Chương 43: Leonid Physics

Ch. 43: Leonid Physics Beckoning you into the California Science Center was an enticing universe. Glass flluted columns organized in a large circle big enough to host a fundraiser. Atop those columns were a cylinder made of hexagonal, red metal struts. The architecture of the exhibit itself was a marvel, but it was what was inside the cylinder that had captured young school children's attention for years. A galaxy of metallic orbs suspended within the cylinder with strings of wire.

They created the world's most dazzling mobile.

It was here, among the glittering balls meant to represent the unending breadth of the discoveries, that the leonids decided to eat Kayla.

"Shall we finally eat? I have wanted to eat hatchling meat. I am told it tastes like pig," said Snir. Kayla's unconscious body spent its remaining energy performing labored breathing. Attempting to siphon oxygen to the bloodied body. Folus sniffed her, "That smell. Traces along her body. Divine energy, yes. But there is something more. Do you smell it brothers?" Oku stalked back and forth, dizzy by the live meat in there wake, "I hear her heart. I smell her flesh. I feel the heat of her dying breath.

We have not had meat this good. I can sense it. Let us have a taste." Oku jumped forward and Folus placed his palm up to stop him.

"It is more. Divine energy mixed with… ash and dew. This is a scrumptious meal. But this hatchling is better as a minnow. A minnow to be strung up and dangled until this… smell presents itself." Snir walked closer toward Kayla, "I tire of restraint for restraint's sake. So too do I tire of your pursuit of strength for the sake of strength. We are leonids. We need to eat. We have good meat and in this world… our kill grants us double experience points. We should have her now."

Folus looked at Snir, "you would ignore my orders? Oku, you too? How about you, Ponzo? All three of you wish to eat?" Snir stared down Folus. Oku snarled at the meat. It was Ponzo who could still voice reason, "we do not wish to betray you, Folus. You know more than I do that a leonid is fed better when their prey is stronger. We merely wish for our wants to be yours. Please, allow us this meal." Folus could only stare at his pride and give in.

"Fine. But I shall take the kill and thus, the king's share of the experience. And it is not a thirst for strength for the sake of thirst. If I grow stronger, if I can be more, that means I can protect my pride." Folus stared at Kayla's neck. He reached down with his claw to slit her throat when a shield plunged into the concrete in front of their quarry. The claw bumped into the shield. Folus and the leonids looked to the direction of the thrown shield.

Penelope brandished her disarming smile and said, "There's a Chinese place that's not too far from here. Could probably find some good peking duck." Folus turned to his pride and said, "This one… reeks of it. Capture one and we can eat the other. Go!" Penelope took a step back. Leonids. Not alpha enemies. Not even bravo. This is way, way above my paygrade. Oh yeah, not to mention that my buffs only work on other people. I need to move carefully, but first… I need my shield. The smallest one, Oku, jumped at her.

He drew his claws at her and slashed but he was overeager. She dipped under him and his claws raked at air. Nelo rolled on the ground and ran forward. The two leonids were in between her and the shield. As they braced themselves, she released a burst of speed and slid along the ground, grabbing the shield and landing right in front of Folus. He wound his fist back and she stuck her shield up. He gripped so tightly that a red aura leaked from his fist. Nelo stuck her shield up. This would do nothing.

She would have been splattered if not for Oku, the eager youngin' had not jumped in front to attack. The claws scraped at the shield, pushing her backward. Geez! This is the smallest and he's taller than me! Not just that, but every attack feels like a sword strike! Snir grabbed Oku and ripped him off of her. He snarled at Nelo and grabbed the edges of her shield. He held it in place and reached over to bite at Nelo. This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Nelo dipped. She felt the chin hairs of the leonid brush against her scalp. Nelo held her shield and called out a spell.

"Gallant Strike!" A pulse of energy, her own mana, directed from the pike and landed on the solar plexus of the leonid. It was a quick short punch but the leonid lost his breath. Nelo wrangled her shield away from the leonid. She reverse-tumbled and when her back foot connected with the ground, she pushed forward, attempting to ram Snir with the spiked shield. Ponzo dropped in that moment, kicking the spiked shield down. When he landed, he twisted his body and kicked her on the side.

She dropped her arm to block but it knocked the wind out of her and propelled her sideways into the column. Folus approached, once again coiling his fist back, he punched. She pivoted out of the way. The fist took out a large chunk of the column. Nelo was outmatched. Her back against the column, her instincts took over and she leapt up, using her foot on the crack and pushing herself up. Oku leapt up and swiped at her but she grabbed one of the low hanging planets and pulled herself up.

She wrapped her hand on the wire and placed her foot on the planet, keeping balance above the hungry predators. Think. You're running out of options, you're running out of ground to cover. Kayla is still unconscious. You have a shield that redirects energy strikes. These four haven't used energy strikes. I have my one offensive spell. Gallant strike. I have buffs I can't use. I have… the most useless ultimate move in all of existence. I am… surrounded by metal balls. I have heals. The leonids moved as if one unit.

Folus went to guard Kayla at the center of the building. The three leonids each found a column to climb. Drat. I can't do it. I can't take them down on my own. The only recourse I have is to heal Kayla. I need to create an opening. And I only have one way I can do that. The leonids ran up to their respective columns and jumped to grab the metal orbs. Nelo reached out and grabbed another metal wire in front of her. She pulled on it, shifting the metal ball she was standing on, and let go.

Nelo swung backward and forward, grabbing the string of another planet and pulling herself onto the new one. Snir was the leonid closer to her, but she was being approached by all sides. Nelo leapt off her new ball and reached for one that was situated higher in the cylinder. Snir encroached, leaping for her as she risked her platform for a ball that was situated higher in the cylinder. He swiped at nothing but air as he grabbed wire to avoid falling. Oku and Ponzo jumped from wall to wall with feline grace.

Folus stared up, watching Nelo head further toward the center.

"She's heading toward… Ahh." Snir recovered from his first attempt, and Oku and Ponzo were equidistant to her. Nelo continued to work her way through the galaxy of orbs as they would jump from a planet, swing on a wire and land on another planet. They got closer and closer. They each grabbed a different level and pulled themselves up. Nelo had finally made it to the highest and most centered orb. There was a foe to her North, her South, and her West. And directly under her was Folus. There was nowhere to escape.

They snarled at her, suddenly slowing down. Their movements toward her suddenly became methodical. Waiting on some opening to strike. Nelo's hands wrapped around the metal wire. The high ball she was on was tiny, her two feet had to clamp together around the attached wire to stay on. She used her shield hand and lifted it directly in the air, spike pointing toward the heavens. I've never used Gallant strike this way. But here it goes. The cats found their opening.

Awkwardly having little ground, and now having her shield not covering her body, the cats leapt to attack.

"Gallant Strike!" She placed a heap of her mana into this attack. Normally, she used the spike to emit the pulse, but this time, she sent the mana blast through the edges of her shield. The wave spread out in all directions. It snapped all the wires surrounding her. The thousands of pretty metal orbs fell. They no longer represented a galaxy, but had become a meteor strike on Folus. Nelo came down with them. The three leonids collided in the air and fell below.

Nelo dropped like a comet onto Folus with her shield, she stuck her hand up. I can't call Greater Healing yet. I have to be sure I can touch her. Folus looked up, watching Nelo rocket toward him, spike-side first.

"Clever lamb." Nelo felt an abrupt stop. Had her pike entered Folus? The three leonids landed on their feet. She poked her head over and her eyes went wide from shock. Folus' hand was wrapped around the shield's long spike. Blood dripped down his palm onto his arm. She stared onto the calm yellow eyes as the harsh clangs of the metal orbs landed on the stone floor around her. Folus smiled and snarled in the little english he knew,"My turn."