image [https://i.imgur.com/zweWNHT.jpg]

Gideon rushed through the thick forest, and Flida hung on the tuft of his hair, struggling against the wind. Hopping over roots and bouncing off trunks, they follow the parasite's connection back to the source. Bob surprisingly kept up his speed, using holy energy to supplement his stamina. Fergus followed close by, nervously looking around for enemies. Drac jogged closer to him.

“What are you nervous about?” Drac asked.

“I haven't had the best record in battles recently.” Said Fergus with a shy laugh. “I’ve learned a lot in the two days we have been together but... I dunno.”

“Fuck the past; how you make of the future is all that matters. I have been beaten to the floor many a time and rose and became victorious from learning from blunders.”

“Easy for you to say. You can just make a new copy and try again. You're not even here! Instead, you are with Marina and the sleepy bastard, ‘protecting’ the horses and supplies. While we have to run!”

Drac chuckled. "You're right, this power gives me certain privileges. However, I cannot let my real body go weak, so I left a copy behind.”

The wolf stopped its run and growled, looking into an open area of the forest.

Flida stepped down from Gideon quietly. “That's it over there.” She pointed to a large weaving of vines, small and giant. They twist among each other to form the shape of a tree.

“A Vine Monster. Is this what the Clements said killed your brother?” Fergus asked. “Seems weak.”

“They are.” Flida “But this... it's mutated. Look how purple it is—the dark sludge oozing out. No flowers are blooming above and there is no great fruit.” Drac saw a part of the tree ripped open.

Drac closed his eyes and opened them. “That's the host it has chosen. To evolve.”

Drac concentrated. He tuned Ignis to the blade and hidden runes lit up as fire blazed from his sword.

“Fergus, Ignite your weapon. It's weak to fire.”

I am glad I made them for him.

Fergus nodded nervously. Slowly, he pulled out his newly engraved rune baselards out of their sheaths. With deep breaths, Fergus focused his aura around his forearm, moving the stream of energy faster through the aura pathways. For the first time in battle, Fergus tuned.

Fire exploded off his blades.

“Haha! It worked!”

I think the plan might work now.

Drac went into his jacket pocket and took out a small sack. He handed it to Fergus. The lord sheathed a blade and shook the bag, hearing metal inside.

“Rune-engraved throwing knives. I will distract it so you can tune with them and stab them into the massive roots of the vine parasite.”

Fergus nodded as he hung the bag on his belt.

“And Flida-”

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Imma get the fuck outta here.” She hopped back on her large wolf and galloped back into the woods, heading for the caravan.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Drac walked forward, the grass dying as he came closer to the vine monster.

The wind popped. Drac dropped down and air boomed over him.

Fucking hell!

Drac rolled to the right, evading another vine attack. His blade slashed with flames and the vine died burning. Three more vines snapped at Drac.

“Fergus! Around!” shouted Drac as he dodged a vine and burned two. Drac heard the soil move behind him as Fergus went ahead. The last vine whipped at him again. Blocked with heilong, it twisted around the blade. Drac poured aura into the runes of his sword. Vine turned to ash and his Heilong was free.

Although moving with surge, vines search for the lord at the flank. Drac sliced into the air, and a wave of aura flew from the tip of his blade, cutting into seven vines near Fergus. However, the vine continued to regenerate, chasing the speedy noble with fervour.

Let me try.

Drac slashed down, and a large inferno shot off the blade, incinerating the chasing vines.

We are not enough. Sorry, Marina, I will finish the game next time.

Drac split into four. They run in separate directions, gaining the attention of hundreds of oozing, rotting vines.

One copy threw balls of fire from afar. Fire blasted from his boot as he flew up to attack from above. Another Drac launched a storm of waves at the trunk of the vine tree.

A root explodes into splinters. Fergus surged, his face marked with lightning. His feet pounded on the dead grass, exploding forward with amazing speed. A Drac pulse-stepped close behind, guarding his back.

Something's up.

Vines lift in the air. Curled Around each other, vines twist and collect into a long, thick rope of rotten vegetation.

Another explosion and the thick vines turn to chase Fergus.

Now.

A pulse of aura from Drac's boot destroyed the dead ground and he blitzed towards the vine monster, with Ventus giving him way. He blurred across the area, crossing yards in moments. Sonic booms echoed in the forest a second later. The vine tree towered over him as Drac ignited his weapon. Only twenty metres away do the vines notice him speeding close and they all aim at him.

Another explosion.

One last root and we cut it from its nutrition.

A hundred vines grow into a thousand. They snapped at Drac In unison, surrounding all sides.

Drac resummoned his copies close to him. All four flare the aura high and wide. Their light blinded, white flames swirled around them. A copy tuned Murus, segments of a dome formed around them.

Elkan's link grew stronger.

And indentation formed on each segment. The copy tuned on the Runes. A second tuned a barrier around them as explosions burned all around them. All left of the vines is smoke and ash drifting into the air.

A thick vine, metres wide, falls down, aiming to splatter the four Dracs.

My turn.

A Drac sauntered forward. A cocky smile crossed his face. The Drac lifted his blade. At the moment of impact, condensed fire burst from his blade, forcing the heavy vine aside into a burning heap.

An explosion behind the vine monster shook the ground.

“Nice one, Fergie!”

Drac pounced again with a pulse. Levitation aided his speed. Running across the dead wood like a skipping stone. Vines attack again, but considerably slower. Drac hopped and weaved past them all before cutting them with his flaming blade.

Drac could see the detail of the vine monster's bark. Another pulse and Drac was metres high. As he charged his sword, Ignis swirled around its steel. Its heat increased every moment, and within those moments, Drac saw something pulsing inside the vine tree.

No hesitating.

Drac shattered a Murus platform, lunging towards a ripped portion of the tree.

A heartbeat shuddered in the air.

HUNGER

The vine monster implodes. A wave of air hit Drac with the force of a hundred horse kicks. Bark and rotten sludge flew everywhere. Drac lands in the arms of the beefy priest. Fergus ran up, screaming. Drac's head rings. The world was muffled. Drac tried to hear what he was saying. Amber light glowed around him.

“-ou ok?! What the fuck happened?!”

Bob dropped Drac. His head still pounded. “The worst-case scenario.”

Smouldering in a black flame. A man-shaped creature stepped out of the wreckage of the dead vine monster. Its face is alien, with black pools for eyes. Pale skin and shark-like teeth foamed as he stared down.

Its pale arm twisted and broke, forming a long, sharp blade.

“Meal.”