3 Arc I: Proving Grounds (2/2)
As they walked further ahead, they found numerous natural rock bridges along a huge chasm connecting this side of the mountain to the other. Small patches of sunlight seep through the crevices making the wonder a bit more visible.
'We will have to cross.' Thinking for himself as he started checking for any threats along the way when something caught their attention.
A scream came down below.
He immediately sought after it. There is a girl stranded on a bridge below being harassed by a trio of mutants, these creatures seemed to be still in humanoid form just deformities, lumps and pus seeping out its wounds.
The girl yelled as she fend them off with a small wooden club. ”Y'all need to get back, am warnin' ya.”
He got down to a crawl; move slowly forward, careful to not get their attention. 'She can revive elsewhere and try again.'
One of the mutants swipes the club off her hands. Weaponless, she raised her hands, poise to strike back. On her left wrist, a crimson rosary dangled out.
It caught his eyes. 'Of all places.' Azaleah blocked his view then shook her head.
Mat took a deep breathe. 'Ghad,'
He ran, then jump down landing himself on the last mutant on the back. Stunned, he kicked it off the bridge, this caught the other mutants' attention.
The girl found an opening and push them, trying to knock another one off the bridge, but the abominations stood their ground and swung at her, making her fall back.
Mat saw the girl fall on the ground — he grimaced; shouted, ran towards the mutants tackling them both, inching them off the bridge, each of them clawing at him trying to find a grip.
The girl stood up, push one making it fall off landing on the corner of the rock bridge below before disappearing into the darkness.
The other mutant grab the girl's hand then yank hard, dragging her towards the edge. Mat instinctively grab the girl by the chest then shove her away, she tumbled on the ground.
The sudden separation made the mutant fall off and desperately cling to the boy. Out of stance to just kick off the abomination, it dragged him off.
The girl scampered towards the edge looking for him, to her relief they landed just by the edge of the rock bridge below.
”Let go of him!” Azaleah furiously pulling on the mutants ear. Mat forcefully peeled himself from its grasp then kick it away. It fell back, a foot slip off the edge gravity taking half of its body down but still able to take hold of the edge and lifting itself up.
”Run!” The girl yelled.
He immediately turned and started to run back to the caverns. The mutant regaining its footing immediately gave chase.
”Azaleah, Whiteout!” Mat shouted. She flew across the mutants' face, then white light flashed within her, effectively blinding it. The mutant thrash about hitting the fairy; sending her flying towards the cave entrance, she hit the wall then fell unconscious on the ground.
Mat ran towards Azaleah preparing to grab her, then make their escape, but something caught his attention. In the darkness ahead, a familiar clawed hand was barely visible.
”Watch out!” The girl warning him but it was too late. When he turned his head, the blind frenzied mutant crashed at him sending both of them off the bridge.
He looks at Azaleah; saw right beside her barely concealed by the shadows, a long-haired hollowed eyed mutant, with a smile across its face filled with jagged teeth. He did not take his eyes off it till the image went farther and farther away then disappeared.