Chapter 122: Prisoners
"Hairy punk! Clear out those at the left!"
Greldo held back an angry retort toward the Ignitzion group leader. Instead, he rushed to where he was directed, Coal behind him. Five imps sprinted through the volcanic landscape, giggling and laughing insanely as they swung their shortswords.
They are close to insane, Greldo thought as he jumped to the side and triggered his shadow card.
He felt the comforting embrace of the shadows as the world turned dull and black and white, and he moved to stand in the dark area beside Coal. As soon as the hound rammed into the first of the Imps, causing it to be hurtled back under the sound of snapping bones, he rushed along the shadows and appeared beside one of the Imps, slashing his daggers across its throat. The world instantly turned back into colorful focus as bright blood splashed around.
It took him only a few minutes to dispatch the Imps, and as he turned, he saw the Ignitzions had taken care of the main force that had charged them. The two Viridians were standing in the center, weapons raised but unbloodied. They continued backing up until they returned to the long caverns that spiraled through the side of the volcano. Once inside, everyone relaxed.
Failed, Greldo thought as he looked back out at the spot he knew the distant portal was.
"Good job, prettyeyes," Scintilla said as she appeared beside him. Her face was wan, blood seeping from her bandages and a few scratches across her cheek.
"You too," Greldo said. "Are you okay?"
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," she said, not convincing Greldo in the least. The wound on her hand and arm had opened due to the fighting, but they didn't have any more fresh bandages.
"Rest up. We will try again in a few hours," Lasvirish, the Ignitzion party leader, said, glaring at the dark and smooth wall.
"We are never going to force our way through," Greldo said, wondering why she didn't see it. "There's too many of them and not enough of us!"
"And what do you suggest we do then," Lasvirish said as she moved toward him with her bloodied swords to her side and an angry look on her face. "We've only found one exit portal, and if there are any others, they are likely just as heavily guarded! Besides, if we wait too long, we will only grow weaker!"