Lateral Movement

by Alzrius

817 - Hue and Cry

Master! What’s Yotimo doing?!

Solvei’s mental screech of horror echoed Lex’s reaction perfectly, too late to stop the elder adlet as he vaulted over the bounder they’d been taking cover behind and charged at Paska, Bloodletter held aloft.

In the fraction of a second it took Lex to move to the side and look around the boulder, he weighed whether to drag Yotimo back or to aid him. It was true that eliminating Paska now would resolve things, but only if they could do so without his alerting Hvitdod in the process. In that regard, a surprise attack – like the one Yotimo was launching now – was their best bet.

But it was also a huge gamble. Without knowing precisely how Paska intended to rouse the dragon, there was a high chance that he’d be able to do so before they could take him out. Lex had been intent on observing the situation in hope of finding clues in that regard – or perhaps even waiting things out, if what Nenet had said about Hvitdod requiring wintry weather was correct – even if it meant leaving Toklo and the others in captivity that much longer.

Now that Yotimo had elected to take matters into his own hands, however, there was maybe a half-second at most to quietly drag him back before Paska – his attention still firmly on his prisoners – noticed the incoming attack. Otherwise, the only choice was to join Yotimo’s assault and try to end things as fast as possible.

Lex only had an instant to decide, but that was all the time he needed.

Cursing inwardly as he rose up onto his back legs, Lex summoned Belligerence into his grasp, leaning back as he prepared to throw it. Hopefully, he’d be able to hit Paska unaware, and Yotimo would be able to finish him off-

That was when Yotimo’s foot struck a small rock.

There was nothing particularly notable about it; just a dull gray stone just like any other, and certainly nothing that had registered when Lex had looked the immediate area over in the magical spectrum. But as Yotimo’s foot struck it, the surface of the rock deformed, crumpling inward as though it were made of paper rather than stone. It’s some sort of replica! realized Lex, already halfway through the motion of his throw even as he caught sight of what looked like a small purple mushroom inside of the false rock. The kind made out of pulp and paste-

His thoughts were cut off as the mushroom began to scream.

The noise caused Yotimo to stumble, Paska’s head to whip around, and Lex’s throw to go wide, Belligerence sailing over his enemy’s head and into the cavern.

Then Paska smiled, reaching for a small bag tied to his belt.

With a roar that could barely be heard over the mushroom’s wailing, Yotimo surged forward, legs pumping as he tore across the distance between himself and his son’s captor, Bloodletter held at the ready. In his mad rush, several more fake rocks were overturned, and each of them contained another purple mushroom which immediately began to scream, turning what was already an awful noise into a hideous din, making Lex’s ears fold back of their own accord.

“Those are shrieker mushrooms!” yelled Nenet, her paws clasped over her ears as she cowered in her cage. “They vibrate at a high pitch when anything disturbs them!”

Master, what’s happening?! Solvei’s voice came to Lex’s mind at the same time as Nenet’s voice barely made itself heard over the cacophony. Who’s screaming?!

The question only made the cold knot forming in Lex’s stomach grow worse. If Solvei could hear the shriekers’ caterwauling even at her current height, then there was every reason to think that the noise was audible at the bottom of the nearby abyss as well!

I don’t have time to summon you! replied Lex, not bothering to answer her question as his horn lit up with a curse. Get down here as fast as you can and prepare to get the adlets to safety!

Even before he’d finished telling her what to do, his malediction took effect.

An instant later, Paska – his other hand bringing his hammer up as he prepared to receive Yotimo’s charge, the adlet now within ten feet of his foe – grabbed the bag dangling from his hip...only for the string it was hanging from to break as Lex’s curse took effect, slipping from his grasp and falling at his feet.

From his vantage point, Lex had just enough time to see Paska’s face briefly register surprise, then frustration as he realized he couldn’t bend down to retrieve it without leaving himself vulnerable.

Then Yotimo was on him, the runes on Bloodletter glowing as he jabbed at Paska’s face, the human deflecting the strike with his hammer.

“What’s happening?!” yelled Nenet, her terrified voice barely audible over the din. “What’s going on?!”

Lex ignored her as he grabbed Paska’s bag with his telekinesis, the purple aura around the sack shining brightly as he started levitating it toward himself. The shriekers were bad enough, but whatever was in the thick burlap was clearly something that was intended to alert Hvitdod, which meant that it was imperative that it be kept away from him at all costs!

But Paska wasn’t about to let that happen so easily.

Another thrust from Yotimo’s spear was blocked by the haft of Paska’s hammer, but this time the human grabbed the adlet’s wrist with his free hand, using his own body as a fulcrum as he pivoted at the waist, throwing Yotimo over his shoulder...and over the edge of the cliff.

And Lex registered absolute horror from Solvei as the adlet hung in the air, Yotimo’s eyes widening as he started to fall-

Only to stop as Lex’s telekinetic aura sprung up around him.

Panting at having barely managed to grab him in time – since he wouldn’t have been able to do so if Yotimo had fallen out of his line of sight – Lex started to pull the adlet back onto solid ground.

Which left him completely vulnerable as Paska spun and hurled his hammer directly at Lex.

It was like watching history repeat itself. His throw was exactly the same as Sissel’s had been when she’d taken his foreleg off so recently, and in that instant Lex felt certain that Paska had been the one the snow giant had trained with.

Fortunately for him, Paska didn’t have aristeia, nor was his hammer weighted as evenly as Sissel’s axe had been. The result was that the throw was a clumsy one, impacting Lex him in the stomach rather than the face. With his toughened physique it was only slightly painful, his organometallic fur and strengthened muscles taking nearly all of the force. But what remained was enough to knock the wind out of him, toppling Lex over as his concentration was broken.

Along with his telekinesis.

The aura around him winking out, Yotimo barely managed to grab onto the cliffside, digging Bloodletter into the stone for purchase as his other hand grasped at the edge frantically. The sight caused the other adlets – having been yelling into their gags as they struggled against their bonds – to thrash harder, Toklo’s eyes wide as he tried and failed to inch closer to his where his father was dangling over the abyss.

Yotimo grunted, straining with effort as Bloodletter’s tip scraped free of the cliff face, his other hand slowly losing its purchase.

Glancing upward, his eyes caught Toklo’s...and despite being only seconds away from death, Yotimo managed a smile.

Tossing Bloodletter upward, the spear landed in front of Toklo as Yotimo gave his son one last look. And although the shriekers were still making it impossible to hear anything, the bound adlet had a clear view of his father’s lips moving, able to read the words that he spoke next.

“I love you, Toklo.”

Then his hand lost its purchase, and Yotimo fell into the chasm.

But before he’d fallen more than a foot, a rush of mist shot down from the sky, an arm materializing out of it as Solvei – appearing flat on the ground with her upper body jutting over the edge of the fissure – grabbed Yotimo’s outstretched hand.

“I’ve got you!” she yelled, pulling him upward and throwing him back onto solid ground, the elder adlet landing alongside his son.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Solvei turned her attention back toward Paska and Lex, the former picking himself up as the latter-

Grabbed his fallen bag and tore it open.

And everything was drowned in a sudden flood of blinding light.

Solvei couldn’t help but yelp in surprise, the sudden illumination assaulting her eyes the same way the shriekers were her ears. What was going on?!

It’s a light spell! A powerful one! Lex’s voice, filled with alarm, answered her question. He must have cast it on some piece of debris ahead of time and was storing it for when we arrived! Stop him before he throws it into the gorge!

Right!

But without being able to see what she was aiming at, that was easier said than done. Knowing that she didn’t have time to think of a plan, she did the only thing she could think of, gathering as much magic as she could and breathing a cone of supernatural cold toward the source of the light. She could tell through their connection that Lex wasn’t in its area, and the other adlets were immune to freezing temperatures. And while Paska had doubtlessly used magic to protect himself from the chill, maybe this would be enough to get through his defenses and freeze him in place!

But that hope died a moment later as – although she heard a pained grunt come from Paska’s direction – she could make out, even through her clenched eyelids, that the source of the light suddenly arced upward, flying over her.

Desperately, she reached out with the telekinesis she’d received from Lex, fumbling to try and catch whatever had been enchanted with the blinding radiance, but without being able to see it directly and having no idea what it’s shape was, there was no hope of grabbing it that way, and Solvei couldn’t help but whimper as the light level suddenly fell, the brightness falling away into the chasm, illuminating it as it plunged toward the bottom.

Master...I’m sorry...

His only response was a growl as his horn lit up, covering the shriekers in black crystals, the mushrooms’ wailing silenced at last.

“I have to admit, you made quite the effort of it,” smirked Paska, before nodding at Lex. “Keep the hammer if you want. You’re about to need all the help you can get.”

“How ironic,” answered Lex coldly. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”

Then he summoned Belligerence back to his grasp and threw it directly at Paska.

Not having expected that, Paska’s eyes had just enough time to widen before the quill went directly through his chest, the barbs causing it to become lodged in his sternum as he staggered backward, a look of incomprehension on his face as he stumbled toward the edge of the cliff...

Then Yotimo swung Bloodletter around, sweeping Paska’s legs out from under him and sending him tumbling over the edge.

“Good riddance,” spat Solvei, still blinking the spots out of her eyes. “Master, let’s get out of here before-”

She didn’t have a chance to finish as a roar came from the abyss, causing everyone to freeze in place.

The sound was so deep and so loud that it made the shriekers’ screaming seem like a quiet murmur by comparison. It was almost a physical force, causing the air itself to tremble as the ground shook. But the volume paled in comparison to the sheer, unbridled rage that the sound carried.

It was something that the animal inside of Lex recognized immediately. That roar was more than just a challenge; it was an announcement, conveying that anyone who appeared before the voice’s owner would die. There would be no acceptance of submission, no opportunity to withdraw, and no abandoning the fight before one or the other of them was killed.

And although Lex knew that it was utterly illogical and completely counterproductive, he couldn’t help the rush of anticipation he felt as his inner beast gave a roar of its own.

Author's Note:

Lex and the others are unable to stop Paska from alerting Hvitdod!

Will they be able to get the captured adlets clear and escape? Or is a fight with the dragon inevitable now?

Comments

[Not so New Brony]

Well shit just hit the fan real hard. I had hoped that Lex would have been able to subdue/eliminate Paska and rescue the adlets without disturbing Hvitdod. Then I remembered it's Lex who has a tendency for getting involved in problematic situations so it was inevitable he'd be punished in one way or another for every victory he achieves.

And given the aurumvorax's unwillingness to fight over fleeing, escaping is not an option...for Lex at least.

[Booster Spice]

Welp, there goes the idea of giving Mother the Dragon she demanded.

To the face.

[Alzrius]

11553203 Yeah, somehow I don't see that happening. But hey, maybe Hvitdod will turn out to be a reasonable fellow who's open to negotiation, right?

...right?

[Alzrius]

11553173 Somehow, Lex always seems to end up taking the path of greatest resistance. Which I suppose is somewhat appropriate for the Night Mare's champion, but it means that he'll rarely catch a break. After all, while his inner beast might be itching for the fight, he knows better, so presuming he can keep control of his instincts, it might be possible for him to have Solvei round everyone up and get them out of there without fighting the dragon.

Though, if history is any indicator, that's probably not going to happen.

[TheAbsoluteRadiance]

Lex’s beast is not backing down from a challenge but seeing that he lost against Sissel going saiyan there is no way he is gonna defeat Hvitdod. Unless he is weaker than advertised? There is always the option of escaping. Take the adlets and run.

No matter how sympathetic Yotimo’s situation is the repercussions of his action in that one moment will possibly doom all the adlets he tried to save and he should know that he is the reason for that.

[Alzrius]

11553756 Yeah, this is the enemy that Sissel didn't want to go up against, though I do recall her mentioning that she didn't realize how strong aristeia would make her, and subsequently musing that maybe she could go up against Hvitdod with her new powers. But either way, Lex is still going to be absolutely outclassed if it comes down to a fight...or at least, that's what all indicators point to. The question then becomes if he'll try and fight at all, or decide that it's more important to get everyone out of there. If only he hadn't used his only teleportation spell for Fail Forward and Thermal Draft!

As for Yotimo, yeah...he didn't exactly help the situation. It's understandable why he acted like he did, but he's basically the living proof of why a traumatized family member shouldn't be part of a rescue operation.

[bernabex27]

11551664
Gracias amigo por todo eso me sube el ánimo en seguir mejorando como persona. Cuídate mucho y buenas noches.