The Worst Kobold Chapter 26: Chapter 21 - Brutal Reunion

Read chapter 26 of The Worst Kobold by Thalaas on NovelPedia.

“I can’t believe that worked. Again,” Griffon mumbled. The vibrations of the explosion still rocked against her ear drums. This blast was much bigger than the last manashard they set off in the prison cell. Of course, the pink poop they pried from Chroma was only half-formed. Probably a good thing. A full sized one would have shredded her and Ember, and her poor pet glimmer newt too. The goal from the offset was to get her to Fluke. Then she could tell Fluke that Ember was safe, and then they could leave. Yeah, Fluke didn’t know he was a dragon, but she’d figure out how to deal with that problem when she got to him. The plan had been simple. Prince Alexander was the stronger, and more flashier target. He’d be focused on more being the greater threat. A small group did break off to fight her, but she was good enough to hold her own. Long enough for Alexander to strike her opponents in the back with a decent magical lance of energy. And then, she could finish them off with a quick, but non-lethal blow. The second no one was engaged with her? She hightailed it down the tunnel, and blew the entrance. She doubted it would hold a group of powerful wardens for long, but long enough for her to sprint down the last bit. I’m coming, Fluke! She thought to herself. She didn’t want to call out for him yet. There would be a few more guards, and she needed to be in his earshot. She skidded around the corner. She could hear commotion coming up from ahead, and then? Two guards were charging at her full force. “Depths!” she cursed and slid to a stop. Her foot claws dragged across the stone and sent up some stone flakes. She dropped into a defensive stance and brought out Skysplitter from behind her. “Drop your…” She started to say, then took stock of the situation. The guards didn’t have their weapons out. They were just bolting down the hall in a mad sprint. Their faces were red with exertion, chests heaving with strain. They didn’t even seem to see her as they closed the gap. Then, something burst through the side wall to his left, between her and the pair. It moved through the rock as easily as if it wasn’t there at all. Some sort of… glowing tentacle, like from a magical octopus? Griffon stood in confusion, then watched as the faster of the guards tried to stop. But he had been moving too fast. “No!” The young man, barely in his twenties screamed as he collided with the magical appendage. He disappeared without another sound. And then, a trio of colorful tropical birds fluttered through the other side. They cooed majestically as they began to circle around the ceiling, looking for a place to roost. “Granted…” An ethereally, passionately voice spoke from somewhere, chilling Griffon’s blood. “What in the depths is that?!” she screamed and held her blade at the ready, prepared to fight this unknown threat. “Kevin!” The woman guard screamed for her fellow soldier from behind the thrashing tentacles. The blonde woman then looked on as more of the pulsing arms began to burst out of the walls and surrounded her in a vibrating spiderweb of destructive magic. “Oh, Sixth God, no, don’t take me, don’t take me too!” she begged as the entire hall turned into a mass of writhing limbs. “Serpent, protect me…” Griffon watched as more of those… things burst out. They moved like earthworms through the dirt, going through one section of the hall, and disappearing through a number. Trinkets randomly spawned as they passed through. A fine pocket watch. A little wooden duck. A wizard staff burning with a fire gem. The kobold fighter barely noticed that. She just noticed those white magical coils were getting closer. Griffon felt the floor start to collapse under her, and she dove forward just in time for one of the tendrils to come flying up. It just grazed her left horn. There was no pain, no burning. But a part of her horn was just… gone. Erased. The one silver ring that was on it fell off and clattered to the floor. A good third of the thin band was completely