Mt. Ohm - God Slayer by K. van Marshall (romantic love story reading .txt) 📖

key, and these four had been working together as part of Bast, Niisarm’s elite mobile strike force, for a while. Zweek made use of his groups exceptional mobility and managed to climb three levels quickly. Once on the destined level, the group sprint at top speed, passing several open rooms. The vibration of their footsteps draw slumbering beasts from the cells. Stuck in a tunnel vision, Zweek searched desperately, eventually finding the target; the room may be the key to their survival.

 

When Zweek first arrived in the camp, this room was his first taste of his new life; he does not have fond memories. In fact he does not remember much; mostly waking up after three days covered in wounds.

 

Where are they? Where are they? Zweek sprinted around the room in a frantic search. Only a few of the rooms allowed the sprigger's to use weapons, and this was one. “Yeeeess!”, screamed Zweek, kicking through a stock room door and confirming his hazy memory as reality.

 

He ran back outside, his group were in the middle of battle against a molerthert; a huge brown skinned, claw footed mammal. Spear in hand, Zweek bounced into the air above the creature and came crashing down, spear first - impaling the brown beast through the top of its skull. Forcing its multi tusked nose to splinter against the hard stone ground; the impact brought instant death.

 

“Come”. Without pause, Zweek grabs Towu and Goombi, dragging them into the trap room. The three emerge seconds later, arms loaded with weapons. They drop them to the floor.

 

“These ain’t worth spit”, said Somi.

 

“Yeah the swords are rusted and spears splintered”, added Goombi.

 

“There are not enough weapons for everyone, but enough to make a difference, they’ll have to do”, said Zweek.

 

While the four gathered the weapons, Zweek checked on the progress of Stow and Xena. Their ascent had slowed dramatically, to the point of which Xena's group had become a large mass with Stow’s vanguard. To make things worse, a trio of agile land predators were making their way down the slope towards his unaware friends, and worse, the water below had begun to rise drastically.

 

Again, Zweek thought fast. “Come quick”, demanded Zweek, grabbing an armful of assorted weapons, then diving down the cliff side, followed by the rest. The five streak diagonally down towards the imperilled trekkers - tumbling and skidding down the steep gravel walls.

 

Down in the group, panic had revealed its ugly head - they could see and hear the massive sea creatures splashing below, and to the front even the boulder Stow had been stopped dead by an immovable beast. Amongst the growing hysteria, Xena was so calm, she seemed completely nonplussed by the maddening yelps; in reality she had no time to sooth their fragile minds. She was more concerned with the three meadow sharks approaching from above. Their stocky, low to the ground bodies, were making simple work of the steep slopes. With their wedge shaped head and yellow skin, Xena recognised the famous predator immediately. Most continents have a version, either bigger or smaller, but most importantly, all are known as expert pack-hunters.

 

Stow leading the line was in no position to help the center or rear of the formation. His hands were full with golemeers. On another day, this would be the sort of match Stow could relish, but not today. They were on a time limit, their watery deaths stalked from below and these huge rock skinned monsters; renowned for their strength and even more so for their toughness, had become a stubborn obstacle. With a long trunk and a bear like body, the beasts are not easily moved. Then there are the meadow sharks, grassland hunters and deadly.

 

Xena tracks the movements quietly, making sure not to let slip the coming threat. They were going for the rear, as if they could sense the injured and weak. Xena prepared herself to take the fight to the sharks, glimpsing a desperate Zweek trying to cut them off from the side; she can only hope he will make it in time.

 

Zweek, drops the stash of weapons, keeping hold of a rusty sword and splintered spear, the meadow sharks are almost on top of the group. Running full out, his heart pounded - Zweek twists his body as far back as possible - holding the spear behind him, arm straight; ready to launch. He aims and hurls the spear.

 

The rusty broken spear flies through the air - striking straight through the shark at the center of the pack. Sending it flying off the path and splashing into the water below. Triarkines, huge mouthed carnivorous sea predators, tear it apart in an instant.  

 

Climbing a level above, Xena intercepts the leader of the pack, leaving the rear in a state of pandemonium. Calmly she stands boldly before the predator. With a snarl it pounces. Nimble and fast, Xena steps to the side - using its momentum against it - she sends it tumbling, with a swift quick; she joins her pack-mate in a quick death. With Zweek at its rear, the third shark was surrounded on all sides. Scales raised on end, and alone, the beast turns at a pace and flees up the steep wall.

 

Having sent the rest of his group to the aid of Stow. The nimble four arrive to help Stow finish off the golemeers, launching spears and attacking from behind - the beasts are are forcefully subdued.  

 

“There are more weapons, about three levels up, and the top is 10 levels away”, Zweek informs the group, he then takes the lead with Stow, charging forwards. The group make it to the weapons cache, and several more pass without issue.

 

Eventually the sprigger's reach six levels from the top. With nearly everyone is exhausted, their only blessing was the rate of the rising water had slowed dramatically. Zweek estimated this was due to the cone shape of the dungeon and its width growing in circumference. With his theory seconded by Xena the group slowed their pace, slightly.

 

Maybe it was the exhaustion, or the moment of respite, regardless not one person was ready for what came next. As the group passed one of the many open gates - hundreds of long, thick, slimy green tentacles flew forth. Flailing and thrashing, they knock fifty sprigger's into the water instantly. Most died from the impact, all were immediately swallowed by triarkine's, for good measure. Another hundred were bagged and snagged - in quick succession they were whipped into the room - their disappearance was followed by horrific screams and loud crunches. The tentacles swiftly emerge again, smashing a load more into the pool and grabbing a second helping of spriggers. In no time at all the group found themselves split in two, Zweek, Stow and the strongest contingent on upside of the door while Xena’s group of injured were left behind.

 

Xena is with them but most of the people in the rear were injured, they have no way of making it up the cliff side or any possibility of fighting their way through the tentacles, not without help, agonized Zweek.

 

“What is this thing?”, huffed Stow.

 

“Don’t know, never went to this training room”, sighed Zweek. “Bast guys, you still here”. Zweek’s mobile unit stepped forward. “You still got weapons”, said Zweek, looking them over. “Good, two stay here, two follow me”, ordered Zweek, before hopping onto the wall beside them. “The rest of you go”.

 

“You sure?”, quizzed Stow. “We can fight this thing together”.

 

“No, we will lose too much time, and fighters. Just clear the way ahead”, replied Zweek, continuing to the level above. Stow nodded, then waved to Xena before leaving with his herd.  

 

It did not take long for Zweek and the nimble duo to climb to the level above. However, good deeds, never go unpunished. The three were met by the lonesome surviving meadow shark. She reared up at the sight of the sudden threats. Her wedge shaped head snapping open and shut, teeth gnashing.

 

“Oi, get - be ready!”, exclaimed Zweek, springing to his feet, the surprise scrambling the words as they exit his mouth.

 

Instantly ready to battle, and down the beast, Zweek stood prepared. Sooner than he could react the shark flung itself forwards. With movements swift, and aim unpredictable, she slipped past Zweek and went straight for Goombi. Yet to get to his feet, he had no chance. In one swift bite, his head and a large chunk of his torso was removed. The momentum of the strike took the shark and the twitching corpse of Goombi tumbling below.

 

“Look out”, screamed Xena, watching the situation unfold from below.

 

The two warriors below were also caught by surprise. The sight of the falling body and beast caused the Somi and Seenah to scramble out of the way. However, Seenah landed too close to the mouth of the cave, and the reach of a tentacle. She was very unlucky, she did not even touch the tentacle, but the movement of air around it was enough to alert the creature to her clumsy presence; she was whipped into room and devoured.

 

The yellow scaled meadow shark landed with a thump in front of the lonesome Somi, while the body of its victim bounced off the edge and into the water below. The meadow shark got to its feet as if she had merely tripped, the beast showed no signs of injury after the fall. It reared itself up to take on the lone warrior, with the cave of tentacle nightmares at his back and an aggressive beast to the front, he readied himself for the battle. This time it was the shark that would be caught off guard. Zweek had flung himself from the level above. Sword in hand, he masterfully decapitated the shark in the instance before he touched the ground. The body of the shark flipped and slang around, running into the wall before falling down the cliff side to feed the sea monsters, located a few levels below.

 

Zweek sat exhausted, he looked over the side, the water was not far, then he looked up at Stow. He’s making good progress, thought Zweek, standing to climb the steep wall, once again.

 

Making it over to Xena's side by himself - he left the Towu and Somi - hoping their combined strengths would be enough to fight back the aggressive tentacles; Stow was too far to call back. The plan was simple, to beat back the tentacles and hold them off long enough for the injured to pass.

 

“Wieeeeeee!”.

 

With Zweek’s high pitched whistle, the signal was sent, and both sides started to hack and hit at the tentacles. They whipped about like tree branches assaulted in a tornado, but slowly begin to retreat. Zweek, Xena and the nimble two slowly closed in on the doorway, slashing and poking - methodically pushing back each tentacle. The injured waited until Xena's go ahead then moved across the path behind their hueman shields.

 

All was going well until a slippery tentacle slipped around Towu’s leg, dragging him into the darkened room. Mind and body munched to pieces, he left his sword behind. With a breach in the defences, the injured and weak were assaulted again; many more were swept into the hellish room.

 

The defensive formation of Zweek, Xena and Somi was about to buckle when Corve grabbed the vacant sword of Towu and took his place in the formation.

 

“Hiding with the weak and lame were you? Mule-piss!”, said Zweek.

 

“No, just waiting for my chance - like you said. Ass-snout!”, replied Corve, sharply.

 

“Mule bellied, stankfish”. Zweek slashed wildly,  screaming disses - not allowing the loss of more of his beloved family drive him into utter madness.

 

In the end, apart from the one disruption, everyone managed to pass the tentacle sprouting room of doom. After a few tense moments, the group made it pass the most difficult obstacle of the day, so far. Eventually they joined Stow and the others as they reached the top. Now all that was left was graduation, and hopefully