Arthur's Point of View

Center of the Magical Squall

The Demon pulled me under the waves deeper and deeper until there was no light. I came to a stop, and that’s where I quickly started to release lightning from my entire body. What few tentacles held me started to fry and eventually let me go. However, when they did, a muffled roar could be heard through the waves. Strong enough where it echoed throughout the water in a way that was louder than when I was in the sky.

Shaking violently and covering my ears, I felt warm fluids coming from my eyes and ears. Almost like my body was ruptured and coming undone in the most horrid of ways. Forcing my eyes open, the Demon’s maw was right in front of me. Due to my lightning striking out, I was able to see a large portion of the Demon’s body was missing, and the rest of it was pinned into the floor bed.

It began sucking in all the nearby water, and I tried to swim away, but the current was too strong. I was pulled inside the Demon’s mouth as it swallowed me. The anger I felt about being swallowed by fucking Squidward fucking Tentacles was indescribable. However, this was my chance. As I was sucked down into its stomach, I fell out into an air pocket. When I did, hundreds of weird crab-like creatures quickly started to scuttle towards me.

“Gives all new meaning to the phrase, I’ve got crabs…” Their sickening clacking unnerved me as they approached. “I’ll boil each and every one of you alive!”

Sending out streaks of flames, the crabs withered and would release a hissing noise that was rather disturbing. It didn’t matter to me. However, as my flames started to catch fire around the area, more and more I saw the walls shift. Sending out a stream of flames from both my hands in different directions, I saw that the Demon’s entire stomach was lined with tens of thousands of this thing.

“Yeah, no.” I mumbled to myself.

Creating several gravity pillars around me to keep the crabs at bay, I began to gather a large amount of energy into my hands. Taking a deep breath and copying what I told Typhon, fire erupted from my hands and my mouth. It filled the room until there was nothing but fire. The creature roared, and I continued to unleash my attack. Eventually, it started to travel down every tunnel, up its throat, and into every crevice it could.

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It didn’t take long for the Demon to wail once more, which hurt just from being inside it, but the red and black magic around me started to fade entirely. Increasing my output to the point where I melted holes through its hide, seawater rushed inside the Demon’s corpse. The last wisps of demonic magic disappeared as I was hit by the water.

While creating a portal to escape the inside of the Demon’s belly crossed my mind, I stayed inside for the same reason I decided to stay while it flooded. It was important to make sure it was dead, along with all those demonic stomach crabs. Slowly, I filtered out of the Demon’s stomach and out into the ocean’s depths. Swimming to the front, its eyes were glossed over as its mouth hung open limply. To my surprise, the corpse started glowing, and my eyes widened in horror.

The Demonic energy was all but gone. This was something else. A last-ditch effort that I, myself, was familiar with. The portal opened, and I started to swim through it but was launched through the water as the corpse exploded with whatever magic it had left. Something slammed into my back as I entered the portal, and my transformed state dropped as my energy was low. Being flung from the portal, air filled my lungs as I slammed into the ground repeatedly.

Something rolled on top of me, and I pushed it off before falling to my side in pain. “I swear to god, if I ever see another fucking fish, I will murder someone.” I groaned out before looking down to see part of my armor broken, with some of my intestines, ribs, and other wounds showing. “Alright. Okay. I’m okay.”

A familiar Zugal landed in front of me, and I looked up to see him staring down at me in shock. “Go and inform the Priestesses immediately!” Greigh ordered a different bird before it shot off. “Don’t move, General!” He said as he rushed to my side. “You’re wounded!”

Rolling my eyes as I fell onto my back, I replied in a sarcastic tone. “I didn’t notice.” Ignoring his protests as I stood, my energy pumped into the wounds.

“Sir!” Greigh said more firmly as he moved to restrain me.

“Tis a flesh wound!” I mocked before standing and smacking his hand hard enough so he would stop. “Look closer.”

“It’s healing.” He whispered breathlessly in shock.

What little remaining energy I had healed up my wounds. “It’s healing.” I confirmed.

I was drained. That fight took a lot out of me and was the first time I had ever battled such a creature. I’m surprised I got as lucky as I did with it swallowing me. Now my energy levels were low enough that I couldn’t heal my wounds instantly, and my form had dropped. Although, I might’ve lucked out on that.

Patting his shoulder, I smirked. “Now you know me inside and out.” He grimaced at the pun, but I ignored it. “Where are we?” We were surrounded by trees.

“The Hollow Forest, Sir.” He answered. “You appeared first in the outskirts but ended up here.” Greigh then gestured beside me. “I suspect it was because of this thing that was on top of you.”

Looking at the item in question, I saw that it was one of the Demon’s teeth. “That is a big fuckin tooth.”

Greigh whipped back to me. “A tooth, Sir?” He repeated in confusion.

Tapping the tooth, I smirked. “Yeah. Had to fight a giant fish creature. Thing was bigger than Helmsforth.” Then I gestured to the tooth. “I mean, just look at the size of this thing! It’s massive!”

The Zugal stared at it wide-eyed. “Sir, this tooth is bigger than your estate.”

I chuckled at that before hissing in pain as I placed a hand on my side where my wounds were healing before chuckling some more. “I know!” Shifting slightly because my energy was fading and no longer helping block out the pain, my vision started to become fuzzy. “I deserve a trophy after th-“ I didn’t get to finish before I fell back.