As the sound grew closer, a tall figure emerged from the shadows, clad entirely in armor and wielding a massive battle axe. The aura around the figure was oppressive and dark, causing Yawen and Rui to recoil in sickness. Although Zen did not feel the same physical effects, he was filled with a deep-seated terror.
Rui, eyes wide with realization, muttered, "I think this is the necromancer's work."
From the darkness, the necromancer appeared, his evil laugh echoing through the chamber. "Behold my greatest invention," he proclaimed. "It will kill you all."
Zen's gaze fixed on the necromancer; he demanded, "Who is this?"
The necromancer ignored the question, instead declaring, "This is my greatest creation. I made him from the dead body of a warlord I found. He has infinite essence."
Rui stepped forward, determination in his voice. "Yawen and I will fight the necromancer, Zen. It seems you have to take on this guy yourself; defeating the necromancer should destroy his summons. You just need to fight and survive as long as you can."
Zen nodded, steeling himself for the battle ahead. The armored figure's presence was overwhelming, but he knew that his friends were counting on him. He gripped his sword tighter, preparing to face this formidable opponent.
Yawen and Rui charged at the necromancer; their combined attacks forced him back. Meanwhile, Zen confronted the armored giant, every muscle in his body tense with anticipation. The figure swung its massive battle axe, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through the ground. Zen dodged, feeling the rush of air as the axe barely missed him.
Zen's breath quickened as the summonsman before him exhaled a gust of poison. The creature's mismatched eyes—one blue, one green—glowed ominously. "Who is this?" Zen demanded, his voice echoing through the dark chamber. The necromancer, cloaked in shadows, sneered.
"You are going to die anyway," the necromancer replied coldly. "There's no need for you to know."
Zen thought to himself, His eyes are like mine. Just who is he?
With a swift motion, Zen drew his sword and dashed toward the summon. His blade struck the creature's armor, but to his dismay, the attack had no effect. The necromancer laughed, a sinister sound that echoed off the stone walls.
"Those are dragon scales," the necromancer explained, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Thousands of times stronger than king serpent scales. I refer to this creation of mine as 'the one.' It is my strongest creation ever."
From behind Zen, Rui and Yawen launched their attack on the necromancer. In response, the necromancer summoned a horde of his grotesque experiments and other foul creations. Yawen and Rui, clad in armor and wielding weapons forged from serpent scales, faced the oncoming wave of deformed soldiers and twisted humans. The creatures marched with uncoordinated steps, emitting eerie, inhuman sounds. Their faces contorted in expressions of sorrow, as if begging to be freed from their torment.
"These undead are immune to poison," Rui shouted over the cacophony of battle. "They can only be destroyed by fire art."
Yawen, lacking an affinity for fire arts, grimaced. "That's quite a problem," she said. "Any ideas?"
"We can do it together," Rui suggested, determination in his eyes.
As the necromancer tried to flee, Rui's instincts kicked in. He hurled a knife that struck the necromancer's leg. The necromancer screamed in agony as the blade, infused with a special combination of herbs concocted by Yawen, burned the wound.
"Fucking child," the necromancer spat through gritted teeth. "I'll rip you to pieces like those in the wall!"
Rui remained undeterred, his focus unwavering. He continued to fend off the necromancer's summons, his movements precise and relentless. The grotesque creatures advanced, their numbers overwhelming, but Rui and Yawen fought back with all their might. Yawen's new weapon cleaved through the undead, while Rui's fire-infused attacks reduced them to ash. After taking care of all the necromancers's summons, Yawen and Rui headed for the necromancer. The necromancer once again ran away, with Yawen and Rui chasing after him.
Despite the chaos, the necromancer's words echoed in Zen's mind. Who was this summons? Why did it have such unique characteristics? He needed answers, but for now, survival was paramount. Zen's eyes narrowed with resolve. The battle was far from over.
Without warning, the summons lunged at Zen, swinging its massive battle axe with terrifying speed. Zen narrowly dodged, his axe striking the ground and sending a shockwave through the chamber. He could feel the power behind the blow and knew that one direct hit would be fatal.
Zen and the summon clashed fiercely, the sound of their battle echoing through the ruins. Each strike from the summon's massive axe reverberated through Zen's sword, the force of the blows threatening to overwhelm him. Zen dodged a horizontal swing, narrowly avoiding being cleaved in two. He countered with a swift slash of his sword, aiming for a weak spot in the armor. His blade glanced off the dark scales, leaving only a faint scratch. Frustrated, Zen backed off, trying to reassess his strategy.
The summons, relentless and implacable, followed Zen, its glowing eyes fixed on him. Zen decided to run, weaving through the ancient ruins to create distance. The summon's surprising speed kept it close behind, its heavy footfalls echoing like thunder. Zen's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to survive this onslaught.
He tried using his elemental arts, summoning fire, air, earth, and water in rapid succession, but the summon seemed impervious to all of them. It shrugged off his attacks as if they were mere annoyances. Desperate, Zen hurled his sword at the summon's head. The blade found a gap in the helmet, piercing the summon's eye. But to Zen's dismay, the creature was unfazed and continued its relentless pursuit.
Zen quickly drew his daggers, forged from the scales of the serpent king. Infusing them with elemental fire, he felt the familiar warmth spread through the blades. Using wind arts to enhance his speed and strength, Zen became a blur of motion. He dashed at the summon, landing a powerful kick on its chest. The force of the impact sent the creature flying backward, crashing into a crumbling wall.
Breathing heavily, Zen took a moment to regroup. He pulled out the herbs Yawen had given him, feeling a surge of Essentia as he consumed them.
Essentia, the fundamental energy that powered his elemental arts, flowed through him, revitalizing his body and mind. He felt a renewed sense of strength and determination.
Despite this, Zen understood the immense gap between his strength and the summon's indomitable body. The creature was a testament to the necromancer's dark power—a nearly unstoppable force. Zen's only hope was to buy as much time as possible for Yawen and Rui to defeat the necromancer.
Zen charged at the summon again, his movements fueled by the enhanced Essentia coursing through him. His daggers, blazing with elemental fire, struck at the summon's weak points. He danced around the creature, landing blows with precision and speed. Each strike was a calculated attempt to slow the summon down and keep it from reaching Yawen and Rui.
The summon's attacks were relentless, each swing of its axe a deadly threat. Zen dodged and parried, his enhanced speed giving him an edge. He knew he couldn't defeat the summons outright, but he could keep it occupied.
Meanwhile, Yawen and Rui pursued the necromancer through the labyrinthine corridors of the ancient ruins. The necromancer darted into a dark room, and Yawen quickly lit a torch to pierce the shadows.
"Use your wind art to enhance the fire," Rui suggested urgently.
Yawen nodded and combined her elemental arts, creating a giant flame that illuminated the entire room. The necromancer's shadow was cast against the far wall, revealing his hiding spot behind a large statue. He muttered an incantation, and a glowing circle appeared on the floor, summoning a horde of undead knights.
"Stay behind me," Yawen instructed Rui. "I'll handle this."
With grace and precision, Yawen moved her limbs in a fluid, rhythmic pattern, channeling her elemental energy. The undead knights, caught in her spell, were immobilized, unable to advance. The necromancer watched in a mix of awe and fear, impressed by her power.
In a desperate move, the necromancer summoned rageful apes, their eyes burning with fury. "How will you handle this, dear?" he taunted. "How about this? Join me and be my bride. I'll give you a life of luxury."
Yawen's eyes narrowed in disgust. "Am I so ugly that you thought you had a chance?"
The necromancer's face was twisted in fury. "Kill Rui," he commanded his apes, "but take Yawen alive!"
The rageful apes charged at Rui, their growls echoing through the chamber. Yawen stepped forward, her hands glowing with elemental energy. With swift, decisive movements, she directed bursts of wind and fire at the apes, creating a barrier between them and Rui. The apes recoiled, struggling against the powerful elements.
Rui, taking advantage of Yawen's defense, prepared his own attack. He infused his knives with a potent combination of herbs and Essentia, throwing them with deadly accuracy at the necromancer's summons. The enchanted blades pierced their targets, causing them to dissolve into nothingness.
The necromancer, seeing his forces dwindling, grew more frantic. Yawen and Rui pressed their advantage, their coordinated efforts overwhelming the remaining threats. As the last of the summons fell, Yawen advanced on the necromancer, her eyes blazing with determination.
"You've underestimated us," she said, her voice steady and cold. "This ends now."
As Yawen approached the necromancer, the necromancer got scared. Seeing his forces extirpated, the necromancer grew more desperate. With a sudden, unexpected move, he flung a small, dark object at Yawen. It struck her arm, seeping into her skin with a sharp sting. Yawen said you little shit, you dare use underhanded tactics.
On the other hand, Zen was locked in a fierce battle with the summon. The monstrous figure suddenly charged at Zen and landed a powerful punch. Zen retaliated with a punch of his own, but the force of their collision sent Zen flying backward, crashing into a stone pillar. The summon then threw its massive battle axe onto the ground, creating a huge crack and sending shivers through the chamber.
With alarming speed, the summons closed the distance between them. Before Zen could react, the summons grabbed him by the hips and launched him into the air. Zen felt a moment of weightlessness before he was slammed into the ground with bone-crushing force. His back hit the stone floor with a sickening thud, and the impact knocked the wind out of him. Zen's vision blurred as pain radiated through his body, and within moments, he slipped into unconsciousness, lying motionless on the cold ground.