18 Wyrm

Leaping through the brush, Jacob burst into the clearing. His sword was raised high, primed to take advantage of the wyrm's momentary surprise. It swung its large head around to examine the newest threat, taking a longsword to the face. The weapon left a long gash in the beast's face, though it wasn't all that deep. The famed defensive ability of the snake-like creature wasn't just for show.

The wolves were content to lick their wounds as they watched this new challenger take on the wyrm. Retaliating immediately, the beast tore through the ground in a bid to reach Jacob. His swift movements, however, allowed him to stay one step ahead of its deadly teeth.

Jacob hacked at the wyrm again, his blade failing to break through the scales on its side. It left a slight scratch; his attacks would have little impact if he continued to strike the beast safely. There was nothing the wyrm could do if Jacob kept attacking its side, but Jacob would tire long before he tore through those defenses. And then, the beast knew it could easily end its pest's life.

The warrior knew this too; he'd have to risk his life to stand any chance of killing the wyrm. The face was his primary target. His target flung its tail at him, forcing him to roll to the side to avoid getting hit. Even then, the tail clipped him. His left side hurt like it had never hurt before. Something didn't feel quite right about how it felt. Every inhalation hurt. Had that single action broken bones?

Jacob didn't have much time to worry about the ramifications of the wyrm's attack. The tail had reversed direction and approaching fast. If last time was any indication, he'd fail to evade it again. With one side almost out of commission, he didn't know if he could even move after he was hit again. Desperation seized him.

He gathered air molecules below his feet, forcing them between his feet and the ground. Jacob levitated briefly before spinning out of control. Far from graceful, Jacob landed at the other side of the clearing. Some nearby wolves snarled, but a look from the wyrm kept them from interfering. The cunning animals were biding their time.

The overgrown snake was slithering towards him at speed. Within seconds, he'd be crushed against a tree. Taking the initiative, Jacob stepped into the attack, twisting his body so as to narrowly dodge the beast. As he did so, he kept his sword out and sliced a line into the wyrm's body. With enough speed, provided to him by the wyrm itself, his blade could cut through the scales protecting it.

A line of blood blossomed behind him. Jacob had inflicted damage on his adversary. The wyrm let loose a pained roar. Enraged, it charged again. This time, however, it slid to a halt just before Jacob slid away a second time. It had anticipated him utilizing the same action.

Maw gaping wide, it tried to swallow Jacob whole. Wheezing from the effort, Jacob rolled backwards. His ribs protested the action, but it was well worth it. The wyrm closed its mouth where Jacob had just been: a death sentence.

Jacob praised, once again, Will's insistence on building stamina. Without it, he'd be facing the Grim Reaper already. The wyrm was briefly confused, surprised its prey escaped it. Imagining a sphere of air punching the snake in the face, Jacob cast a second spell. A little exhaustion settled in, but it was nothing that hampered him as much as his wounded ribs.

The wyrm was completely unaffected. There wasn't enough speed or material in the attack to move the behemoth at all. Instead, the attack focused the creature. Jacob bit off a curse, retreating to the trees as fast as he could. In the open, the massive beast would have the advantage. Hopefully, with some obstacles, Jacob could bring his nimbleness into play.

A sigh of relief, then, when he sprinted past the first tree. The wyrm still chased, but it didn't look like it was slowing down. It would have some painful collisions to deal with.

Jacob was mistaken.

The snake barreled through the trees, splintering them as it went. "You're kidding me," Jacob grumbled as he continued his run. Knowing his stamina was reaching its end, Jacob decided upon a desperate plan. He climbed a nearby tree as fast as he could, looking over his should to make sure that the pursuing wyrm wasn't going to reach him before he reached an acceptable height.

It didn't.

Jacob watched from his perch. The snake slithered quickly, its eyes set on its prey. It would not be letting Jacob go. Fortunately, Jacob was of similar mind. As the wyrm was about to crash into his oak, Jacob dove. Like Olympic divers back on Earth, he dropped like a bullet, arms extended forward. The only difference was that at the end of his arms was a sword he intended to drive into the wyrm like a nail.

For the most part, the plan worked. The wyrm was too heavy to change directions once it learned what Jacob was attempting. It did manage to look up, attempting to swallow Jacob as he fell. Lady Luck must have been on Jacob's side, for the beast was just a fraction of a second too late. The sword was driven through the wyrm's eye and sunk in to its hilt.

The wyrm stilled, its brain having been pierced by Jacob's steel. A small earthquake accompanied the beast's body as it dropped onto the forest floor. It signaled the wolves to come out from the shadows, and the wild animals encircled their new prey.

Injured as he was, Jacob didn't really want to engage them in a fight. His mana, his ability to cast magic without a headache, was low. Victory was less than certain.

And yet, he found that he needed to. It was retribution.