God of Gnomes by Demi Harper

Author:Demi Harper [Harper, Demi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Portal Books
Published: 2019-09-25T16:00:00+00:00

Thirty-Four

Adapt and Evolve

The corrosive drops of falling acid ignited, and a rain of orange-green flame descended on the creatures below. Barka growled another command, and all five kobolds dropped into a fighting stance. Those with weapons raised them, while those without raised clawed fists instead, each fighter apparently heedless of the deathly rain making their skin smoke and sizzle, though their whimpers said otherwise. As one, they set upon the boulderskin once more.

Enraged with pain and panic, the entire surface of its armored skin now coated in greenish flames, the maddened boulderskin charged, tossing kobolds to the side as it desperately sought out its black water, a cool haven from the rain of death assaulting it from above. But the compelled enemy fighters stood firm, the dead ones remaining in formation as they hadn’t in life, and together they kept the boulderskin away from sanctuary.

Fire and acid continued to rain down upon them all. Another minute and my strongest fighter would be done.

I couldn’t simply fling more creatures into the fray; they would be burned up by the fiery acid, just like my forrels and whipfish. No, there was only one thing I could do right now.

Using most of my lone globe of mana and a single Creation slot, I cast Evolution on the boulderskin once more. It grew marginally in size, taut muscles expanding and bony claws lengthening.

With a sudden twist, the newly empowered boulderskin finally broke through the line of kobolds and splashed into the lake, though the creature was still hampered somewhat by the polearms still fixed around its limbs.

Its flaming skin sizzled and hissed as it immersed itself in the water, and I imagined the soothing coolness as it coated the boulderskin’s burned, acid-pocked skin. The boulderskin’s natural healing abilities finally kicked in, and its wounds began to close and scar over.

Now that my boulderskin was relatively safe, I noticed that the remaining kobolds still stood in compelled frozenness as their own skin and armor continued to burn. Red scales, burned and cut and pocked from their battle with my god-born amid falling fire and acid, were beginning to melt, the flesh and muscle beneath sloughing off the bones. I stared, horrified and fascinated.

In the shelter of the entranceway, Barka snarled a command, snapping his jaws at the shamans beside him. Immediately, both of them lifted their arms again; I braced for their next assault – what would it be this time? Ice? Lightning? Locusts? – but instead of more deadly magic, the rain of flaming acid suddenly ceased, the last few drops pattering to the flooded ground with a hiss before being extinguished. The cavern was dark once more.

The kobold commander continued to snarl furiously, emerging into the cavern and lashing out futilely at the dying warriors with his whip. They didn’t notice; they were all but gone.

When the last burned kobold finally fell silent in death, Barka let out a yowl and turned on his two shamans.

They endured their commander’s physical assault in stoic silence, raising not a finger to defend themselves.

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