Chapter 128: Monster in the city
The blade struck with a thunderous impact, severing the creature's arm cleanly from its body. Black, viscous fluid spurted from the wound as the creature howled in anguish, writhing in agony.
Bruna, with her fangs still embedded in the creature's arm, released her grip and gracefully leaped backward, landing on all fours.
The creature, now crippled and maddened with pain, staggered unsteadily.
Eradarin, his face etched with a steely resolve, continued to manipulate the forest's arcane energies, ensuring that the ensnaring vines and roots remained firmly in place.
Angelina, her magical golden bow still at the ready, chanted incantations under her breath. Another ethereal arrow formed, charged with a deadly aura.
With a fluid motion, she loosed the arrow, and it found its mark in the creature's chest. The creature's wails reached a deafening crescendo as it collapsed to the ground, writhing and convulsing in its final moments.
Ironshade, his wide-bladed sword coated in the creature's noxious blood, stepped forward. With a single, calculated strike, he decapitated the creature, ending its tortured existence. The grotesque head rolled to the forest floor, its malevolent glare extinguished.
The once-ominous silence of the Graverane Forest returned, broken only by the sound of raindrops pattering on the leaves. The battle was over, and the monstrous threat had been vanquished.
Eradarin, Bruna, and Ironshade exchanged relieved glances, their breaths heavy with the exhilaration of victory.
Angelina stood staring at the creature, studying it.
The great sage, his staff still in hand, approached the severed head of the creature. He examined it closely, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.
"It's as I feared," Eradarin murmured, his voice filled with a mix of awe and trepidation. "This creature, this 'Haunt Snare,' is an old creature—an aberration of chaos magic. Its presence here and the spatial rifts are undoubtedly connected."
Bruna approached Eradarin with a furrowed brow. "An old creature? We've dealt with it anyway. But what does it have to do with the girl you mentioned earlier, Augusta?"
Eradarin sighed, his gaze still fixed on the grotesque head. "I believe this creature is linked to the Choas art; they feed on the Choas energy and serve the one who reigns over the Choas art."
Angelina, who was silent, opened her mouth and said, "Chaos Godess was said to be a destrustive force and a primal entity that existed since immemorial times. And Augusta was born with the blessing of such a goddess; she was very natural, and her potential was limitless. Within a few years, she had mastered the chaos art."
"I didn't get to see them, but there were instances where Augusta lost control of her power in her teens, and there used to be malevolent energies swirling around her, going out of control, trying to destroy everything within its radius. I helped her control her power at that time."
"I didn't see them at that time, but I clearly heard their cries, trying to enter this plane."
"I had stopped it from happening at that time."
"Eventually, Augusta learned to control her power, and they never showed up again. She could have attained great heights, but she fell in love and..."
She stopped talking as her voice trailed off.
Angelina, her mystical bow dissipating into tendrils of light, muttered, "But she is no more, so how is that possible?"
"We will investigate this matter, there may be other users of the arts who might have reached an expert level," added Eradarin. The person who knew about the chaos arts was Angelina, and the one who practiced them was Augusta.
Angelina's thoughts ran back to Jaegar, him being here in the ruins might not be possible. For now, she has decided to investigate further in the ruins before coming to conclusions.
Ironshade, wiping his blade clean, nodded in agreement. "We've dealt with this one, but there may be more dangers lurking within these ruins. Let's proceed with caution."
With renewed purpose and a sense of urgency, the group pressed forward, deeper into the ruins of the ancient palace garden.
***
In the heart of the city, Jaegar sprinted toward the inexplicable surge of energy that had just pierced the air, an invisible beacon drawing him closer.
The power he felt was related to the chaos magic he possessed.
As he closed the distance, the surroundings transformed into a maze of run-down warehouses, their decaying walls bearing silent witness to years of neglect. But amidst this urban decay, a surreal sight awaited him.
There, before Jaegar's disbelieving eyes, stood the very creature that Angelina and her group had valiantly battled not too long ago.
However, this version was markedly different, more monstrous in its appearance than any he could have imagined, and the size was smaller compared to what the four of them fought in the forest.
The creature's twisted form seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly energy, its jagged claws scraping against the concrete as it let out an eerie, guttural growl.
Jaegar halted his steps soon, as he saw three members engaged in a fight with the monster.
Then he moved himself onto the roof, where he hid himself from them, watching them fight.
Intriguingly, the trio had already taken up arms against the formidable foe.
source at m,vle mpyr
Each member had a unique role in this unfolding drama, and Jaegar couldn't help but marvel at the collaboration.
The first combatant wielded a rusted sword, its edge gleaming with the promise of past encounters.
He was a young man who seemed to be in his mid-twenties.
This warrior moved with a practised grace, slashing and parrying in a well-practiced dance of steel.
Beside the swordsman was an enigmatic mage who defied conventional magical norms. Without the typical incantations or spellcasting gestures, he seemed to command flames with the sheer power of his will, igniting the air around him with fiery brilliance.
The third member of the group caught Jaegar's attention immediately. Clad in impenetrable iron armour, this colossal figure stood like an immovable bastion. A gargantuan sword, reflecting the eerie blue glow of nearby streetlights, hung from the figure's grasp. He looked like a knight but shrouded his entire body in blue light like he was burning in flames.
However, Jaegar's awe was quickly replaced by a deeper shock as the unexpected unfolded before him. A hail of bullets rained down from an adjacent alley, pouring forth from a mounted machine gun perched atop a military jeep. A man behind the weapon, resolute and unyielding, was intent on making each bullet count.
"What in the actual fuck?" he muttered.
In the midst of this cacophony of chaos and warfare, Jaegar's eyes fell upon a familiar figure, Francesca, who stood at a commanding distance. She appeared to be orchestrating the unfolding skirmish, her authoritative gestures guiding the military presence.
The creature that had invaded this urban battleground, while menacing, was not as formidable as the one Angelina and her companions had encountered earlier.
It found itself ensnared within a relentless crossfire from all sides. Yet, despite the odds, the creature roared defiantly.
With a sudden surge of monstrous force, it lunged forward, threatening to break free from its assailants and unleash destruction.
Its primary target? The military jeep bearing the mounted machine gun. The creature's eyes locked onto the jeep, recognizing it as the greatest threat to its survival. Its massive claws scraped against the pavement as it closed in, and then, with a wave of its claws, it struck the Jeep with a deafening blow, sending it crashing to the ground.
The impact shattered the windshield and rendered the machine gun useless, leaving the soldiers vulnerable and scrambling for cover.
Soon the monster saw Francesca and the group around her. With a deafening roar, it lunged towards them, its jaws gaping wide.
Francesca and the group froze in terror, their hearts pounding in their chests. They knew they had to find a way to outsmart the creature before it was too late.
In that moment, Jaegar's instincts kicked in. A bolt of lightning, crackling with deadly precision, surged from his fingertips. The electric arc found its mark, striking the creature square in the head. The beast's momentum was abruptly halted, its limbs twitching in spastic agony before finally succumbing to gravity and crashing to the ground.
Francesca, sharp as ever, detected something amiss. Her gaze darted toward the rooftop of one of the nearby warehouses.
"Shit!"
Jaegar realized he had been exposed and swiftly retreated, concealing himself from her line of sight.
His heart raced as he pondered his next move, but Francesca was no ordinary adversary, and her keen instincts were not to be underestimated.