A/N - Thank you, Joshua Edward Hautala, TKR, & Liam McDonald, for becoming God of Velmoryn's Patrons!
"Are you sure about bringing Huanir?" Ninali asked, scratching the Tharuun's thick fur behind his ear as she walked alongside me. The large beast let out a low, pleased rumble, his muscular frame lumbering beside her as his tail swayed with each step.
"He is s-strong… and might-t be of help when we face those c-creatures," I answered, my teeth chattering despite my best efforts to control them. The cold was biting deep into my bones, gnawing at my nerves like sharp needles. Out of the entire party, I was the only one visibly affected by the cold. Well, Huanir and I, but at least his thick fur offered some protection, while I had nothing but layers of stiff fabric covered by my shiny armor that barely held back the winter chill.
Thankfully, Ninali occasionally channeled her magic toward both of us, weaving a weak sphere of fiery wind that acted like a protective bubble against the freezing air. Huanir, in particular, adored her for it. Well, that and every time she scratched behind his ear, she somehow found the perfect spot, making his leg twitch uncontrollably as he groaned in satisfaction.
"Ninali, what do we know about these creatures?" I asked, smiling as she once again cast her warmth spell around us. The gentle surge of heat rippled through my skin, melting my stiff muscles. "Anything that might give us an edge?"
"Hmm… They're bigger and stronger than Kurraghal. But we have no real idea how to kill them." She trailed off, lips curling into a faint grin. "They only come out in winter, so I'm guessing fire might work well enough. And besides…" she glanced at me, her expression firm with conviction, "...High Father would not have sent us if we stood no chance."
I returned her smile, though mine was thinner. Hollow.
Your high father has no idea how strong these creatures are…
Her blind faith in me, or rather, in him, was no longer comforting. It felt isolating. I was the only one who truly understood that the god watching us from above was not some omnipotent, ancient deity who could smite all enemies with a single wave of his… will. No, he was weak. Inexperienced. Still fumbling his way through godhood, testing his strength and learning as he went.
The worst part is, he'll kill me the moment I take one wrong step, when my value no longer outweighs my risk.
I knew him too well. He was me, after all. Or had been... For him, I was already a liability. The only reason I was still breathing was because I remained useful. The moment that equation changed, he would cut me loose without hesitation. The only comfort I had was that, unlike others, he could not influence me with divine power directly.
My eyes shifted to Lucas, walking a few paces ahead. His presence unsettled me far more than the snow swirling around us.
The twin crimson blades strapped across his back shimmered faintly beneath the falling snowflakes, the fur-lined leather coat hugging his tall frame. He looked different now. Sharper. Deadlier. His eyes had turned a vibrant crimson, the markings on his face deepening into thicker, almost tribal lines. And most telling of all was the symbol burned into the flesh of his right hand, a perfect replica of the Crimson Guardian's sigil. Verde's symbol.
He had received his second blessing only a week ago. The ritual had nearly killed him. He'd remained unconscious for days afterward. But when he woke, his first words had been a declaration that still echoed in my mind:
"I became High Father's loyal sword."
And I knew exactly what that meant.
Verde had lost direct control over me. I was no longer an extension of him, no longer a branch of his mind. And so, he created a new weapon. Lucas wasn't just a warrior now - he was an executioner. A blade poised to strike should I ever stray too far from obedience.
He's Gold Rank now and his fighting style specializes in stealth and assassination. He's the perfect choice to kill me if it comes to that.
Despite my suspicions, though, I wasn't certain. Part of me wanted to believe Verde wasn't scheming. That perhaps, like me, he had changed. The things I had heard lately, the way he spent his precious divinity to create Essences for the tribe, how he answered Vivien's broken prayers, none of it matched the Verde I once knew. The one I had shared a mind with.
Well, as long as I keep growing stronger, as long as I remain useful, he will protect me. That's already enough… for now.
And so I trudged forward through the snow, the winter wind biting at my face as I silently braced myself for whatever lay ahead.
Truth be told, if it weren't for the gnawing thought that Verde might dispose of me the moment I became more risk than asset, I would have been genuinely excited.
I had consumed every Essence I'd brought back from the dungeon and the spoils taken from Elisabeth. The strength coursing through my body was undeniable - my movements felt lighter, sharper, as if my muscles had been reborn. Sadly, with the severed connection between me and Verde, I had lost access to the system itself. I could no longer see my stats, my growth, or measure my progress by comparing numbers. All I had was instinct. And my instincts told me that I was far stronger now.
Still, I wanted to test my growth on the powerful beasts and then consume their essences too. But that wasn't even the main reason why I was excited.
Around me marched eight more Silver-ranked Velmoryns - each of them bearing unique skills, each a potential opportunity. With Mimic Shell at my disposal, I had several options to consider. But I couldn't afford to be reckless. First, I needed to see their abilities in real combat, to judge which skill was truly worth copying. Mimic Shell came with more than just strict conditions - the cooldown doubled after every successful activation. One mediocre copy, and I could easily lock myself out from copying something crucial when it mattered most.
"Avenor, Huanir's acting strangely," Ninali called out, snapping me from my thoughts.
Even before I fully turned my head, my instincts were already catching up. Huanir's hulking frame had gone rigid, his ears flattened, nostrils flaring wide as he sniffed the air, a low growl vibrating deep within his chest, barely audible against the wind slicing through the trees.
But then I heard a sharp, drawn-out whistle cutting clean through the cold air ahead.
Mirion's signal.
We stopped immediately. I didn't hesitate, my hands moving on instinct as I reached behind Huanir's broad shoulders and unstrapped my equipment. The shield and sword, both reforged personally by Gundir from my crimson shield, gleamed faintly beneath the pale winter sky. The Drukyr had seemed satisfied with his own work when he handed them over, but now was the time they'd face a true test.
And I had a feeling they would need to perform.
"Avenor, with me!" Rodon called from ahead, already sprinting forward, massive shield locked between his arms.
I followed without a word, snow crunching beneath my boots as we pushed through our own ranks. The entire party shifted into a well-rehearsed formation. Vaelari moved quickly into position at the center; as the only healer, his safety was paramount. In front of him, Ninali, Aria, and several other mages formed a second ring, spells already humming faintly in their hands. Behind them, the rangers led by Nia took their positions.
I quickly scanned for Lucas, but he was already gone, vanished from sight, likely slipping into a hidden position for a surprise strike. His new Gold-ranked blessing had only made his stealth abilities even more lethal. At the moment Lucas was likely the best duelist and an assassin in the party.
As we advanced toward the front, the wind picked up, and snow pelted my face, biting at my eyes with every step. I blinked against the cold, forcing myself to keep pace as we closed the distance toward Mirion's position.
When we finally reached him, Mirion stood pressed against nearby trees, his eyes fixed ahead, expression tense and focused. But before we even fully closed in, he sprang sideways, jumping as far as he could. I barely had time to process why before the ground erupted.
The tree he had been leaning against was wrenched free from the soil, ripped up like a fragile sapling, by the massive figure that surged into view.
The troll-like beast stood tall, holding a massive bone club. Its fur was thick, long, and pure white, blending into the snowy landscape almost perfectly. Its face was strange - deep-set eyes shrouded behind heavy furred lids, two large yellow spheres glowed faintly from each eye socket, staring at us menacingly.
I instinctively tightened the grip on my blade as the creature let out a deep, guttural roar that shook the very air. Then, with terrifying ease, it kicked the uprooted tree like a toy, sending it hurtling toward us.
There was no time to think. I dove to the side, barely avoiding the flying trunk, snow exploding beneath me. Rodon, who stood just a few steps behind me, however, held his ground.
With a powerful stomp, he slammed his massive, dark red shield into the ground, snow bursting outward from the impact. The scarlet Oak Tree symbol etched into the shield began to glow, brightening into a vivid crimson as a wide barrier unfurled in front of him like a blooming wall of energy.
The rolling tree struck the barrier head-on, sending a sharp crackling of splintering wood through the air. The trunk shattered into fragments as it bounced off the crimson barrier without leaving a scratch. But just as quickly, the glowing wall of energy dispersed, fading into the air.
"Avenor, cover me!" Rodon called, but even without that, I was already moving into position beside him. The second his barrier dropped, I slid into formation at his flank, shield raised as several mana-imbued arrows whistled overhead, arcing toward the beast as the archers unleashed their opening volley.
The hunt had officially begun.
The beast tried to leap sideways, but instead its bulk collapsed into the snow, face planting hard into the frozen ground as Aria's dark magic constricted its legs. She had already taken hold of it, binding its movements before it could fully react. And then the real assault began.
A giant, searing fireball crashed down onto its exposed body, instantly igniting the dense fur that had blended so perfectly with the snow. Thick smoke billowed into the cold air, the stench of burning flesh mixing with the sickly odor of singed hair.
The arrows arrived next, whistling sharply as they slammed into its hide, each one exploding on impact, digging deep into flesh. Yet, even as its body shuddered under the barrage, the creature refused to give up.
Whether the mounting wounds stirred its survival instincts or Aria's binding spell was losing its grip under the pressure of restraining something that large, the beast finally tore free of the invisible shackles. Its enormous hand clawed at the ground, steadying its massive frame as the other arm reached for the thick bone club it had dropped moments ago. With a roar, it lifted the weapon, using it to shield itself from the last of the incoming arrows and magic spells, hunkering low like a cornered predator readying for another charge.
But the most devastating strike had yet to land.
The hand gripping the club suddenly convulsed, trembling violently as thin spirals of blood erupted from fresh wounds carving their way around its forearm like invisible blades. In one smooth blur of motion, Lucas landed a few steps away, twin crimson blades dripping with green-yellow blood.
The creature howled again, the sound ripping through the air. Despite the mangled arm, it refused to drop the club. It roared, not in pain but defiance, as if challenging us to believe it was still far from beaten. And then, without fully rising, it launched the massive club into the air, not at us in the frontline where Mirion, Rodon, Lucas, and I stood, but straight toward the backline.
Shit…
I could only watch helplessly as the club whistled past overhead, carving through the air like a battering ram aimed at our mages and archers. My breath caught as my eyes followed its path, but where my powers failed, Aria's did not.
A crimson barrier materialized in mid-air, catching the club's momentum with a loud, jarring crack. The shield shattered instantly, but Aria conjured another, then another… layer upon layer, until the club's momentum was fully drained. It finally crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, leaving deep gouges in the snow.
For a heartbeat, all eyes locked onto the backline, everyone bracing for the worst.
The creature, however, was not finished. Its enormous body straightened as a faint green aura radiated outward. The punctured wounds, burns, and lacerations we had inflicted moments ago began to close rapidly, flesh knitting together beneath the sickly glow. Within seconds, its body was whole again, except for the bald patches where the fur had been burned away.
"Get into position!" Mirion barked. He charged forward without hesitation, his crimson-edged axe ready and eyes locked on the towering beast. "Avenor, Lucas, on me!"
The true battle was only just beginning.
**
A/N-
I added a little animation as an experiment, hope you will like it xD
The next chapter on Wednesday
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