KiAera's head swiveled, sweeping the expanse before her. The red grasslands continued to stretch out as far as she could see. A gust of wind rustled her droopy ears, causing them to sway slightly.
She took a deep breath and exhaled, letting the warmth of the twin suns envelop her. The warmth felt good on her skin and fur. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to bask in the radiant heat.
Her ears twitched, a faint sound came from somewhere far behind her, and her eyes shot open. She turned, looking over her shoulder to witness a blur of movement in the distance, beyond the grasses. It looked like something was running towards her.
໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
| [Insight] activated!
| Zeozon Detected!
| Zeozons' Numbers: 3
Basic Information
◦ Species: [LeapLeap]
◦ APeX Power: [22 Units]; [25 Units]; [28 Units]
◦ Evolution Stage: [Fledgling] (F)
◦ Variant Grade: [Common]
◦ Alignment: [Praieon]
◦ Attribute Influence: [Beast] [Wind]
◦ Sobriquets: "Long Leapers; Leg Leaps; Field Hurdlers"
໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
KiAera saluted with her paw and narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at the figures running towards her. Her ears twitched as she tried to make out what they were saying. She could hear them squawking, but their words were too faint for her to understand.
Soon, the ostrich-like creatures were in clear view, and KiAera could see that there were three of them. Their feathers were colored light yellow and gray. They ran swiftly, kicking up clouds of dust in their wake, as if in a panic.
One of them held a large, orange egg in its grasp. The egg seemed to have odd sigils etched on its surface, shimmering ever so subtly.
໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
| Zeozon Egg Detected:
Basic Information
◦ Species: [Liorex]
◦ APeX Power: [???]
◦ Evolution Stage: [Genesis] (Null)
◦ Variant Grade: [Alpha]
◦ Attribute Influence: [???] [???] [???]
໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
KiAera’s gaze lingered on the LeapLeap grasping the egg.
The LeapLeap with the egg, clutched it tighter against its chest as it ran towards her, its long legs pounding on the ground. Its two companions flanked its sides, screeching at it, attempting to pry the egg out of its arms.
"LEELEE! LEELEE!" The egg carrying LeapLeap cried out, sounding very distressed.
The other two LeapLeaps echoed its cry, "LEELEE! LEELEE!"
| 'We should leave.' | GamaGen suddenly announced, hovering closer to her.
KiAera blinked. "And leave that egg to be devoured by those egg snatchers?" She asked. "That may not sit well with me, GamaGen."
| '…I sense danger. We should avoid this confrontation at all costs. Please trust me, KiAera. If you stay here, something terrible will happen to you.' |
KiAera trusted her partner's judgment and nodded in response. "Okay then, I'll take your word for it. Let's get outta here."
She turned around and began scurrying away, but the sound of rustling caught her attention despite the chatter of the LeapLeaps.
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໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
| Zeozon Detected!
Basic Information
◦ Species: [Tropiruth]
◦ APeX Power: [36 Units]
◦ Evolution Stage: [Fledgling] (F)
◦ Variant Grade: [Common]
◦ Alignment: [Predator]
◦ Attribute Influence: [Plant] [Doom]
◦ Sobriquet: "Terror Treant"
໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
Her fur bristled.
She thought she glimpsed a tree blinking and stalking forth across the safari-like setting. She felt her heart skip a beat as her ears swiveled and stood on end. The ambusher awaited.
Her gaze shot back towards the LeapLeaps, and her eyes widened. The creatures were getting closer and closer by the second, and they were gaining ground rapidly. She could now clearly make out the expressions on their faces; their eyes were filled with panic and fear, and their mouths were open in silent screams.
As soon as the trio entered the vicinity of the disguised Tropiruth, the tree suddenly sprouted two large, leafy arms that reached towards the startled LeapLeaps. Its roots writhed from underneath its trunk as its gaping mouth formed on its bark, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
The LeapLeaps screeched in terror, attempting to escape. The egg was dropped. But the Tropiruth was faster; its arms snatched one before they could flee, and its jaws clamped down on it with a sickening crunch.
KiAera gasped at the scene unfolding in front of her. The sight of the Tropiruth devouring the LeapLeap sent chills down her spine. She had no idea that there were such vicious monsters lurking within the crimson fields. She reacted, her paws carrying her across the field with shocking speed. She had to save it! She needed to help the poor, defenseless creature before it was too late!
'Not again! Not again!' Her mind flashed to the past. She remembered it clearly as day, when she was human; when she helplessly witnessed her best friend, the late Sarah, seized by mechanical tendrils.
The LeapLeap that once carried the egg had been ensnared, but its companions were fortunate enough to escape. They scampered away, leaving the doomed creature behind.
"NO!" KiAera yelled out as she leapt towards the beast. Her fur bristled with rage as she let out a furious cry, and her eyes narrowed to slits. She bared her tiny fangs, claws ready to rend flesh. "LET GO OF IT!" She growled.
The Tropiruth barely had time to react to her sudden assault. Her claws sunk into its bark, and her teeth bit into its wooden flesh. Its arm squirmed under her grip, trying to dislodge her. It let out an anguished scream, and its remaining arm swatted at her furiously. She clung on tightly, refusing to let go.
Fortunately, the ensnared LeapLeap had been released, and it plummeted to the ground with labored breaths.
KiAera continued to rake her claws along the Tropiruth's arm, leaving shallow gashes across its wooden limb. She could feel her anger intensifying as she tore into its bark. She was determined to finish the job no matter what it took.
The tree-like beast cried out again, and its arm began to crack and splinter under her assault. She bit deeper, her teeth piercing through the thick layer of bark and sinking into its woody flesh.
The Tropiruth suddenly threw its arm backwards, slamming her against its trunk. But she was too fast, too small. She was able to dodge its grasp, from being crushed, as she bounded off of its arm and landed nimbly on the ground.
She watched the Tropiruth with cautious eyes, assessing it for any weaknesses. As she did, she noticed the blue and black flame atop her tail tip flicker intensely. The flames flickered like an angry fire, a burning hunger in her belly, growing larger and larger with every passing moment.
The Tropiruth seemed concerned about the fire as well, its gaze fixated on her tail tip. The once hateful and rageful orb centered at its trunk suddenly wavered in hesitation. It was… afraid.
It knew that the flame was something to be feared and avoided.
But KiAera wasn't going to give it a chance to flee.
Her eyes lit up as the fire burned brighter than ever before. She realized what she had to do!
"GRAAHHH!" KiAera roared, and she dashed towards it, her claws and fangs at the ready.
The Tropiruth was surprised by her sudden charge, and it stumbled backwards in an attempt to defend itself. But it was too slow; she was upon it within seconds, and she lashed her fiery tail at its bark. The flames licked its bark, leaving a trail of scorching heat.
That was her [Spectral Flame] activating. She wanted the phantasmic fire to burn the tree beast. She desired it.
The Tropiruth howled in pain as the flames ate away at its wooden flesh. It writhed under her assault, trying desperately to escape the burning agony; its leaves and branches rustling wildly as the flames consumed it.
It finally managed to throw her off, but it was too late; the flames had spread across its body, engulfing its entire form in a fiery inferno of blue.
KiAera ripped through the air; she flew, rolled, and groaned as she impacted the soil. She was dazed but prepared to continue the fight.
"LEELEE!" A screech split through the field. The wounded LeapLeap, the one that the Tropiruth previously chomped on, struck the ablaze Tropiruth with a flying kick. The Tropiruth's trunk ruptured, and the tree-like beast toppled over.
It fell to the ground with a crash, and its screams echoed across the crimson fields. Its trunk cracked and split open as the last of its leaves withered and burned in the blue flames.
"LEELEE!" The two other LeapLeaps returned, their wings flapping in rage.
The LeapLeaps circled the Tropiruth, pecking and kicking the monster relentlessly. They didn't stop until the flames died out completely, leaving nothing but a pile of fragments and blackened ashes behind.
KiAera let out a sigh of relief as she watched the LeapLeaps finish off the Tropiruth. She felt exhausted from the fight, but she was glad that she had managed to save the creature.
However, she came witness to something perplexing.
The Tropiruth's fragmented form depleted into a spectacular mass of light-blue particles. The specks swirled and drifted towards the LeapLeap; every bit siphoned into the victorious LeapLeap trio. Some trickled into her own pores, a sensation akin to raindrops seeping into her skin.
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
| KiAera's Status:
Abyss Particles absorbed: 3.6 Units
ding ROUNDS RULE activated!
Conversion: 3.6 Units -> 4 Units
Accumulated Particles: 2 Units (Current) -> 6 Units! (NEW!)
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა