Chapter 17: Chapter 16 – Return to The Tunnel

Clarissa Evans

 

Her unstrung bow twirled in her hands. Absently, Clarissa spun it, over the fingers in front of her or switching to either side. She stood with those preparing to go through the Doors. There were still a couple of stragglers, but soon they would be heading out. The redhead was ready to go. Limbered up, and bored enough to get started.

Warner led those that had been missing to the gathering. The archer noticed that the six of them walked almost in step. There was a clear sense of togetherness coming from them. She wondered if the big man had his own little pre-meeting. What Molly sees in that guy… thought Clarissa. The smile is charming, but maybe she’s a shoulders girl? Ew, either way. Bad taste, if it’s for the dude himself.

With everyone here, Julia returned to give Malachi space to play leader. The speech was of course completely proper and boring. Yata, Yata, muttered Clarissa in her head. I’m at the backline, of course. Doing my thing, blah blah. Soren and mages stick with me… yeah yeah… wait did he just make me team lead? After checking with Julia, who was listening, Clarissa uttered, “Fuck me, I have to be all proper and shit.”

“O’ shush,” whispered Julia. “You’ll do just fine. Anyways, no one expects you to be perfect.” Her little friend grinned with malicious friendship.

“Gasp!” said the dramatically wounded Clarissa. “Such low opinions of my fine ass self! So, what you’re saying is… the most unexpected thing to do would be a Malachi clone? Hmmm… the personal amusement could outway the effort, but then Ju Ju would fall in love with me too…”

“Shut up!” blushed Julia. “Just be you, jerk.”

While the redhead laughed a mousy-looking blonde came over to them hesitantly. The newcomer wrung a silver rod in her hands. Their awkward attempts at eye contact decided for Clarrisa that the two of them were chosen purely for being on the outskirts of the gathering.

“Uh hi,” she said. “Can, can I come along? I don’t want uh to be just sitting around anymore…”

“You think you're up for it?” asked Clarissa. “Pretty damn spooky out there and we came real close to death the first time.”

“I don’t care about that,” they said a little loudly with eyes closed. A beat later, the woman looked sheepishly up as they continued with, “Well I uh do care. I just um don’t want to die, but… but I can’t just wait anymore. I need to do something!”

“Alright then, come along," agreed the redhead with an understanding smile. “Just stick with me, ok?”

“Clarissa!” broke in Julia. “You can’t just bring someone along!”

Turning to look with mostly her eyes, the archer replied, “Malachi isn’t a king and we’re all just people. There ain’t any rules or laws. Not yet at least, and this kid needs to be involved. I see it in their eyes.”

“Um, well I guess it’s fine,” said Julia uneasy. 

Looking at the shieldmaiden, Clarissa thought, Was that her rules thing or the Malachi crush? Putting it aside, she said, “Plus I gots the authority as the official backline lead right? So, girly, what can you do?”

“Please don’t call me kid or girly,” frowned the blonde. “I’m not a kid! I have a name...”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense!” responded the archer. “Tell me your name or I’ll just keep using nicknames. Hell, I’ll start making them worse… ok shyster?”

“Not sure that works how you want it to,” commented Julia. “Though, it is worse.”

“Gah, please don’t,” the blonde pleaded. “I’m Anastasia Pascal.”

“O, I remember that name,” perked up Clarissa. “You’re the youngest of us!”

“Damnit… really?” asked Anastasia

Julia confirmed, “That’s what the census we did showed.”

“I’m guessing that you’re a little too familiar with being the youngest in the group,” suggested Clarissa. 

With a broken smile, the blonde replied, “Story of my life… the youngest sibling, always the baby of the group, and I skipped a few grades… Even in another world, I can’t escape it.”

“That sucks,” sympathized Clarissa. “Changing the subject, so back to what you can do.”

Well, Anastasia blinked at the subject whiplash. Julia assured the blonde that she would get used to it. “Uh, um, I don’t think I have anything too useful yet,” she started. They waggled their silver rod as they added, “I choose the acolyte path as you can see. The spells I have are um sorta weird and not uh combat-oriented really.”

“Doesn’t mean they're useless,” assured Julia at the same time Clarissa said, “Ugh, tell us already!”

“O! Uh, so I have three?” Anastasia said quickly while flickering her eye contact between the two of them. “My first spell is just a scan spell called “Calculating Eye.” Let’s me... understand an individual’s Mana flow. I would um say it’s the first step for me to use my uh other two. Amplify and Dampen. Uh... I guess you could um say that I use my Mana to make the works of others... better or worse.”

“Sounds neat,” shrugged Clarissa. “See that dude over there. Dark and still? Pretty sure he would be stoked to talk to you about your spells at some point. Guy loves everything about Mana. Anyways, when we get in a fight out there. Amplify that dude. Apparently, he is a powerhouse of cool arcane-y doom. Other than that, stick with me for safety... and also, barf to the side if the smell doesn’t suit ya. No one wants to step in that on top of everything… else”

“The uh smell?” Anastasia asked, overwhelmed. 

“Terrible,” nodded Clarissa.

“Really terrible,” emphasized Julia.

“Just the worst even,” teased Clarissa with a sour grin. When Anastasia seemed like she might scatter at that, the redhead slung an arm around the neck. While giving a noogie, the archer said, “O’ no, you’re in it with us now ‘Stasia. Into the dark and claws, we three!”

“Ugh, uh I thought the nicknames would stop once I told you my name,” whimpered Anastasia. 

The demon fox grinned while continuing to muss her captive’s hair. “Nope never said that. Just that I would make them worse if you didn’t. You can’t stop the flow of nicknames! At least until I find the perfect one. Right, Ju Ju?” 

“Look, they are opening the door,” said Julia with an elbow into Clarissa’s side. The redhead let the blonde go with an oomph from the blow. “Time to get serious, Red! I’m on the frontline so you two stay safe!”

Now free and trying to get her hair into order, the acolyte grumbled, “I like how she assumes we’ll stick together…”

“Well, of course,” grinned Clarissa “I don’t make friends, I claim them. You’re marked as mine now blondie. Enjoy the perks.”

“Uh what perks?” asked a worried, but curious Anastasia.

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“What, free hair stylings ain’t enough?” joked Clarissa. Then sharply she added, “Well, how about the fact I will put an arrow in the eye of every monster that comes near ya?”

“That’s uh a pretty good perk,” admitted the acolyte.

Gleefully, the archer agreed as she strung her bow, “Yup, I like to think so.” Taking a deep breath, Clarissa shouted, “Alright range people, get on over here. Malachi put me in charge of the backline, the daft miser! So, I’m gonna play leader for ya.”

Soren was the first over and gave the two of them a wink. “Ok, Red, how ya want me?”

“Want nothing from you, trenchy,” said Clarissa all smiles. “I’ll have ya taking a mobile position. Shore up the holes, eh? Balance me on the left while I take the right.”

“You got it,” replied Soren with a thumbs up. “Who's the cutie hiding behind you?” 

The archer looked behind at Anastasia who was blushing at the attention. “Uh, tag along I suppose you could say. No, looky though, she wouldn’t want the attention of a trench coat wearer.”

“That was mean,” pouted Soren while the blonde scolded, “Don’t be mean.”

“Geez you two lighten up,” said Clarissa, waving it away. “Why so serious? We’re about to risk our butts against monsters. Laugh a little.” The two of them were about to retaliate, but she shushed them when the rest of her range crew gathered up. “Good, let’s put down our group’s battle plan. We make things boom from a distance. Soren’s on potshot duty, like me, for anything that breaks through the line. And believe me, they will. Ratsins are nasty, but quick too. Damien, I heard about what you got, so you do you. Keep an eye on healers though, alright? Umm… Flame guy and Storm girl take the left and right flanks. Rain down hell is your main priority. Blast the creepy monster before they hit the main line, you get me? Any questions? Cause there shouldn’t be. Kill monsters and don’t let anyone die.”

 A few asked questions, but Clarissa didn’t find them hard to answer. Mostly repeated her last line. The best thing was that together they were able to come up with an opening move when Malachi came around for ideas. After that, there was light conversation, but mostly they all eyed the Doors.

When their way throgugh finished opening, Malachi organized the order for them to enter. The shield users went in first with Julia taking point this time. The rest of the melee followed. Warner and Malachi took opposite flanks while Vincent’s group held the middle. Reuben took a place right behind Julia. The healers were led by John Harken who gave the tunnels beyond the Doors an ecstatic look. The range fighters pooled around Clarissa as she headed through the barrier.

The atmosphere of the tunnel swept over each of them. The oppression of stench and damp air. From the dark came the skittering and cries of monsters. Reassurance only came from the human numbers that had come to defy the darkness. A hum grew in the air as each of them synced with their Mana. It was subtle, more a feeling than a sound. One that was felt through the reverberation of each other’s energy fields. There were gleams of light where Mana interacted with metal, small sparks in the dark.

John Harken broke the silence with his spell. Many had already cast personal spells, but his fell over everyone. Silverish energy rained on them. For a moment, it seemed like each wore transparent armor. Now there was a radius of dim light from the group. Silence had fallen over the tunnel. In reaction to the spell or they had noticed them. Either way, the result was the Ratsins going quiet. Clarissa decided that this was creepier than the noises they normally made. Now their heavy, wet breathing echoed in the tunnel.

Next, Damien raised his voice, and a violet star shot across the air. It took position over the first group of rat monsters. Their human-ish eyes stared at the new light. As if tracing it back, their line of sight shifted downward until the creatures were staring at the Sixty. A hush of strained tension grew between the two groups. Each waiting for some unknown signal. 

Malachi looked back at the range fighters and gestured sharply forward. The obsidian acolyte spoke words for the spell Starfield to send out a dozen violet balls of light. Allen MacIssac whispered his spell as a ball of flame grew in his raised palm. Twining her opposite number, Nicole Jorgenson summoned twisting electrified wind between her hands. The eyes of the three of them flickered to each other and then launched together. The deadly energies raced each other. 

Impacts of scouring light erupted throughout the crowd of Ratsins. The violet stars exploded into domes in a scattered pattern. The fire expanded outwards leaving ashes in the wake. The ball of wind crashed and for an instant, that area experienced all the power of a thunderstorm at once. The gathered Ratsins that were left were crippled or bettered. Arrows rained down in the aftermath. Undeterred, the rats screeched in reply.

The frontline marched forward even as the monster roars echoed from further in the tunnel. Ratsins came in a trickle at first. A few raging rats leaped or charged to their doom. Shields were unnecessary to see those Ratsins ended. It was the swarming boiling towards them that caused shields to be raised. The creatures charged recklessly. Lashing out or leaping off their own to get ahead of the pack.

Leon Machi’s voice boomed across the battlefield. At his words, a wall of light appears before the horde. The Ratsins were unable to stop at the sudden appearance and impacted messily across its solid surface. Several of the monsters were turned into bloody clumps by the weight of the swarm. There was a breath of pause. The swarm was rebuked, momentarily. Clarissa took a deep breath. The Ratsins begin to surge through the opening on either side of the barrier. She began picking off troublemakers. The narrow openings force them to cluster together. Enhanced by her Form, the arrows punched cleanly through. One struck through the eye of a rat and cut into the one behind it.

The rest of the range fighters follow suit. Star shards from Damien split into two groups that each shear through the clumps of rats. Both Allen and Nicole switch to smaller attacks too. On their claimed sides, bolts of fire and spears of air help hold the openings. Arrows from the other archered added to the chaos. Carefully aimed shots of red light sear across the battlefield to take out those that made it through the barrage. Soren’s good-natured smile was subsumed into a bleak sniper’s focus.

The barrier began to crack from the aggressive focus of Ratsins that were unable to move to the sides. Leon gave out a cry of warning and the barrier shattered. A wave of rats charged the waiting frontline. Claws lashed against shields and fangs were knocked aside by the sweep of weapons. But not always. Skin was torn and flesh ripped. From the healers came healing hands and refreshing words. White light descended upon their heads. The frontline wouldn’t break.

The acolytes and archers continued to bombard the swarm at a steady pace. Clarissa and Soren switch off to more defensive moves. Splitting the battlefield in half, they looked for Ratsins that slipped through. Arrows flew and red bolts seared. More than one healer looked back with relief at a rat getting caught. Malachi and Warner took on a similar task where the frontline left openings. One of them would step in to hold the gap until a shift closed it again. Reuben used his stealth to shift to either side of the line to take out troublesome monsters.

Malachi yelled out an order. Julia and Elena stepped out, weapons swinging out hard. They move away from each other to create an opening. The Ratsins try to take advantage, but Malachi advanced into the hole. An outreached hand sends a blast fire and the other brings down his sword to cause an eruption of lightning. There is a silent explosion of crackling light and then a boom echoed throughout the tunnel. Vincent and the Sisters charged through the secured space.

The skirmishers tore through the blinded Ratsins. The swarm became divided as some continued attacking the frontline and the rest of them focused on the new targets. The range fighters shifted their attention to supporting Vincent and the Sisters. The swordsman is his usual bloody wind of reaving. Leaving a trail of corpses as he led the charge. The Sisters moved like a three-pointed wheel of death. Weapons struck viciously as they rotated around in a continuous circle. Forcing the Ratsins to deal with a new type of attack every couple of heartbeats.

Before they could be overrun, the group beyond the frontlines cut sharply to the right wall. Once they got there a wall of light formed to cut them off from the bulk of the swarm. They quickly dispatch those trapped inside with them. The barrier acted as a further distraction as the Ratsins attacked it as well. Vincent and the Sisters now had a protected path back behind the frontline. The healers quickly check over the out-of-breath skirmishers. Clarissa noted that other than a couple of bad bites, their wounds are largely superficial.

Victory over the battlefield was only a matter of time after that. The frontline marched and the rest of Sixty supported them. Weapons slew monsters with every step forward. Ratsins that dashed between legs took an arrow in the face. Spells rained down on the rest. The flood lessened and then became only dribbles of horrors. Until finally, there was real silence in the tunnel. 

Everyone was breathing hard, but freely. None of them took a seat despite tired limbs. The smell of the filth could be gotten used to, but sitting in it wasn’t even an option. Clarissa looked over the group to see if anyone looked sickly. In theory, the sickness caused by the invading Mana had been neutralized as a concern. She checked anyway. Her personal experience as the only one standing last time couldn’t be forgotten any time soon. 

Still behind her was Anastasia. The blonde stood very still with very wide eyes. The whites glowed large in the dark of the tunnel. The archer realized the other woman was gripping the back of her shirt. “Did you… did you just hold on to me in fright?” asked the confused redhead. “Like, just got dragged along because you were holding my shirt... “

The terrified acolyte blinked back into awareness and turned towards her. “I, um what the hell was that?!,” spurted Anastasia. “That’s what you guys fought before?”

“The rat things?” confirmed Clarissa mildly. “Yeah, those fuckers. A lot less of them last time, though. I think spells tug at their attention. Wonder if that’s a monster thing? Guess you didn’t get a chance to use any of your spells, huh?”

A little shame-faced Anastasia said, “No… uh, I was… freaked out. I uh couldn't even really think um straight. Um, how?”

“Huh, how what?”

“How can just uh fight those um monsters?” questioned the blonde passionately.

 The archer took a moment to seriously think about it. The first fight flashed through her head. The aftermath of dragging everyone to safety and the memories of the nightmares she experienced from all of it. Throughout it, the faces of people were highlighted. “Well, cause I’m not alone,” answered Clarissa. “Like I told Julia on the first day, you gotta look at the bright side of things. Sure, we’re trapped underground and there are monsters. But, we’re not alone... We’re not alone and it’s not hopeless like you saw.”

“I’m not as um brave as you are,” whispered the acolyte.

Smiling softly, Clarissa said, “Psh, I’m not brave enough to take it all at once blondie. Just work on the first step and then the next. You survived your first battle, so you’re on a good start already.”

“Um but uh I didn’t do anything!” exclaimed Anastasia.

“What do you think is the next step?” pushed Clarissa.

“Um, do something?” replied Anastasia cautiously. 

“Bingo girly, Bingo,” grinned Clarissa.

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