The forest was littered with downed trees. Dirt and leaves were kicked up in the air by the constant churning of the tentacled monster before them. One of the trees lay over the dead body of the Weresnake, its sword and dismembered arm setting a gruesome scene for their continued fight. Nori stood unblinking as the goblin somehow managed to keep Hillin safe as he dumped the last of the his Soul Orbs into the strange tube he’d brought.
Nori practically danced as each of the tentacles attempted to stab or slash. Nori’s Agility didn’t even seem to be as high as Gi’s own, but that didn’t matter with her martial art. He wondered for the first time how Poe had even managed to capture her. If she was this strong, how strong did that make the Fighting Drakes?
His musing was cut short as Krayli’s manifested arrow had grown again. A teal aura exuded off of it as the arrow seemed to quake with contained power. The Eldritch Leader must have sensed the danger in it as the mass of tentacles shifted its bulk towards her. Krayli leaned as the closest tentacle tried to spear her, letting it gash across her side instead. One of its many mouths taking a bite as it just missed her. All she did was grunt and release her attack.
The giant teal arrow thrummed with power as it released from her bow. It cut directly through one of the tentacles and pierced deeply into the wriggling knot of flesh that seemed to house an infinite number of limbs. The Leader’s wail increased to a higher pitch, thousands of angry geese becoming a shriek of pain and rage. A pause of readiness appeared as its blue eyes started to glow, but that pause was just a second too long.
A loud, high pitched whine pierced the sound of the leaders wails. A brilliant light that made even Gi’s [Arcane Bolt] seem small formed at the tip of the tube Hillin had brought. The whine grew louder and louder until it seemed almost as painful as the sonic attack from the Leader. Just as it reached its highest pitch forcing Gi to squint and cover his ear, it stopped. Silence reigned for a long moment and that point of light exploded out into a huge beam.
Hillin went flying, slamming into a tree beside Gi. The golem was missing half of his torso. Nori had managed to roll a bit away from the blast, but its shockwave had slammed her into the same tree that the dead Weresnake was crushed under. Krayli was far enough away that she wasn’t hit, but even she shied away from the beam of destruction that descended on the Leader.
Hillin’s weapon carved a furrow through the earth, turning every tree, rock, or tentacle hit into dust. As sound returned to the forest, almost half of the Eldritch Leader’s mass had been burnt away. Violet blood and destroyed flesh dripped out of its side and its wail keened in pain. Eldritch energies shot through the air, searing its wounds and closing them.
A metallic cough told Gi that Hillin was still alive, despite missing most of one shoulder and his chest. The golem’s kindly eyes looked up to him, determination still present. “Finish it.” Gi didn’t take the time to respond. He fired off another three round burst despite his energy being so low. If this didn’t end it, he had enough for perhaps one more. As his [Arcane Bolt] was in flight, the Leader responded.
Its blue eyes shone and a wave of frost ballooned out from it. Gi tried to dodge backwards, but the wave moved too swiftly. Krayli was hit first. The orc woman who hated him had been turned completely to ice. Nori had managed to duck behind the dead Weresnake, but her hand had been frozen directly to its flesh. He could hear the sizzle as it did and she screamed out.
Frost inched across Gi’s flesh and each second was agony, but it didn’t freeze him like it had Krayli. He clenched every muscle in his body until the sensation finally stopped and released the breath he'd been holding. Confusion on his unfrozen state made him pat down his body, but that confusion only lasted for a half second before he realized that his robe was magical.
The Robe of Ice provided a resistance to both Ice and Water. He might be able to save this. Gi lurched forward towards the Leader. Everyone else was out of commission. He had to end this before it was too late. Several of the green eyes that were still open spun on the slowly approaching otter. He just needed a few more seconds before his [Arcane Bolt] was ready for another burst.
The Eldritch Leader's tentacles shifted towards him, but they were slow. For every tentacle sent towards him, two more latched against the ground to balance its bulk. The Leader was barely hanging on after Hillin's deadly attack.
“Danna, please let this be enough. Let me through you be enough.” Gi whispered. Its tentacles stopped just before reaching him and Gi wondered if Danna had answered his prayer.
She hadn't.
Its green eyes flashed before closing just like the grey and blue. The brush of the forest which had been actively fighting them prior to the death of the Vine Horror now grew with a renewed vigor. Tiny vines sprouted up and wrapped around his feet. He strained against their hold, but as they creeped over his entire lower half. He stumbled to a halt. More vines shot up, snatching at his good arm and pinning it down to his side.
A half beat later, all of its eyes opened back up. Staring directly at him.
A shiver of fear lanced down Gi’s spine. “Poe! Bite the vines!”
The Eldritch Leader’s bestial wailing changed from pain to triumph as it pulled itself against the ground to get within range to end him. Its tentacles slapped against with each movement forward, shuddering the ground beneath his feet. Poe, who was blessedly unharmed, bit desperately at the vines, but they weren't done. Ropes of plants snatch Poe out of the air and pulled him into the ground.
Is this it, Danna? Is this as far as I can go?
Another vision appeared. The dopey follower sat in his car his head resting against the steering wheel. Anxiety seemed to seep off of the young man. A knock on his driver’s side window caused him to leap up. The Father was standing there, arms crossed as he stared down at his son.
“Uh, Father!” The dopey follower said as he quickly rolled down the window. He wasn’t brave enough to step outside, but he also wasn’t brave enough to keep his Father waiting. “I- uh, that is-“
The Father glared. “I assume your pathetic response means that you failed.”
“I, uh-“ The dopey follower started but his defense turned into a mumble. “I scored high enough for my backup…”
The Father sneered at him. “Your backup? Do you think people will celebrate your mediocrity? Are you proud because you’re better than some high school dropout? Proud because you’ll be able to handle the bare minimum of keeping yourself fed?”
Tears welled up into the dopey follower’s eyes only bringing him more shame in front of his Father. “I-I’m sorry. I really tried-“
“I know you tried. That’s what is so pathetic. You struggled and tried your best to achieve greatness, but all you managed to reach was a middling failure. You can’t be my son.” Still angry, the Father shook his head in disgust and then went back towards the house. The dopey follower simply lowered his head back to the steering wheel in defeat.
Another vision without Danna. Surely, she hadn’t abandoned him now? Or was he like the follower? Simply a middling failure?
A maniacal laughter brought Gi out of his slow acceptance of his own death. His gaze turned from the approaching tentacled monster with all its spells back available to Nori. Where her hand had been, she now sported a bleeding stump that looked like it had been gnawed off by her own teeth. In that handless arm, Hillin’s tube rested as she pumped in a handful of Soul Orbs from her own supply.
“I AM THE BEST,” Nori said. “I’M BETTER THAN THE DRAKES AND HILLIN AND THIS FUCKING SQUID.” Her eyes locked onto Gi or more accurately over his shoulder. “AND I’M BETTER THAN CHEATING FUCKING DRAGONFLIES.”
With a flick of her finger, Nori fired off Hillin’s weapon. She clearly hadn’t put all of her Soul Orbs into it or she simply hadn’t had as many as Hillin. It was a smaller blast but more powerful than Gi’s own [Arcane Bolt] by nearly ten times. The shockwave was enough to blow off Nori’s arm and send the still cackling goblin, disappearing into the trees. The beam was aimed higher and cut the remaining tentacles nearly in half. Like a poisoned spider, the tentacles thrashed and flexed tight as it died. Each of them turning into a grotesque tree of dead eyes and open mouths.
Its spell restricting Gi died as it did and the vines fell slack against his arm and legs. Now released, Poe diligently attacked them with a singular focus that could only be had by the simple. “Poe, that’s enough. It’s dead,” Gi managed. He’d lived through this attack, but he’d been unable to stand up to the leader on his own. Like the Father had said, he’d strived for greatness and only reached mediocrity. This was as great as his strength was.
“Gi,” Hillin mumbled. A cracking and grating of gears was enough to see the damaged golem lifting his glowing eyes up to look at him. “You promised that Krayli would stay alive.”
He wanted to scoff. The fact that the golem thought he could even kill Krayli was pathetic. She was faster than him and had a stronger ace. Gi had done practically nothing against the Elditch Leader. He started to say as much, but Hillin kept going.
“Kill me. You should have three Elites then and can pass the Child Stage.”
“What?” Gi didn’t understand. Why did he want to help him? He’d failed. He wasn’t anything special.
Hillin laughed, the sound like nails dropping down a metal staircase. “You’ve seen the peaks and feel yourself lacking. Others who’ve had unique opportunities and grown. It’s intimidating. What are we to these titans? What are we?”
Gi wasn’t sure what to say so remained silent. He had the same questions. How could he compare? How could these monsters be that far above him? What was lacking about him?
“I understand and so perhaps my next request is selfish. Keep Krayli alive… and kill Noctua Dominus. Kill my god. That’s the price for my life.”
“Kill a god? Are you mad? I could barely touch the Eldritch Leader? How could I kill a god?”
Hillin chuckled again. “I’m sure you’ll find a way. Now hurry. I might not be made of flesh and blood, but my life force is bleeding out all the same. If you don’t grasp it now, you’ll miss this opportunity.”
Bewildered, Gi had no idea what to think of this crazy golem. He was certain that he intended to kill him, but he’d helped him several times now. Maybe this same hopelessness Gi felt had setted into his bones after his long years stuck in the Playground. Forced to create an army just to be up to par with the Elites of other monsters.
“End it,” Hillin said.
So Gi did. The last of his internal energy went into an [Arcane Bolt] that tore through Hillin’s head and chest. He didn’t feel guilt or remorse, but he was confused and maybe grateful. However, the notification stopped him.
Gang Golem (Elite) defeated!
1 Body Orb received.
When Hillin had died, the system didn’t care who he’d been. It didn’t care about his achievements or anything else. He was simply a “Gang Golem” to be looted. As weak as he was, the price of failure seemed even worse from here.
Ego Task complete!
All tasks in the Child Stage have been completed, but bonus tasks still remain. Ascend to the Adolescent Stage?
Yes/No
A scream of pain cut through Gi’s attention and he looked up to see Krayli staring at him as he loomed over Hillin’s ruined body. Burns from the ice attack were all over her body, but the pain of seeing her mentor and adopted father hurt her all the more. Grief and anguish were quickly replaced with rage. She drew her bow and immediately loosed an arrow.
Gi didn’t have enough time to explain nor did he trust his injured body to be able to dodge long enough to do so. Instead, he mentally chose Yes on the prompt to ascend and everything went black before the arrow could even race across the forest and end him.