Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [21]
“James!” Miko says urgently, “they’re coming this way.” He waits a moment but James fails to respond to what he’d said.
As the warriors come closer, a stick flies up off the ground and begins twirling above the path, blocking their way. A warrior comes close and tries to strike the stick, only to end up being struck himself. The force of the blow could be heard even from where Miko sits and the warrior reels backward into his companions.
Miko sees James remove one of his slugs from his belt and watches as it flies toward the witch doctor. Inches before it hits him, it’s deflected away.
The warriors holding Jiron take him back to the cage and lock it before joining the others who’re trying to get past the whirling stick. Miko sees Jiron begin to regain consciousness and stands up groggily, holding onto the side of the cage as he surveys what’s going on.
The witch doctor again let’s loose a bolt of energy which is once more deflected before it even gets close.
A violent tremor suddenly courses through the ground and Miko has to grab hold of a tree next to him in order to remain upright. The warriors trying to get past the whirling stick begin to fall as the shaking of the ground throws them off balance. One unlucky fellow stumbles near the water’s edge and trips over an exposed tree root. Crying out, he falls into the water which suddenly roils with movement as hundreds of tiny fish begin biting him. Miko watches in horror as the water turns red and in less than a minute, the water again grows calm and naught but bones can be seen.
The shaking had rocked the island as well, causing the witch doctor to stumble but had somehow managed to remain standing.
James is beginning to pant from the exertion of maintaining the whirling stick that’s blocking the warriors’ way and in dealing with the witch doctor. The familiar headache caused by too much magic usage begins to make itself known, his vision is starting to blur as well. He’s not going to be able to continue much longer, he needs to finish this quickly before he passes out.
Miko watches as the island stops its shaking and the witch doctor steps closer to the edge of the island. Suddenly, the pool of stagnant water near him erupts, throwing muck and water into the air. A good portion of the eruption arcs through the air toward the island where the witch doctor is standing.
Trying to get out of the path of the swamp water, he back pedals quickly, but not quickly enough. The water falls upon him and suddenly he starts to scream as dozens of small fish attach themselves to his exposed flesh, their tiny sharp teeth digging in hungrily. He begins trying to tear them off when a hole suddenly opens up in his chest. A spray of gore explodes out his back as one of James’ slugs exits his body.
The witch doctor falls to the ground in a pool of his own blood, the little fishes continue biting and wriggling into his body. The warriors, who’d been trying to get to James, stand in stunned silence upon seeing their witch doctor fall. They begin crying out in fear as they turn tail and run, following the paths the women and children had taken earlier. In short order, the island is clear of everyone except Jiron who’s still in the cage and now more alert.
With Miko’s help, James gets up and makes his way along the path over to where Jiron is being held.
When he sees them emerge from the swamp, a big smile breaks across his bloodied face. “Thought that might’ve been your handiwork,” he says to James when they get closer.
“Couldn’t leave you to be their dinner, now could I?” James asks as he begins to unlock the cage.
Getting a whiff of the bug repellent, he goes, “Gah! What did you guys fall into?”
“Pretty bad, isn’t it?” Miko says. “It may smell bad, but it keeps the bugs off,” he explains. “James did it.”
“Got any more?” Jiron asks as he kills yet another mosquito who’d tried to make a meal of him.
Nodding, James concentrates and the mist appears. Jiron’s nose wrinkles as it begins settling in upon him.
When James sees his reaction