Writing Practice: Complex Combat Scene
#3 of Writing Practice
This is a combat scene I wrote in an RP forum I was a member of.
As you greet your newfound companions, you notice another shadow has appeared on the ground, barely visible in the weak lighting behind the restaurant. You hear the Silver Dragon's sharp voice, suddenly "Danger! Evil has infested the darkness."
Suddenly, the alleyway is flooded with demons from both sides. A tidal wave of dark forms rush towards your group. Small imps carpet the ground while larger, rabid, wolf-shaped creatures bound towards you. The scents of sulfur and death flood your nostrils, simultaneously flooding your mind with memories of the arena. You snort the fumes out and your pulse quickens as you turn to face the onslaught of foes.
The imps leap onto you, tearing at your flesh with their teeth and claws. Screaming in anger, you grab one after the other, crushing their tiny bones in your massive fists, cherishing their screams of pain. You whisper to the Dark One "Your kin are weak and pathetic; see how easily they are defeated" you taunt, enticing the anger and fury you know will come. The first wave of wolf-creatures slam into you, throwing you into the wall, shaking the foundation of the restaurant. Coughing up blood, you start to laugh. "Is that all you've got?" you snarl. "Come at me you worthless beasts! I will send you back to the dark planes from whence you came!"
As the next wolf-beast nears, you recover just in time to dodge a claw-swipe. Grabbing its foreleg as you side-step the attack, you slam it into the wall, hearing its skull crush and spine snap with the force of the impact. You reverse your stance and swing limp corpse into the maw of the next wolf-beast, watching as the corpse is ripped in two by the massive jaws. With a reflex honed from hundreds of battles, you summon only a small part of the Silver Dragon, changing your hands into the shining claws you have used to fell countless enemies. Raking your claws through the hide and fur of your next opponent's belly, you see, for an instant, the pure hate fade from its eyes, replaced with surprise, pain, and then a dull emptiness; the corpse falling to the ground at your feet.
A blow from behind sends you hurtling into the oncoming horde. "Fool" you say to yourself. You realize you were too caught up in the moment. "You allowed yourself to be flanked and have lost sure footing for your lapse in concentration."
As you tumble into the mass of imps and wolves, you catch a glimpse of Ara soaring into the sky, an imp trying, desperately, to drag her back down. You see Keith down the alley, valiantly defending his position.
Imps swarm over you as you crash into another wolf-beast, sending it sprawling to the ground. The wolf-beast recovers quickly and slashes at your chest, razor-sharp claws cutting deep, exposing muscle and ribs beneath your hide. Screaming in pain, you grab your sword and activate the quick-release. Gritting your teeth, you slash at the wolf-creature, severing its jaw from its massive head. Your return slash completely removes its head from its body. The sword starts to glow brightly, the Silver Dragon's energy coursing through you and into the mighty weapon.
"See how weak your ilk is" you chide. "Only a small scratch received and so many of these creatures have fallen already. It looks like your power is waning Dark One; the Silver is more than a match for you." The Black Dragon's rage fills your ears; your heart pounding loudly as adrenaline pours through your body. The imps and wolves, sensing your power increasing, attack as one, rending flesh and knocking you to the ground; the glow of the sword almost completely blocked by the pile of bodies upon you.
The demons turn from Keith and Ara to join the fray against you - thrilled in the defeat to come - the mad rush to feast upon the fallen consuming them with bloodlust. The glow of your claymore starts to fade. Has the Dark One finally beaten you? Have you finally gone too far in taunting the Black Dragon? Pinned against the ground, you struggle, uselessly, against the hundreds of bodies tearing at your body. The sounds of rending flesh and crunching bones purveying the night. The light of your sword now only an ember-spark amidst the roiling mass of demons.
"Now!" The Silver Dragon stirs inside you, feeding on the power of the Dark One, consuming its rage and hatred. Your sword flickers briefly and then flares with the brilliance of a thousand suns. You see the gnashing teeth and snarling lips of the demons.. Strangely, no noise is being emitted when you distinctively could hear them a second before. A split-second later, the silence is replaced by a thunderous boom as you unleash the energy the Silver Dragon had been storing.
The demons nearest you evaporate in the expanding light as waves of pure energy burst from you. The demons surrounding you explode into flames, causing those beyond them to be hurled down the alleyway. Your wings unfurl, only to be brought together violently, causing any stragglers to be blown towards those caught in the explosions. Illuminated in the night by your wings and sword, your compatriots can see your wounds healing and bones knitting before their eyes.