An Unwelcome Reunion

by holyflpncows

The next fight comes far too soon.

I pop into the arena facing a varied foe. With a quick glance, I see a ballista in the center, and a clay golem and metal snake already moving in on Mordax. Constructs, then. A devious smile spreads over my face.
I draw my swords, gathering in power. "Knuse!" I shout, aiming the tip of my short sword at a point behind the golem and snake. The metal snake is too quick and writhes out of range.
The golem, however, recoils from the blast. Mordax seizes this chance and puts his might into a quick shove. The golem topples off the edge and into the water. Mordax wastes no time. He turns, unslinging his naginata, and slashes the metal snake. It's not very effective, but he still leaves deep scratches on the construct.
Seeing that Mordax will be fine, I turn around and step closer to Shen Po, who apparently had been knocked down by the stone dwarf in front of him.
Shen Po stands up, his hands glowing with dark, crackling energy. I slow my pace. How safe would it be to be near him? Shen thrusts his palm against the stone dwarf, leaving a small web of cracks.
The stone dwarf's mouth drops open and a sonic burst echoes outward. My breath is knocked out of me as I fall on my back.
My head lolls to each side. Is that about what it feels like to be caught in one of my spells? I catch a glow to my right. My eyes widen as a stone-like ember from the ballista rockets to me. I quickly flip to my stomach and push myself into a forward roll, trying to keep a grip on my weapons in the hurry. Heat sears my back before my roll is complete. I grunt and stand.
I suck down a few quick breaths. With the last intake, I breathe deeper and aim at the ballista. "Knuse!" Mechanisms crack, but it's not enough to put it out of commission. Damn it.
But then I spot Wander slithering to the ballista. She strikes, wrapping herself around the construct and squeezing. Satisfied she'll be able to handle that, I turn back to Shen Po and the stone dwarf.
Mordax had somehow escaped the metal snake, leaving it behind to rush to Shen Po. He pulls his naginata out of the dwarf's face. The stone cracks and crumbles, revealing a real dwarf inside. I blink. The dwarf panics and immediately jumps into the water.
The three of us turn to the next target. The stone golem slams an arm into Umatoko, taking him out of the fight. Then it lumbers to Shen Po—who's already closing in.
Again, I take in power and raise my right arm. "Knuse!" I release, trying to slow the stone golem's advance. Pebbles go flying, but it's not enough to slow it. Its heavy fist slams into Shen Po, causing Shen Po's fiery shield to burst. My jaw clenches. It'll crush Shen Po if we don't do something. "Knuse!" Not enough. Not useful enough.

Then, Wander strikes again, wrangling the stone golem still. As Wander struggles to keep a grip on the stone golem, Mordax engages the incoming flesh construct.

"Knuse!" I say with a quick exhale. It's not good enough. But I have to do something.
Mordax again takes advantage of the disturbance I caused, and with a quick swing of his naginata, he decapitates the flesh golem. A flash of lightning summoned by Mildred finishes the stone golem.
I turn to face the next foe but instead find myself back in the pits.

---

I whip out my swords as the familiar scenery of the arena greets my eyes. Then I waver—only slightly—at the sight of two mind flayers. This isn't good. I've never desired to face one of these things.
Luban stiffens and points to one of the five orcs also on the field. "It's Gesh," he shouts. I dig through my thoughts, trying to recall who exactly that is. Right, Luban's lover. I'll avoid him then.
Darkness swallows the opposite side of the arena, Shen Po and Mordax vanishing.
I waste no further time. "Viske," I hiss at an orc standing conveniently close to the edge. She turns away from me and walks off the arena. One down. Oh, so helpful. I flick my short sword in annoyance. A corner of the arena gets walled off in flame as Wander finishes her spell. A mind flayer and two orcs vanish from my sight as the flames roar into the air.
My eyes pan back to Luban making his way to Gesh. But Gesh and another orc corner Mildred, and knock her out of the fight. Where is the other mind flayer?
I turn to the center of the arena to find the second mind flayer focused on me, and its hand gives a small twitch.
Suddenly, Myuon fills my vision, catatonic and in bed. What? Her gentle voice echoes in my thoughts. What's happening? The floor swirls, enveloping me, morphing into clouds. The Dreamkeeper stands before me, vague shadows to my sides. Why didn't I ask him for what I truly wanted? I try to speak, but as I open my mouth I fall through the clouds. My vision settles on a metal rod on the ground before me. I pick it up, and it shimmers into the form of a saber. I feel the resonation with its counterpart, and as I turn to Feng Da, colors burst before me. They bloom and coalesce into people. The mural, with Arslan's arms stretched out, dark energy and sword moving, sweeping down to cut us asunder. It's too late to save him. Give up. Focus on what you came out here for.
My eyes snap open, purple tentacles a blade's edge away from my cheek. With a gasp, I drop, leaning back. My left arm sweeps upward, swinging my saber in a defensive arc. I continue the spin and stay low to the ground, gliding—hopefully—out of reach. I lift back up and slash my saber in the same motion, only much broader. No contact. I waver, my head still spinning. It seems I surprised the mind flayer, as it straightens itself and turns away from me.
In a split second, I survey the field. Wander and Mordax are gone, and Shen Po is stunned on the ground. Luban—near Umatoko and Gesh—pushes out the other mind flayer.
Shen Po shifts; then stands. But something doesn't seem right. He raises his hand in the direction of Umatoko. Then suddenly Umatoko vanishes. My eyes flick to the mind flayer several steps away. Its head gives a quick jerk to the side. Shen Po walks off, following its command. Sun's heat. This thing needs to go. Now. And I realize the only combatants left on my team are myself and Luban.
"Ventus ostende mihi semita," I whisper and sprint to the mind flayer.
I grab the attention of the mind flayer by slicing my saber down its back. It starts to turn to me. Luban shouts. My short sword cuts horizontally, gashing the mind flayer's arm. I halt the momentum of my right arm and bring my saber parallel above it, and ready to parry.
Tentacles lash out, but with a quick flick of my saber, I deflect them. Good, it's not paying attention to Luban. The mind flayer backs away from me again. I chase him down, trying to keep him from interfering with Luban and Gesh. It angles itself to face both myself and Luban, rotating its palm out. Not this time. I feel the pain start in my skull, but I resist. Luban slumps in place and Gesh raises his weapon against Luban.
A frustrated cry leaves my throat. "Iam mori!" This time, I cut deep, throwing my weight behind each strike. It vanishes and I stumble a bit.
Luban snaps back to attention. He yells and punches Gesh over and over. "Why didn't you leave with me?!"
Whump.
"Why are you here?!"
Whump.
I didn't move any closer.
A few more hits and then Gesh blinks, regaining control of himself. Luban stops a fist midair. "Luban?" Gesh gently shakes his head and looks around. "I..." He looks Luban straight in the eyes. "Luban...I'm sorr—" Gesh vanishes.
And then the field vanishes before me, and I find myself crammed into the pits yet again.