Ashes of the Fallen

"Oi, time's a wasting," chirped Ethan as he rolled a small flame around his fingertips. "We've already been here for over two hours."

"Yeah, well then," I agreed with a shrug.

I guess it was time, after all.

Getting into position, Barik took up center next to me while Alan sat far behind us. The frost mage took position up on the left and Ethan took the right, filling out our loose formation. Whether or not that was for the best was to be decided shortly. Mainly, we wanted eyes on target from different vantage points, just in case shit hit the fan.

Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly as I focused on my target.

"Five," I called out as I brought my hands together and began to chant my three verses, intending to get one solid [Chain Lightning] off on the [Chief]. As my hands started to glow and electricity sparked and flickered about, to my right an intense flame had been gathered and was steadily increasing in size as the seconds counted down.

To the left, the dwarf swallowed the lump in his throat as he tensed his shoulders, waiting for the right moment to charge forth. Past him, far off from the group, the frost mage's hands were aglow with a cool white-blue luminance as slushed ice flowed between them, creating a sublimating effect as white gas began to permeate outwards.

"Chain Lightning!"

"Flame Wave!"

"Frost Bolt!"

We all yelled, completely in sync.

As the intertwined bolts of lightning surged out and cracked the air, a literal wave of flame rolled directly over the goblins, intermixing with the bolt of frost as if it were some pyroclastic flow with a raging thunderstorm spread throughout. The devastating scene unfolding before our very eyes was a sight to behold, but we couldn't admire our greatness. Without even a second to consider the effectiveness, I ran forward with the dwarf at my side as we raised our shields and barreled through the minor goblins at the forefront, bashing our shields and knocking the smaller goblins back, we went straight into the heart of the swarm.

Barik shot forward, diving behind the chief and picking him up as the guards and minors clustered around me. The priests were already healing the guards as I shouted out a [Call to Challenge], enraging and taunting the goblins into a frenzy and forcing them to pile on top of me.

Arms flailed randomly as seven swords were swung in my direction with two spears thrust towards my torso. The sound of two arrows as they whizzed past my head nearly broke my concentration but I couldn't afford a break. I was on the wrong end of an onslaught that I could barely hope to repel, but I threw out my shield and raised my axe in an attempt.

Swords cut deep into my legs and arms as I focused on deflecting the spears as an arrow hit me in the neck. Suddenly struggling to breathe as blood started to flow, I curled up and began to shake as rain started to fall and freeze on contact with my skin. A single beam of pure flame shot out across the mass of goblins in front of me as they screamed in reaction. The smell of burnt flesh and singed hair flooded my nostrils while electricity had begun to envelop me, ready to burst at any moment.

Only a second had passed and with a thrust of my arms outwards while expanding my chest, I discharged the built up electricity in a perfect circle around me, creating an explosion that rocked every goblin within five feet. Minor goblins flew through the air in every direction as the guards were knocked back a step, but they recovered far too quickly and with my haggard breathing I was quickly losing my stamina.

The first heavy thrust came without hesitation as I blocked it with my shield but then the second heavy thrust came and with my weakened state, a partial deflection was all I could muster.

Piercing straight through my biceps and out the triceps, my right arm was rendered completely useless as I started to choke on the blood that had been draining into my lungs. My stamina entirely depleted, I collapsed to the floor as another arrow found its mark in my chest. Swords pierced through me as I could barely make out a spear shaft curiously sticking out of my stomach.

Eyes hazy, I stared at the shaft as I fell forward.

Then everything went black.

By the time the color had returned, there were only two true shades.

Blue and gray… the world had turned dark again.

I was dead.

"Damn," I muttered to myself as the spirit form of Barik appeared next to me.

Ethan, Alan, and the frost mage showed up a few seconds later, as we all looked at each other in our ghost versions. The first attempt was a complete failure.

We wiped.

Entering the dungeon after a short run from the graveyard, there were a lot of questions and not a lot of answers. The fight ended too quickly to be of real use, but I did realize one thing, at least.

"What happened?" asked Alan immediately. "You just dropped, Sigurd."

"Took an arrow to the throat, crippled me from the start."

"Ah, shit," said Barik with a curious expression on his face.