The creature returned bursting from the water and flying high into the air. The black energy melted from its body. It was all scales and bone protrusions as it hovered in the air. Eyes black as night looked at everything and nothing at the same time. Without waiting it let out a spew of thick green venom at Cindy. Completely ignoring Daryl as it attacked.
Daryl jumped over Cindy shielding her from the torrent of fluid that was flying towards her. It slammed into his back and sizzled with bubbles. What Daryl didn’t expect was the agony. It was like thousands of burning needles were being rammed into his back. Every blow he had taken in this world had been muted, almost entirely without pain. This, though, put his mind to the limit of its ability.
He swallowed his scream as it seared his back, coating it like napalm. As it continued Daryl scooped up Cindy’s shocked body and sprinted sideways getting out of the constant deluge of damage. A trail of the stuff followed behind them both scorching the ground with black marks. After precious seconds the spout ended and the creature let out a deafening roar. Thankfully their new armor helped blunt the stunning effect those cried usually had on the pair of them.
Stumbling as the pain continued and nearly overwhelmed him Daryl placed Cindy down as gently as he could. Fists clenched Daryl looked back at the beast with defiance as Cindy looked from him to the monster. She was shaking as she made her mind up and started another stream of flames up at the beast.
Unlike any monster they had seen before this creature seemed to have the mind to dodge. It swooped sideways avoiding the flames with ease as Cindy desperately tried to track the creature. She yelled in frustration as she cut the torrent off and turned to Daryl.
“Carry me, I’ll heal you while we try to figure out this monster.” Cindy ran towards her father and jumped in his hands as he stumbled to his feet and leapt out of the way of a swooping slash of claws. Golden green light channeled into his chest as the pain faded from his back.
The hiss of an inhale was all the warning Daryl had as he lunged sideways dodging a ball of acid that smashed into a tree and started to eat away at it. “Let’s lure it into the trees! That way it can’t fly!”
Daryl broke into the thick foliage to make it difficult to hit him with the great stream of acid. It splattered and scorched back from the trees as the beast chased them with the attack. After a solid three seconds the attack petered out.
“It’s my nightmare Dad! Remember a year ago I had those dreams! I’m telling you it’s Mom! Only you two know about it!” Cindy screamed as she regained her mana.
Daryl was silent as his mind raced. The thought of Marilyn being alive, even if she was twisted by this world, was enticing. To see her again, hold her, it was intoxicating. None of that mattered with their lives on the line. “We can’t think about that right now! We have a fight to win!”
As they moved the monster burst through the woods and impacted the ground in front of the pair. It stood now to its full horror. It towered ten feet taller than Daryl, its neck extending up so it craned over the pair of them. Those black endless eyes burned holes into the pair of them. It hissed a deep vibrating sound as its talons tore up at the earth below its feet. Its wings flapped and shaved great pieces of bark off of every tree it touched.
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Time seemed to freeze as the air thickened around them. Its throat started to bulge as another attack began. Daryl dropped Cindy and lunged, locking his hands above the bulge with desperation. Cindy wouldn’t be able to dodge this close to the beast. That pain would overwhelm his daughter.
The monster’s head came crashing down like a hammer on a nail. The horns bashing into him and sending a shocking amount of pain down his spine. The world spun as Daryl’s hands slackened just enough for the bulge to start moving through them. With what he could manage Daryl grabbed the beak by the bottom and turned the mouth aside with all his strength as the acid spewed forth. It coated Daryl’s hand and forearm with agony. He couldn’t hold his scream this time.
Cindy crashed to the ground, too surprised to use her levitation spell. She tumbled and scrambled away from the crashing feet and talons that were around her. Dodging her own father’s foot as he screamed so loud it shook the air. Cindy’s heart was pounding as she turned and watched the bubbling flesh of her father’s arm blister in moments. Where are the golden cracks?! She thought as the monster batted her father aside, bloody scrapes appearing wherever he was touched.
“DAD!” Cindy screamed, but as she ran towards him the beast flashed out a talon and snatched her from the ground. Its foot wrapping so tightly around her it threatened to crush the life out of her chest. She couldn’t breathe enough to scream as the beast squeezed. Thankfully she had enough of her mind to activate her protective barrier. The bubble of energy burst from around her breaking open the talons and letting her fall back down to safety.
The sky blackened above her as another torrent of acid slammed into her protection. She took deep gasping breaths. This was so different from every other fight. The feeling of those claws around her didn’t have that muted feel of everything else in this world. Instinct told her the barrier was almost done when the acid burst ended. The world vibrated with sound as the thing’s beak crashed into her bubble.
None of her current equipment had a dash or dodge skill. She looked up and prepared herself for any movement she could possibly try to leap out of the way of. The talons flashed towards her once more.
Daryl tackled the monster away from Cindy just as she was about to be struck with a lightning fast slash of claws. He slammed the thing into a try shattering the trunk of it and sending a crunch into the air. Black oil like blood leaked from its wing that was torn open by stray bits of wood. It was ruined, it would give no more flight to the thing. Daryl was on his feet and stomping down viciously at the creature’s throat. It was met with the powerful butt of horns and skull knocking Daryl back a step.
As it reared to its feet a trap rune went off beneath it. Flame erupted like a geyser enveloping the thing. It screeched in pain as it burst forward still in flames. It sprinted towards the water to douse itself. “Dad! Stop it!”
Daryl reached deep down into his mind and brought up his skills like a second nature and let out a primal shout. It seemed to magically snap the being’s attention to him as it moved to attack him. Flashing talons cut deep gashes in Daryl’s arms, golden liquid pouring from the wounds as the monster twisted the very nature of the world to its own rules.
Daryl grabbed the third flash of talons and brought an elbow down on its joint. If it can break the rules so can I! The joint gave way with a crack as things broke irrevocably. The monster squawked and headbutted Daryl again knocking him senseless. His hit points were getting dangerously low so as he stumbled back he chugged a healing potion.
Cindy leapt forward, “BURN YOU STUPID THING!” A dozen flashes of arrows made of flame pelted into the creature as it smashed its head down at the little girl. Cindy jumped back but she was grazed by the blow knocking the wind from her and sending her tumbling through the foliage.
Pain covered her chest and stomach as she clutched at her front. Cindy wheezed with tears in her eyes. She croaked out a healing spell but it did nothing for the pain. She watched in horror as it limped towards her. Its eyes full of hate as it was wreathed in flames.
Daryl jumped on the monster’s back and grabbed it by the horns. He ignored the flames licking at his legs and chest as with as much violence and power as his enhanced body could manage he twisted the thing’s head. A loud desperate crack sounded and the thing went limp. It slumped to the ground as the flames continued to eat away at the thing.
Daryl collapsed off of it. Rolling on the ground to extinguish the fire that sent cracks of golden light across his groin and chest. The rents in his forearms were still there as he did his level best to recover.
Cindy limped out of the foliage and looked at the now dead creature of her nightmares. It didn’t fade away in light, it just smoldered and burned. It isn’t supposed to exist here. That’s why it causes pain, that’s why it doesn’t die the same way. She thought as she fell to a knee. Daryl stared at the leaves above them heaving and fighting off tears of pain. The fight was over.