Path of Dragons - A LitRPG Apocalypse (BOOK TWO STUBBING AUGUST 15)

The noise was deafening.

Hundreds of metal creatures, all clanking together as they chased Elijah away from the facility, created a cacophony of sound that Sadie would never forget. It was overwhelming, especially when she knew what it represented. If he made one simple mistake, if he tripped or had overestimated his own speed, they would devour him.

Which was why she’d argued so vehemently against the plan. It was too dangerous. Too many things could go wrong. And yet, she’d lost the argument based on one, simple and inescapable fact – they had no other choice.

Certainly, they could retreat. They could spend the next month grinding away on wraiths or the local wildlife. But even if the each managed to gain five or ten levels – a near impossibility in such a short time frame, regardless of how many monsters they exterminated – they would’ve still found themselves at a distinct disadvantage against such a monumental force.

The volume of the pursuit continued to mount until, at last, it was time, as announced by Dat. “It’s clear,” he said. “We don’t have much of an opening.”

Even though Sadie harbored extreme reservations about the plan, she and the others were already committed. The moment Elijah had gotten the horde’s attention, the group’s path was set. Now, they were obligated to do their part, lest his efforts become wasted.

So, Sadie, Dat, Kurik, Benedict, and Ron set out from the shallow depression in which they’d been hiding and raced down the slope of the trash mountain. Without their inflated attributes, they would’ve been forced to take it slow. The terrain was too uneven, the incline too steep, and the footing too treacherous for even experienced climbers to quickly traverse. Yet, because of their physical abilities, they managed it at a sprint, reaching the mountain’s nadir after only a few seconds.

During that time, the cacophonous noise of the robots’ pursuit of Elijah had faded somewhat as the Druid led them away.

“He got them all, that crazy bastard,” Ron breathed as the facility came into full view. Indeed, the compound looked deserted. There were still a few scattered fireflies on the far side, but their point of ingress was entirely clear. Importantly, so were the skies, though Sadie could see the enormous wasps in the distance, firing one pillar of flame after another as they attempted to fry the Druid who’d gotten their attention. The fact that they didn’t stop was a good sign for his survival. If he’d made it so far, perhaps he really would make it the rest of the way.

But Sadie remembered how devastating those beams of fire were. They hadn’t just burned in a physical sense. No – they were mixed with ethera, and they had scorched her very soul. If it hadn’t been for the use of her Miracle, none of them would have survived. And even if they’d managed to endure the flames, it would have left them all crippled.

But now, even a week later, she wondered if she had made the right choice. Miracles were not like other abilities, with distinct parameters and effects. She had no idea when she’d be able to use it again, and it was only through experience that she knew what it did. Even as she dashed across the clearing and leaped over the fence, Sadie remembered its description: