Fallen Comrades [part 2]

As they made their way up the cliff twice that afternoon, Sodifery ignored the white bird's pestering and took shelter with Lopal and Reas until their path was completely dry.

He looked back at his colleagues for the umpteenth time that day.

"Everyone good?"

"You worry too much," He heard Lopal's words quieten abruptly, a resounding "huh?" stopped him in his tracks.

They were rounding a sharp corner and he examined Lopal's horror-stricken face. Of course, she did this before to get on his nerves.

"Stop playing around." But the words also died in his mouth when she didn't respond. He decided to push past her and see for his own eyes.

"We didn't hear anything."

The path back was void of any life or person.

"Reas!"

"Wait, you idiot! Sodi!"

Sodi leaped vertically down the slope and heard a faint echo of a harsh impact directly below them, something like boulder splashing against a shallow waterbed….

Lopal also descended, scraping more of the cliff's surface to join him. They heard a beckoning howl in the distance, calling their fellow minions towards something.

"Don't."

When the man had his sword unsheathed, ready to break his legs on his descent down and fight the minions, Lopal shook her head as she grabbed his shoulder.

"Not you too, Sodi."

He clenched his jaw tightly and sheathed back his sword.

They trekked back up the rest of the way in silence.It was a joke to say that Sodifery was feeling troubled.

He finds himself concentrating on moving silently through the rocky plateau with Lopal following closely behind. He had to, nevertheless, focus on one agenda at a time. On top of losing his main goal, he'd simply lose more if he were to get distracted.

Somewhere in the depths of his mind, he is aware that just because he knows what to do, doesn't always equate to the results he wanted. Nobody will ever be able to tell the future. It was just that the Dragon Reawakening was the one future he should prevent no matter what.

He couldn't afford to be selfish here. Although he had lost a lot of people ever since he was born, the Dragon Slayer must be the one to stop others from losing more of the people important to them.

Indeed, that was all he had to do. The 'Dragon Slayer' was a cursed title.

Before they climbed up, Sodifery had asked Lopal if she wanted to back out, and that he would welcome it. Lopal rejected the idea, saying,

"Somebody needs to watch your back."

Perhaps she knew what Sodifery didn't.

"And If you can't watch mines, I won't blame you for it."

.

The two crouched low as they made their way one coverage at a time. Unfortunately there wasn't many boulders or structures, or trees for that matter where they can hide.

He felt his heart beating loudly and prayed that the large shadow of mass would somehow not be able to hear it. It wasn't a lie to say that it was the largest Dark Minion they had ever seen. He wanted to observe it closer, but that was a risk he didn't want to take.

If they caused a ruckus when they encounter the dragon, would this monster become a problem later?

From the side of his eye, the shadow stirred. Honestly, there was nothing that could be done.

"Lopal, get ready."

Lopal removed the whip around her waist and brought out her shield, shifting in a lower position, legs firmly planted in the ground. The wind picked up around them and the silhouette slowly unraveled.

Except the lump shifted slowly to one side, and something long and sturdy extended out. Soon four feet held up the massive body with two arms and a very long spear as a horn perched on its head.

A low massive roar shook their surroundings, a wet muck akin to rabies escaping from its lips.

"R-run!"

The two circled around, the colossal size of darkness digging up the rocky surface as it charged at them. Lopal stumbled back as the hooved monster skid between them, raising its hind legs and arching its horn both at Lopal and Sodifery.

A resounding crack was heard from both sides. Lopal managing to blackflip just before the ground was pierced from a meteor. Sodifery could be seen flying far away, rolling across the ground.

The Dark Minion raised its form once more to find Sodifery's whereabouts. However, it couldn't turn its body properly as if its horn was stuck.

Lopal held her ground with the whip held with two hands, the rope having wound around the horn. Her forearms bulged as she forced it to turn towards her direction.

"That's right, you beast." she growls between gritted teeth, "Just focus on me."

Behind the monster's fiery mane, the air exploded and shadow was spinning towards its way. Sodifery brought out all the power of the the blade as his eyes glowed to a pale amethyst.

At the same time, Lopal jumped up to the same level and jabbed her strongest shield against its lower jaw. Sodifery used this chance to stab between the crown of its head.

Blood gushed like an oil spill and the two met the ground neatly.

"Did we get it?"

As for the answer, the gash between its head joined together like animated stitches, the Dark minion releasing a low shriek clearly enraged.

The front hooves raised and dug deeply into the cliff's surface, separating the earth, forming a large crevice between the warriors.

They rolled out of the way, but before they could manage their bearings, the enemy had already charged towards Sodifery once more.

A whizz signified that Lopal managed to block its attack straight on. She still got pushed back, ankles deep into the ground like sand. Until it withdrew to charge another attack, Lopal stepped aside as if changing shifts and Sodifery's sword parried the sharp horn away.

They swapped again, Lopal sliding underneath and away, a whip wrapped against its hind legs, and she pulled with all her might.

Sodifery pierced its belly and then twisted it upwards from underneath where its ribcage would be, hopefully right into its heart.

"Ergh, Die!" Lopal yelled as she finally made the monster buckle from having its legs sweeping from under it.

Of course, it didn't fall but staggered as the wide gash was spilling its intestines out of its torso. But its arms managed to grab Sodifery in its fist, squeezing without mercy.

Sodifery choked as his arms were bound against himself. The light sword clattering to the ground, and dimmed slowly.

A loud slap snapped its attention, finally slamming Sodifery into the crevice, leaving him cramped and stuck. How many of his bones were broken?

"Come at me you ugly donkey!" Lopal was waving her arms and yelling hysterically.

The view however, started to become blurry momentarily. He bit his lip to remain focused and tried to free half of his body crushed into the ground. For a moment, the Dark Minion staggered, as if it was drunk.

The next moment, Sodifery watched with wide eyes as the monster rammed both itself and Lopal over the edge of the cliff.