Chapter 5 

   Now, in the desert, it’s hard to hear the rolling sands.  The wind never lets up, so all sounds are muffled.  That’s why it’s so easy to sneak up on people.  Kleon couldn’t see it, but a pair of men rose from the dune behind him.  Their heads and faces were wrapped in white cloth bands, though they had been stained by the red soil.  Each man brandished a long bowed blade.  They raised their weapons, ready to strike down.  It were these curved swords that inspired the widespread colloquialism for Iosan warriors.  Well, it's not so much a colloquialism as it is a slur.  These fearsome men were referred to as…

     “Curveys!” Nik exclaimed telepathically to his teammates, as he spun around.  Before the captain could give his next order, Ellandio already had a defensive barrier raised.  The curveys’ swords clanged against an invisible wall just beyond Kleon.  

     “Your idea to avoid the street in town was almost a clever one,” on of the ambushers said.  “Unfortunately for you, many others have had the same idea.  It never works out like you think it will...”

     “These guys probably aren’t alone.  Watch your backs,” Nik warned.  “We’re just passing through.  No need to cross blades here.”  It was pointless to try and reason with the men.  They were clearly bandits, waiting like spiders for wayward travelers to pass through their dusty web.

     “Oh, and where you might be headed?”

     Sfen spoke up.  “We’re going to Ayir.  It’s supposed to be nice this time of year.”

     “Cut the sarcasm, Sfen!”

     “Why?  They’re not gonna believe our shitty story anyway.”

     Nik tried to talk his way out of town again.  “There’s some cargo in Ayir we’re going to retrieve.  It’s time sensitive, so we’ll be--”

     Nik was interrupted by a new voice.  “Ah!  Some cargo!  Now that sounds interesting!”  The booming noise surprised the team and they looked back toward the town.  Nik’s eyes darted back and forth, searching for the source of the noise.  A tall, lurching man emerged from an alley.  “Well how’s about we tag along on your little trip, help you bring that lode back!”

     “Crap!”

     "Is that...?!”

     “No, it couldn't be.  Not here!"

     “Yeah…  it's him.  That's Arkolitho, the Stonehide!”
 

     Nik’s mouth froze agape.

     Sfen accepted their fate.  “We’re dead.  That’s it.  We are dead.”

     “How can he be walking around in these storms with that much skin showing?”

     “His alias is Stonehide, remember?”

     “I can tell from the look on your face, little shrimp, that my reputation precedes me,” noted Arkolitho.  

     One of his lackeys chimed in.  “Hey Arko, these guys are broke.  Don’t look like they have anything good on ‘em, they’re bums from the outlands.”  Sfen couldn’t help but smirk at the remark.

     “No,” Arkolitho contested, “no, these four have the stench of Pramentori on them.  They are just masquerading as vagabonds.”  He focused on Nik, who stood before him.  Arkolitho towered over the young man.  “And this one… the look in his eye…”

     It had become clear the two parties couldn’t simply part ways.  Nik had to act.  “Kleon, get ready to switch positions with me.”

     “Roger.”

     “You three focus on this guy, I’ll handle those two in the back.”

     “Awww, is his Majesty is afraid of Arkolitho?” chaffed Sfen.  “Don’t worry; at the very least, this should be a brief massacre.”

     “Are we sure this is a good idea, my lord?”  Doubt overcame Ellandio.  “We can always flee.”

     “Not in the desert, we can’t.  Not in their desert.  Our best option is to engage directly.  Wait for my mark.”  Nik calmed himself.  He was prepared for a situation like this.  No need to fret.  He looked upwards and met his opponent’s gaze.

     “Yes…”  Akrolitho was amused.  “That’s a death stare I’m used to seeing.”

     Before the conversation could continue, Nik jumped at the large brute.  On cue, Kleon began his approach as well.  Nik landed on Arkolitho’s ches.  As expected, the intimidating man had activated his signature technique.  The outer layers of his skin turned to stone, becoming impregnable.  He looked like a pale grey statue that had come to life.  While casting the spell itself isn’t complicated, it is hard to apply without accidentally killing oneself.  (Most users who try the technique for the first time end up petrifying their internal organs.  It’s gruesome.)  Very few people could do it effectively, and Arkolitho happened to be the best at it.  Nik wanted to see how quickly the stone skin could be activated, apparently it was almost instantaneous.  Pushing his heels into the solidified enemy, Nik launched himself in the opposite direction, leaping over his allies and landing near the two underlings.  

     Kleon had passed under his captain, arriving before Arkolitho with the two mages close behind.  Kleon felt invigorated for the first time in a long time.  “A delta formation.  Just like the good old days.”

     “Sure, but usually I’m up front,”  said Sfen.  “It’s nice to see you put your big ass out there in harm’s way, Kleon.”

     The two curveys that hid in the dunes were quite entertained by Nik. He was a lot more nimble than he looked under his desert gear.  They raised their blades against him.  “It was smart to flee from Arko, but what are you going to do now?  Slap us to death?”  

     Nik slowly reached behind his neck.  He began to draw a sword that had been hidden between his pack and his clothing.  He intentionally unsheathed it as slowly as possible, so as not to incur an attack from his enemies.  

     “How very intimidating,” mocked one of the curveys.  He was a chatty fellow.  He pulled back his sword, preparing for the assault.  Nik scowled, and began his assailment.  First, he slashed at the other curvey, the quiet one.  It was a miss; Nik aimed for a kill strike but only managed to slash his opponent’s eye.  Second, Nik spun and parried the other curvey’s attack.  Keeping his focus forward, he kicked behind him, knocking back the now one-eyed man.  Next, Nik regained his footing before plunging his sword into the loud one’s chest.  Much to his surprise, there was no scream.  The curveys were helpless against the attack, which appeared to happen in a single, flourishing movement.

     Nik’s teammates did not witness the swift takedown; they were preoccupied.  Kleon had sized up Arkolitho as best he could.  He didn’t have any accurate intel on the enemy, only rumors and stories from drunken old warriors.  Either way, it was abundantly clear: despite his prowess as a pugilist, Kleon would be about as effective against Arkolitho as a butterfly. Frontal, non-magic attacks weren’t going to work.  Kleon went with a frontal, non-magic attach anyway.  He punched the brute square in the chest.

     It didn’t do much.  Arkolitho chuckled as the hit glanced off his abdomen.  “We won’t be able to pierce his skin with sheer force, I’m afraid.  We need to get creative,” Kleon notified his teammates.  Though he hadn’t used his full strength, he was still able to discern just how thick Arkolitho’s stoneskin actually was.  “Sfen, I hope you’ve been boning up on some water techniques.”

     “You know very well that I have not.”  

     Preparing a spell, Ellandio held a hand in front of his face.  “Giving everyone Durability, grade 2.  Stand by.”  As it became ready, he raised the hand and distributed the protective buff to the team.  “I don’t have the mana to use a Durability, grade 3 right now, so don’t get punched directly in the face.”

     Arkolitho took a couple swings at Kleon, but each strike was blocked or dodged.  “Are you two just going to stand there?” asked Kleon.

     “I have to save my mana,” answered Ellandio.

     “Sorry big guy, I got nothing,” joked Sfen.  “I highly doubt any of my earth attacks would work against this freak.  Hell, they might even buff him, who knows? Punch him in the teeth, that will work.”

     Close by, Nik was assessing the combatants he had just felled.  The irritating one was dead.  His cohort was writhing in pain on the dune, clutching the eye that had been slashed.  Nik didn’t think he would be a threat anymore... he didn’t seem like a warrior.  This was the curvey that had tried to convince Arkolitho to let Nik’s team pass through untouched; he was soft.  Nik knew that Arkolitho didn’t have healing capabilities, so that lost eye wasn’t getting repaired even if the man found a will to fight.  Done and done, Nik thought to himself, expecting more of a challenge.  He turned his back on the men, looking upon Arkolitho once more.

     “Have you even scratched this guy yet?” Nik asked.

     “Working on it, Captain.”

     Nik swiftly charged back to Arkolitho, slashing at him.  Each swing of the sword resulted in a loud clang against the petrified skin of the enemy.  It was completely ineffective.  And yet, Ellandio was still impressed with his captain.  I knew he could use utility magic, but I didn’t realize he was this fast, the mage thought.  He aimed his blade for potential weak spots in Arkolitho’s stone skin… creases, joints, folds.  Ellandio peered over his shoulder, seeing the fallen curveys in the rear.  They were taken down so quick?  Why is someone of Arko’s clout hanging around with trash like that?  Kleon and Nik continued to avoid the volleys thrown at them.

     “I knew it!  You are dogs from Pramentori.  The way you bounce around with such efficiency!  And no talking… are you four synced?  This must be a serious mission!”  Arkolitho laughed.  The giant’s laidback demeanor made everyone nervous.  “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you won’t be making it to Ayir.  How long would I regret it if I let you little roaches scuttle on by?”  The grin vanished from Arkolitho’s face as he leaned backward.  “But I’ve had enough of you prancing around, Pramenti trash.”  The tone of his hardened skin turned dark.  He groaned slightly.  Violently, he lurched forward, flexing his arms and curling his back. Two arms should out of his shoulders as he roared.

     The team was stunned.  “This must be the infamous Mountain Spider technique!”  Arkolitho seemed even larger now, and the furious transformation had caused his headwrap to rip.

     “Why is it called ‘Spider?’  He only has six appendages…”

     “Enough, Sfen!  Focus!”

     “Well, it was worth a shot,” Sfen remarked.

     “Trying to stab me in the back, huh?”

     “Actually, no.  I was aiming for your asshole.”

     The quip had apparently angered Arkolitho.  He swatted Kleon out of the way and charged Sfen.  Clasping his lower two hands together, he bashed the mage high in the air, then slugged him with one of his other fists.  The force launched Sfen high up on the dune.

     “Shit!  El, I’m going to need some attention over here, fast!”  Sfen floundered on the ground, wincing in pain.  “I think he broke my rib cage.  And maybe my spine?  No, that can’t be right, I can still feel my legs… and they really hurt.”

     Ellandio responded to the peremptory demand, immediately starting a healing spell for his comrade.  As Arkolitho tried to pursue Sfen, Kleon and Nik obstructed his path.  

     “Trash!” exclaimed Arkolitho, as he ignored multiple sword strikes from Nik.  Kleon pressed his hands against the golem’s chest, a feigned attempt to slow him down.  Kleon then jumped in the air, crudely jamming his hand into Arkolitho’s mouth.  “What the hell,” he remarked, “Even the inside of his mouth is a little dusty.  Do his organs turn to stone as well?”

     The act surprised the giant curvey, who gagged and turned away in disgust.  He snatched Kleon as he fell.  “You ants are trying to piss me off, aren’t you?”  Arkolitho’s irritation festered into a rage.  

     Kleon struggled.  “I can’t move.  I’m trapped,” he calmly notified his team.  Arkolitho tightened his grip on the fighter.  By now, their enemy had a completely different appearance from when the fight started.  His skin had gradually turned a dark grey and his figure had seemingly doubled with augmented stone muscle.

     “Thanks a lot your highness.  You’ve killed us all.”  Sfen coughed up blood as he berated his captain.  “You fucking led us to the cliff.  Great job.”

     A bead of sweat grew on Nik’s temple.  Ellandio was focusing on a spell and Sfen was immobile.  Arkolitho stone fists rose in the air.  Before anyone could react, the two boulders came crashing down on Kleon’s face, over and over.  

     It was a brutal onslaught.  The trapped fighter would be dead in a moment’s time.  Nik froze in the shadow of the enemy.  What could he do?  His attacks had absolutely no effect.  It was as if they were trying to cut down a mountain.  Something had to be done, though.  Kleon was out of time.

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