Fanfic:Blood of the Beast: Part 2

This is (obviously) part 2 of my fanfic Blood of thee Beast. If you haven't read it please read it first.

Rik, rummaged through the mud and scraggly grass, searching for the little red plants, the sun beating down on his sweating back. Rust had already led the Barroth away from the mud pool, so that Zoey, Tarrow and Rik could gather in peace. Lance had gone off to find the cactus flowers in the sandier areas of the Sandy Plains. Just then, Lance entered the area, a big grin on his face. "How's it going, guys?" He asked as he sank down onto his knees next to Zoey. "Not good, we've only got 3 bughoppers and 5 fire herbs so far," Tarrow explained, a bug net in her hands. They continued to gather for five minutes in the quiet of the mud pool, until they felt a tremor under their feet. Rik understood what it meant first. "Everyone, out of the mud pool!" He yelled, and then ran for a large log that lay on the ground, presumably knocked down by the beast that Rust was hunting. He had just managed to jump over it and hide behind it as a huge Barroth, at least twice as tall a Rik was, burst from the mud pool, flinging the sticky substance everywhere. Some of it landed on Tarrow, who was furthest into the mud pool, and it stuck to her, leaving her hands stuck to her body and useless. She managed to avoid the attention of the beast, and dive behind the log that Rik was hiding behind. Rik rummaged through his bag and pulled out a cleanser, which he poured over Tarrow, ridding her of the sticky mud. Lance and Zoey had managed to hide behind a tree stump not far from where Rik and Tarrow was. "Okay, once it's attention is diverted, run for it," Rik whispered to the others. Just then Rust entered the area, bleeding and battered, with a Royal Ludroth Greatsword on his back. "Okay big boy, let's finish it." He drew the giant sword, and the Barroth charged.

The Barroth crouched low, drooling, waiting for an opportunity to charge. Rust held the giant sword ready, trying to avoid making the fatigued beast agitated. Rik and the others hid in a bush near the exit of the area. Lance shifted his position slightly. They had been sitting there for five minutes, waiting for an opening to escape, and they all felt uncomfortable. Rust slowly sheathed the blade, and carefully pulled out a small glass ball. Inside, buzzing angrily, was a large yellow beetle with a glowing abdomen. "Shield yer eyes!" He yelled, as he threw the ball at the ground. Rik covered his eyes with his arm, but he could still see the brilliant falsh of light the flashbug gave off when it died. The Barroth, however, looked straight into the flash when it went off, and was now blinded, thrashing out at any noise it heard. Rust crept up behind the beast quietly, and with one great swing, took the Barroth's tail off. He then slashed at the legs, trying to make the Barroth fall off balance. Finally, the Barroth regained it's sight, and swung around in a half circle. Rust caught the stub of it's tail full in the chest, sending him flying. He landed on the fallen log roughly, and it looked as if he had broken a few ribs. His sword was flung over to where Rik and the others lay hidden, and he was completely defenceless. The Barroth, in it's rage at losing its tail, lowered it's head towards the helpless hunter, and started it's lumbering run towards Rust. Rik, looking at the man who had almost been a father to him for most of his life, now half dead in the path of a rampaging Barroth, decided it was time for him to step in. He discarded the switch-axe that he carried on his back, and sliding Rust's giant sword onto his back, and rushed toward Rust.

The Barroth was angry. It was so focused on destroying the hunter that had inflicted so much pain upon it that it didn't see Rik standing just off to one side, the Ludroth Greatsword in his hands and the red glow along the blade that was always apparent when a greatsword was being charged. Rust hadn't seen Rik yet, either, and had that hopless look of a man staring death in the face. The great Barroth was almost upon him when Rik swung.

Rik had timed it perfectly. He had swung at the Barroth's head exactly when he felt that surge of energy that meant the greatsword was fully charged. The Barroth caught the blow in the front of it's head, and there was a loud Crash as it's head was forced into the ground. But the momentum the Barroth had gained in it's charge couldn't be stopped even by the power of that blow, and the Barroth flipped over it's own head, and almost seemed to fly over Rik and Rust. There was an ear-splitting crack as the crest of the mighty brute's head split off to lie at Rik's feet. Rik dropped the blade and rushed to Rust, and poured the contents of a mega-potion down his throat. "That was a mighty fine attack, youngin'." Rust coughed. Lance walked up beside them and handed Rik his Switch-axe back. "That was stupid, Rik." He growled. "But I'm glad you did it." The Barroth got up and let our a roar so loud they had to cover their ears, and charged at them. "He knows you're here now, youngin's, so ya' might as well help." Rust said after they had evaded the attack. The Barroth stopped it's charge, swung around, and smashed it's head into the muddy ground, splattering mud all over the place.