Nightmare Realm Summoner

The gray streak that was Claire slammed into the bleeding Gorgonaga’s neck and sent its head cracking through the air like a whip. It collided with another one of the monster’s heads with a loud, meaty clonk that would have been a whole lot funnier if they hadn’t been in such a tenuous position.

Alex could do nothing but watch as the Region Boss thrashed furiously. Claire clung to it. She’d managed to get a good grip with her hands, but her legs sailed back and forth in the air in the pattern of a whipping flag.

He was getting dizzy just watching it. The lower half of his body was still completely numb. While that did mean that the pain from having a broken back was considerably less bothersome, it came with a somewhat problematic side-effect of being unable to move. He couldn’t even twitch his fingers.

It wouldn’t be long before his body patched itself up, but in a fight like this, every single second mattered. He couldn’t just sit around and do nothing while Claire fought — but right now, that was his only option.

The Gorgonaga finally managed to shake Claire free of itself. She flew back through the air, righting herself with a swoop of the black wings before launching herself back into the air. She shot past the heads of the Region Boss to land on its back, disappearing from Alex’s view for moments.

Alex desperately tried to force himself to move, but his body was completely unresponsive. All the magical energy he possessed had already been drained by Princess’ magic keeping him alive. There was nothing more to spend yet.

The distant sound of battle rung in his ears, growing ever closer. Everyone was holding their own. Mirrorwane hadn’t fallen yet… but it wasn’t going to matter if they couldn’t find a way to take the Region Boss out.

I need to help Claire. Even if she’s got something that we can use to take the Gorgonaga down, she won’t be enough to do it on her own. This thing is too powerful, and it hasn’t even used its Domain yet.

I need to move.

Alex gritted his teeth. He could do that, at least. Every scrap of energy he had went into trying to rise again. He could have sworn that there was a faint tingling, buzzing sensation in his extremities, but that might have just been his mind making things up to placate him.

The Gorgonaga abruptly bucked its back legs into the air like it was a massive, scaly horse. Claire flew up into the air, her arms windmilling in surprise — and one of the Region Boss’s huge wings snapped up to catch her in the stomach with the force of a speeding car.

She managed to cross her arms before herself a moment before the blow connected. Claire rocketed back, crashing through the trees and vanishing into the forest to vanish into the mist surrounding the town.

Shit.

This is bad. Really bad. I need to get the healing pills Finley got me, but I can’t move my goddamn arms at all. Could this be any worse?

A wet huff rolled against Alex’s ear.

His blood stilled. He couldn’t even turn his head. His gaze shifted to the furthermost corners of his eyes.

Standing directly beside him, sickly saliva dripping from its mangy jaws, was a rabid-looking wolf monster. Large chunks of its fur and flesh were missing. The monster’s eyes were wild and ravenous and it panted as if it had just run a marathon. A purple tongue lolled from between its pitted teeth.

Rotted Chompling (Novice 9)

Goddamn it. You have to be kidding me.

”Shoo,” Alex hissed.

One of his fingers twitched.

That was a good thing. Control was returning to his body. It wouldn’t be too long before he could move again.

Unfortunately, soon was not going to be very helpful. The mangy wolf monster took another step closer to Alex, its panting growing heavier as its eyes bore into his. It looked hungry. Very hungry.

There was a crunch from the forest behind him. Alex couldn’t turn to see what it was, but a blur of green shot out and slammed into the wolf. It let out a yelp that was swallowed by the sounds of a violent scuffle behind him.

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Worst of all, Alex couldn’t so much as turn in its direction. All he could do was sit there and wait. The fight didn’t last long. It was only a few more seconds before a pained whimper rang out and the wolf’s panting was silenced.

Relief washed over Alex.

Looks like I owe someone some thanks. They got it.

Sticks and leaves crunched to Alex’s side. A long, slender body slithered into his field of view, and all the relief he’d felt died on the spot. It was a massive snake. The monster was Initiate 4 and its scales cracked and shattered. One of its eyes had been carved out and it was on its last legs — and it was staring straight at him.

Beaten half to death or not, the snake wasn’t going to have any issue eating him when he couldn’t so much as budge. Alex tried to force himself to move again, but it was pointless. His body was still functionally immobile. All he could do was twitch a finger.

You have to be kidding me.

The snake reared back. Its jaws yawned open as it let out a loud hiss, tongue flicking out to taste the air as it prepared to bite at Alex’s neck.

A dark form dropped from the air, landing directly on the monster’s skull. Its mouth slammed shut, biting its own tongue off at the base in the process, and the snake’s head crunched as it was driven straight into the ground by a metallic foot.

Standing upon the snake’s corpse was a metal puppet. A very familiar one. A relieved laugh slipped from Alex’s lips as yet another being emerged from within the forest and into Alex’s view.

”You don’t look so good,” Mite said, his gaze locked on the huge Region Boss looming in the all-too-near distance. ”And neither does the state of the fight so far.”

All eight of the Gorgonaga’s heads had turned back toward Mirrorwane and the thick mist pouring from it. Low whines filled the air as it begun to charge its magic once more. Power gathered in the Region Boss’ throats — and Claire streaked back out from the forest to slam into the wound on the monster’s neck once again.

She latched onto it, clinging on for dear life, but the Region Boss was done with her antics. One of its heads snapped down and bit down on her shoulder, ripping her free and sending her crashing into the forest at the monster’s feet.

”I hope you’ve got something up your sleeve, because Claire is getting her shit kicked in,” Mite said. ”And, full honesty, I’m making a run for it if you don’t. We can’t beat that thing if you guys can’t.”

Alex sent his thoughts to the ring on his finger. The metal box bearing his healing pills materialized in his numb fingers and proceeded to slip straight free and fall to the forest floor beside them. His gaze flicked down to it.

”Healing pills,” Alex hissed. ”Get them. My back is broken. I can’t move.”

Mite crouched beside Alex and grabbed the box. He popped it open and pulled a pill out — and from the trees behind him, another snake monster emerged. This one was pretty much a normal snake. It was also, unfortunately, about ten feet long.

”Behind you!” Alex called out.

Mite didn’t even turn. His puppet lurched into motion as the snake struck at his back. The puppet slammed its metal arm straight into the snake’s mouth, letting the monster bite down on it harmlessly before bringing its other hand down on the back of the snake’s head.

It struck twice more before the snake’s skull caved in and it fell still. Mite didn’t flinch. He practically shoved the pill right into Alex’s mouth.

And fortunately for Alex, he hadn’t lost the ability to swallow.

As soon as the pill entered his body, a wave of warmth passed over Alex. It was like he’d emerged from an air conditioned room into a hot summer day on a beach. The feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but it hit him with near-physical force.

Loud cracks echoed through his body as bones fixed themselves. There was a sharp flash of pain — and then nothing. The wounds were gone. A wave of exhaustion gripped Alex by the shoulders, but he shoved it back.

”Thanks for the save,” Alex said, forcing himself to his feet and taking the box of pills back from Mite. ”I didn’t know you could fight. Any other tricks you’ve got in store?”

”No. And fighting isn’t my specialty. Not because I can’t, but because I haven’t built enough weapons for myself. Maybe if I had more materials…”

”Noted.” Alex squinted up at the Gorgonaga, digging through his mind in search of some way they could turn the fight in their favor. He knew Claire was capable of more than what she’d managed.

She must be trying to get as much blood as possible from the Gorgonaga before she uses whatever ability she’s getting ready. We have to help her.

”So… are we done?” Mite asked. ”Or is there more fuel in the tank?”

”We’re alive, aren’t we?” Alex asked.

”We have different definitions of what can be used as fuel.”

”We’re not done. Not yet,” Alex said. His fingers tightened into fists at his sides. He had no more magic to work with after the damage he’d taken, but that didn’t mean he was useless. He’d injured the Region Boss before. It didn’t know what he was capable of.

Claire has to have something pretty big planned if she’s going for this much blood. We need to help… and I think I know just how we can do it.

”What’s that look on your face?” Mite asked. ”I don’t like it.”

Alex pulled two more pills out of the box and shoved them into Mite’s hand. ”You’re going to need these.”

”Do I get hazard pay?”

”You get whatever the hell you want if we win this. Within reason, that is,” Alex said, breaking into a run toward the Region Boss. He had to move fast. Claire had been taking a serious beating trying to hold the Gorgonaga off on her own.

Mite sprinted after him along with his puppet. ”Great! What are we doing?”

Even with the exhaustion clinging to Alex’s back like a lead cloak, adrenaline powered through his veins and forced his body into full speed. A thrill danced at the back of his mind as his lips split into an excited grin. ”Becoming a distraction.”