CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Arloff's right arm was missing and his left leg cut to shreds. Like an injured lion trying to fend off a pack of hyenas, he lashed out at any Pelasgian dumb enough to get close.
When a group of Centaurs and Satyrs dealt enough damage with their arrows and spears, Arloff collapsed to the ground.
The blockade of the Pelasgian portal had partly failed, and the same battle was now being fought in and around it in two different worlds.
Along with a few others, Kamala and Darek were in the Shadow Realm fighting with a Corinthian on a griffin near the portal.
As soon as there was an opening, the griffin took to the air and left.
“They're good as dead,” Darek complained. “They should have never given chase.”
Kamala frantically looked in all directions. “No, we have to get them out.”
“We can't even get to them!” Darek said.
Kamala grabbed Darek by the collar. “The Fenrir will be wiped out if we don't do something.”
They were both suddenly knocked over when a Centaur came charging through from the Netherworld.
It was Darek who took the brunt of the hit. When he struggled to get up he realized his neck was twisted at an odd angle. “Oy, what happened?”
“Hold still,” Kamala said, grabbing Darek by the hair with one hand and pulling.
Darek shouted at the cracking sound of his neck straightening. “Cripes!”
“You're lucky you can't feel that,” said Kamala.
“Lucky?” Darek rolled his eyes. “You might have noticed I’m already dead.”
Back in the Netherworld, more than half of the Pelasgians had managed to retreat to the Shadow Realm. The rest were doing everything they could to do the same.
Amidst the fighting, Arloff emerged from the ground. He noticed wave after wave of Pelasgians escaping through the portal and ran after them with five Prometheans tagging along. When he entered the Shadow Realm, the huge number of the enemy appearing to hold their ground caught him off guard.
Darek spotted Arloff. “Look who joined the party.”
Kamala immediately ran over to join the Prometheans.
Pelasgians coming through the portal avoided them as they regrouped further away.
Arloff was confused. “I thought these guys would have been running for the hills.”
“They are trying to retreat,” Kamala said. “But the Fenrir chased half of them through, and now they're caught in the middle.”
Arloff couldn't exactly see the Fenrir, but he could tell where they were by the motion of the fighting. “They're definitely stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Directly ahead of the Prometheans, the Pelasgians were backing away as much as they could, but they had little room to move with the Fenrir fighting on the opposite end.
“Please do something,” Kamala said. “We don't have time to go back and get help. They're being slaughtered.”
Arloff looked to his Promethean companions. “Gather up! We have to make this quick. Kamala, try to clear the other side of this portal.”
Kamala and Darek immediately returned to the Netherworld.
Lining up shoulder to shoulder, the Prometheans charged full speed into the enemy. Anyone in the way was either run over or swatted aside. It was only a matter of seconds till they were upon the Fenrir.
“Alright, backup!” Hurok said.
“No time to argue,” Arloff hollered. “You need to get out of here now.”
“If you say so,” Hurok said, before letting out a howl that could be heard for miles.
Arloff and a few of the Prometheans began the arduous task of fighting their way back to the portal. The rest of them spread themselves out among the Fenrir to keep the Pelasgians back.
In the Netherworld, the fighting around the portal was back and forth.
Kamala knocked Stig down, allowing a Centaur to run away.
“What gives?” Stig asked angrily.
“Arloff is coming through with the Fenrir.” Kamala said. “They won’t be able to come through if we're fighting right here. We need to pull back so they have enough room.”
“What about the Pelasgians?” Stig asked.
“Leave them,” Kamala answered, “They’re running away. Besides, the Prometheans can roll over them.”
The area around the portal quickly became vacant with scores of Pelasgians retreating.
Soon, the Prometheans came charging through with the Fenrir close behind.
Off to the side, Darek watched in joy. “Right in the nick of time.” he said.
“Headache!” someone cried.
Darek turned just as an Eriny flew past and swiped his head clean off. In the minute it took for him to dig himself out of the ground, everyone was cheering and the Pelasgian portal had closed.
Kamala helped Darek up. “Try working on situational awareness.”
Darek brushed the dirt off. “I'll say it again. I sure fancy my final form.”
“You really depended on that, didn't you?” Kamala asked.
“What can I say? It got the job done.” Darek said.
Kamala gave some high-fives to a few people cheering as they passed by.
“Oy,” Darek smiled. “We sure kicked the tar outta them, didn't we?”
“We sure did,” Kamala said. She gave Darek a big hug and ventured toward the city.
Arloff pushed his way through the crowd. “Hurok!”
“Yeah?!” came the answer.
It took a moment for Arloff to see the dwarf standing in front of him just past several people. “What happened?”
“What do you mean?” Hurok replied.
“How did the Pelasgians get through the blockade like that?”
“You'd be surprised,” Hurok said amazed. “Almost couldn't believe it myself. Desperation can be a powerful thing you know.”
Arloff clinched his fists. “Well, you didn't have to chase them into the Shadow Realm. If the portal had closed, you and the rest of the Fenrir would have been stuck back there.”
“Ha!” Hurok laughed. “I'm sure Lilith would have just opened another.”
“Think what you will,” Arloff mumbled. He returned to the city among a crowd of people. Moving off to the side to get through, he found Kamala relaxing on a pile of straw.
“You Prometheans are something else,” Kamala said, giving a thumbs up.
“You have my admiration as well,” Arloff said. “Don't get too comfortable, though. I believe Lilith will have us support those in Rhea. They're going to need all the help they can get.”
“Is it that bad?” Kamala asked.
“Take a look around,” Arloff answered. “I don't know about you, but I’m seeing a lot of new faces around here.”
Shadow Seed Page 17