Ren was wondering why he hadn’t cut loose sooner than this. He had no idea how fast he was going, but he could feel the wind currents as he flew past the wagon train.
I must be going freeway speeds!
He was headed straight for Draven, who was in immediate danger. DG and the others would make it – should make it to Meen-Tra without any assistance.
As he sped along, Ren wished he had some goggles. If he took a bug in the eye, he didn’t want to think about it. Next time he was in town, he would definitely be on the market for some eyewear. The real question was what kind of style he was into? The crafters on this world were amazing, the sky was the limit here – who needed a factory, when you had a skill and magic materials!
His new outfit, case in point, was stylish, practical, and easily made. It was crazy to think about, honestly – the implications for an economy. Ren smiled; his mother would have really loved it here.
The ground shook, and Ren, who trod on air, could hear the vibrations. He was approaching Draven, who was currently doing evasive maneuvers – in his best interpretation of a fighter pilot.
There was another rider with him, an orc that reminded him a bit of Brewgar – Ren hoped the brewer was ok, speaking of which. “DG, my guy, you got my zug zug still?”
“We do, but–” Pat started in response.
“Awesome! I’m gonna need some after this, here I go – it’s now or never.” Ren’s speed was pushing 75mph. He’d achieved maximum velocity, and at this point, he was worried a little wobble or imbalance would throw him out of whack – causing him to be thrown like a piston rod, shattering an engine block.
Ren’s eyes flicked to the two riders one more time. A small pink firecracker was yo-yoing itself off the back of Draven’s mount, in an effort to keep a network of vines that continuously snaked at their rear. A steady stream of smoke billowed over his duster.
The other orc sat backwards on their mount, an extraordinary – and impressive technique, while throwing a continuous stream of axes.
Ren’s plan didn’t seem like it would work, not now that he was up close and personal. So he swept out wide, circling in a wide arc, before heading straight for Draven and his mount. One of those lizards that looked a bit like a chubby rhinoceros sans the horn – he’d seen a few around Murkspire.
As he banked around, Ren saw the look of surprise on Draven’s face, which quickly turned to one of alarm as he headed straight for Draven.
“Ren, what are you doing?” There was a definite note of doubt in his voice.
“Draven, buddy! Long time no see – listen, quick question – that lizard you're on, is it chill or what?” The question was a rhetorical one. Ren wasn’t pulling out, he just hoped–
The pink one climbed over Draven’s front, standing like a surfer on the beast's broad shoulders, a handful of reins, keeping her in balance. She shouted over her shoulder while snapping a claw hand in Ren’s direction, “Tell your friend to do it – I’ll boost him up!”
Ren looked into the eyes of their mount, and he saw a spark of intelligence there – apparently, this mount was both braver and more intelligent than Draven, who was waving his arms back and forth, in an effort to stop Ren.
Time slowed for Ren. Just a few more steps. This was it. One leaping stride. The ground cratered. A second with the same result. And on the third, a gallows grin split his face, Draven’s colour went a few shades lighter, as Ren sailed through the air – Mitzy grinned, as she held her claw arm out and open in front of her.
Ren laughed. Draven covered his eyes. And Ren stretched out his front foot, arms pinwheeling – his vision laser-focused on the claw…contact.
Mitzy shouted, “[Hop On Up and Tighten My Bolts]!” Before thrusting her arm up, at the same time as she jumped, putting everything she had into the push.
“[Wrecking Ball]!” Ren shouted, after tucking himself into a ball – arms wrapped around knees. His exterior hardened, and joints stiffened, locking his head between his legs. The only thing that moved was his hood, which flapped in the wind, as he shot like a cannonball – aimed, center mass at the shambler's chest.
Something bit into Ren’s back. What in the.
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Mitzy’s grappling hook sank into Ren, as she followed behind him – having leaped from her mount. She kept her line slack, holstering her pistol mid-air.
She didn’t have anywhere near Ren’s velocity, but she’d used a skill and was soaring through the air, a single boost from her boots adding to her height.
Before she reached the apex of her jump, Mitzy boosted herself at a right angle – her line trailing from Ren, as she shot in the direction of the second shambler.
Two things happened at once. Ren impacted the chest of the first monster. And Mitzy impacted the shoulder of the second, her claw gripping firmly to a thick root, even as vines and barbs sought to wrap and slice.
Ren cut straight through his target. He left an exact-sized hole before smashing into its core and blowing out the back. He erupted from the backside in a mushroom cloud of bog and bone, as vine, leaf, and bits of rot sprayed in all directions.
As Ren sailed free of his target, he released his skill, opening himself up like a flying squirrel – in an attempt to gain some measure of control.
Draven was shouting over the comms about a Mitzy, as Ren eyed a patch of ground that he thought looked like his most likely landing.
Mitzy was being slowly entombed as the shambler's body wrapped her. She released her claw, and her light knife came to life with a crack. She hacked at the vines wrapping her arm, freeing herself, so that she could thumb a switch on Rivetlock.
Just as Ren felt the bottom give out beneath him, Mitzy’s chord came up short, at the same time as her thumb activated a function of the [Gnomish Utility Chord], causing the material to thin to an almost invisible size.
Ren’s eyes shot wide, as his momentum was redirected – sending him swinging, like Spiderman, across the backside of the second monster.
The first monster had stopped mid-stride, its beating heart ripped free of its chest. As it sank to its knees, Mitzy’s chord tore free of its side, as Ren continued arcing around – in a 360-degree radius.
Mitzy thumbed her retraction switch, causing Ren’s arc to sharpen, “Ahhh! WHAT – IN – THE – FUU–”
As Ren came around full circle – the world spinning by in a kaleidoscope of colours – the centrifugal forces on his body reached blackout speeds, and his life flashed before his eyes.
A gallows grin split his face, “[Wrecking Ball]!”
This time, Ren was spread-eagled mid-air – as he froze stiff, his mouth open wide in a shout. His swing angle sharpened for the third and final time. His eyes tracked the grinning bionic gnome as he sailed past her, vines covering half her body, blood pouring freely from dozens of wounds.
The utility chord cut the shambler like a hot knife through butter as Ren’s momentum closed the loop. The living human-gnome noose bisected the monster under the armpits – sending the top half of the colossus flying free, as a pair of legs and lower torso dropped onto its knees.
Mitzy’s hook released from Ren the human starfish’s back. He hit the ground headfirst – where he proceeded to roll and bounce like a car tire off its axle – before hitting a crater left by the shambler's steps – and sent flying wide, where he eventually crashed to the ground, sliding to a stop, face-first, his legs sticking up at a forty-five, head buried in the ground.
Draven sat atop his mount, mouth hanging open – an unlit rollie hanging from his lip, while Dusty hissed and lifted its legs in agitation.
He’d almost had a heart attack as Ren had charged him full tilt, then he’d come close to soiling himself after the crazy human had launched himself like a missile off of what appeared to be the top of Mitzy’s head – he wasn’t certain, as he’d closed his eyes in terror.
Dusty, the seasoned war lizard that he was, hadn’t batted an eye. Draven had lowered his arms and opened his eyes as Dusty slowed their speed, surprised he was still alive.
After doing an about-face, only to see the colossus chasing after them – a hole blown through its chest, crumbling into dust.
That’s about the time he realized he was missing a passenger, as he frantically looked around for Mitzy, before Dusty chuffed, pointing his nose in the direction of Hecate’s shambler.
Draven became frantic as he spotted Mitzy stuck to a gigantic shoulder, being slowly wrapped alive. Before he could attempt to do – anything, he heard Ren screaming into the void, only to see his friend careening through the air, like a worm on a hook.
His mind went blank as the colossus separated into two neat halves – the legs leaving the rest behind, before thudding to its knees.
Which brought him to this moment, as his eyes tracked Ren, who was sent flying through the air like a shuriken, vanishing out of sight in a twinkle of light.
Mitzy hit the ground in a roll – her blood spattering in all directions. She came up into a three-point stance, ejecting the gumball chamber on her boots. She plucked and popped a sweet treat. Her face was red, one eye closed, while the other spun in and out, focusing on her target.
She gnashed her teeth as her head dish picked out the core from the wreckage. Mitzy stomped over, light knife at her side, fingers twitching above Rivetlock's grip.
She blew a bubble as she approached, her mechanical eyes zeroed in on the core.
Waffle stompers trod on the wreckage of the monster, which even now attempted to pull itself back together.
Mitzy slashed left and right, merciless and laser-focused, her bubble nearing its maximum size. In one smooth motion, she drew Rivetlock, snapping off a shot, retracting the core – even as she continued to cut away vines that tried in vain to pull her down.
As the core tore free, the shambler fell lifeless – destroyed.
Mitzy’s bubble burst as Rivetlock slid back into her holster, “To Calanar with you.” So saying the mecha-gnome tipped over like a tea kettle, a smile on her face – her jaw working furiously, even as she slipped into unconsciousness.
