ตอน 187: CHPT 187: Purpose.
A Hexenbiest. A WitchBeast. The name itself hinted at what the creature that hid and reappeared from behind the dead trees ahead of them was.
Inhuman, rotted and razor sharp. It's features were monstrous- like something out of a horror story. It's features and appearance openly explained one obvious part of its name. But the first was the most unsettling.
Witch.
It could mean any number of things, but the most dangerous— and obvious, would be the ability to use Magic.
They'd all already seen the hellish horror flying above them like a nightmarish ghost. But was that the extent of its abilities? Even if it was, now it was much different. It's been transformed by hell— given more power, more anger and a new diet. A diet consisting of all things wrong and perverse on earth— and specifically the rich and invigorating taste of Claude's hatred. So the question was, how strong can a monstrous inhuman Witch-Monster become when infected with the power of Hell?
They'd find their answer soon.
***
Ursula stood over the dry and stiff grass, held up by legs that felt like jelly. They shook and trembled with the rising of her fear as the monster approached— as it became more real. Much like her legs, her hands held onto her axes but threatened to drop them at any moment. Even though the HellBred Plated Snake she fought with Claude was much bigger— the thing they watched in the distance was much more terrifying. Much like how she felt. Terrified.
Her eyes didn't dare to leave the wraithlike form of the Hexenbiest ahead of her, but she knew if she looked over to Isaac, Warren and maybe even Maris, they'd hold the same look of terror. Oddly enough, she couldn't say the same for Claude.
He paced back and forth, in and out of her sight. Huffing and snarling in unison with the hulking PitWolf that mirrored his movements. They moved like they shared one mind spread over two bodies. One stomping over the grass, sword in hand and claws outstretched. Another padding behind on all fours, hackles raised to the clear sky above and pearling white teeth bared menacingly. From what she could see, it didn't look like a spec of fear controlled any of their movements.
It confused and scared the hell out of Ursula. They both fought the Plated Snake in the Redwoods all those months ago, but Claude and Frosty moved abnormally. They moved like this was personal. Deeply personal.
A young man and a PitWolf, two different species made identical by the personal vendetta they seemed to have against the HellBred Hexenbiest.
An infinitely long amount of soundless seconds passed with the Monster slowly approaching until it was a mere 20ft ahead of them and even closer to Claude. It stopped and faced them all— an odd thing for a Monster to do when facing humans.
With it so close, Ursula could see it in full and unsettling detail. The way it's naked and boney chest expanded and shriveled with every ragged breath. The way the fiery veins that marked the HellBreeder's bite, fluctuated and pulsed with life. This was in fact very real.
Claude stopped pacing and faced the Hexenbiest in front of Ursula. Everyone else was too confused— too scared to shatter the slowly built silence they sat in.
It seemed none of them would have to. They all jumped as Claude turned his head and sniffed the air like an animal before speaking.
"I'm gonna say it again. If you're afraid, leave. Even if you aren't, leave….but I'm not going anywhere. And none of you are telling the Professors about this." He said, his voice sounding oddly deep to the group.
"W-why?" Warren asked.
"Because, this is personal. This is my fight. And it won't matter. This Monster has a purpose." Claude replied, his voice raw with emotion and something else. Something that raised the hair on their arms.
"A purpose?" Maris asked, greatly confused by the entire situation.
Claude raised his sword to the Hexenbiest across from him that stood menacingly with a wicked hunch that curled its spine. "Tell them why you're here, you ugly bastard."
To everyone's surprise, the creature snapped its exposed jaws causing the tattered cheek flesh on its face to flap like wings while it raised one gangly arm to point at him. Making its answer clear to everyone. An answer that made sense. The horrifying monster didn't just stumble into the Tangent and happen to fly over to where they were. It was here for a reason. It was on a mission, a mission to kill Claude.
Slowly, everyone realized the fact Ursula had been aware of for a while— now feeling the severity of the situation.
"Someone told me once, fear is good. It will keep you alive. But too much of it will become the weight that drags you down to your own defeat. So if you need to leave, that's fine. But those of you that stay, I'll do everything I can to keep you alive. And I'll do everything I can to kill this thing, I swear it." Claude said— repeating something Arne told him, in a voice oozing with vengeful tenacity.
While he spoke, the state of his voice— his body language, it all reminded Ursula of one thing. One very important thing— a memory. The memory of their first Tangent gone wrong. When they were left inside, he repeatedly voiced his hatred and took the beatings of the monsters head on. Alone.
She'd be damned before she found herself being useless in a fight again.
A purpose. Her purpose restated in her mind and resonated through her entire body like a living pulse. It ran along her flesh, giving rise to more goosebumps. It shook her bones, bringing back the solid unwavering strength to her powerful legs and hands that now gripped her axes tightly. The fear was still there, but Claude's intensity and her own urge to overcome her past self shone above the darkness of it all like a flaming sun.
"Yea well, what kind of friend would I be if I left? I'm not going anywhere." Ursula announced with a spin of her ice'd axes.
She was fully prepared to fight with just Claude since she was the only one who understood the situation, when suddenly someone next to her shifted their stance in the crunchy grass. Someone else was getting ready to fight the hideous creature that waited hauntingly in front of them.
"I wouldn't be that good of a Knight if I was leaving fights left and right. I'm staying too." Isaac said, increasing their chance of surviving that much more.
"Shit!" Warren mumbled from behind them angrily. "Well if you guys are gonna be all cool and stay with your speeches and shit….I guess I'm staying too. Just give me some openings and I'll see if I can hit this hag a few times." Warren added— flinching as the Hexenbiest looked at him when he said the word "hag." He was actively showing a level of bravery he didn't always have.
"Maris, if you're leaving we won't hold it against you." Ursula said to the swordsman closest to Isaac.
"What are you talking about? I don't feel fear. Plus, I'd like to see the numbers that show up when this…..Hexenbiest's head is removed." Maris replied arrogantly, finishing her sentence with an almost bloodthirsty edge to it.
With Maris's response, there was nothing left to say or adjust. Everyone was staying. Everyone was ready to fight. The Hexenbiest sensed it. They were still afraid, but they all had reasons to stay despite this. Some incredibly simple and almost trivial. While others had deep rooted motivations tied to killing the monster ahead of them.
"Haha….haghck!" The Hexenbiest made a laughing bark noise before settling into its own odd form of a combat stance.
Claude and Frosty snarled in unison in response. "You're ready. Good. I want to see you bleed."
FWOOsh!
Claude and Frosty blasted from their positions like two rabid dogs ripping free of their restraints to reach their assailant in the distance. With every silent step he made, more of the forest around them came to life. More of it grew in strength and power. That green flame within the trees and beneath the ground exploded as the forest readied itself to join in on this fight.
"RAGH!" Claude leapt into the air and stabbed at the Hexenbiest's face with his sword.
Swoo!
The creature moved fluidly— but fast, swaying it's long arms violently as it shifted over the grass to avoid the sharpened metal of his blade.
Without hesitation, it flexed its clawed hands and swung at his back.
SWO—
Claude turned just in time to see the Hexenbiest's black claws inches from his face before it's motion was abruptly stopped by the snarling animal behind it that grabbed ahold of its leg.
Before it could react, Frosty shook and threw the monster away from Claude.
"HaaAAgHK!" It snapped its jaws angrily while it rolled through the grass before suddenly rising up to its feet unnaturally, moving like a pair of strings on its back simply pulled it off the ground.
The Hexenbiest barked while the PitWolf snarled angrily at it and attempted to rip its snout open with its claws— completely ignorant to the enraged grunts and heavy footsteps approaching until it was too late.
FWO—
It lunged, eager to hurt the PitWolf only for an ice cold fist holding an axe to abruptly end its advances and send it stumbling backward.
Before it could recover a booted foot smashed into its face. If it had a nose, the kick would have ruined it entirely.
The game of ping pong they played with the Hexenbiest continued with a crushing Shoulder Charge from Isaac that audibly broke a few ribs. By the time it collected itself, a barrage of arrows fell on the creature.
Woo!
It dodged and ducked the silver glinted bolts with ease, making angered grunts and snaps all the while as its fiery veins glowed brighter and brighter.
With its back to the wall of a tree— now riddled with arrows. It completely ignored Warren's attacks and turned to find Claude. Before it could make any movements, a female dashed across its vision, opening the stiff decayed flesh of the Hexenbiest's stomach with her sword and spraying its black blood across the bark behind it.
"There it is!" Claude roared at the sight of its blood in a taunting manner before moving to attack.
FW-
"Don't move!" He roared as the grass beneath the creature halted its attempted attack. Followed by the branches of the trees above coiling down and fastening around its sickly arms like wooden handcuffs.
He had it completely restrained. The forest around them now full of life with lively grass and unwavering trees that surrounded Claude as he ran to reach the Monster. The entire area was now his weapon, and he intended to use it to the fullest extent.
He wasted no time in his attack and used the Wild Magic hovering above to empower his leap into the air above the Hexenbiest like a tiger ambushing a snared deer.
"RA—" He came down eager to feel his sword slide through flesh, only to be stopped in his tracks. Literally.
He hovered in the air with his blade inches from the Monster's throat, motionless. He felt like he was being gripped by an invisible hand. While he fought against the unseen force, he found the creature below almost laughing while its stomach leaked black ooze down onto the natural binds at its feet. The red veins trailing it's haggard body burst with small tufts of flame like it's inside were flowing with lava.
Frosty sensed the oncoming attack and dashed after them.
"HAGHK!"
SHOo!
With a loud roar, the Hexenbiest threw Claude across the forest— including Frosty who couldn't make it in time. The PitWolf's extreme weight caused it to hit the floor early, but Claude crashed through the forest hitting every tree and branch in sight at incredible speeds.
"What the fuck was that?!" Warren asked from his spot with intense fear causing his voice to crack.
Ursula didn't bother responding and let out an enraged roar before charging at the still restrained creature.
She ignored the small flames and glowing veins just as Claud had, completely unaware of the indicator that the Hexenbiest was using its true power.
"HAGHKG!" It let out another deafening snap of its jaws, shattering the natural restraints and causing an unseen forceful wave to radiate through the forest like a tidal wave.
SHOOM!
It tore up the grass and shook the trees before knocking everyone off their feet and throwing them through the forest violently like lifeless rag dolls.
***
[Berserker's Rage: 30...40%]
Ursula was the first to wake. Her eyes fluttered open, bringing with it pains and aches everywhere that threatened to drive her into a rage prematurely.
She laid in the grass for a few seconds, listening to the absolute silence that followed the blast before remembering they were in the midst of battle. The adrenaline rush came flying back, causing her hands to shake against the grass and her lungs to suck in large quantities of air.
"Shit! What was that? Where is everyone?" She scrambled before sitting up.
She scanned the new portion of forest she was in eagerly.
Ahead of her, she could see the small portion of forest Claude brought back to life. In the heart of the green battleground, the Hexenbiest stood like a ghost— slowly beginning its walk to reach them.
To her left, Isaac lay unconscious against the base of a tree with his blood leaking freely down its bark. Warren and Maris were nearby in the grass in a similar state.
Her pulse quickened as she tried to find Claude, aware that he was hit the hardest.
Crk!
She spun back to her left to find Isaac shifting his position against the tree making expressions of pain and grunting angrily.
"Isaac!" Ursula yelled to him.
His eyes abruptly came open as if he was waking up from a nap before remembering where he was and visibly tensing.
"U-Ursula you alright?" He asked while he painfully felt the gash on the back of his head.
"I'm fine. What about you? Are Warren and Maris breathing?"
Isaac turned to the Swordsman and Archer before turning back to face her and nodding, "What the hell was that attack? We can't take another one of those."
"I'm more worried about Claude. He was thrown the hardest." Ursula replied as she got up painfully.
She quickly retrieved her axes and went to help up Isaac while he looked around the forest.
"Come on. Nobodies awake, we have to hold it off." Ursula said as she grabbed Isaac's hand and pulled him to his feet.
In spite of their situation, Isaac laughed to himself. "Round 2 it is." He said as he dusted himself off.
She was ready to reply to his comment when she noticed him stiffen while he looked at something to the right of her. "W-what is it…?"
Isaac raised a hand while he squinted with confusion, "it's Claude….was he hit with fire?"
Ursula spun around, ignoring the approaching Hexenbiest to find Claude.
He was a few dozen feet away walking back into the fight with a slight limp. Frosty followed behind. But his limp wasn't the problem, and she quickly understood why Isaac asked if he was burned.
Every few steps, he'd place his hand on a tree— bringing the grass below and tree itself back to life almost effortlessly while his claws scratched across the bark deeply. Only, his claws were jet black and long— like talons.
Because of the way he was walking, she couldn't see his face. Gladly. But she could see something else.
He was…..steaming?
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