Chapter 26: Big Boss Fight

INFECT! INFECT! NO HOSSTSS HERE! INFECT! NO PREY TO CONSSUME! INFECT! MUSST FEED! MUSST FIND!

Just as Éclair finished her examination of Ryan’s legs, things took a turn for the worst. The remaining tentacles that blocked off their escape from above had replenished much of their numbers, gradually regenerating since Ryan destroyed most of them. Those snake-like vines suddenly pierced the ground all around them, forming a cage made of flesh that boxed in the Elementals. Then three more Colossal Parasites rose from the earth, each one taking up a different corner inside the cage and surrounding them. One of the monsters rose from the ground where the pirate ship lay smoldering, scattering what was left of the vessel in debris of rocks and smoking metal. Éclair wished she could just tune it all out.

Three at the same time! thought Éclair. We could barely handle one at a time, and now we have to contend with three!

As if their chances couldn’t get any worse, one of the gray tentacles left over by the Parasite Queen latched onto one of the Colossal Parasites.

“Oh, no,” Éclair whispered.

“What?” asked Rachel after seeing the horror etched on both Ryan’s and Éclair’s faces through their visors.

The Colossal Parasite gave out a roar of anguish as the transformation began. Just like with the smaller Parasite before it, the Colossal’s skin bubbled as its body reshaped itself. Within seconds, a gigantic version of the Horde Mother lumbered before them in all her primal glory. Shrieking madly, the Queen stomped towards them on her skyscraper-sized spider legs. The Elemental Guard flamed her with a barrage of fire-based attacks, but she paid them no heed. Her newfound size gave her greater durability as she shrugged off the Elementals’ attacks and swatted them away like they were flies. The Elemental force, now reduced to nearly a third of its original size at twelve members, fled from the Horde Mother’s advance. The Queen raised one of her legs and Eclair heard that terrible popping noise again signaling the coming of acid. As the Horde Mother charged up her attack, the Gateway glowed brighter with a silver light.

“The gate’s ready,” said Leon. “Everyone, run!”

Éclair and the rest of the survivors ran to the gate with all speed. Gumar already made it to the Gateway with the help of Sharon as they were the closest. But just as she was about to enter herself, it started raining acid. The Horde Mother directed her acid spray upwards, creating a storm of acid rain around the Gateway. Sharon was forced to run as the acid soon enveloped the hill where the Gateway stood. An entire lake of acid now stood between them and the Gateway. Then the Queen opened her four jaws and reared back her head with a foggy mist seeping from her mouth.

If she unleashes the fog in that body, it’ll be on a level never seen before! I don’t think even our armor will be enough to withstand it!

“Kormal, we need a shield now!” commanded Éclair.

“I shall need Lurranna’s help to increase its strength!” warned Kormal.

“Can do!” chipped in Leon.

Leon’s learned how to create telekinetic shields! Well, it is a Mental-Type psionic ability.

The Queen lurched forward, roaring as she sprayed forth an ocean of toxic air. Éclair cringed as Ryan covered her with his body, and Grafael shielded both of them. They stood frozen as they prepared for the gas to impact them, but it never did. When Éclair looked up, a new shield of shimmering purple and green energy had been formed around them in a perfect bubble. Leon and Kormal had their hands raised as they grunted with the exertion of keeping the shield up. Squad 99 and the surviving Elementals huddled together inside the shield as the green vapors beat against the energy barrier. Outside the bubble, the atmosphere that Leon had made clean earlier now resumed an even murkier outlook than it had before. One of the Elemental Guards got caught outside the shield. Even in full Psionic Armor, the Guard’s body began to dissolve as the toxicity of the gas eroded his suit. The poor man was nearly a skeleton by the time he made it to the shield and banged a bony hand against the shield wall. And then he dissolved into dust. Éclair tried not to think about it, though she couldn’t help a gasp of sympathy for the man. Ryan held her tighter.

That leaves eleven ... eleven left of the thirty men sent down here to help us, thought Éclair with a sorrowful shiver.

The Horde Mother lowered her huge head, studying the survivors in silent menace. She experimentally tapped against the shield with her massive finger, creating small ripples like water on its surface. Kormal and Leon twitched as if they’d been physically struck. The Queen drew back, her much thicker hair-tentacles now twitching above her head.

“GIVE USSS THE ONE AND THE DAUGHTER OF LIGHT, OR WE WILL DESSSTROY YOU ALL!” screeched the Parasite Queen suddenly.

“Grafy, I’ve got one last move that might buy us some time, but I need your help to pull it off,” whispered Ryan.

“What do you need, little brother?” asked Grafael, remembering to be quiet for once.

“I need you to make a big hole right under her,” Ryan explained.

“But she’ll just climb out.”

“Not for what I have in mind.”

“And while you keep her busy,” whispered Éclair, already calculating the distance between them and the portal within the pool of acid. “I’ll build us a bridge to the Gateway.”

“I’ll keep the vapors back with my wind powers, but we better hurry, because the Gateway has less than two minutes before it closes permanently,” added Leon.

“WE ARE OUT OF PATIENCE!” screeched the Horde Mother.

The Queen pounded the ground with her fist, causing a miniature earthquake. As she did, her Colossal guards moved forward, boxing the Elementals in further.

“Alright, we give up!” called out Éclair as she stepped forward.

“Just let the others go and you can have both of us!” said Rachel, stepping next to Éclair and taking her hand.

Éclair felt grateful for the gesture and nodded her thanks.

“REMOVE THE WALL,” hissed the Parasite Queen, leaning close over them.

“How about we remove the floor instead?!” shouted Ryan as he turned to Grafael.

Grafael roared as he pounded the ground with his hammer. The earth cracked in front of the Parasite Queen, making her stumble and fall into the newly made canyon. The Horde Mother stretched out her arms, stopping herself from falling in. As she crawled her way back up, Ryan planted the tip his sword into the ground as it glowed with an orange light.

“Oh no you don’t!” shouted Ryan.

A line of energy trailed from Ryan’s sword to the hole that Grafael created. Then a lava fall gushed forth from the walls of the hole, bathing the Queen’s pale skin in hot magma. The Queen screeched in pain as her whole body submerged into the volcanic substance.

“Lower the shield now, Leon!” ordered Éclair as she stabbed her bow into the ground. Even though the bow didn’t have blades, the metal was still strong due to its psionic make.

Leon and Kormal lowered their hands. As the shield disappeared, Leon summoned one of his swords, swiping the air and clearing away the mist between them and the Gateway. As they lowered the shield, Éclair sent a massive wave of cold over the acid lake, freezing it instantly.

The bridge is ready! Now all we have to do is...

One of the Colossals lunged forward, sending a tentacle towards Éclair. The tentacle scrapped across the ground like a bulldozer as it made a path straight for her. Ryan jumped in front of Éclair holding his flaming sword with both hands and split the giant appendage in half with a vertical slash. As Éclair marveled at his display of power, Ryan took hold of her hand, pulling her along while he ran towards the portal. Both Colossals were on them now as everyone dashed to the Gateway. Éclair felt the Queen rising up from below the ground with her enhanced senses.

“Ryan! Below us!” she warned, still holding his hand.

Both Ryan and Éclair jumped as a giant hand covered in magma emerged from the earth and nearly ensnared them. Even bathed in one of the hottest known substances, the Horde Mother was far from finished. The Queen tore through the earth, slowly wrenching herself free of the lava trap, though most of her body remained submerged. Her wounds were already healing even as the lava melted through her skin. Éclair and Ryan had to break off from the rest of the group and circle around the frozen acid lake as they continued to run towards the portal. The Horde Mother’s anger seemed to hone in solely on Éclair and Ryan as the Colossals ignored everyone else and just chased after them. The ground shook as the massive monsters crashed and roared behind them. Éclair tuned out everything and just focused on the feeling of Ryan’s hand as she ran. Éclair and Ryan had to make a large arc as the monsters chased them, shoving over one another to swipe at them.

Across the cavern, Leon, the Elemental Guards, and the rest of Squad 99 made their way to the Gateway. Éclair was gladdened to see her friends vanish into safety one after the other. First went the Werewolves, then went Kormal, and then Rachel soon after. Leon took up position just beyond the Gateway, helping everyone inside. As James descended to the Gateway with his hoverboard, he stopped just at the entrance.

“Did Sharon go through?!” Éclair heard James shout.

“I don’t know, but you’ve got to go!” yelled Leon, shoving him through.

Grafael was just about to go in as well, but then he turned around. He soon caught sight of Éclair running with Ryan from across the cavern with a Colossal on their tail. The gigantic Parasite cracked the earth as it dragged itself after them, its young screeching as they clung to its chest.

“ÉCLAIR!” roared Grafael.

“JUST GO, GRAFY!” screamed Éclair as she waved away, knowing full well the futility of such a request.

Grafael jumped towards Éclair and Ryan with all his strength, and probably would’ve made it to them in a single bound. However, Tork grabbed Grafael by the tail and yanked him inside the portal before disappearing into it himself. Éclair was grateful for Tork’s interference.

Éclair and Ryan somehow managed to outdistance the lumbering Colossal, and escape seemed to be close at hand as the Gateway loomed ahead of them. Both were panting as they ran. Éclair could feel her brow perspire, but that didn’t matter, because soon it would all be over. They’d be safe.

Once we make it to the Gateway, Leon will soon follow, and we’ll all live ... all of us! Éclair thought in disbelief and no small amount of relief. We’re going to make it out of here!

And then Éclair heard a girl’s scream pierce the air. Across the cavern near the wall of tentacles was Sharon Morgan the pirate. She had been caught by one of the gray tentacles along the wall and became entangled like a fly in a spider’s web. A Colossal lumbered toward her, intent on eating. Éclair turned back to the Gateway and realized that it was slowly fading. She looked behind her and saw the other Colossal barreling down on them, as well as the Horde Mother herself who slowly dragged herself from the lava trap. In her heart, Éclair knew that she had already made her decision, though it pained her to admit it.

If it was just me, then maybe. But if I stay to help, then so will Ryan and Leon, and I cannot allow that. I’m sorry, Sharon. You didn’t seem like a bad person, but I love my friends ... and I won’t throw their lives away for a girl we barely know.

“Somebody, please help me!” screamed Sharon pathetically as the Colossal’s mouth drew closer.

Éclair paid no heed to Sharon’s cries as she continued to the Gateway. While she ran, she noticed that Ryan was staring at the girl. Even through his visor, Éclair could read the indecision within him. And then she felt that familiar bold resolve take route in his bearing. That mad resolution that had led Ryan Uruks to make so many reckless decisions. In an instant, Éclair knew what Ryan had decided to do, and she knew she couldn’t let him.

“Ryan, don’t!” shouted Éclair, tightening her grip on his hand.

“I’m sorry, Éclair,” he whispered.

Ryan then swung Éclair forward with all his considerable strength, throwing her like a ragdoll straight towards the portal. Éclair tried to hold on, but Ryan’s throw was too strong. She shot like a missile straight for the Gateway still at least a hundred feet away. Éclair cried out for Ryan as she loomed away from him at incredible speeds. Even as she sped through the air, she saw Ryan bound towards the pirate girl. The Gateway loomed ahead of her. In a moment, she would be teleported away, leaving Ryan behind. She would be safe just like he wanted, and he would’ve sacrificed himself for her just as he had always intended.

No! I won’t let you leave me! Not like this!

As Éclair sped across the ground, she raised her bow and stuck it into the earth with both hands. She then used Ice Elemency to freeze her bow in place and anchored herself to the rocky floor. Éclair yanked to a halt just before flying into the Gateway. She strained while her arms nearly dislocated as she held onto the bow with all her might. Ryan’s throw had been so tremendous that even after anchoring herself to the earth, Éclair’s feet were still carried towards the portal by the momentum. After falling back-first to the ground, she quickly came to her feet, though feeling slightly dazed from the ordeal.

Across the cavern, Ryan cut the pirate girl free of the tentacles and held her protectively in his arms. But the Colossal grabbed hold of Ryan and the girl with one of its massive hands.

“RYAN!” Éclair screamed as she dashed for him.

However, she was stopped by Leon who held her with both arms around her waist as he tried to force her through the Gateway.

“Let me go!” commanded Éclair as she struggled in his grip. “I’ve got to help him!”

“There’s no time!” grunted Leon, dragging her to the fast-fading Gateway.

As the Colossal slowly brought Ryan and the girl towards its head, Ryan flamed it with his sword, but his attack lacked any real power and soon fizzled out.

After creating a lake of lava, he’s completely drained! thought Éclair, half-crazed with fear for Ryan.

With no other alternative, Éclair elbowed Leon savagely in the groin. Leon stumbled back grunting as Éclair broke away from his grip. She acted solely on instinct as she made her way to Ryan. While maintaining her sprint, Éclair notched an arrow and sent it straight into the Colossal’s opened jaw. She didn’t know how she had enough psions left to do it, but somehow, she managed to create a block of ice so large that it covered the entire creature’s house-sized mouth. The Colossal tried uselessly to plunge Ryan and Sharon into its ice-filled mouth, banging Ryan’s head against its sealed jaws. Taking advantage of the creature’s confusion, Ryan slashed one of its fingers with his sword and cut himself free. As Ryan landed on the ground, he bounded towards Éclair while slinging the wailing Sharon over his shoulder.

“You’re telling me they’re still down there!” yelled Saria Kaves in astonishment.

“I’m afraid so, my lady,” said Kormal gravely, his black, lidless eyes lowered in shame.

Saria growled to herself as she clenched a fist to her forehead. Why is it always those three?

“We have to go back down there now!” roared Grafael, his booming voice echoing loudly throughout the bridge.

“We can’t create another Gateway through that toxic cloud,” explained Eramar. “Not even I could teleport through that soup. And there’s not a ship in the fleet that can make it all the way down that pit in this atmosphere.”

“Then where’s the closest we can create a Gateway?” asked Saria fiercely. “You’re the teleportation expert, so you do the numbers and get me an answer!”

Eramar’s hands went over the console with dizzying speeds as he ran the calculations. “If my math is right, the closest we can create a Gateway is just above the mouth of the pit.”

“Then send a message to Leon,” said Saria grimly. “That’s our rendezvous point.”

As Ryan came towards her, Éclair felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to find Leon standing beside her, his black mask obscuring his face. Behind them, the Gateway blinked in and out of existence before disappearing entirely.

“Leon, you should’ve gone through the Gateway,” scorned Éclair.

“You could say sorry for elbowing me in the groin, and then thank me for staying anyway while you’re at it,” said Leon, sounding unusually pouty.

A pang of guilt swept through Éclair. “I’m sorry, alright. But I just couldn’t leave Ryan behind.”

“Less talky, more runny!” yelled Ryan as he sprinted past them while still holding Sharon over his shoulder, who was still screaming.

Éclair and Leon joined in behind Ryan. The Colossal Parasite that Éclair had disabled earlier suddenly clenched its jaws shut, shattering the glacier mouth stopper. The creature roared and crawled after them, dragging its legless hulk across the ground with its skyscraper-sized arms. The other Colossal made after them from the left and the Horde Mother finally dragged herself completely from the lava pit and came at them from the right. With the wall of tentacles barring them in front, they were trapped on all sides. The tentacles in front of them attacked like serpents. Éclair, Leon, and Ryan batted them away with a combined attack of ice, fire, and wind. Through the hole they made with their elements, they now had a clear shot to the wall at the edge of the pit.

“So, I assume you both have a plan for this debacle?” inquired Leon hastily.

“Do I look like a guy who comes up with plans?” yelled Ryan, still maintaining his pace.

“We make for the wall! A small group like ours is nimble enough to escape! North’s still waiting for us up the pit!” yelled Éclair, calculating their route even as she spoke.

“North?” asked Leon.

“Our sentient spaceship!” explained Ryan. “But Éclair! It took us a really long time to get down here! Isn’t she like at least fifty miles up? I can run fast when I need to, but only for short bursts, and not up a freakin’ wall!”

“Then we’ll use the vertical propulsion system built into our suits just like when we climbed up Gregory Tower! Remember, Ryan!” said Leon.

“Oh, yeah! I remember how much I hated doing that!”

From behind them, the Horde Mother suddenly jumped. At least a hundred thousand tons of flesh flew through midair with the intent to crush them. Éclair, Leon, and Ryan all jumped together just in time, landing on the wall and sticking to it with their magnetized boots. A split second later, they all sped off using the propulsion systems. The vertical boosts sent them jetting up the cavern wall at top-notch speeds with Éclair leaving streams of ice behind her, Ryan leaving fire, and Leon leaving gusts of pressurized air.

The Parasite Queen lunged face-first straight into the wall a hair’s breadth away from them. The crash of her weight against the pit wall sent vibrations all across the subterranean hole, creating earth slides and debris falling all around them. Éclair, Ryan, and Leon all had to zigzag while ducking in order to avoid the rocks. Cracks formed at the Queen’s point of impact as the earth gave way mere milliseconds behind them. However, the suits gave a vertical propulsion of up to 300 miles per hour, and they soon outpaced the collapsing pit with the Parasite Queen disappearing behind them.