Chrysalis

On a nearby rise to the side of the road, Isaac and his archers had appeared, each one bending their bows and taking aim at the mage slaves. As the arrows sped through the air, the mages were forced to split their attention, raising barriers to defend themselves from the barrage whilst maintaining their own offensive.

Some of the mages turned their attention to disrupting Isaac and his hunting party, flinging spells at them that seared the air. But at this range, it was hard for them to be accurate and deadly enough. The archers were able to scramble out of the danger zone in time that they were able to avoid injury, but the mages succeeded in scattering the archers which was their aim.

All this time, Tiny continued to weave his way through danger. He was doing remarkably well, enough that I was convinced we were going to get into the clear.

Then the lightning started falling…

Damn Wizard Lizard! This may be a bit unreasonable, but I wish you'd let me kill off your servants without exacting vengeance!

With my mana sense flipped on, I could tell that the great working was finished now. Garralosh had topped off her core and was heading this way, and the Kaarmodo had enough free attention to weave together another lightning storm. Which is something we did not need!

[I'm jumping off, Tiny!] I shouted and leapt clear of the big ape the moment I saw a chance.

Crinis was frantically waddling through the grass to the side of the road, her basketball sized body supported on her small, stubby permanent tentacles. It would have been adorable in a situation that less fraught with mortal peril.

[Crinis, reach out to me!] I bellowed.

As she wiggled and wobbled her way forward, Crinis extended a long limb from her main body out towards me.

DASH!

I activated the skill and my stamina infused my body, sending me hurtling forward with vital energy. Bursts of flame erupted around me, singeing my carapace as lightning began to rain down from above.

I focused my sub-brains to their limits, using them to analyse the information from my antennae, the heat I sensed from the fire and the blurred lines of the future that were whispered to me through my antennae. By juking left and right I did everything I could to throw off the aim of my tormentors as I made my way to Crinis.

[Grab hold!] I yelled.

charge took me close enough that Crinis was able to latch hold of my carapace and begin to haul

[Don't let go, Crinis!]

[I never will, Master!]

mind it now, we need to get the

BOOM! BOOM!

more like an explosion to me as the strikes landed just metres away. Tiny leapt close and was struck

I'm not about to create a mind bridge in the middle of this fiasco! His fellow

between the horde, the mages and us and it began to tell, becoming easier to dodge and avoid the spells coming

for little old me? The Kaarmodo must be more than slightly attached to the slave attendants. I'd feel bad for the Lizard Wizard if they weren't marching a giant monster along

No mercy for invaders!

updates, better

run to

Run for your lives!

*CRACKLE!*

that hung low overhead began to spark and ripple with electricity. The lightning bolts ceased for a beat and I could see in

brighter by the second until it became a near blinding radiance that

DAAAAAAAAASH!

using the tentacle she'd stuck to me and now she clung on for dear life as I sprinted, my legs a blur to my

Tiny! Get clear

and leapt to one side, putting some distance between us. Overhead, the cloud shrank in

he ran forward and with a mighty roar launched the

heading right toward me!

HAH!

legs tripping over each other and I fell towards the ground

been running with a reverberating thud, the metal hafted weapon pushed deep into the ground as the momentum pushed