I underestimated the powers of an Archmage. Without casting or even an inkling of a tell he just evaporated Ava into a pink mist. Now I am pissed!

Meanwhile the Soldiers fight with the Cockatrice while being stalked by the Bladehopper and losing a few legs against the burrower. The ones in the Labyrinth are worse, as they got separated right at the beginning.. Most succumbed to the alluring flowers and got dragged into the hedges while two of them started to cut through them and got the rage of Bush Man. One was strangled to death while the other got a face full of acid by his own doing.

No more pulling punches, those guys will be experimental materials or fertilizer, at worst both while still alive!

“Now you have done it! With this there is no redemption for you all.”

“You are the second in command speaking? Your Leader is gone and so will be everyone else who does not surrender to me!”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I never died. You destroyed my most used body, so I have to create a new one. But for you especially I take out Prototype One. Everyone else is free to fight. Capture or Kill at your leisure, everyone!”

While I used the time to bring Prototype One B out of my Realm the others came out of the doors. Fish men were mostly armed with spears and scale shields while the Hog brutes nearly all used their fists.

Hog brutes are a real good description for their form. Their arms are thicker than their legs and walk fast like gorillas on all fours. They throw haymakers like pros right after or uppercut someone's whole body close to three meter into the air, even with their heavy equipment.

One special Hog Brute is rather eerily visible with his giant cleaver in his hands. His Name is Butcher and is the leader of the Brutes in the Arena area. At first he used a kind of axe made out of a femur but later he was recognized as one of the rulers so I made him that cleaver.

His Vice Commander and arch nemesis Brutus is looking more hidden in the Hog Cartel. His way of fighting is way more dirty and has transformed his technique into a crude martial art. While others mostly just punch, he grapples and twists arms and legs into holds before breaking bones or pummels them into a pulp without a way to retaliate.

The Battle just started and the Mages start to chant their spells. Oh, no you don’t!

Slap

With my arm becoming a whip I tried to hammer that Willard guy into the ground, but he dodged right out of the way. How fast is that guy? Must be some magical buff.

“What in the Abyss is that thing?!”

“Do I look that different? Lord Null my Name. You killed my human body, prepare to die!”

Yeah, yeah… It is a bit cheesy but I could not help myself.

“So you were a Monster from the beginning? This whole place is a Monster Nest!”

“Not really, I am something completely different, but this place being a Nest of Monsters is right. Had you been good I would have let the higher ups go with a ransom, but now you will be experimented on.”

With that the fight between us started anew. His Magic is powerful and even throws the improved Prototype One back. The shape of a Human is now way more visible in its form, but still needs skin and key details like a face. At least I can mimic human speech now instead of only crying out loud.

Oh, his Magic. Yeah it throws me around more than I would have guessed, he has way more power and even if the Magic does not hurt the body, the kinetic power alone forces me to tumble. At the same time I cornered him in our own duel and just take his wrath. Whip lashes, piercing spikes and hammer falls were my attacks, but he is rather slippery and dodges most of them.

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Some hits got him directly and I see his Blood flowing out of some wounds. It is blue! So that is what happens, when a Mage goes over the threshold of humanity? Dissecting later, fighting now!

While occupying Willard I also keep an eye on the battle behind us. Some of the Fish Men are already injured, but unlike their opponents no one is dead. On the other tendril a Hog Brute is lying on the ground slain, but the Soldiers are culled way more than on the Fish Men site. Those guys are really muscle for brains, raging and ignoring their injuries for the glory of fighting. Could be because they live in the Arena.

Escapees are having it worse. One was found hiding by the Bast. Did I ever say what their illusion ability is? Overloading an opponents senses. With extremely vertigo this Soldier falls down and has an epileptic fit. Right now he is drowning on his own vomit not even realizing it, poor guy.

Another one was caught by Water and Ice sprites. He is not dead, but comatose and frozen stiff. The ones which ran outside over the bridge were food for Oros, he was hiding and now guarding the escape route.

The ones in the Village are captured by the Claws and Blacks. There is no danger, and I closed the hidden walls in the tunnel, nothing can come in or go out.

Ah, Snow is swooping between the battlefield inside the Foyer right now, knocking out all the Mages and special people. Two seem Alchemists, as they threw volatile flasks with heavily injured one Brute before he was slain. The others are either herbalists or healers, who work to keep the wounded alive to fight again in a few minutes.

Dang, Willard started to chant, that can not be a good sign! But you are not the only one who has an ace up his sleeve, as I transform Prototype one in a porous net and envelop all his escape routes before turning into a bubble. Now I got you!

BOOM

...Or not. The explosion was contained, but ripped Prototype One in two. While I reform the body with haste Willard has lost his left arm and rummages for something in his singed robes.

A Crystal is shown, I do not know what it does and I have no time! Dang it!

“The Crater is a Monster Nest. It needs to be destroyed immediately! Send the whole Army!”

And he broke the Crystal. The magical wave escapes the castle and echoes containing the words towards the one, who needs to hear his last cry for help, but…

I capture Willard unaware and restrain him.

“And I was worried what you would do. Luckily nothing dangerous, I was really worried right now.”

“Dumb Monster or Demon or whatever you are! I am just a Baron of the inner Lands! Do you know what will happen if the whole might of Telk comes and eradicates this vile place? You are all doomed!”

“Yeah, if they came that would be really dangerous, but they won’t.”

“Oh they will! And you all will die for my death!”

“No they won’t. Did you not know the Crater is shielded by a miasmic bubble? Nothing can go in or out. The only way is the tunnel, but that one got sealed right after your complete Army got into it.”

“Ha! Try other lies Demon spawn. You are just searching for a way to make me despair. I might die but the Willard Family will be seen as heroes!”

“If you say so…”

With that I engulf him in my body and enter my Portal by the side corner into my realm. He just wanted to talk more to accumulate more Mana, but that time is wasted for I did not allow more Mana to go to him.

Noticing his demise, he tried to bite his tongue, but my oily body was faster and kept the jaw open. Quickly creating a gag and restrains he now resides in a cell of the Realm Castle. Taking him over will be horribly tedious, but will be worth it.

The final act does not need me in this battle. Snow knocks out or kills the last stragglers and the Hog Brutes remove the heads inclusive spinal cord as trophies and mementos, while the Fish Men collect meat for their tadpoles and look for usable materials for better armament.

...yes, Tadpoles. I have no better way to describe their Young. They are giving birth to a clutter of eggs, those hatch ugly fish things growing longer and developing arms and legs in the late phase. They are like Tadpoles of frogs at first, being something completely different. They do not even have lungs at first, they grow them in adolescence! What are they really? Lizards first, then fish and now that…

…

The Battle is over and the cleaning is under way. Loopy is happily sweeping the floor and removing the organs from the chandeliers. The Jail is cramped and right now I am taking over all who look like leaders. The first gave me insight in Elane’s plight. She was ordered to show them around the Castle as she was the only living one seeing it, but was not willing.

Why she was not willing, there is no explanation for now, as the one I have taken over was not there, when she declined. I will try my best to look into it, as I want to take her over last. Better ask her before that is happening.