Garuk gritted his teeth as the new foe entered his midst. Behind him, his three officers—Saleb, Kauran, and Gozan—stood ready, their spears held firmly in hand.
The creature before him moved on four legs, its form resembling a lizard, but its structure was anything but ordinary. Its scales gleamed with a bluish hue, a colour unmistakably tied to the monsters of the Omniarc dungeon.
Garuk held his ground, every muscle coiled in anticipation of an attack. The Acheloura let out a bellowing roar before charging straight at him and his officers.
“Scatter!” Garuk barked.
Without hesitation, his officers sprang into action, fanning out in different directions as the Acheloura thundered toward them. Garuk braced himself, standing firm as the monstrous beast bore down on him.
In the heartbeat before impact, Garuk felt a spark ignite within him. The creature collided with him, its gaping jaws revealing rows of serrated teeth. With a swift, practised motion, Garuk jammed his spear between its jaws, holding them open and preventing the creature from biting down.
The Acheloura's slitted eyes narrowed, glinting with cunning as it assessed the situation. It quickly noted that Garuk’s officers were closing in without a word. With Garuk still pinned in its jaws, the beast thrashed its body, whipping its powerful tail toward the advancing soldiers.
Saleb was the first to feel the brunt of the attack. The Acheloura's tail struck like a whip, sending him skidding backwards even as he managed to block the blow with his spear. The beast twisted sharply, using its momentum to lash out in the opposite direction, catching Gozan with equal force and hurling him to the ground.
Kauran was kept at bay if he were to engage he would meet Garuk on the way, it wasn't wise to attack at that angle.
Kauran tried to attack from another angle, coordinating with his fellow Officers but just like them, the Achelaura had the same intellect in those eyes, it prevented them from closing at all.
Whilst it was keeping track of everything around it, Garuk tried to maintain the same position, he held his spear to prevent the monster from biting down on him, however, He was also being dragged.
The fight was going along the monster’s tune. Suddenly, Garuk felt the heat from the monster's breath. “No way…!” Garuk had no choice but to abandon his spear in the monster’s maw as he dashed backwards.
What came next was flames ejecting out of the Acheloura’s breath. Garuk gritted his teeth, now he didn't have a weapon. The Acheloura shook its body like a dog, there was a sizzling liquid that resembled lava in its mouth even after it closed.
“Do you require my spear, Alvon?” Kauran offered.
“Right, give it to me then go back to the Supply Anchor and get one yourself,” Garuk took the offer.
“Yes, Alvon.” Kauran saluted and dashed away in haste.
The Acheloura bellowed and dashed forward as well. “Careful, that thing is cunning,” Garuk warned his Officers. That was enough said as the Officers scattered and fanned out and Garuk dashed toward the monster as well.
Garuk preemptively used his skills, using [Thrust] and making the monster dodge, Saleb closed in on the side after it dodged using its momentum to strike, and the Acheloura with its cunning gaze, twisted its body.
The Acheloura’s jaws went ahead for Saleb’s side making him abandon his intent to strike and block instead, whilst in the same motion, the Acheloura swiped its tail towards Garuk and made him block the attack.
That was a mistake as the Acheloura lifted its head to lift Saleb up whilst making Garuk skid away. That was ample time for the Acheloura to spit out its flaming breath and catch Saleb on fire.
Saleb’s whole upper body caught on fire but that didn't mean he just allowed the attack to strike him. He pulled out his dagger on his waist and struck the Acheloura on its jaw, directly where its joint is connected.
Saleb soon hit the ground, a thick hot liquid similar to lava coating his upper body, unmoving. The Acheloura roared and Gozan and Garuk were left shocked by the death of one of their officers.
Garuk gritted his teeth in anger, he rushed forward while the monster was still disoriented, the monster took note of his rush and fired the same fiery liquid at him he dodged to the left as the Acheloura spat at his right not knowing that the Acheloura was aiming for that.
Garuk was soon hit by a large tail on his side sending him flying to a nearby tree with enough force to make it fall, Garuk spat blood and felt pain as he breathed, he fought against the pain and slowly stood up to see Gozan fighting the Acheloura alone.
Garuk groaned as he stood up and started running, the pain was killing him but to fight is more important. However, before he could catch up with his spear in tow, Kauran moved forward and tried slashing at the monster with his spear.
Kauran’s attack was met with tough scales and a valiant effort, he was then soon struck away by the same tail that moved like a whip. Leaving Kauran soaring through the air with blood splattering off of him.
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Garuk gritted his teeth getting close enough to swing at the monster, the monster took note of his presence and whipped its tail however, Garuk saw it coming, so he struck his spear on the monster’s tail which made it roar.
He pulled off his spear and continued leapt at the monster’s back the Acheloura thrashed around trying to get Garuk off its back, however, Garuk had a strong grip and he never let go.
Frustrated, the Acheloura spun around, it spun around whilst spewing that sizzling liquid off its mouth to keep Garuk’s officers at bay. Fortunately, Garuk is strong enough to hold on but he was just a strong Orc, he still got dizzy.
After a while, Garuk went flying, disoriented and much worse because of his injury, he lay sprawled on the ground. Kauran ran up to him to assess his injuries.
“Are you alright, Alvon?”
“Run… Away with Gozan…”
“I-I cant do that, Alvon.” Kauran stammered.
“Acsien, Listen to me,” Garuk spoke, looking at the disoriented monster slowly regaining composure.
“I can't abandon you, Alvon…!” Kauran gritted his teeth.
Gozan on the other side of the Acheloura had his entire left arm drizzled with the sizzling liquid from the Acheloura. He was standing with blood dripping from his head.
“You have to take Gozan out with you. That's an Order.”
Kauran gritted his teeth, conflict arose from his face before standing up and dashing towards Gozan.
“L-Let me fight, Kauran,” Gozan spoke in a weak voice.
“Alvon ordered us to flee.”
“I-I don't want to be remembered as a coward.”
“Orders are absolute.” Kauran reasoned.
Kauran placed Gozan’s hand over his shoulder and started getting him away from the scene. Slowly, Garuk stood up spear in hand, he faced the Acheloura who was eyeing him after dizziness passed away.
Garuk stared down the monster, his eyes locked on it, in his peripheral he saw the body of his officer, Saleb. Then his gaze was filled with hatred. The monster seemingly knowing what made him angry bellowed mockingly.
Garuk stood with his spear ready to strike, the Acheloura moved slowly, it was savouring its triumph over its prey. Garuk gave it no satisfaction and only had a determined gaze.
The monster was fast, each move was a blur to the untrained eye, its speed contrasting its size. Garuk stood still, he was going to die, he knew it. But before that happened, he was worried about his surviving officers.
He wouldn't mind dying today, he knew that his friends would avenge him. Besides, he didn't plan to die without fighting back. He will surely give this monster some injury it wouldn't be able to heal.
Just as the Acheloura was about to dash towards Garuk, its head snapped sideways before a ball of flame struck its side. Garuk was left astonished at the side as the Acheloura was sent flying a few metres away.
Garuk looked at the perpetrator, it was a huge monster, it was all familiar to him who it was, the missing tooth explained it all. The Valovasoar. It briefly looked at Garuk which made him freeze in his spot before its eyes set once again at the Acheloura.
The Acheloura stood up as it glared at the Valovasoar with hatred in its eyes. The Valovasoar roared, sending dust away in its path. The Acheloura responded with a roar of its own. The Valovasoar huffed, it seemed mockingly to Garuk’s eyes.
The Valovasoar looked at Garuk once again before looking back at the Acheloura. Garuk was stunned at first but then he finally got the message, it was letting him go.
“What the hell?” Garuk exclaimed, it was clear that both monsters were cunning, something he had never seen before.
Garuk shook his head, he focused on getting out of that situation first. His aim is now different, if he wasn't going to die today, then he would live till tomorrow. He ran away as fast as he could.
The Valovasoar growled, its eyes all over the Acheloura. The two had a staredown for a moment, their maws both sizzling with hot air both ready to pounce and wring each other's throat.
However, it seems that the Valovasoar was the only one who committed to the act as the Acheloura spat its sizzling spit all over the ground and dashed away. The Valovasoar wasn't going to let the lizard off completely.
The Valovasoar ran after the lizard, towards a denser forest, weaving through large and tall trees. At some point, the Valovasoar lost vision against the monster. The Valovasoar knew what it was doing and was not going to play the same game.
It opened its maw aiming at the ground and shot the ball of flames, upon impact the fire spread outward, turning every single tree in the vicinity into ashes and those farther away in scorching flames.
The Acheloura was blasted away and crashed into a few trees before it landed with a whimper. It glared at the Valovasoar before dashing away again. The Valovasoar stopped giving chase.
It already made its warning loud and clear and the Valovasoar felt satisfaction, it's the only one allowed to mess with those people.
***
Karsor was the official delegation for the Lycanthropes sent by Alpine. The Council has found the Lycanthropes to be a valuable ally, not because they offer great military benefits but rather because they can bring new farming techniques and populace.
Of Course, if they become a part of Eldoria they are subject to the education and laws of Eldoria that Armin has yet to implement, on the other hand, Hadro was next to Saega looking down at the Lycanthrope teaching Karsor their language.
“Thankfully, I managed to de-escalate the situation then. The Lycanthropes were too secure in the heights of the mountains surrounding their village.” Saega spoke wistfully.
“Thank you for that,” Hadro responded.
“Don't be, I only did what must be done.”
“Nonetheless, those mountain walls made them too lax, they have to be integrated into Eldoria somehow. They, alone, cannot defend themselves from the impending invasion.”
“That is proceeding neatly, My lord. Though, May I ask, what brought you here early?”
“There was an intervention by one of the gods, I’m here for a little preparation. Say, do you know any one of the Lycanthropes that deserves a skill?”
Saega bobbed up and down in her wisp form and moved towards a Lycanthrope, Hadro followed her towards a young Lycanthrope boy.
“His name is Ptia’san, of the San clan.” Saega introduced. “He’s always wanted to see the outside world like her sister, the only thing is, their martial art, Tali, is hard and he had always fallen behind training, However, one thing he was good with…”
Hadro continued watching the boy, Ptia was using a short wooden stick with alternating etched lines, using it to measure whatever he was doing. Hadro could tell what he was making.
“He’s making a handheld drill.”
It was a manual hand-held drill, Hadro couldn't believe it, the whole thing was made of wood except for the end which was made out of a bone of unknown origin.
“I see that he’s a tinkerer. Though his lack of tools would pull him back.”
Saega nodded, “I knew you would see his talent, my lord.”
Hadro didn't speak any longer, he extended his hand and bestowed a skill to the child, of course, the skill was ranked F and after awakening his system Hadro left a Learning packet and then went for the next one.
For a few hours, he did the same, he found talents all over Marshland, Archwood, Foreline and lastly, Jiatatousil, the Drakin settlement with the humans have called. He had blessed multiple humans along with Drakins too.
Before he went back to the abyss he looked in a certain direction, towards the mountain, “Why is she there…” Hadro shook his head. “Never mind, if it makes the dragon our ally it'll be better.”
Hadro turned around and went back to Foreline, where the gate way is.