The Doervus and I danced with death, dodging and parrying the onslaught of venomous projectiles and claws lashing out with all our might from the (F+) Ilosphat. It bit, swung its needled tail, and its barbed tongue flickered in-and-out of its gaping maw, searching for any opportunity to strike. Sweat trickled down my forehead as I focused all my energy on countering its relentless assault.
Spear struck with claw. Tail clashing with ear. Antler sparking with the (F+) Ilosphat's violent fangs.
Our focus, our mission to succeed—was all upon on the (F+) Ilosphat. Whereas the Mournfoon remained above wary to strike. This was because…
The (F+) Ilosphat's fumes [Toxic Haze] had returned to foul the air. Moderate to us, potent to these flighted adversaries—the winged "bird" balloons tried to enter the noxious arena, but it was a descent to their own imminent destruction.
Pop! Went one. Disconnected from the world in shimmering smithereens as the damage-over-time ridden them from existence after a swift strike from I or the (F+) Ilosphat.
While we fought desperately, the toxic fumes were somewhat beneficial for us, a single grouped threat—the Mournfoon—were no longer preoccupying our immediate attention, yet the verdant miasma still threatened to choke our every breath.
I continued to tap into my [Lightning] attribute, zapping bolts of lightning one after another at the (F+) Ilosphat beneath my view. Yet the drawback… the drain from the electrical attacks began to make itself apparent as I drew upon the reserves of my [ABYSSAL MANA] within my soul.
It was a struggle to maintain the arcs of crackling energy sparking along my retractable ears which formed a protective barrier against the suffocating haze. The Doervus, too, activated its electrical prowess, igniting its antlers and formidable form with a brilliant display of crimson power—electrical energy that reached out and dissuaded the (F+) Ilosphat in spectacular shocks. However, the Doervus's lightning was more of a defensive hindrance than an actual threat to the frenzied (F+) Ilosphat.
"Doervus, watch its tail!" I shouted, narrowly avoiding a strike that would have impaled me on the spot.
The Doervus, with lightning speed, pivoted and darted under the (F+) Ilosphat's needle-like tail. With a swift motion, it swung its electrified antlers towards the (F+) Ilosphat's chest, causing a jolt of electricity to surge through the frilled creature's body. The (F+) Ilosphat let out a deafening screech, momentarily stunned by the attack.
As the Doervus continued its electrifying assault, I knew we had to find a way to weaken the (F+) Ilosphat's defenses. Its scales seemed impenetrable, and its ability to absorb our endless onslaught of electricity only made it more formidable.
It had to have a weakness—a chink in its defenses that we could exploit.
I focused my thoughts, searching for any vulnerabilities I could spot upon the (F+) Ilosphat's features. It looked like a dinosaur—a Dilophosaurus to be exact—but with additional adaptations that made it even more dangerous…
…much larger and more ferocious…
…eyes glowing with an irate intelligence as it glared at us… its barbed tongue lashing out with impatience. Two sleek, frilled crests adorned its head and a long, slender body covered in thick, glossy scales. The frilled crest around its head… vibrant in colors and patterns, caught my attention once again. It seemed to serve a purpose beyond mere decoration.
Then, something caught my eye. A faint glimmer beneath the layers of impenetrable scales—a glowing orb nestled within its neck—an emerald bundle of energy. Could that area be its weak spot?
We had to strike it in order to find out.
"Doervus, aim for the orb in its neck!" I whispered into the deer's ear, hoping that my hunch was correct.
However, reaching that vulnerable spot would be a challenge in itself.
The Doervus, still locked in combat with the (F+) Ilosphat, quickly adjusted its strategy. It shifted its focus from the creature's frilled head to its chest, charging at it with its electrified antlers aimed directly at the colorful structure in its neck.
To our dismay, the (F+) Ilosphat quickly darted to the side, not once, not twice, but several times as it sidestepped with quick footed maneuvers. While doing so, its gaze pierced through our souls with its unnervingly large and beady eyes scanning our every move, as if analyzing our every action, anticipating for the slightest mistake. Its eerie presence was unsettling, but what struck me even more was the fact that Ilosphat was keenly aware of our every move—our very objective.
"Preeediccssstable..!" The Ilosphat articulated in a hissing taunt, my eyes widened in surprise as I heard the creature speak. Its voice was low and menacing, reverberating through the air.
This revelation intrigued me, but it also added an unexpected layer of complication to our already strenuous battle against the hyperactive (F+) Ilosphat.
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It continued to adeptly prevent us from finding any opening to its neck as I stabbed my spear toward its throat. Miss. The Doervus followed suit, attempting to pry its antlers into the (F+) Ilosphat's neck with [Regal Ram], utilizing sharp rams and pivots of its enhanced antlers at the Ilosphat's supposed weakness—a ground shaking collision resulted between the beasts' ornamented heads.
I gritted my teeth as the (F+) Ilosphat remained elusive and fought back with frequent strikes of its tongue propelling out, mixed in with bursts of furious, glinting claws—its mouth releasing [Noxious Glob] after glob, leaving no room for respite.
My spear and ears whirled and whipped through the air while making an attempt to protect the Doervus. Swish! Slash! Slash- "AGH!" I screamed out as a blast scraped me on the shoulder.
I winced as I suppressed a cry, and continued on with the ear-flailing process, but it became more complicated to deal with the (F+) Ilosphat as the battle continued.
We desperately circled the (F+) Ilosphat, desperately searching for a weakness to strike. But its menacing needle-like tail swished behind it before unpredictably lashing in-and-out, grazing us, returning to its position, poised to strike and repeat the process at any given moment.
But nothing prepared us for the sheer horror of the (F+) Ilosphat's terrifying [Toxic Haze] that resumed to engulf us with a darker green tinge, making it difficult to breathe, making it a struggle to dodge the merciless onslaught of its cloaked blasts from its monstrous mouth.
Yet we pushed through, our lightning-etched bodies sparking fervently—relentless in our pursuit to conquer this formidable foe.
Through hopelessly-timed dodges, the Doervus and I narrowly evaded the (F+) Ilosphat's venomous projectiles. Its menacing jaws and lashing barbed tail posed a grave threat to harm us, yet our perilously forced reflexes were a match and even superior to its primal aggression. We moved as one, assisting another in a nigh-flawless harmony, engaging in a life-or-death battle where every action and maneuver we took was the result of meticulous preparation and calculated counterattacks against the ceaseless onslaught of the (F+) Ilosphat.
This began to become cumbersome… as we were starting to tire, and I needed to take immediate action… huff, huff, huff.
I decisively spoke out as the Doervus's antlers crashed upon and forcefully knocked the (F+) Ilosphat backwards—the (F+) creature's taloned feet scraping the scorched floor.
"What is your purpose in doing this, Ilosphat?" I demanded, my curiosity burning with an intensity that could not be quenched.
Curiosity can kill the Merecritt, yet I yearned to uncover the secrets behind this vile eldritch creature. I hungered for knowledge, driven by an insatiable desire to decipher its sinister mechanisms. The need to comprehend its thought process and unravel its motivations consumed me completely! The explorative side of me fought against restraint, its fiery passion urging me to relentlessly pursue the truth! I was fascinated upon this creature's predacious perspective. I needed to know. I wanted to know! I. Must. Know!
"Aera…" The Doervus muttered while I remained quivering on its head, heavily breathing and clenching onto its antlers.
I know Doervus… but it was something I needed to attempt…
I kept my gaze fixated on the (F+) Ilosphat, and caught sight of it pausing for a moment. It narrowed its beady eyes, as if considering my question. Its frilled crests rose and fell with each breath, and its barbed tongue remained still.
It seemed to have sensed the intense emotions radiating from me.
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"Little creature speaksss? Why ssshould I bother essplaining mesself to mere prey?" the (F+) Ilosphat hissed, its voice dripping with contempt.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I absorbed its words. But, despite the undeniable sense of dread, my curiosity burned brighter.
"Prey?" I scoffed, a sly smile curling on my lips. "We are far from being mere prey, Ilosphat. I dare you to explain to me why you revel in such malice." I lashed my tail. "What fuels your insatiable thirst for violence? What twisted purpose does it serve?" I further demanded, my voice cutting through the obnoxious cries of the Mournfoon. Yet, underneath my intense questioning, there remained a trace of scholarly fascination, eager to unravel the psyche of the (F+) Ilosphat.
"SssILENCE! Tear! Eat! PREY!" The (F+) Ilosphat's voice boomed as it stepped forward, but suddenly it paused for a moment, its eyes narrowing as it considered my questions once again. Then, with a serrated grin, it replied, "Ilosphat's purposse? Ilosphat's purposse is ssimple, little creature!"
It hissed before biting into and tearing apart a swooping Mournfoon—gone in an instant, its particles absorbed into the (F+) Ilosphat.
As the Ilosphat returned its gaze to us, I could see the festering anger and frustration flicker in its glowing eyes as its frilled crests pulsated with an intensifying glow. "My purpose isss to sssurvive!" The Ilosphat continued. "To assert dominance over lesser beings like yourselves! To feed and multiply! And you, puny Eldriyssals, are nothing but obsstacles in Ilosphat's path! Ilosphat shall devour everything and become stronger!" The (F+) Ilosphat roared, its screech reverberating harshly through the air, causing my ears to fold in response to the dastardly sound.
I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself. I never anticipated encountering a creature so utterly ruthless. But despite the overwhelming terror that attempted to grip me, my desire for knowledge and understanding pushed me forward. I knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to witness something truly extraordinary—if I was already risking my life in the process. I was going to attain as much information as I could.
"I see," I said, a smirk rising in confidence. "And what makes you think you have the authority to dominate?" I managed to muster, my shaking voice steadying. However, it was the respite that made me acutely aware that I had recovered some [ABYSSAL MANA]—maybe the same had been achieved by the Doervus.
The Ilosphat's frilled crests flared even brighter, casting an eerie glow throughout the fogged forest. "Rightss? Shesheshe! Rightss are for the weak," it sneered. "The abyssals has no regard for such trivialities. Power is what matters, and power is what I am! Ilosphat desires it!"
It leaned forward with a hiss, the frills on its head swaying gently in the toxic breeze.
"Eat, FEAR!" The Ilosphat continued. "It is Ilosphat's right, of course, to feasst upon the fear and desspair that plaguess your feeble exisstence. To conssume the very essence of your soul, leaving behind nothing but a hollow husk." Its words pierced through me like icy daggers, a menacing presence that infiltrated every fiber of my being. "Fear iss the mosst potent ssource of power. It grantss Ilosphat strength and sustenance like nothing elsse in this wretched realm. Your fear nourishes me, fueling the chaotic energiess that coursses through my exisstence!"
A mix of terror and fascination swirled within me as I contemplated the implications of its words. What if fear—no, negative emotions were more than just unpleasant sensations, but tangible forces that fed the malevolent creatures lurking within Zeldritzon? The presence of the Mournfoons and the (F+) Ilosphat seemed to validate this unsettling possibility.
I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine as I processed its words. This creature was not just a mindless beast—it had motives, ambitions even. It fought not just for survival, but for power.
Were all Eldriyssals like this?
But we couldn't let its ambitions prevail. The Doervus and I had a purpose too—to emerge victorious or at least survive this nightmarish scenario.
"We will not let you continue your senseless rampage," I declared, slashing with the spear firmly grasped by my ear as it electrified in a dazzling flash of blue. The Doervus, sensing my resolve, let out a powerful roar, its electrical aura intensifying. There was no turning back now as we charged forward, our sights set on the glowing orb nestled within the (F+) Ilosphat's neck!