The Doomsday Reaver Chapter 16: Chapter 17 Metal Gods

Read chapter 16 of The Doomsday Reaver by icohalliday on NovelPedia.

I turned tail, and started to run back through Adrian's tent, hoping that the concentration of their forces were back at the front. As I barrelled through the opening I'd made to infiltrate Adrian's tent however, I saw that there were three avatars stood sentry there. No time for subtlety, I used my newly equipped Vandal's blade to skewer one, taking him down in two blows, whilst directing Larry to attack the other two. I felt a sharp pain, and my vision blurred slightly. I looked to my left to see a shaman, casting magic at me. I took a few points of hit point damage, as arrows flew at me as well. [Hit points - 423/450] I fought the instinct to fight back. Every second I wasted here, more of Adrian's war band would swarm me. I had to get to the jungle. It was the only place of safety. I mentally commanded Larry to follow, to give up his savage attack, but found him resisting me. 'Damnit Larry!' I shouted, as I speared an avatar closing in, whilst another came at me with clubs, both of them striking me. The bone armour held, but my hit points continued to diminish. I thrust my spear out in a wide arc, striking back both of the attacking barbarian avatars. 'We don't have time for this shit!' I didn't know if the dominate was wearing off or if Larry was simply succumbing to his bloodlust. He had attacked me on sight both times, so I guessed there was some primal instinct in him that told him to attack avatars. Surrounded by so many, maybe Larry's lizard brain thought it was at a buffet. But Adrian had been right. Even the toughest bosses would fall to a raid party, and this one was growing bolder. I fought my way towards him, firing off two precious bone arrows to stop him from getting overwhelmed, and bought us precious moments. 'We. Have. To. Go!' Larry growled savagely. His eyes reflected the moon, and I saw again every scar upon him, the dent I had caused by tricking him off the edge of the cliff in our very first encounter. Hatred in those eyes… and something more. He would come back to life. I could just leave him. Even if he died here, even if these gnats overwhelmed the king through sheer numbers, he'd be back and fighting fit again. I knew that. But what did it cost the king to die each time? Did he remember every death? What toll did it take? Those fiery eyes. This was no simple mob. There was life there. A soul. And without thinking, without even really understanding what I was doing, I opened up my HUD and ended my concentration on the domination ability, severing the link between the sabretooth king and I. He was free once more. There was nothing to stop him from tearing my throat out. From his point of view, Gods knew I deserved it. We stared at one another, as arrows flew again, striking at us both. He tore away from me, rushing into the night. Whether it was into battle or to flee, I didn't know. Larry's fate was now his own. As was mine. [Hit points - 353/450] I ran. Only attacking those who immediately impeded my way, and made my way back to the loose palisade to escape. The way was barred by two more avatars, and I loosed two bone arrows to take them down. It didn't kill either, but was enough for me to finish them off with the Vandal's blade. I was down to six bone arrows now, consciously aware of my diminishing precious resource. I heard the unmistakable howl of Larry behind me, the sabretooth king continuing to sow chaos. I hopped through the palisade, thinking I was finally safe. Surely they'd give up now, knew they couldn't match me. After all, they'd hardly tried to hunt me when I was hidden in the jungle, but they poured through behind me. I saw what strength it gave them to be a part of that angry mob. They weren't thinking. All they knew was that I had destroyed what little hope they had. They'd hunt me to the ends of this savage world. I couldn't outrun them forever. Opening up my HUD, I looked over the mini-map desperately, searching for some way out of this hellish chase. Then I saw it. A chance pe