Chapter 1484 – The Breach pt 2

The Krath reinforcements slithered forward, their bodies pressed flat to the rock, using every fold and crevice within the rock to conceal their presence. Changing the colour of his outer flesh to blend in, Zluth crept alongside them, drawing ever closer to the battle raging at the edge of the wall of blue mana.

Once he was in position, alongside the other Krath’sizz, he grew still, his eyes barely raised atop their stalks, peering eagerly at the unfolding struggle.

Monsters were hurling themselves into the blue energy, letting it consume them, but disgorging huge volumes of virulent mucus that sizzled and hissed, releasing dense toxic mana into the lines of the ants. The normally iron-straight, disciplined lines of the ants were broken in several places as pools of sludge slowly dissolved beside them. The non-monstrous invaders had been drawn back, likely so they could sacrifice the ants if things went poorly, ensuring their own escape.

Zluth was determined they wouldn’t escape him. Not only would they drag ants away to the pools, but humans, golgari and Folk as well. Everyone would pay for daring to try and take that which rightfully belonged to the tribes!

He was hungry. No, he was more than hungry, he was starving, but what he wanted was not sustenance. No, he hungered for suffering, the suffering of the invaders. He wanted it so badly his mouth watered and the acid flowing through his flesh boiled from the strength of his desire.

So it was that Zluth, and all the other Krath gathered with him, waited with almost unbearable anticipation as the pressure continued to mount.

Sluzzl led his attack from the front, or as close to the front as was reasonable. A significant pool of mucus had been built up close to the blue-mana zone, and the Krath continued to push it forward and add to it. Whenever it touched the barrier, it sizzled and hissed, releasing its corrupt energy and draining away the blue mana, but it never lasted long. To actually break through, they would need much more.

Which was exactly what Chozth was about to deliver.

The fighting at the front was already intense. Yet it was only a shadow of what was soon to come. It started with a rumble, a vibration that Zluth could detect through the rock beneath his foot. The monsters were coming.

Judging by the frenzied reaction amongst the ants, they could also tell, but it was too late. Far too late.

Zluth watched eagerly, waiting for the signal. It didn’t take long for Chozth to reveal herself, rising from her position in the centre of the ceiling.

The author’s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.