As Phillip advanced with his cutlass, Jack drew twin hand axes out of his jacket.
“You’ll never even reach us, putrid Stalwarts,” The lead Gloom yelled. “Give them the Flesh To Mists!”
Jack
knew what that meant and clenched his muscles in preparation for the
incoming pain. All three on his side hammered him with their Bestow.
Phillip looked like he fought of the effects of one attack, but
something both Dionysus and Yig followers had in common was their
mystically enhanced protection from damage. They could still be killed
by most attacks, but it took a lot of damage before they started to feel
it.
The
Bestows crashed into him. First his jacket, then his clothes, and then
his flesh began to drift away before his eyes. Both leather and skin
became a fine mist and left holes in his clothes and body. The effects
proved painful enough that Jack cried out, but this didn’t stop him from
leaping into the Glooms.
The
hatchet in his left hand blocked a swung sickle from that direction,
but his right weapon arced down and split the skull of the center Gloom.
He tumbled back with a wet grunt, but also took Jack’s axe with him.
The third Gloom charged him with a roar, but a kick to the man’s stomach
send it smashing back into Phillip’s pickup.
The
one to his left swung his rusty, hard iron, sickle again, and once
again the Stalwart was able to block it with his remaining axe. With a
growl, Jack balled his right hand into a fist and smashed the Gloom in
the center of the face. An exploding nose left the man’s cheek’s as red
as its glowing eyes.
This
stunned the Gloom enough that Jack was able to grab the Xemmoni and
toss him into his ally right as he ran toward Jack’s back. They both
went down in a tumble of ratty robes and pale, fish belly, skin. Jack
fell on them like an uncaged savage. His axe flew in blood drenched
arcs. He didn’t look at what he hit, but just focused on hacking as hard
and fast as possible.
Soon the Glooms under him wailed in agony. One hit him with another Flesh to Mist
spell and he drew back with a curse. The Gloom regained his feet, his
red eyes glared hatred. It looked like his fellow Gloom wouldn’t be
joining him in the attack or anything else… ever.
“Filth
ridden, Stalwart. Too stupid to run while you could. Too stupid to know
what’s happening here and what it will mean for all of you. Once we
control Boston we’ll finally be able to-”
Decapitation ended his oratory and Phillip blood smeared smile was visible once the Gloom collapsed.
“You know he was telling me why they wanted Boston, just then.”
Phillip rubbed the back of his neck. “opps, sorry.”
Jack sighed. “Why would they give us until sunset to leave and then attack us at three in the afternoon?”
“I’m not sure. Xemmoni aren’t well known for keeping their word.”
“I think it’s something more than that. Too stupid to know what it will mean for all of you, he said. Who’s all of you?”
“Stalwarts I guess,” Phillip said.
“I’m
not so sure. And once we control Boston we’ll be able to… sounds like
they have a goal that goes far beyond just having the ownership of
America’s oldest city.”
“Well,”
Phillip started, “whatever is happening it doesn’t change the facts
that all the Xemmoni will be hunting us and now they aren’t even waiting
until sunset before they start. None of the other Stalwarts have agreed
to help us. We’re in serious life ending trouble.”
Jack
tore off the ruined arms of his leather jacket and tossed them into the
back of the pick up. “No matter what, we need any help we can get, so
who’s next on our list?”
“Blaze wanted to meet at a coffee shop not too far away from here. Coffee shop,” he tiffed. “Some people.”
To be continued next Monday
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