by C. M. Carney
The worms on his leg began to reform the hand and Simon began to laugh again. “These things are eating me, so why does it tickle?”
“Because that body is dead,” Vonn said. “The undead can still feel sensations, but their minds no longer process pain. If you were alive, you’d be screaming.”
“Well get ‘em offa me.”
“Move back,” Lex said to Errat and Vonn, and then looked at Simon. “This will tickle.” He extended his right palm and unleashed a torrent of fire at Simon’s boot. The flames poured over Simon’s foot, and the high-pitched screaming of dying worms drowned Simon's insane laughter. It was not only the dying worms being crisped like pork rinds that screamed but thousands on thousands of other worms that exploded from beneath the surface.
“Curious,” Vonn said, looking from the maggots under attack to the others.
Lex waited until the worms clasping Simon were charred husks before turning the jet of fire on the other half of the severed worm arm. He brought his other hand up and unleashed more Flames. The worms charred and Lex gagged on realizing the smell reminded him of bacon.
Thousands of worms roiled and flowed away from the flames, retreating just out of his spell’s range. The edges of Lex’s mind began to unfurl as Fire Magic psychosis began to take hold. A hand gripped his shoulder and then Vonn’s calming voice filled his ear.
“Ease back man. Ease back.”
With effort, Lex ceased feeding mana to the spell and the jets of fire blinked out. Errat pulled Simon into their defensive perimeter and raised his hands, ready to cast Aether Shield. Lex looked to Vonn and nodded his thanks. A moment later the madness brought on by the flames eased and he was himself again.
“These damn maggots are twisted by chaos. They have fricking teeth now and will eat anything organic,” Lex said. “But, they don’t like fire.”
“That is good news, is it not friend Lex?” Errat’s expression said he was grasping at straws of hope. The warborn’s eyes were grim, fearful as he looked towards the room’s exit, on the far side of the chamber. The floor between them and that exit swarmed with the carnivorous larvae, and more were pulling themselves up from beneath the ground.
“Perhaps the only good news,” Lex said and explained what his Analyze had told him.
“So, all we have to do is prevent them from joining.” Vonn’s tone suggested that was less likely than the sun rising in the west. Proving his doubt, the individual masses of worms moved towards the center of the chamber.
“Does anyone else have any hidden superpowers that can help?” Lex asked, backing away from the approaching carpet of maggots. “I’ll take anything.”
“Errat can alter the aetherial connections within the stone of the roof. It will take a while for such a large area and drain much mana, but I think I can bring the roof down.”
“That sounds great pal, except for one teensy weensy problem. We’re still in the room.”
“Oh, yes. That is a problem.”
Two groups of maggots merged into a larger mass that began to grow upwards into the shape of a boot, a boot-shaped very much like the one Simon’s Dirge body wore. Two more worm blobs reached the boot, and the mass stretched upwards into a full leg. Still more came and soon they formed a wriggling swarm in the vague shape of Dirge.
Lex’s face went grim, and he spoke in a heavy voice. “Retrieve the Port Icon.” Vonn nodded and tapped a few runes on the control panel. The empty slot at the crux of the archway shimmered and then a glowing gemstone drew itself through the stone of the archway. Vonn reached up and pulled the Port Icon free. He handed it to Lex, who stared down on the glowing gem and then turned back to the mass of worms.
The maggot Dirge was nearly six feet tall and growing, far larger than the man it was mimicking. Lex’s Analyze told him that the creature’s health and stamina had eclipsed 2,000 points and it was increasing fast.
“Do we go forward or back to the Barrow?” Vonn asked,
The question had no simple answer but held many a nook and cranny. They could retreat through the Port Gate to safety, but that would mean giving up their quest to find Gryph, at least in the short term. That lost time could be enough for Aluran to wipe us from the face of Korynn. Without Gryph, we have no chance. Indecision swarmed through Lex and he wished Gryph was here to decide for him. He grimaced and did what Gryph would do. “We go forward.”
“Forward it is then,” Vonn said, a small grin of approval pushing through his nervousness.
“Through that?” Simon squealed. “How?”
“Errat, can your Aether Shield move with you?”
“Yes, it is difficult but doable. However, because I will need to protect us from multiple angles, the overall strength of the shield will be lessened.”
“This sounds like a really bad idea,” Simon said.
“We’re all out of good ones, so bad is all we’ve got.” Lex extended his hands and drew the orange glow of Flames to them. One by one the others nodded. “Now, Errat.”
The shimmering gray of Errat’s Aether Shield snapping around them was the signal. Lex took point, his Fire Magic the most capable weapon in their arsenal. Behind him, Vonn took the left flank and Simon took the right. The white glow of Order Magic thrummed about Vonn’s fists, while the purple black of Death Magic swirled in odd rivulets around Simon. Errat took up the rear, his hands ready to feed more mana into his shield.
“Stay close and move fast.” Lex took a step forward and the maggot clone of Dirge took a corresponding step forward. It moved with all the grace of Dirge, and Lex wondered if it had somehow sampled the dead assassin’s DNA. Just how far does that mimicking go? Does it have Dirge’s abilities?
There was only one way to find out. Lex took a few more steps, making sure that the others kept up with him under Errat’s shield. A few tense seconds passed before the maggot Dirge was in range of his Flames. His arms snapped up, and he sent dual jets of fire at the maggots.
Maggot Dirge rolled under the fiery lance, came to its knees and tossed two knives at them. Only they weren’t knives, but blade-shaped projectiles made of maggots. They smashed into the shield with a surprising thud and then disappeared in a flash of gray light tinged with deep orange. The shield flickered but held.
“Well that was pointless,” Simon grumbled. “If all its gonna do is toss blobs of itself at us, then we'll be fine. Right?”
“It is doing much more than that friend Simon. Its attack drained some of the power from my shield.”
“Shit,” Lex muttered adjusting his aim down towards maggot Dirge. Before the twin jets of flame could hit the target, the thing split itself down the middle like a man cut in half by a massive, invisible blade. The flames shot harmlessly through the middle, each half dancing away like the water in the choreographed fountains at the Bellagio. The motion was graceful and would have been beautiful, apart from the maggots.
Lex ceased Flames. It was draining his mana fast and the mad cackle was tickling the recesses of his mind. If they were to survive this, Lex would need to keep his faculties intact. The two halves formed into two smaller maggot Dirges. They both dipped a boot into the near endless carpet of maggots flowing up through the floor and grew.
Vonn sent a dual volley of Order Bolts at the pair of larva men. The knives of white energy were infallible in their aim. Unfortunately, both Dirges opened holes in their centers, sacrificing a single maggot to each bolt. The rogue grimaced. “Well, that’s a kick in the nethers.” Then it got worse.
Both maggot Dirges pointed an arm at them, and Lex watched in horror as a stream of the larval vermin exploded towards them as if unleashed from a firehose. The twin streams slammed into Errat’s shield, earning a grunt of effort from the warborn. Whorls of gray light blasted around the surface of the shield and Lex knew before Errat spoke that they did not have long.
“Friends, Errat’s shield is down to 65%. Even with the extra mana I am feeding it, I do not think it will last long enough for our escape.”
Lex’s eyes snapped to the exit and realized it was four times as far as a retreat to the Port Gate. Doubt dug into him and his mind scrambled for an out. What would Gryph do? He knew before the thought had even formed that as long as there was the slimmest of hopes, Gryph would risk himself for a chance to save his fellows. Once that chance turned to hopelessness, Gryph would retreat to keep his people safe. It was the ability to navigate this kind of double standard that made some men leaders and other men failures.
“Dammit,” Lex muttered and glanced at Vonn. The rogue shrugged, and what little hope Lex had drained from him. Another stream of maggots slammed into the shield. “Back to the gate.”
As one they turned and rushed back towards the stone archway. Feelings of utter failure punched into Lex with each step. I am sorry Gryph. He reached into his bag and removed the Port Icon. It would only take a few seconds to set the gem and power up the gate. He sent a silent plea to the Source that Errat’s shield would hold.
They were less than ten feet from the gate when the ground beneath it began to rumble and roil. The arch tilted as its left side sunk a foot into the ground. A moment later the right side sunk down even further. Lex skidded to a halt and watched in horror as the stone archway was swallowed by a surging sinkhole of maggots.
5
The group watched as a swarm of chaotic larva emerged from the hole where the Port Gate had once stood and formed into yet another maggot Dirge. Rage built in Lex. It was not the helpless rage of a man out of options, but the fiery anger of the righteous. “Enough of this shit,” Lex said.
He brought his hands together and dual cast Flames again, but this time he accounted for the maggot’s split trick and widened the scorching flows. The twin jets of flame enveloped the swarm and squeals of pain and anger pulsed from all three Dirges.
Lex opened the floodgates to his mana and let the magical energy surge through him, ensuring the mass of chaos larva did not escape. His mouth turned up in a sneer and a cackle pushed past his lips. His body started to tremble, and he heard someone screaming. Only upon realizing that someone was him, did he realize Fire Magic psychosis had taken him, but he did not care.
The world thundered around him, but whether it was the onslaught against Errat’s shield or the pounding of his heart, he did not know. Nor did he care. A distant voice was yelling, but he ignored it. All he cared about was the flames.
Calloused hands grabbed his wrists and his head jerked up to find Vonn standing behind him, his grip like iron. “Lex! Stop!” But Lex would not, could not stop. Orange light flared, blinding him and then the flames dimmed and blinked out. Ragged breaths tore at his throat and sweat poured from him like a man who’d fallen asleep in a sauna. It was only then that he realized he’d used every drop of his mana.
“Raarrggh!” Lex howled at the top of his lungs.
“Okay, none of that please,” Vonn said, crunching his face up in annoyance.
The mad twitching in Lex’s limbs slowed and his grin faded. Vonn pushed Lex’s hands down to his sides.
“My head hurts,” Lex said, his voice low and pathetic.
“Yeah, I’m not surprised. You did good,” Vonn said and pointed to the dimming conflagration ahead of them. What had been a man-shaped collection of maggots was now a charred mound of ash and grit. “But we cannot stay here.” The half-elf turned Lex around.
Ahead of them, the remaining pair of maggot Dirges were reforming. “What happened to them?”
“You did, you pyro bastard,” Vonn said with a chuckle. “Apparently their hive mind thing you told us of is a blessing and a curse. Your charring of Dirge number three really messed with them.”
“So maybe…”
“We need not kill them all,” Vonn finished. “We only need to keep one of the Dirge's occupied.”
“Yay, we might live,” Lex said spastically.
“Uh, guys,” Simon interrupted. “We’re all gonna die.”
Vonn and Lex looked up to see the two individual Dirges had gained some allies. Several new swarms of chaotic larva emerged from the ground and took the form of a giant rabbit with horns, and some kinda blob that was all mouths, arms and tongues.
“Could this day get any worse?” Lex asked and then noted Vonn’s intense look. Lex shrugged and looked skyward. “Please don’t make it worse,” he begged.
The various maggot monsters ran, thumped or shambled towards them. The Dirges unleashed their maggot streams again, the mana draining qualities causing the Aether Shield to shimmer.
“Friends, we must do something quickly. My shield will not hold much longer.”
“Run!” Lex yelled, and the group sprinted towards the distant exit.
Blobs of maggots smashed against the shield as they ran, each one stealing strength from the protective shell. They were only a third of the way across the room when the giant maggot rabbit lowered its head and rammed the shield. Errat grunted in pain and the shield failed to divest the kinetic energy. The force impacted the gray bubble like a pool cue into the cue ball.
The impact knocked all four of them from their feet and they tumbled sideways. They bounced and rolled, but Errat held the shield until they came to a stop against the wall. Then, with a slight pop, the shield failed, and the warborn collapsed.
Lex got to his feet. A glance back showed him Simon and Vonn were helping Errat to his feet. The warborn seemed shaken but otherwise uninjured. Lex turned back to the gang of creeping maggot monsters. Why are they moving so slowly? he asked, and his own internal asshole answered. They’re chaotic dickheads man. They’re messing with you.
Lex scowled at himself and tried to cast Flames. Fire danced across his fingers and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. His mana bar flared red and Lex imagined it was mocking him. With a grunt of irritation, he pulled his Maul of Holy Might free and powered it up with Spirit. He doubted the weapon would be at all effective against the swarm of vile creatures, but if he was going down, he’d do so swinging.
Vonn and Errat approached from his right and Simon from his left. The lich lord teen gave him an odd, almost calm grin. “Well, it was nice while it lasted. Thanks for letting me hang with you guys.”
“Yeah, sure thing pal.” Perhaps it was Simon’s tone or the undeniable obviousness that he was about to die, but Lex almost felt calm. “It’s been grand.”
Simon giggled and squirmed, like a kid whose big brother wouldn’t stop tickling him. He reached inside his shirt and pulled out a single writhing maggot. He looked down on it and then his eyes flared with excitement and he grinned.
“I’ve got an idea.” He stepped forward and held the squirming maggot high.
“Uh, kid,” Lex said. “That wriggly bastard is one of a million. I don’t think they’ll care if you kill it.”
“You’re probably right, but I’m not planning on killing it.” A surge of purple-black mana pulsed between Simon’s fingertips and the maggot writhed like a slug dipped in salt. The approaching maggot beasts slowed and began to shriek.
Lex covered his ears as the sound of a million tiny screams punched into his ears. The maggot beasts shook and collapsed into heaps, losing whatever cohesion allowed them to take their various shapes. Lex exchanged a confused, yet hopeful look with Vonn.
“Kid keep doing whatever the hell it is that you’re doing,” Lex said and then all four of them sprinted towards the exit tunnel. The screeching noise was agony to his ears, but it was better than being eaten alive. “Errat, once we reach the entrance, bring the roof down.”
The chaotic maggot spawn had spread wide upon their collapse and covered the floor like a thick blanket. There would be no avoiding stepping upon them as they ran. Lex scanned, searching for any subterfuge from the vile creatures, grimacing each time a writhing grub popped under his boot.
Not in his wildest dreams had Lex expected to escape, but soon Vonn and Errat and then Lex himself reached the tunnel.
He turned to see Simon backing slowly towards him, the maggot in his fingers
still writhing in agony,
“Simon quit screwing around and get the hell in here.”
“Just a sec.” He held the maggot up and then threw his other hand forward, middle finger flaring at the swarm of maggots. “Up yours you maggoty maggot assholes!” Simon screamed and thrust the maggot higher.
As often happens in life, people celebrate victory before it is assured. Scholars could write entire papers on the correlation between the age and maturity of the would-be victor and the frequency of handing victory to the enemy via stupidity and braggadocio.
This was the thought blazing through Lex’s mind as the maggot squirmed free of Simon’s grasp and fell towards the ground. The instant Simon's fingers lost contact with the squirming grub, the purple-black energy blinked out and the screaming of the chaos spawn ceased. The abrupt absence of sound caught everyone by surprise and Lex swore he heard the wet slap of the maggot landing on the ground.
“Oh, shit,” Simon said in a low tone. He turned to Lex, his face a confusing mix of shock, fear, and apology. Before Lex could yell, a stalagmite-like spear of maggots shot up from the floor and punched into Simon’s stomach. The spear pushed him forwards and arched him backward at the waist. Then, the maggots began to feed.
Simon’s insane cackle sent a chill of panic through Lex and he froze. His mind screamed for him to do something, to say something, but it was Vonn who was first to act. The half-elf stepped back into the room paying no heed to the maggots crawling closer to him and grabbed Simon by the scruff of his shirt.
He pulled Simon off his feet and yanked him back into the tunnel. The spear of maggots crumbled, but a good portion still writhed across the undead teen’s stomach. Vonn backed past Lex and Errat and into the tunnel.
“Errat, bring the roof down,” Lex said firing a short burst of Flames to dissuade the spawn’s advance. His mana pool had regenerated enough for two, perhaps three of the short bursts.