With Calyxia around, Ebonheim had been more conservative with her use of powers, relying only on the occasional activation of her Enchanted Essence Bolts and repositioning with her Arboreal Stride. Her passive regeneration had managed to bring her Essence reserves back up to a more comfortable amount. The Kungwans' assaults had also lessened in frequency, allowing the duo to recuperate in small amounts throughout the day.
After getting some much-needed nutrients from an apple tree, another group of Kungwans launched their attack.
Ebonheim dove from the tree, using her Arboreal Stride to change position, her momentum carrying her across the battlefield as she fired a volley of glowing arrows at the enemy.
[Essence] 460/680
Calyxia meanwhile launched herself toward a clump of Kungwans with a powerful lunge, her powerful serpentine lower half coiling around a Frostscale before her claws tore through the creature's flesh.
The battle raged on.
Ebonheim continued her assault, her aim precise as her Essence Bolts flew true, striking foes from afar. She ducked behind a tree when a Skyclinger dove towards her, its sharp talons gleaming in the morning light.
Just as the creature was about to impact, Calyxia intercepted, grabbing onto its legs with a crushing grip. She swung her body with its momentum, twirling the creature through the air like a lasso before slamming the Skyclinger into the ground with a powerful throw.
Ebonheim rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a slash from a nearby Kungwan as its claws sliced through the air where she had just been standing.
The Kungwan slashed at her again, its claws seeking purchase, but Ebonheim danced around the strikes. She returned the attack by plunging her Ebonwood dagger into the Kungwan's stomach before kicking the beast away from her.
As the Kungwan fell back, she withdrew her blade and readied another Essence Bolt. But before she could fire, a gust of icy wind slammed onto her Divine Aura barrier, causing her to stumble back.
A Frostscale loomed over her, its frigid maw opening to unleash another blast of freezing air. She raised her free arm to shield herself, but before the beast could release its icy breath, a blue beam struck its flank.
The Frostscale roared in pain as the telekinetic ray sent the beast crashing into a tree, cracking the trunk.
"Thanks for the help!" Ebonheim shouted over the din, aiming her bow toward a distant target and unleashing her Essence Bolt.
Meanwhile, Calyxia engaged multiple enemies at once, lashing out with both hands and tail while launching beams from the crown of snakes atop her head. A Kungwan Titan grappled with her, its massive claws sinking deep into her flesh as she wrapped her tail around its legs.
Several more Kungwans flanked her, trying to get at her back as she wrestled with the giant.
Calyxia grimaced in pain but managed to fend off the additional attacks. Beams from her serpents smashed into the incoming enemies, forcing them to retreat. However, the Titan continued to grapple with her, refusing to relinquish its grip.
Ebonheim's eyes narrowed as she took careful aim, firing a powerful Essence Bolt, which hit the Titan in the face. The impact caused the creature's head to snap back, releasing Calyxia and allowing her to wrap her tail around its body, constricting its movements. She squeezed hard, her claws tearing through its armor-like skin and digging into its flesh. Blood flowed freely from the wounds as she squeezed tighter, her fangs buried deep in its neck.
With one final heave, she pulled her fangs from the Kungwan Titan, tearing out a chunk of flesh. She spat out the meat before constricting even harder, the Kungwan's bones audibly snapping under the immense pressure.
Suddenly, another Titan grabbed onto Calyxia, its clawed hands digging into her scales as it tried to pull her free from its comrade. Her grip faltered as she struggled against the larger creature. With a roar, the Titan hurled Calyxia several meters away, her body tumbling across the forest floor before coming to rest at the base of a tree.
She recovered quickly and whipped around, her fangs bared. Then, she launched herself into the air, propelling herself forward using her tail, and collided with the offending Titan. Both fell to the ground in a heap.
Eboinheim caught sight of this and prepared another Essence Bolt aimed at the injured Titan.
[Critical Hit]
This time, the golden projectile exploded upon impact, engulfing the creature in a brilliant flash of light and heat. When the flare dissipated, the creature lay in a smoking, charred husk, its flesh sizzling as it smoldered.
A sharp cry caused Ebonheim to turn her head to see Calyxia pinned to the ground by the other Titan, her serpentine lower half curled into a loop as she struggled against its superior strength. The creature's claws dug deep into her flesh, piercing her scales and drawing blood. She hissed and thrashed about, but to no avail.
Ebonheim acted without hesitation—using Arboreal Stride once more, emerged from atop a tree behind the creature and fired her last two charges of Essence Bolts, the bolts exploding into bright flashes of light as they struck its head and shoulder.
The Titan released its grip on Calyxia's midsection and staggered backwards, roaring in pain. She seized the opportunity, her serpent crown unleashed disintegrating rays in a barrage against the stunned Kungwan, enveloping its body in a blanket of crackling energy. Its skin burned away, leaving a grotesque mass of smoldering tissue behind.
It collapsed on the ground, writhing weakly as its life faded away.
"Two titans down, eight more to go?" Ebonheim shouted out, dodging the blow of a Skyclinger before launching an arrow which it deflected with a burst of air.
Calyxia wiped away the blood trickling from her nose, using her sleeve to staunch the flow. "Easy for you to say, you've yet to receive any injury. Must be nice to be protected by your aura. As for me, I'm not faring that well, but at least I can regenerate myself quicker than you can."
Ebonheim merely shot back her own quick jibe. "If you'd stop getting yourself tossed around like a sack of potatoes, maybe you wouldn't need to worry about the damage you sustain."
"Fair enough," Calyxia acknowledged, using her tail to launch a large rock into an unsuspecting Flamecaller.
The projectile hit the creature square in the chest, knocking the monster onto its back with a thud.
"Can you handle things here a bit while I support from behind for now?" Ebonheim requested, turning back to the Kungwan who had blocked her escape earlier, nocking another arrow and firing it.
"Go ahead, I can manage." Calyxia slithered forward, her tail slashing through the air in a whip-like strike that cut through the ground before embedding into a Regenerator's hide.
"Much obliged!" Ebonheim vaulted into the air, leaping to another branch as she unleashed more arrows at a target.
Fighting alongside Calyxia certainly made things easier for her. She could focus on her ranged abilities without worrying as much about a Kungwan sneaking up from behind, given Calyxia's superb instincts and perception.
While Ebonheim provided cover fire, Calyxia continued to lash out against the horde of Kungwans, her claws tearing through their ranks while her serpents provided extra support. Their synergy was undeniable, and the duo soon fell into an easy rhythm.
As Calyxia gazed upon an approaching horde of lesser Kungwans, her eyes shone with a menacing, unearthly glow. A dark energy radiated from her, causing the very air to crackle with a tangible power. Ghostly apparitions formed beside her, their translucent forms drifting along the forest floor with an otherworldly grace.
The Kungwans, sensing the dark aura emanating from her, slowed their advance, their gazes wary and their posture defensive. A few Regenerators took the lead, moving in front of the others to shield them from danger.
As Calyxia flexed her claws, the apparitions swirled around her, their forms shifting and warping until they resembled serpentine creatures, their bodies pulsating with a sickly green light.
She opened her mouth, a guttural hiss emanating from her throat. The apparitions mimicked the sound, their own hisses echoing throughout the forest. The Kungwans recoiled, their movements frantic and disoriented.
With a wave of her hand, the apparitions rushed forward, their ghostly bodies passing through the Kungwans as though they were nothing more than mist. As the dark magic seeped into their bodies, their eyes clouded over and their mouths went slack. Their limbs trembled and they began to stumble around, their motions jerky and uncoordinated.
They ceased their advance and instead began attacking each other, their claws ripping into their own flesh as they fought in a mindless frenzy.
Ebonheim watched in awe as the Kungwans descended into madness, tearing each other apart in their struggle. It seemed that Calyxia's powers had rendered them insane, causing them to disregard their comrades in favor of attacking anything in their vicinity.
At the same time, the serpents atop Calyxia's head began picking apart the befuddled Kungwans with rapid-fire shots of their respective rays. Disintegration, slowing, burning, paralyzing, and telekinetic rays—the myriad projectiles ripped into the confused creatures with devastating effect, cutting them down one by one.
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After a short period of confusion, the Kungwans snapped back to reality, the dark magic that had enveloped them fading away. They shook their heads, clearing the lingering effects from their minds, and resumed their attack.
----------------------------------------
As the battle wore on, Ebonheim could tell that Calyxia was tiring from the constant fighting. Her movements became sluggish, and her attacks lacked the power and precision they had previously displayed. The Kungwans continued their assault, their numbers slowly dwindling, but their persistence was starting to take a toll on the pair.
A Frostscale tackled Calyxia, pinning her to the ground as its breath froze her scales, covering her in a layer of ice. Calyxia lashed out with her claws, raking the creature's hide with deep gashes, but it refused to let go. One of her serpents fired a Disintegration Ray, the beam drilling a hole clean through the creature's skull, killing it instantly.
Its body slumped to the ground, and Calyxia used the distraction to coil her tail around the dead corpse and hurl it at a nearby Titan, knocking the creature off balance and buying her precious time to regain her composure.
The serpents atop her head struggled to rise, their eyes dimming and their movements growing sluggish and stiff. As she tried to channel her power through them, the rays flickered weakly before fizzling out altogether.
Her fangs bared in frustration, and she charged at a nearby Kungwan, latching onto its leg and throwing it to the ground. She used her tail to repeatedly smash its head into the earth until the creature stopped moving, its brains splattered across the dirt.
"Grah!... I'm almost spent, there are so many of them..." Calyxia cursed to herself, realizing how depleted she was from the constant fighting.
Meanwhile, Ebonheim found herself surrounded by a group of Regenerators, each attempting to close the distance to attack her.
She evaded their swipes, dodging and weaving between their attacks. Despite her skill and agility, one managed to score a glancing blow, its claws scraping across her barrier and causing her aura to flicker before stabilizing once again.
[Divine Aura] 127/300
Despite her fatigue, she didn't hesitate to retaliate—unleashing her Tempest of the Grove directly in front of her.
[Essence] 440/680
A swirling vortex of wind flooded the area, violently churning up everything around her. As the howling gale intensified, it began to draw the surrounding objects into the whirlwind, gathering them into a mini tornado. The Regenerators and other lesser Kungwans were pulled into the vortex, their bodies whipped around by the powerful currents before being flung away, careening into trees, rocks, and each other.
She tapped into the Elemental Keystone inside her, combining the Elemental Admixture with her ability, fusing both of them together. Air, Ice, and Earth. The three elements swirled together, blending into a powerful mixture as the storm picked up speed.
[Essence] 415/680
Rocks and debris hailed down upon the hapless Kungwans, smashing into them with bone-crushing force. The gale-force winds lacerated their hides and shredded their flesh. Frost-laden leaves and shards of ice whirled through the air, scouring the battlefield with a blistering barrage of frozen particles. Lightning arced through the air, striking the unlucky targets within the whirlwind.
The combined might of the empowered Tempest of the Grove scattered the Kungwans, sending them flying in all directions, their bodies torn and broken. As the tempest subsided, the debris settled to the ground, leaving only a circle of destruction in its wake.
Ebonheim heaved a heavy sigh as she surveyed the scene, taking stock of her surroundings. Calyxia remained locked in combat, her body covered in cuts and bruises from the ceaseless onslaught. The serpents atop her head barely moved, their scales dull and lifeless. Her once pristine outfit was shredded and stained with blood, dirt, and grime.
"How many are left? I lost track of their numbers during that last exchange," Calyxia panted, struggling to remain upright.
Ebonheim glanced around, mentally counting the Kungwans within her line of sight. "Five Titans, two Regenerators, four Flamecallers, three Frostscales, three Blightfroths, two Skyclingers, and...over forty lesser Kungwans. Unless more show up, I guess."
Calyxia coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Let's hope none more join the fight. We have enough to deal with as it is. Those Titans are going to be the most trouble—I can barely handle one at my current state, let alone multiple."
"Should we pull back for a break and rest a bit?" Ebonheim suggested.
"You might be able to slink away with your power, but I'll be overrun if I try to withdraw. Besides, we've got to hold the line here. It's only a matter of time before the Seraphidae's campaign ends." Calyxia's tone was weary, but determined. "The longer we fight, the better chances the Seraphidae have."
Ebonheim sighed. "Guess there's no helping it."
Calyxia shrugged, seemingly unperturbed. "It is what it is."
Ebonheim turned her gaze skyward, letting out a frustrated huff of air. Dealing with them one by one or even in small groups at a time wasn't that difficult, but it was getting harder to prevent them from flanking and surrounding her, especially with Calyxia exhausted and her abilities suffering from fatigue.
Her only solace came from the fact that the Kungwan numbers weren't increasing. Either there were only so many remaining in the nest, or there were no more at all, having been wiped out.
Either way, the goal was to annihilate the remaining Kungwans, so it didn't particularly matter.
A flurry of movement from above caused her to reflexively duck, narrowly avoiding a diving Skyclinger's grasp. The creature skimmed the top of her head as she rolled to the side, its hook-like claws scrabbling for purchase on her shoulders. She regained her footing, sidestepping and avoiding the monster's follow-up strike.
Calyxia leapt into action, latching onto the creature with her own claws and tearing it apart. She grabbed hold of its legs and swung the creature in a wide arc, smashing the writhing body into a nearby tree, breaking its bones with a resounding crack.
She flung the carcass aside and turned to Ebonheim. "I hope that you were thinking of a plan just now instead of daydreaming in the middle of a battle. I don't have the energy to watch your back anymore."
Ebonheim gave her a wry grin, even though she was only partly listening to her. A good plan is what they could really use right about now.
She had done very well so far against the Kungwans. Her bowmanship coupled with her divine powers was something she had lacked during her first encounter with them—and was only against two. If it hadn't been for Hilda's timely intervention...
Hmm...
Speaking of Hilda, the way she had dispatched those two Kungwans was still etched into her memory. Vines sprouted from the ground and restrained them, and then spores took root inside them, destroying the Kungwans from within.
If she had a power like hers...
She closed her eyes and tapped into the Akashic System, querying a search for a suitable power. The System's response came immediately.
[Searching...]
[Two results found.]
[Result one... Binding of the Verdant Curse (Spell); 6th-circle Druid magic. Description: A spell that allows the caster to bind up to three targets within range of the user's control. The bound creatures will be subjected to the effects of a curse, causing them to transform into a plant within one minute of casting the spell. This spell does not work on any non-organic constructs or any non-living entity.]
That must be the one that Hilda used! It did match what she recalled, but it only worked on three targets at a time, and also had a limitation regarding what creatures could be affected.
Still, it was probably more efficient than killing the Kungwans through injury alone. Especially when there were so many of them left.
She focused on acquiring the power.
[Error: You are unable to acquire the spell due to an incompatible power source. Druid spells require the expenditure of Mana, which you do not possess. Attempting to circumvent this error would result in damaging your Divine Spark.]
A surge of disappointment welled up within her. She recalled Th'maine's lecture about Mana—her brief lesson on the subject was that it was the capacity of the mortal mind to interface with the Arcane. Unlike mortals, deities like her used Essence as their power source, instead.
This meant she would not be able to copy Druidic magic, or even Arcane magic for that matter. What a shame.
Nonetheless, the Akashic System hadn't finished its report.
[Result two... Blumenkranz: Frøomvandling av Livsroten; Requires Divine Rank - Intermediate Deity (Dawn Stage). Description: This divine ability transforms all creatures within a two-hundred-meter radius that you designate as targets into trees and other flora native to the environment. This ability also rapidly revives and heals any dying or destroyed plant life within the ability's range. Affected creatures must have a Divine Defense rating less than your Divine Attack rating to be affected. Only organic creatures can be transformed by this power.]
Ebonheim blinked, digesting the description of the second result. It was extremely powerful, but its prerequisite Divine Rank...she might reach that sometime in the future, but she needed the power now.
Was there another way to get around this? Maybe she could borrow its use just this once.
The Akashic System responded once more.
[Querying...]
[...]
[Possible solution found.]
[You are able to acquire temporary access to 'Blumenkranz: Frøomvandling av Livsroten' by expending 1000 Quintessence as well as activating and combining the following abilities in sequence: Ailment-Cleansing Pulse, Pest-Repelling Prana, Lifespring Wells, Fecundity of Creation, and Vines of the Bramble King.]
[Would you like to use this method to acquire 'Blumenkranz: Frøomvandling av Livsroten' temporarily?]
Ebonheim stared at the list, her eyes widening in surprise. None of those powers, except for the Vines of the Bramble King, were offensive in nature. How could their combination allow her to use a power that seemed so devastating?
She'd never tried anything similar to this before, so the results could be unpredictable.
Well, there's only one way to find out.
Ebonheim tapped into her divine power, Forest's Call, channeling energy into the nearest trees. They trembled in response, their bark rippling and pulsing with a life force that swelled and burst forth from within them.
Roots emerged from the earth, curling and twisting into the shape of gnarled arms and hands. Trunks groaned and creaked, their middles bulging and stretching as they stood upright, their bark molding into the image of ancient faces. Leaves unfurled, fanning out in a shimmering wave as vines snaked forth from the trunks, wrapping around the trees and supporting their weight.
"Calyxia, I need you to draw their attention for ten minutes. Can you do that?" Ebonheim said, opening her eyes and refocusing her gaze on the battlefield.
"Didn't I just say that I don't have the energy to babysit you?" Calyxia quipped, wiping blood from her lips. "But I trust that you might have found the winning line to checkmate them. Very well. Even in my sorry state, I can manage a few more minutes if need be. No need to worry, I'll draw them to me. You take care of the rest."
Ebonheim nodded. "Got it. Thank you, Calyxia."
Calyxia nodded in acknowledgment. "No thanks necessary. Now, do it quickly."
She then slithered to the side, positioning herself between Ebonheim and the advancing Kungwans. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment, before opening them to reveal a predatory gleam. Her features sharpened, and she adopted a low stance, her muscles rippling under her scales.
Then, she uncoiled her body and launched herself forward in a blur of motion, her powerful tail propelling her with such force that the ground cracked beneath her.
Ebonheim watched as she collided with the foremost Kungwans, tearing at them in a flurry of claws and fangs.
Shaking her head, she turned her focus inward, concentrating on the pool of Quintessence within her.
[You have expended 1000 Quintessence to temporarily gain access to an Intermediate Deity rank power.]
[Quintessence] 6472/16000
[You must cast the prerequisite abilities within ten minutes to complete the process. Otherwise, the System will reverse the process and refund the Quintessence to you. Also, failure to perform the sequence of abilities correctly will result in moderate damage to your Divine Spark.]
The screen appeared briefly before fading from view.
Alright...
Between Calyxia and the four tree sentinels, she should be safe for at least ten minutes.
Time to end this.