Irium

"Beating those Cyclops will be hard." Sung Li says with a serious expression, "Unless you have got a plan, running will be our best choice."

"Well then," I say with a smirk, "good thing I have got a plan then."

Now I don"t mean to flex my geometrical muscles here but I would say that about a 50-degree arc is left on two sides around us for the 10-12 Cyclops to attack from both sides. The rest of the 260-degrees around is covered my mages.

"When I give the signal, charge into the band of Cyclops in front of you." I tell him.

Probably thinking that I have a trick up my sleeve, he nods. And then, we both show back to each other"s backs and look at the two opening left by wizards for the one-eyed giants to charge at us.

A wizard then raises his hand. I take a glance and see that another is doing the same thing on the other side. Then, both direct their hands towards us, as if to signal that the monsters should start running at us. As soon as that happens, the wizards start casting and the Cyclops from both ends start charging at us. So,

"NOW!" I yell, even though I didn"t really need to. Sung Li follows through and charges at the Cyclops heading from his direction. I turn, showing back to the ones heading from my direction and look at Sung Li. I won"t get a better chance than now to pull this off so – here goes.

"Come and die, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!" I curse under my breath as I touch the ground and use the other move I just stole from these wizards. As soon as the process is complete, which happens right when the Cyclops coming from my behind were about to reach me as well as it looks like the wizards are ready to cast their spell, I run.

I run as fast as I can, even going so far as to purposefully damage my leg muscles so the limits on my legs are temporarily broken by the adrenaline rush from within. And it works. As soon as I stop, I am going to get a bad case of cramp but for now, I fulfilled my purpose. I set a trap – and they gloriously sprang it.

"DIE!" I curse as I finish the one last thing I needed to do for my spell to work. And so, they – all the Cyclops chasing me from behind – cry out in pain because of their feet being crushed by sharp and hard projectiles formed out of the ground.

Yes, that is the move I stole from them. It is the ability to control the ground. At this point, I can"t do a lot but someday, this ability could become a weapon to bring down monsters thrice my power level.

These wizards quite proudly call this ability "Earth Authority". I haven"t really thought about it much so for now, I will stick to this name.

Now, onto the other side,

"Agh!" Sung Li m.u.f.fles a pained cry as he gets bashed away by two Cyclops. Since the Cyclops coming from behind me have been dealt with, I have the luxury to use the same move as before on the place I am standing right now.

And so, I touch the ground and make sure the ground underneath, especially the rocky parts, turn into spiky and really hard objects. As soon as that is done, I run away and yell to Sung Li, "Come back!"

He clicks his tongue but does he is told and soon pa.s.ses through the area I have used my spell on. The Cyclops obviously follow him and run to that part as well. As soon as they set on that area, I will use the ability again to bring those "weapons" I have turned the rocks beneath into out and pierce their feet. Just like the ones from behind, these Cyclops will fall and keep writhing in pain giving me and Sung Li ample time to kill them one-by-one.

Unfortunately, it does not work out like the last time. A wizard puts his hands up and the Cyclops stop chasing us. They do so right before stepping on the area that I need them to.

The wizard who had stopped them then points at me. Does that mean he is telling them to target me instead of Sung Li? Well, it wouldn"t make much of a difference. In fact, it would make them easier to manipulate since I wouldn"t need to indirectly manipulate them through that idiot.

"Watch out!" Sung Li yells at me with terrified eyes and I quickly duck as I heard that. It"s as if an animal instinct inside me told me something bad was going to happen if I didn"t duck.

And the instinct was right on the mark. A big, thick tree-trunk flows over my head. I turn around and see a Cyclops swinging it like it"s a rod.

"c.r.a.p!" Without even realizing it, I get back on my feet and start running away. The Cyclops attack again – right at me with a vertical swing this time. I dodge to my right and keep running.

I know for a fact that just one hit from something like that can give me enough wounds that I won"t be able to recover, that is, if I don"t die from that hit itself.

"GRR!!!" The Cyclops chasing me from behind with tree trunks as well as the ones waiting for me ahead – they all growl as if they are some wild animal looking at their prey trying his pathetic attempt at escape.

s.h.i.t!

s.h.i.t!

s.h.i.t!

I underestimated them too much.

But still, I haven"t lost yet. And I will never do.

*****