting them down without breaking my stride. A swing from the left took three heads off, while a swing from directly above split another. Thrusting forward into the back of one and then flinging it off into a group of others, the impact jarring them to the point where they remained motionless in the panic.

Rushing over, the momentum of my swing cleaned through a group of five as two were sent flying from the impact with the shaft and three were sliced to bits. Yelling at the top of my lungs, I challenged them.

"YOU WILL ONLY DIE TIRED!"

Panic stricken faces stared at me as they trembled in fear.

They tried to regroup.

A group of seven packed tightly with hands aglow caught my eye, only for me to notice the soft white hue underneath. Ignoring them, I charged in another direction as the corner of my eye was filled with fire. White hot holy fire, countless feet high, burning and rendering fat and flesh all the same.

The bodies had started to pile.

Blood and burnt flesh had filled the air.

Defecation, littered the floor.

A frost bolt, wayward and errant, hit me in the waist as I continued to run, oblivious to the pain. The impact was inconsequential, their spells were meaningless to me.

The anger that had consumed me was boiling over.

They would pay for what they did.

Those fuckers from [FWB].

Frost bolts rained down on me, hitting me in the chest as I dismembered a rat, hitting me in the back as I stabbed one through, hitting me in the face as I stomped a face. They couldn't stop me now, they were all going to fucking die.

Raising my halberd in front of a helpless rat, I dropped the axe down intending to split it in two. Only, a frost bolt hit my hands and sent the weapon bouncing off a rock and into another rat. My target was split, but my weapon was lost in the darkness.

Fifteen rats remained as I had been blinded by my rage.

My thirst for blood was becoming insatiable.

I wanted more.

Flash stepping into a group of them, I grabbed them with my bare hands and snapped a neck and spine with ease. My near superhuman strength too much for their weak bodies to overcome. One rat tried to run as I smashed two of his friends together, and a quick step on his tail halted its retreat.

It turned to me, almost pleading.

But my boot found its way through.