So I know it isn't New Years anymore and hasn't been for several months. I also know that New Years 2024 is closer than 2023 was, so I could just wait four more months and post it then. BUUUUUT several of my friends have been asking when part 2 comes out, so I wanted to drop a little something to hold you over until part 3 (because there will be a part three 😈😈) so this won't be too long, just a little something extra for this month's writing stuffs.
There was a long period of silence after the Enkylopathme's proclamation.
Rian's instincts begged him to jump up and start burning that thing down, but something told him it wouldn't be that easy. Maybe for once he'd try making the ambush work. This wasn't his normal team, they wouldn't just know what he was trying to do.
Apparently, Audra didn't care about her own ambush anymore. As the silence dragged on, she leaped from her hiding spot with a wild yell and thrust a bolt of her silvery magic... stuff at the Enkylopathme.
The impact spot sizzled a little and remained a little lighter colored, but the villain appeared to be fine. He merely took a step back and peered down at Audra. I suppose this is the moment you declare you're no man?
"Thought about it. Changed my mind." Audra rolled her hands over, sparking two more balls of magic. "I'm good at changing plans."
Rian heard in her undertone that she had realized the ambush wasn't going to work. He was he closest to her, so he was probably the only one who would catch that. He rolled his eyes and stood up to join her. "Then who made you leader?" he yelled back at her. A diversion, that's what they needed. He couldn't just announce it, but hopefully one of the others would catch it.
Audra crooked one of her fingers, discreetly gesturing for him to come closer. "That's right, pal. Just throw me under the bus, will ya?"
As he approached her, Rian realized the Enkylopathme was only terrifying from a distance, when you could see it's whole form. Up close, it just looked like a giant black blob of gunk. Feeling daring, he reached out a finger and poked it. It felt oddly gooey without being sticky. If he focused hard, he could sense a level of heat radiating from the focal point, but being basically heat and fire proof, it didn't bother him.
The villain stepped back again, visibly shaken. No one has touched me in decades. No one has survived it. The Enkylopathme swept a hand along the ground, leaving a black streak behind. Audra somehow managed to jump onto the hand.
Rian stood his ground and released a burst of flame to repel it. He'd managed to burn a leviathan and two dragons, he could handle this... thing.
The creature pulled his arm back, not seeming to notice Audra perched on it. So that's how it is. You are an elementine, aren't you?
"Uh... the who-now-what-now?"
A nymph, a dryad, a phoenix, certainly you know what they are.
Now he understood. "You think I'm from your story."
Audra waved her hand to get his attention. "Nuh-uh. No, stop."
One thing was certain: Rian was terrible at stopping. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm from somewhere with a little less ugly villains."
So... the author brought you here... to stop me. The Enkylopathme was silent, simply watching Rian. How unfortunate.
"Let me guess, how unfortunate for me?" Rian had read enough books to know that was how that statement usually ended. This seemed like a very cliched villain.
For the first time, the dark creature noticed Audra on his arm. He stared at her as well. You are definitely not from my world.
"Nope." Audra crossed her arms. "And I think you should be running along now. Go terrorize your own fellow characters."
That was a mistake on her part.
The Enkylopathme let out a screech that echoed through the Ruins, probably making a column collapse based on the rumbling crash they heard a minute later. The author's mistake of walking away from my story has made my life more than simply unstable. I can't go after that insufferable prince and his secret sister, because she might one day try to finish the book. If anything happens to them, nothing in the story can be written.
Audra seemed to decide now was a good time to get down. She landed lightly next to Rian. "Maybe we should run," she whispered in his ear.
Rian had a hard time hearing what she'd said; his ears were still ringing from the screech. But he understood the general meaning, and nodded back to her. "Good idea."
Not so fast. The Enkylopathme advanced a step toward them. If you were chosen to stop me, you were probably told about what I can do.
"Totally," Rian responded. He made a mental note to ask Kal once they had finished what this blob could actually do.
So you'll agree it's only fair if I get a peek at what you can do. He extended a finger and rammed it against Audra's head.
With a gasp, she collapsed against Rian. With a grunt, he supported her with one arm while using to other to set fire to the blobby hand. It reeled back, trying to shake the flames away, letting out another shriek when he couldn't extinguish them.
You're think you're so powerful, the Enkylopathme snarled, but you're all just children.
"Children who are gonna stop you!" Rian cried, still awkwardly cradling Audra. He would have felt a lot more epic if he could stand up as tall as his 5' 8" would let him while having fire engulfing his dramatically outstretched arms. Ellysa liked to say he was such a poser. He had stopped in the more recent days, but he still had it in his blood.
The creature laughed, a shrill, screeching sound. The laugh was cut off abruptly by another shriek, just as shrill but more like a bird's cry than a scream.
This guess proved true seconds later as a giant hawk swooped into view, claws extended as it flew directly at the Enky's face.
The air was full of screeches and waving limbs as Rian squinted up at them, trying to piece together what was happening.
A hand touched his shoulder. "Is she alright?"
Rian spun, coming face to face with Wilson. "I think so."
"Let's get her out of here. Gemma says she might have an idea, but I've been coming up with a plan." Wilson bent over Audra, gently tapping her face. She flinched, but otherwise didn't move. "Need me to carry her?"
"Nah, I've got her." Rian struggled to his feet, glancing up at the fight above. "Is that--"
"Kalleb. Apparently he can shape-shift." Wilson helped him stand, supporting Audra. "Explanations and plans to follow."
"Got it." Rian moved forward, but Audra's fist suddenly flew out, catching him on the cheek. He lost his hold on her shoulders, and she staggered to the ground. He rubbed the tender spot, frowning at her. "What was that for?"
"Instinct," she mumbled, rubbing her head. "Sorry, I guess."
"You guess?"
"Stop arguing, please, and let's get a show on the road," Wilson hissed. He grabbed each of their wrists and pulled them after him deeper into the ruins. They staggered after him, startled by his sudden burst of speed, but they found their pace soon enough and caught up.
After a few minutes, Lara, Kal, and Gemma came into sight, crouched in front of a different portal, heads together.
Wilson let go of the other two and approached the trio. "Kalleb will be here in just a second. Gemma, you said you had an idea."
Lara shook her head. "It won't work."
Before anyone could answer, Kalleb-the-giant hawk swooped down and landed next to them. After a painful looking transformation where his feathers seemed to turn into melted skin, he grimaced and rubbed his arm. "I think I reopened the wound."
Kal sighed. "You weren't supposed to shift until that fully healed."
He shrugged. "Wasn't thinking. It wasn't very comfortable, if that makes you feel better."
Audra tapped her foot against the stones. "What was that thing he did? When he shoved his hand into my head? It felt like he touched my brain."
"In a sense, that is what he did." Kal sighed. "But we can't worry about that right now. He won't do it again. You can't let him get close enough to do it again."
"We won't," Gemma assured her, her expression hidden by her helmet, "but you need to explain why my idea won't work."
Lara sighed and held out her hands. "Your plan was for me to make a portal that just dropped him back in his own world like I did with you guys, right? There's two issues with that. The first is that I can't do that, unless I'm in your world, moving something or someone here. It just doesn't work that way."
"Then how did he get here?" Wilson asked, his brow crinkled.
Lara's brow furrowed as well as she pointed at Audra.
Audra's eyes widened. "Me? What did I do?"
"One time while you were in the Rift, you Walked too close to his portal, which activated it, and he managed to get out." Lara sighed and knit her fingers together. "He's not the first. Just one of the only ones who we can't fight back through the portal or nicely convince."
Kalleb cut in before anyone else could make any other comments. "So what's the other reason?"
Kal answered for Lara. "Since her story was collapsed rather than just being... abandoned for the time being, she has to ration her powers. If she was to make a portal big and strong enough to move it, her powers would just be gone."
"And since there's to replenish it..." Lara trailed off, her eyes heavy.
"You'd die?" Audra said softly.
"Yes." Lara sighed. "And I'll do it, but I want to exhaust all our other options first."
"Did you say you have other stories?" Wilson mused. "Couldn't you bring someone from those here too?"
Kal shook her head. "It won't change anything. If y'all are the best, getting more is just gonna make it too complicated."
"I wouldn't call myself the best," Wilson muttered. Then he glanced at the portal beside them and a new light lit up in his eyes. "But I may have an idea..."
<-- birthday bonfire; snapping turtle -->
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