Dragon's Challenge - D. R. Rosier Page 0,29
out of fear long enough for us to take them down.”
Shar said, “They’ll come rushing out afterwards.”
He nodded, “Better that than going in there. Tansya will lose her natural advantage in the cave, and those bastards hit hard. Hard enough to knock my head off if they get lucky, and I want lots of trees to dodge behind.”
Though, if it came to it, he could shield with earth magic to help absorb some of that blow on his shield. He wouldn’t quite go flying away twenty feet, like he had in that first fight with an ogre. Still, he needed to fight ferociously, and smart.
Nysa said, “Good plan. Direct, and simple.”
They moved through the woods more quickly then while April ranged ahead again, if anything changed then she’d warn them before they stumbled into it. They barely made a sound, but their increased speed did impact their vigilant awareness to a degree.
He shifted his shield and crossbow when the cave entrance came in sight. It was mostly concealed behind some bushes, and there were a good number of trees around it. Which was good, more trees to dodge around, and more directions for Tansya to slip out, fire her bow, and slip back in.
Nysa had her daggers out, and she was also channeling her magic and had it as tight as a bowstring.
They were ready, and the bugbears were growling in warning, so it was time to make it happen.
He nodded to Shar, and the lovely succubus formed a compact fireball over her hand that burned red at first but slowly shifted into blue, then she tossed it in the entrance. The small ball of fire exploded spectacularly, and a loud whump sound was followed by a concussive wave of heat that slapped him in the face along with billowing hot flames chasing behind.
Then they waited. Then waited a little more. Fuck.
He said, “I think you killed them, and the ogres are probably hiding under their beds in there.”
Shar giggled in an empty-headed coy way he knew was an act, “Oops? Still getting used to my new strength.”
He sighed, “No other plans are going well, so why should this one? April?”
She sped off, and then she was back before he could fully take in his next breath.
“There are some bones left, the rest of the bugbears are ashes. The ogres are cowering, they’re almost as afraid of fire as trolls. The cave goes about fifty feet in, then there’s a small cavern through a fissure. They’re at the furthest end of that cavern with large rocks in their hands. I assume that’s their version of a crossbow.”
He sighed, and turned to the stunning golden blonde demoness, “Remind me to spank you later.”
Shar said sultrily, “I hope you mean that, Muranth,” her voice absolutely dripping with coy sensuousness, hope, and wickedness.
He grinned despite himself, as he looked her up and down hungrily, then shook his head to refocus on the problem. He shifted his crossbow away and a moment later held his wickedly curved bastard sword.
“New plan, Nysa and Tansya back us up with magic and the bow and throwing knives. Shar and I will go in with fire magic and steel. If they fear fire so much, let’s give them some more.”
He cast the cantrip with a thought, that his subconscious ran with going through the mental gymnastics to light a small flame. Then he channeled and transmuted his magic, and his blade was enveloped in licking flames. It was more psychological than anything else, but it’d help too. Plus, it was like a primed weapon as well, he could fire flames from the sword at a distance too.
He led the way inside with his shield held in the guard position. He imagined the ogres could throw those rocks hard enough to make his head explode if he let them.
Shar walked next to him with an extra swish in her hips, and a light almost dreamy smile of joy on her face, and he knew her well enough to know that meant she was very turned on in that moment. It was familiar enough to not be too distracting, but his succubus could get a dead man hard without even trying.
When they reached the fissure, he nodded at Shar again. That time she threw a fireball that was mostly reddish orange in color, with just a little bit of blue and white in the compact flames. This time there was just a soft whump, and billowing red flames, without the