Night battle (2)

The dwarves banded together to strengthen the barrier. Layer after layer was piled on and cracks still appeared. This was only in response to aftershocks. If it was a full on frontal attack they would have died a few times over.

The frost and ice threatened to encase the crocodile beasts. The frost ape let out an angry roar. The temperature around the horned crocodile started to rise steadily as it glowed redder the and redder. The ice around its feet melted. This was the very same beast the Penedh had been fighting earlier. He had gained control of it and it was now his van guard.

Sharp claws appeared on its feet. They were like large pillars. It lifted its belly off the ground as it sucked in the cold air around it. A small vortex appeared before it tilted its head back like a dragon about to breath fire. But fire did not come. Instead a large shriek came from its mouth. One could see the fierce air leaving its mouth. Layer after layer of the barrier that had been so painstakingly set up shattered.

By the time the sound ceased only one or two layers remained almost intact. A few of the dwarves at the vanguard were bleeding from their ears. Were it not for the barrier their heads would probably have directly burst like melons in a hippos mouth. The forest around the battle was in a sorry state. Trees were broken like they had been ran through.

Large amounts of blood dyed the white fur around the the neck of the frost ape in front.

Oh oh ah ah, the ape responded as it bashed its fists on its chest. It looked back at its companion which was sitting down watching the standoff between the two. They seemed to be communicating. It was sitting on a large stake that seemed to have been carved from a very tall tree. It stood up and lifted the stake holding it like a spear. A little of it's essence which was glowing on its chest flowed and towards its arms. Icicles grew on the stake and at the tip they extended the length of the stake into something that could be wielded as a sword.

"Frost apes in particular are very intelligent and can mimic mankind." the commander explained when he saw the puzzled look on John's face. Watching from a far he could tell that these apes could outwit a person if they were careless. He remembered a story he had a read about an orangutan that mimicked people cooking and even had some utensils.

The ape lifted its frost sword and placed it on its shoulder like a great sword. It held gripped it firmly with both hands as it stomped with its left foot. A layer of ice spread along the ground and continuously covered the crocodile as it tried to melt it. Seeming satisfied with the result it suddenly leapt in the air. The it was fast. The crocodile didn't have time to react as the ape was now flying towards it. The frost sword held in both hands pointed straight down. If it landed even the hard scales of the crocodile could not prevent if from being run through.

Desperately it tried to wiggle its feet as it tried to detach itself from the ice. It managed to a little extent dodged the landing of the sword. It was only grazed as multiple scales fell as a wound appeared on the side of its neck. Blood sprayed everywhere. The ape was like a falling house. The ground shook. Mud, ice trees water and blood were thrown up on impact as the huge boom resounded in the Battlefield. It was hard to see what was going on at that moment.

The ape proceeded to kick the crocodile away sending it flying about a hundred meters. It groaned in pain. Wound on its back also started bleeding as it fell. Large bite marks on its back had reopened. The crocodile that the Penedh had been sitting on started to make its move as it lifted itself off the ground and started running. The red glow was moving towards its tail. It made an about turn and a red streak speared towards the snow wielding ape. It was closer to it and the ape was taken by surprise as char marks appeared on it belly.

The scaled on the crocodiles tail were glowing hot and sharp, injuring and almost cauterising the would it dug on the ape.

Everyone move back. One of the captains said at the front. The troops were highly trained and moved dozens of meters a way leaving a v shaped hole in their ranks near the barrier. They didn't understand why they had to move but a few seconds later a large white blue block of ice stabbed the ground next to them. The sword had been sent flying along with the ape as two booms resounded.

In the instant the crocodile had done the tail attack the uninjured ape had leapt towards the bleeding crocodile and grabbed it by the tail. One hand on the tail and the other on its belly. The crocodile groaned as it was lifted. The ape started spinning and continued increasing its speed disorienting the crocodile which could only respond by heating its body up. The temperature started to rise once more.

The Penedh started blowing his flute and the temperature on the crocodile rose to an insane level. It was going to blow itself up. The ape sensing this let go and the behemoth rolled for about a hundred meters and landed right in front of the barrier. The ape leapt and stood in front of the barrier. A layer of frost cover its hand as it reached into the barrier and grabbed the sword. The ice was corroded by the barrier at an alarming rate. Even the ice on the sword was leaving it a little jagged.

The dwarves were shocked. The after working so hard. The barrier was inconsequential to these behemoths. The ape glanced at them and released a breath of air. The dwarves might as well have been ants to it. It turned its head towards the struggling crocodile at its feet and stabbed with the sword.