Chapter 348 Ride the lightning (1/2)

The storm seemed to follow me as I ran, a rain of lightning pouring out of the sky and lancing into the earth around me.

Boom! Boom!

Tiny and I, with Crinis on my back, continued to scrabble and run, lurching from side to side as we tried to dodge the lightning strikes. How are you supposed to dodge lightning strikes! It's lightning! This just isn't playing fair! I'll conveniently ignore the fact I've had Tiny roasting monsters with lightning for months now, since it doesn't have any bearing on our current situation.

I think we made the Wizard Lizard a little bit mad.

Boom!

Yeeouch! That one was close! The thunder roaring in my ears is almost enough to cause mental damage on its own. My ears aren't great but they sure as heck can hear that.

Whoa!

Boom!

Another bolt struck the ground where I'd been just a moment before. Even whilst running for my life I was shocked (heh) at how well I was dodging these things. Is this my incredible insect reflexes coming to life? Am I finally one with my six legged people?!

Wait a second.

Boom!

Another lightning bolt dodged! I'm an idiot, it's my antennae. Moments before the lightning strikes, my antennae light up with the power of the bolt descending. It's a strange but subtle sensation, which is perhaps why I didn't notice it at first, an illusory phantom of real sensation. It isn't as if I 'see' the lightning, it isn't my eyes that detect a moment into the future, it's my antennae. What I get is a feeling, a sensation of sensations to come.

Hah! This is incredible! I can even dodge lightning!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

GAH!

Spoke too soon!

In an instant my body lit up like a Christmas tree as a bolt from the sky connected with my carapace. The insane electrical energy roasted my body from the inside out as it pa.s.sed through me and into the ground. I immediately activated my regeneration gland and scrambled to put my feet back underneath me as the cool, healing fluid spread throughout my body.

That seriously hurt!

Oh my G.o.d!

[Crinis! Are you ok?!]

[I-I'm alright, Master,] Crinis mumbled from my back, [I can … hold on.]

She didn't sound good. I could barely make her out in my vision, smoke rising from her tentacles. We need to get the heck out of here!

The moment I'd been hit, Tiny had roared and leapt to stand over me. He paid for his dedication with another bolt of lightning ripping through his body. Fortunately he seemed at least somewhat resistant to the electrical damage. As a Dire Lightning Storm Kong should be.

I pushed myself back onto my feet.

[Let's move it Tiny!]