“This is certainly unexpected… to think they were able to raise a Fetid Aberration.”

Loen could only nod is response as he continued to stare at the creature while wordlessly signaling instructions to the others. This was a worst-case scenario.

While the Rot Hulks and Blood Hunters are a force to be reckoned with, the expedition is well equipped to handle them. Even if it were the next order of their elite forces, the expeditionary force would still be able to push through.

The beast before them, however, was another matter.

Fetid Aberrations are among the highest order of Niskari and are considered one of the most dangerous. They are agile despite their size and their violent nature leaves a trail of destruction in their wake.

Also, although they possessed a bestial and savage appearance, they are anything but. How they act and appear belies cunning, intelligence, and the ability to command the Niskari forces. In other words, they were able commanders that can lead the Niskari horde.

But that isn’t all that makes them formidable. Their corrosive properties are completely on another level and on top of their thick hides, it would require a tremendous amount of firepower to take them down.

Their intelligence also enables them to completely capitalize on their own size and bulk to strategically target vulnerable positions, taking advantage of their capabilities as siege beasts.

With their presence, the Niskari horde becomes a unified entity that can adapt and respond to any situation, and becomes that much harder to overcome.

The question now remains as to how the fallen Niskari Lord was able to raise such a powerful unit considering the information and records they have of the beast. Because if they were able to raise one despite the lack of time and resources, then wouldn’t it stand to reason that they would have more of this creature? Or worse, the even more dreaded of their forces?

“It’s highly likely that this is their one and only trump card.”

Loen unconsciously turned to Jortus when he made this statement.

“To produce one of their kin of the highest order requires not just a vast amount of blood of living organisms, but also a matching amount of mana to convert into Nul energy. That Fetid Aberration was likely created from the remains of the Tree of Summer and a vast quantity of sacrificial beasts.”

With his eyes aglow, the old wizard pointed towards the spine of the hulking creature and in the middle of it, a translucent spherical red crystal seemed to be embedded on its flesh.

“There, on its back! What appears to be another Blood Quartz is actually a chrysalis. That beast is actually housing Bolragmal’s remains until he’s reborn anew. It appears he has chosen to create a commanding entity while he focuses on recovering.”

With a wave of his staff, enchanted runes with the color of flames flared upon the camp's bulwark.

“It is quite the bold plan. He believes that by creating one of their most powerful kin instead of a vast army, he’d be able to prevent anything from hindering his revival. Indeed, it will be much more difficult, but our plan has become much simpler. If we can somehow take down the Aberration, then we win.”

Loen could only smile wryly after hearing that. Take down the Aberration? With their current forces?

Part of him wished the old wizard was joking, but he knew that Jortus was right. If they can’t take down the monstrosity then there was no hope in stopping the Niskari.

Sighing in resignation, Loen had to ask, “Do you have a plan, old wizard?”

Looking towards him, Jortus grinned in response, “How much more silere powder you got?”

– - –

Oblivious to the two men’s discussion, the hulking abomination continued to shriek.

The horde then began to muster instead of spreading out while the Rot Hulks took the lead.

Amver and Ogmai saw this and began to act. With a surge of their mana, some of the Landvaettir began to split up and combine with the flaming Spriggans to form an external armor.

At the same time, several bright embers entered into Landvaettir instead of Spriggans. Their stony bodies began to char and turn black as the cracks between the stones glowed bright orange then yellow, revealing molten rock flowing within.

With the powers of the two Fae Lords, the fae themselves were transformed. Blessed with the power of fire and brimstone, the fae have finally revealed their hidden fangs.

The Niskari roared as they charged towards the fae forces while the fae, literally ablaze, pushed forward with an eerie silence.

As the armies clashed, Amver and Ogmai confronted the Aberration directly.

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“To think I would face Mithandril’s Bane once again before the end of my cycle. Young lord of fire, fight as you’ve never fought before, for the beast before us is among the ones who’ve sowed the end of Summer!”

Like all the young fae who’ve been told the stories of their Summer kin, Amver came to know of the horrors their kin had faced since before the Fall of Summer. As soon as he heard Ogmai calling the beast Mithandril’s Bane, he immediately understood that what they faced was a monster out of legend.

“So, the Red King does take us seriously,” Amver said with a sneer. “Then it would only be right that I finally give my all!”

The temperature suddenly rose as embers gathered within the fire fae’s palms. As the flames spun, the color began to change from a bright fiery orange to yellow, then finally a searing white.

“Face the wrath of the lord of flames!”

As Amver unleashed the fiery spirals in his palms, instead of balls of flame, what erupted was searing white hot beams.

The attack was fast, yet somehow the Aberration was still faster.

Inches away from touching the beams, the beast was barely able to turn to its side at the last minute in order to avoid the white rays.

The heat was intense as evidenced by the partially melted flesh on its side despite it avoiding a direct hit while the Niksari behind it were simply vaporized.

The Aberration didn’t merely dodge, however, as massive spines were fired from its claws the moment it turned.

Just as the spines were about to strike the flame fae, suddenly a massive solid wall of rock rose up from the ground in front of the fae.

Even though the walls were around two meters thick, the spines were still able to penetrate deeply and almost tear through, but stopped barely an inch away from Amver. At the last minute, Ogmai was able to condense the rock wall and prevent them from completely going through.

“Thank you, old stone. I didn’t think the creature could attack from such an angle.”

Ogmai shook his head as he continued to stare at the beast, “Do not let its ferocious appearance fool you. The beast is cunning and knowledgeable enough to risk itself should it have more to gain.”

Amver nodded in response and this time readied himself with more caution.

Already recovering from the damage caused by the fiery fae, the beast stared at the two lords and once again raised its maw to shriek.

Without a second to spare, the beast charged raising claw and fang.

***

Deep beneath the earth far below the vast roots of a great tree, five beings stood before a large tear on the ground.

Within this tear, violent energies surged that was visible to only those touched with the gift of wielding mana.

One of the beings, a well-built man with antlers and a naked upper body covered in green fur, but with a brown furred lower body and legs of a hooved beast, had his arms crossed as he watched the work of the four other beings who surrounded a golden glowing sphere held over the tear.

“How much longer must we wait? I trust Ogmai and Amver, but they won’t last too long if the Red King personally leads the invasion,” asked the green man.

“Soon, Whinereos. I understand your anxiety since you and your wildlings cannot aid us directly, but rushing the vessel won’t help us,” answered a pink skinned woman with white hair filled with flowers.

“Not to mention that keeping the energies of the Vein at bay is much harder with just the four of us. If Amver were here, this would have gone much faster,” said the fae with a vague feminine form seemingly made of vapor with their voice as though strained.

“You know very well that he’s needed more in the fight, Fierris,” chided a woman who appeared as though she were made of flowing waves. “With his control being the best among us, his power is the greatest when it comes to fighting the Nachtnamari.”

With a grunt, Fierris, the mist fae replied, “But wouldn’t it have been better if he guided the Flow into the vessel while the two of us fought instead? With his control, it would go so much smoother and with the two of us, it would make up for his part in the fight!”

The pink skinned woman shook her head with a strained expression, “It’s not that simple. While Amver’s control is indeed great, he’s only one fae. Excellent mana control is one thing, but he’ll be forced to cover a wider opening in the tear, so he won’t be able to guide the Flow as easily as you may think. Also, you seem to forget Fierris, but you and Narissa don’t exactly have great offensive synergy with Ogmai.”

Though faint, the misty fae made an expression as though she were pouting.

Through all their banter, the last of the fae – a beautiful woman of verdant green, remained silent while closing her eyes.

Concerned, the woman of flowing waves, Narissa, gently asked her, “Neylune, is something the matter?”

The woman of verdant green, Neylune, opened her eyes upon the question, “Syldrasil had been speaking to me. It isn’t clear from the constant interruption caused by the Flow from the tear, but from what I understand… a great force is coming from the west.”

The other fae perked up their attention as soon as they heard her.

Whinereos, the wildling, was the first to ask, “From the west? That can’t be right. The Nachtnamari are marching to us from the north and the Felvalim forces can only come to aid us from the south. Out west is nothing more than the land of beasts.”

Neylune nodded in acknowledgement, but continued, “Nonetheless, Syldrasil has sensed the coming of another mighty power coming from that direction.”

She then scrunched her face as though she wasn’t sure of what she had learned, “What’s even more strange is that Syldrasil has sensed my daughter together with that power.”

Her face then began to relax as she showed a beaming smile, “I do not know what she has found or what trouble she has brought, but I’m truly glad she is safe.”

As the others sighed in relief in seeing Neylune relax, Narissa showed a complex expression.

“Out west is it…,” she muttered. “It can’t be… right?”

Hearing her mutterings, the others looked at her for confirmation.

Sensing their questioning looks, she turned towards the others with a face full of uncertainty, “This is only something I heard in passing from the Nereids that have ventured out west. At the bottom of a great waterfall was a basin with an island in the center. This island and region were home to a powerful race of beasts known as Primatus.”

Whinereos nodded as he too knew of the Primatus. “Indeed, I know of the beasts you speak of. They’re quite intelligent and have settled in that land several hundreds of years ago and have occasionally interacted with fae.”

Catching on to the conversation, the pink skinned lady fae asked, “Are you saying that the force from the west might be these Primatus?”

Narissa could only shrug as the information she had was simply something she heard offhandedly, “I can’t be sure, but I do know one thing for certain.”

She shook her head as though what she was about to say was something incredulous.

“From what I’ve learned, they are ruled by a uniquely powerful Tyrant. The Nereids told me the power of this Tyrant is so great that they saw it break and singlehandedly carry a mountain in order to use it to expand their island home. The Felvalim feared it greatly and had given it a name.”

She took a deep breath before she continued.

“The name they gave it was Zamorg, the Demon of Destruction.”

***