Totems surrounding village started shining with light green glow. For a moment you could have sworn that bones of animals started moving.
* “On your positions!” Jericho called “Rus, take care of villagers, everyone else… don’t you dare dying on my watch!”
Greenish glow start spreading forming semi-transparent bubble around the village. In very next moment monster appeared on horizon. Eyewitnesses said that the monster was as huge as stable or barn. Either they had extremely huge barns, or monster grew few meters in span of few days. Its body had bit green bit brown color – color of swamps working as camouflage, yet as it stepped on the plains it was visible from kilometers. Each of his eight heads were moving in all directions, watching sides, backs forth and even in the sky at the same time.
Yet its behaviors was strange. Despite madness in its eyes, it didn’t charge at the village. Bah! It was even looking in all directions almost as if looking for something.
Blessing of Watcher's SpiritsNature based magic will be 55% more efficient within the area of blessing
Mana regeneration increased by 25% for users of nature magic within area of blessing
Within area of blessing [Stealth] is granted
* “Where iz it…” monster roared. His voice sounded like voices of thousands devils speaking in same time “…Track… gone… scent… gone… Where iz it!? WHERE IZ IT!?”
* “Your doing?” Jericho asked me
* “Spirits. I am nothing more than intermediary…. What are we waiting for?”
* “Let it come bit closer…”
Confused creature open all its maws and let its forked tongues out, tasting the air around it. Slowly, paw after paw he started heading in our direction.
* “Just a little more… wait for it… wait for it…” Gerwazy and Aloizy another time changed the way they held their huge strangely made glaives. Pitchforks at the one end, blade spears at the others. Together with their tower shields and full plate armors that adventurers hated so much, they looked like guardians of game boss.
Gisele and Jericho were holding serrated swords. Nyx was holding the magic in his/hers hands. The spell was prepared and ready to be casted.
Marika and I were standing on the side, waiting for our turn.
* “NYX! NOW!”
Hooded magician raised hands. Powerful blast of mana tickled my senses. And apparently Hydra’s too, for all his head for a moment looked exactly in Nyx direction.
The ground under hydra feet shook. The creature wanted to charge at us, but its body appeared to be heavier than anyone suspected. It raised its legs, moved it in front of it… and then collapsed.
* “LITTLE MORE NYX!”
Magician brought his/hers hands down in swift, rapid movement, as if pushing something down, the ground on which monster was standing collapsed few meters forming strange funnel-hole. The beast that up until now was standing easily eight meters above the ground had only his head raising from the hole.
* “NOW! Aloizy! Gerwazy!”
Two huge men charged at the beast, first running side by side, just to split in half way through to circle the monster.
* “Marika! Zari! Your turn! Gisele! After me!”
Jericho dropped on his knees, supporting his posture on one hand and blade of sword as he started to whisper to himself some strange words I heard for the first time in my life, yet by the accelerated circulation of mana in his body I could have swore that he was using magic. Self enchanting? For warriors it would be extremely useful ability.
Marika and me started to sing a chant. Our prayer to Aira wasn’t left without answer. Vines covered in thorns erupted from around of the pit twisting around monster’s body. Few grabbed its legs making struggles of beast to leave the gravity pit even less effective, but most of them targeted heads.
Three head became immobilized by painful grip. Other heads started targeting veins trying to free caught ones, yet here Gerwazy and Aloizy did their job, using pitchforked part of glaives they kept injuring, grabbing and throwing away remaining heads. As yet another head raised to attack giant humans, they kept using tower shields to stop attack.
Yet siblings were outnumbered. They were only two against five extremely well coordinated jaws filled with venom and hatred.
* “Zari?! Will you manage holding spell by yourself?” Marika asked.
I only sat on the ground in lotus position taking full control over the spell while nodding. Efficiency of our crowd control spell will drop greatly, but that was something we knew from very beginning. Marika’s job was only to help me start the spell, then she would proceed to focus on damaging spells.
Monster must have noticed the weakening of spell, for his captured heads began to jerk in all direction. Vines were slowly letting go.
Two of Hydra’s heads found opening in Gerwazy’s stance and proceed to attacking it from two different sides. Vanguard focused on blocking one of the strikes showing his backs to the monster. One of strikes, despite being blocked, pushed huge man few meters back, in very same moment huge teeth were to burry itself in weaker part of tank’s armor.
But head never reached its destination, instead it flew few meters in the sky and landed behind Gerwazy, separated from the body.
Monster roared in pain and anger after swift attack of Jericho. Gisele joined Aloizy in his struggles, showing the blade in side of monster neck and twisting the blade. After few fast swings she ran behind youngest of sibling letting him to protect her from another barrage of blows.
From the neck that guild master wounded bones sprouted like weirdest flower. Pretty quickly spine became covered in muscles, then in another tissue. You could see how veins are entangling the new flesh and became pumping blood. Skin and scales came as last and soon the head was once again ready for battle. The whole process of treating completely cut off head took no more than twenty seconds. The wound that dragoness made was healed moment after she pulled the blade.
… that some kind of sick joke! Not only it had whole battle potential back, but it even looked as if regenerating completely lost “limb” was something as natural and exhausting as breathing to it!
I shook my head, it’s not the time to admire the creature possibility! I had to focus more on spell! I had to do my job and trust my comrades!
Yes, remember what you are responsible for in the team. Nyx created a trap for the monster restricting it moves, my job was to help him hold it in there, Gerwazy and Aloizy had to keep it busy and protect Gisele and Jeremy, while they kept weakening monster exhausting its regeneration ability. And Marika? She was preparing a spell that if executed correctly should grant us instant win… or so we hoped.
What more could I do to help them? Summoning would be counter effective. Ravens were not a threat for hydra, Kaito could scratch it a little, but in the very end he would be eaten in one bite, Greg… He could aid me with the spell if I would use him as link in the spell, but I am afraid that the mana I would waste wouldn’t be compensated in effect of spells. So I saved my mana.
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Curses? I was told by Kleir that it would be dispelled by monster regeneration before it would even start working! Fire magic – out of question. We are fighting water based monster.
~ You could always help them in hand-to-hand combat. You know that your claws could make a difference…
Yes. If I was alone, and not part of the team. No one here knows how I fight in my “beast mode” so they wouldn’t know how to aid me. Plus someone has to hold the spell.
~At least you are not as stupid as you look… Keep it up.
Thanks book-chan. And stop distracting me, damn it! There is also that gift given to by spirits. But I was told I have only one shot, so I have to use it when situation would turn completely dirty!
Brothers were skillfully using their glaives, changing from pitchorked part when they needed to “hold” the beast, allowing Dragoness and Guild Master to perform their swings in safety, just to returning to bladed part of their spear-like weapon as they needed to protect themselves.
Gisele was doing great, making no unnecessary moves, striking quickly and deadly damaging the monster and irritating it greatly. But Jericho… it couldn’t be even called as massacre. Monster’s heads were send flying to the sides before they even regenerated completely.
Old man pushed his blade between scales of one head, and with kick he both released the sword and send bleeding head to the side, as he performed half-spin turn cutting vertically and separating head from the neck.
Bones started re-growing again, but dragon slayer wasted no time raising his blade rapidly and burrowing it in still regenerating flesh.
Marika finished her chant. Fighters jumped back, escaping as far as possible from the pit.
* “Tremble, you, who corrupted the forest,
Hear the cry of its daughter,
Perish under feet of the goddess,
The mother will no longer allow this slaughter!
Judgment of nature!”
Huge chunks of earth raised in the sky, joining together, hardening and forming shapes of huge lances. The monster began to releasing itself from vines and slowly started marching to the top of the hole. Two of its clawed legs even managed to raise above the trap, yet in that very moment about dozen of lance fell on its body, penetrating it and pinning to the ground.
The monster dropped crying in pain. Exhausted, but alive.
* “Is it dead?” Marika asked
* “Not yet! Be on guard!” I yelled. In the very end I haven’t “seen” notification. Another disturbance in mana around us. Mist start slowly raising. It took me a moment or two to find a source of the mist.
* “HYDRA IS RAISING THE MIST! IT’S TRYING TO ESCAPE!”
I shouted with everything that my lungs had. OF COURSE! Kelir told me that! Those monster are able to cast magic, one head – one spell. But… magic can grant huge advantage on the battlefield! Why didn’t it use it till now!?
Despite pinned body, two other heads managed to raise, opening mouth and letting its tongues out, orb of water began forming.
* “SHIELDS UP!” Jericho commanded in very last moment. They barely manage to hide before powerful magical attack shook the ground.
One of spell was blast-like explosion of water, that pushed everyone away, another one was extremely thin and compressed jet of water that cut through anything it touched. It destroyed earth, mud, rocks, cut through the green bubble that covered the village. Bubble, for a little longer, glowed even brighter, and perished, revealing me, Marika, Nyx and the settlement.
Sound of broken stones echoed through the air. The monster using mist as smokescreen freed itself from all its bonds and steeped out from the pit. Heavy steps could be heard heading closer and closer to the village, yet nothing could be seen. As we lost our cover, and villager understood their situation, they did what civilians could do the best. They panicked.
Hydra hissed in pleasure, as if enjoying the chaos and feasting on fear. I heard Rus, trying to calm everyone down, convincing that we will protect them. Well, in normal situation I couldn’t care less for villagers, yet I was bit afraid what spirits would do if they would knew that I failed protecting villagers after making a deal with them.
I hated that. I hated the very idea of risking my life for another ungrateful asshole.
Morphing in process
I start running toward the source of sound. Additional bones cut through skin on my back as additional limbs begun to grow forming sickles.
What do I knew about the situation I got myself into? Oh irony, it was best for me. Yes, hydra has other senses extremely sharp too, but in the mist all 16 eyes it had were completely useless, and me? I was used to the darkness, I already know how to rely on hearing and vibration. Plus, as I was in crowd the beast would have harder time fining me in the cacophony of screams and in mix of all those smells of sweating bodies, of dirt and animals.
I jumped in the air and landed on monster’s back, wasting no time my additional limbs dug in scaly flesh. My nails transformed into claws, the structure of my knees changed to mimic those of animals that are walking on all four legs to boost my mobility. I started jumping over its body slashing, piercing and tearing every part I landed on, listening carefully trying to predict from where another blow would come. In the end I doubted that Hydra would be overjoyed on mere thought that someone would ride it.
Lak'anjir - Terror of the swamps [Boss]Level62RaceChimera [Royal]TitleKing of the Swamps
Represser of Fairies
Health[811/3000]Stamina[682/1000]Mana[411/9500]SkillsBite [Active] [Level 38]
Hydra's Regeneration [Toggle - On] [Na]
Water Magic:
1st head - Mist [Na]
2nd head - Water Blast [Level 31]
3rd head - Water Jet [Level 27]
4th head - Water Shield [Level 7]
5th head - Ice lance [Level 37]
6th head - Ice armor [Level 4]
7th head - Geyser [Level 14]
8th head - Ice age [Level 2]
Fearsome Hydra - destroyer of Violet Forest, Creator and only King of Violet Swamps.
Those monsters are feared for a reason. Extremely powerful forces of regenerations, knowledge about magic and atop of that extraordinary strength, you better have small army if you want to challenge it.
Hydra's RegenerationToggle kind of ability [User can chose if he want to use it or not]After receiving damage [Mana] would be automatically consumed to trigger powerful self-regeneration ability.
If this skill is [Toggle-On] it is impossible for user to die as long as it has mana
That’s how this bastard works! Finally some good news! And that’s also the answer why despite ability to use magic it waited so long with it! His spells consume mana, same mana that keep it from dying! If it would fight aggressively it risks dying from injuries. This is why it keep fighting in direct combat, as it want enemies to run from stamina faster. Marika’s attack had to dry huge part of its mana pool forcing it to last act of violence. That’s why it targeted village, knowing that its time is about to come it want to cause as huge causalities as its only possible.
I channeled mana in my body, o felt as power comes from my heart via mana veins through my arm to my palm, spreading to my finger and then nails. I burrowed my hand in monster’s body releasing mana shock wave.
Head come from the side trying to push me off its body, I waited till very end before jumping in the air and landing atop of it. My sickles pierced the base of its skull, making sure that I am not going to fall from it. In very next moment I unleashed the barrage of blows. Slashing and piercing I kept sending parts of scales and flesh flying.
I heard Gisele and Jericho running around the beast slashing its lower body, I felt Marika sending small arrows made of earth toward the body of ruler of swamps and couldn’t notice vulgar curses of Gerwazy and Aloizy as they kept insulting mighty beast trying to focus its attention on them instead of villagers.
Yet monster barely protected itself and kept marching forward. One of its head struck the roof of inn, making the whole building collapse. Another one begun forming another orb of water destroying another building.
It’s mana dropped below 200. In that moment I have also seen the [Toggle-On] changing to [Toggle-off].
7th head start roaring and its mana started to evaporate in absurd pace as it was preparing to use geyser. Last attack? Not that I mind, few more villagers were about to die, loss I can agree on. I am sure that spirits wouldn’t mind sacrificing ten or so of them if over hundred were to live.
* “Run! Quickly! I will protect you!” That voice… no. No! Rus! For fuck sake!
* “The hell are you doing you idiot!?” Jericho yelled “Run from that place!”
The mist around the place where Rus stood between beast and couple of villagers became thicker and with time begun hotter and hotter. Poor, foolish Rus started chanting a spell, but as the very idea of opposing such a monster terrified her, her words turned into gibberish breaking the spell over and over again.
Some villager, as he apparently found courage within him, started running toward that poor idiot from the side. Yet he wouldn’t make in on time.
I remember about the other gift from the spirits. One shoot. Please, whatever it is, buy some time, please! This or Jericho will kill us all!
* “I am releasing thee!” I shouted the command.
And for a moment everything became quiet. Yes, villager had their mouth opened, yet I heard no sound, the monster was stomping in place, but no vibration was sent through the ground. Everything was so much slower and peaceful and easy and… Apparently only beast and me got caught in that state as it was looking to the sides confused. It’s limbs were being pierced.
[Blessing of Serenity] is in effectTake your time, exhausted one. You did well. Sit for a moment, and relax. It was such a hard day, so much pain was felt!
Where are you running? Why are you rushing? Isn't that better to wait, to take a breath? World is not going anywhere, it surly can wait for a minute or two.
So just rest, lay your head to sleep, take your time... in the end... the creature that sits doing nothing barely aware of its surrounding is easiest prey....
We snapped back to reality in same time. Our trans didn’t last longer than few seconds. In the moment the monster lost focus the spell it prepared vanished. Villager managed to run away another few dozen meters and our “peasant hero” tackled Rus and push her to the side, away from monsters reach.
Gisele and Jericho were mutilating monsters legs, most of flesh was gone and their swords kept attacking bare bones. In two more swings the bones gave to the strikes and whole monster felt to the side.
Siblings jumped to exposed belly of the monster and begun showing their glaives in soft flesh.
Wounds were no longer regenerating, heads had barely and strength to keep moving. Mighty beast was dying.
Marika stood in front of one of the hydra’s heads with palms raised in a spell.
* “You remember me? Do you remember me?! NO?! How about my mother?! Still no? Oh, but I do remember! You killed her in front of me! Her blood spattered all over my face! I have been waiting for this so long… SO FUCKING LONG!”
Bullets made of earth flew through the air breaking scales, flesh and skull heading all way into one of many brains that beast had. Marika took her time turning each of beast’s heads into unrecognizable mush of flesh and dirt. It was already dead for quite some time, and despite every other member of the party knew that, he stayed silent, allowing little fairy to release all anger she held inside for all those years. When she was done, or actually when she ran out of heads to pulverize, Jeremy walked to her and embraced her from her backs.
He kept talking to her. All I heard was “it’s all right” and “you did it sunshine.” It took her some time to finally understood that she avenged her family and friend. At first she started to chuckling, but very quickly her laugh turn cry, for she finally realized.
That the king of Swamp was lying dead.