Echoterra: Rise of the Verdant King-Chapter 87: Treacherous journey [11]

The team sheltered in the gorge, Thornstorm thorns falling.

"Clayton, what the f*ck!"

Kaelin writhed in pain as soon as he said that out loud, but he fought his pain and kept his gaze steady on Clayton. "How’d you do that?"

Still sprawled on the ground, trying to catch his breath, Clayton looked back at him with a mischievous grin. "Do what?"

Kaelin was about to lose it when Torren intervened.

Clutching his Pyreaxe, he gasped, "Clayton, those roots... what exactly are you?" His trust held, but he was unmistakably awed.

"Just a..."

"Don’t even try to play dumb," Torren glared at him playfully. "I mean, you just stood your ground against a Luminous Seed Awakened for minutes, while you are only an Initiate Ember Awakened".

"How?! How’d you do that?"

Clayton grinned, Shedskin cloaking his power. "Just a gardener with tricks".

Torren sighed, speechless.

Veyra, looting a Pyreaxe, pressed. "That’s no gardener’s work. You’re more, admit it". Her trust was near-complete.

But thinking of something, she couldn’t help but laugh. "I still can’t believe that idiot actually challenged you to a duel once". She looked at the aching Kaelin and grinned. "If you used this strength on him, he wouldn’t even last a second".

"I will!" Kaelin growled, only to grown in pain.

"Shut up!" Lorn snapped at him while healing him, still furious. "You’re a walking disaster, Kaelin".

Kaelin, pale, looked at her, suddenly docile and nodded. "I’ll do better, Lorn". He looked at Clayton again. "You’re unreal".

Clayton chuckled.

Veyra looked at Clayton again. "Thanks".

"For what?"

"For what you did. I don’t know why you hid your true strength previously, but you had your reasons. What I mean is thanks for saving Kaelin’s life". She smiled. "I really appreciate it".

Clayton awkwardly scratched his nose. "I mean, we’re a team right? It’s only natural we look after each other’s backs".

Torren stood up and nodded. "You’re right Clayton, we watch each other’s backs". Then, he grimaced. "If only we were not stuck in a damn Behemorph stampede, I would have say we celebrate the feat you just achieved".

"It’s not every day you get to see an Initiate Ember Awakened that can stand his ground against a Luminous Seed Awakened". He looked at Clayton again. "You’re special Clayton, and you have secrets".

"Secrets keep me alive," Clayton said, humor sharp.

Torren chuckled, then he walked past to check the situation ahead. As he did, out of sight of the others, he whispered to Clayton.

"Your secret is safe with me".

"Huh?"

Clayton stared at Torren, who smirked, the moonlight reflecting on his face.

A second or two later, he found the strength to stand up and walked up to stand beside Torren, watching the night horizon.

"Umm, boss, what do you mean?"

Torren conveniently ignored the boss this time and subtly smiled. "Your Aspect, it’s a Verdant Warden rank Aspect right?" He finally turned to look at him and winked knowingly.

"Ahh...," Clayton was surprised, but then he laughed.

"You’re right, you’re right".

A few seconds later, he hesitated slightly, then asked. "But boss, my secret..."

"Don’t worry, it’s save with me, Clayton my boy". He gave him a side hug and patted his head.

Clayton squirmed slightly in his grasp. ’Damn! Dammit! I’m old enough to be your great grandfather dammit!’

Torren finally said. "We can’t stay in one place. We need to move".

He looked at Lorn, then at Kaelin. "How’s he doing?"

Lorn nodded. "He can move".

Soren, eyeing the shrine’s ruins, spoke softly. "My brother’d call this night hell. You’re our edge, Clayton". His trust was solid.

"If he’s your edge, then what am I?" Torren stared at Soren, pouting.

Soren laughed. "You’re our captain".

Torren smiled. "I’ll accept that".

And then, he rallied them. "Thorn Crowns are almost here. Let’s move! Survive till dawn!"

The team braced, Nexus roaring, bonds forged in fire.

...

Day 15, near dawn...

Clayton braced on a crumbling ridge, the Earthcore Nexus’s pulse a primal scream.

His Shedskin cloaked his Verdant Lord aura as tattered rags, Regalia of the Verdant Warden in bow form, Thornshade Dagger humming at his hip, venom-coated and stealth-enhancing.

His Architect Aspect thrummed, barely restrained as the team: Torren with his Flamevine Wrath Aspect, Veyra with Thornstrike Archer, Lorn with Sapflow Healer, Kaelin with Ash Shroud, and Soren with Emberblade all clung to survival.

Their Mycoglyph-etched pagers flickered, Nexus interference overwhelming.

The Aphid Network, now 43 minions, hunted at the stampede’s fringes, Spore Crown reaping Genesis Embers, losing three Initiate Ember minions to the chaos.

The Rootsite stood far behind.

The stampede, driven by two Verdant Warden Thorn Crown Behemorphs roared still, their clash now a kilometer away, shockwaves terraforming the gorge into a thorn-choked wasteland.

Volcanic fissures spewed lava, jagged thorns erupting, skewering stampeding Behemorphs.

As the team moved, they were also affected by the chaos once again.

Eight Luminous Seed Ashveil Raptors (5-meter winged predators, Ash Crown) dove from the chaos, flames trailing, talons slashing.

This time, Kaelin was the one who detected them first with his sharp eyes since they came from the air.

"Hold!" Torren roared, tension rising, Flamevine Wrath erupting, pyro-roots snaring a Raptor’s wing.

Facing 8 Luminous Seed Behemorphs was a stretch, but none of them retreated. After 15 days together, and most especially this night, their synergy in battle meant they could take on groups more frightening than them.

Veyra’s Thornstrike arrows pierced another Raptor’s chest, roots bursting.

Lorn shielded Soren, whose Emberblade slashed, sparks deflecting. Kaelin, more cautious after Lorn’s reprimands, used Ashveil Cloak to flank, daggers grazing a Raptor.

Clayton? He unleashed Core Maw, roots surging from the earth, crushing two Raptors.

The sight of an Initiate Ember Awakened crushing a Luminous Seed Behemorph was illuminating to the group.

Even if they were no Thorn Crowns, they were still Luminous Seed.

He fired Regalia’s root arrows, shredding a third, keeping Aphid Network hidden but commanding it to hunt via Hive-Sight, Thornweave Sentinels reaping Embers.

A Thornstorm shockwave hit, thorns raining, forcing Clayton to dodge, Thornshade Dagger slashing a Raptor’s talon, venom dousing its flames.

Torren’s pyro-roots and Veyra’s arrows felled the rest, but a final shockwave signaled the Thorn Crowns’ end.

Through Hive-Sight, Clayton saw it from a distance through the eyes of one of the minions.

One of the 2 gigantic Behemorphs fell, its roar fading, the stampede slowing.

DING!

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[Behemorphs Slain...

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