บท 11: Battle in The Fog
The sisters were in utter despair, their desperate situation with the relentless tentacles of a monstrous ghoul closing in. Just when hope seemed like a distant memory, a voice pierced through the chaos and reached Clarisse's ears, snapping her out of her desolation. "How long can you hold on in this form?" The voice belonged to Zac, a seemingly ordinary child, but with an extraordinary presence.
Clarisse turned her head slightly, disbelief etched on her face. Zac's calm eyes met hers, devoid of fear, and her heart fluttered with the hope that he might have a solution. However, her logical mind quickly crushed these budding hopes. "What can a small child do in this situation?" she thought, her skepticism overshadowing her newfound optimism.
But Zac spoke again, his voice laced with authority, as if he knew something they didn't. "How long can you hold on in this form?" he reiterated, specifically referring to the power-up Clarisse had gained by burning her blood. Elsie also turned her head, intrigued by the sudden turn of events.
"At most five minutes," Clarisse replied, almost surprised by her own response.
"Five minutes is more than enough," Zac declared, his confidence unwavering. Before anyone could react, two dragon-headed daggers materialized in his hands, their blades extending from the dragon's jaws. The sight left the sisters stunned.
Zac's aura surged, breaking through to the middle-stage F Rank. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot, and with a blur of motion, he sliced through three of the tentacles. The sisters watched in astonishment as the tentacles, known for their flexibility and rapid regeneration, were effortlessly cut down. Though they observed the tentacles regenerating at an astonishing speed, Zac had a plan.
Realizing the true nature of their enemy, Zac turned to Clarisse and Elise, urging them to hold on for a few minutes while he dealt with the situation.He realized that the key to defeating them lay in locating the main body. Zac turned to face Clarisse and Elise, revealing his determination as he declared, "Hold on for a few minutes. I will go take this thing out." Without waiting for their response, he jumped onto one of the remaining tentacles of the ghoul, revealing his mastery of the art of combat.
The tentacle writhed and attempted to dislodge Zac, but he remained unfazed. Simultaneously, Zac released two death puppets into the ground, and Bella, a mysterious entity concealed in his pocket, was freed without the sisters' awareness. He instructed Bella to intervene if Clarisse couldn't endure until his return.
The tentacle made a final attempt to shake Zac off, but he leaped, expertly thrusting his dagger into the approaching tentacle. The resulting roar reverberated as the monster dragged the impaled tentacle and Zac into the fog, accompanied by its other appendages.
The sisters felt as though they were living in a dream, their burden lightened by the reduction in the number of tentacles. Clarisse ceased her blood-induced power-up, feeling a wave of weakness and nausea coursing through her. She fought to remain resolute, and together with Elise, they faced the remaining tentacles, their eyes fixed on the fog where Zac had disappeared.
Unexpectedly, Clarisse's determination surged, and she declared, "Elise, I'm going in."
"I'm coming with you, Sis," Elise affirmed, her expression resolute.
With a determined slash at the tentacles, they plunged into the fog in pursuit of the other ghoul. Unbeknownst to them, a miniature figure followed closely behind, accompanied by two black spots on the ground. These were Bella and the death puppets.
In the meantime, the tentacle had drawn Zac back to its main body. Zac clung to the dagger embedded in the air, his surroundings transforming into a surreal scene. A massive black tree emerged, tentacles extending from its twisted trunk. The tree featured a large eye in its center and a mouth bristling with pointed teeth. In an instant, the tree morphed into a four-legged monstrosity, the eye and toothy mouth still prominent. Four tentacles sprouted from its back, while the fifth became its tongue. The ghoul unleashed a deafening roar.
Zac finally understood why they were known as shapeshifters. The tentacles, which had previously been severed, regrew and lunged at Zac. Without waiting for a reply, Zac jumped, landing on one of the remaining tentacles of the ghoul to maintain his balance.
The tentacle attempted to dislodge Zac, but he evaded its movements and leaped toward the main body, forcefully slashing with his dagger. However, the ghoul was no pushover; it evaded or blocked Zac's strikes with its tentacles. Undeterred, Zac tapped into his reserves, unleashing his death energy. Eight skeletons emerged from the ground, each positioned to confront the tentacles. Five of them engaged with the tentacles, while Zac and the remaining three advanced on the main body.
These skeletons wielded a variety of weapons forged by Zac, created from valuable metals native to his home planet. While they might not have matched his dagger, they were formidable in their own right. One skeleton brandished a short sword, another a hammer, and the third a spear.
With a wave of Zac's hand, the short sword-wielding skeleton lunged at the ghoul, forcing it to evade and approach the spear-wielding skeleton's strategic position. Since Zac had broken through and had an increase in his death energy and mental energy,Zac personally controlled these three skeletons, leaving the rest under Bella's command within his soulsea. As the spear impaled the ghoul's back, the hammer-wielding skeleton exploited the opportunity to leap and deliver a devastating blow to its head.
The ghoul's head was mangled, though it displayed a slower regeneration compared to its tentacles. The sword-wielding skeleton aimed for the neck, intending to sever it. As the ghoul attempted to dodge, it found itself trapped by the spear and the hammer.
The sound of slicing echoed, and the ghoul's head tumbled to the ground, signaling the end of the battle. Zac was far from celebratory, though. He inquired of Bella, "What's the situation there?"
Bella's response was reassuring, "No need to worry. The sisters performed better than I expected, with only a bit of discreet assistance. We're about to conclude our end."
Zac's tense heart eased at her words. With a commanding gesture, Zac channeled his death energy to envelop the ghoul's lifeless form and uttered a cryptic command: "Arise." A sudden, eerie glow illuminated its once vacant eyes, swiftly vanishing. In response to his dark incantation, the creature ascended, reborn into a sinister existence.
He began to tread carefully in the sisters' direction, withdrawing the death puppets and the newly added ghoul into the Death Scripture and leaving a trace of death energy on the ground, ready to summon them should he encounter further danger.
Arriving at their location, he discovered the sisters kneeling before the lifeless ghoul, utterly drained and covered in wounds.
Clarisse summoned her strength and voiced her concern, "Elise, we need to look for Zac. He might need our help." Both women remained fixated on the ghoul's corpse.
Elise tried to rise, but her injuries and fatigue overwhelmed her, causing her to collapse. Sensing her need, Zac flashed behind her and caught her, gently lowering her onto his back.
Elsie raised her head to behold her savior, and her exhaustion-fogged eyes widened in astonishment. Zac's hands found her head, and he patted it reassuringly. "You should rest; I will take care of the rest."
As if a switch had been flicked, Elise's weary eyes drooped, and she succumbed to a deep slumber. Zac then turned to Clarisse, who observed him with a mix of emotions, curiosity, and caution.
"Can you move on your own?" Zac asked, his concern evident.
"Yes, but what happened to the other…"
Before Clarisse could finish her sentence, Zac interrupted, "We'll talk once we leave the ghoul's territory." Clarisse nodded, and they embarked on their journey. Clarisse followed, with Zac carrying Elise on his petite frame. To their relief, no further danger crossed their path. They pressed onward, not halting even at the border of the Vampire's territory. It was only when they ventured deeper into Vampire territory that they allowed themselves a moment of respite.
Elise remained peacefully asleep on Zac's back. Clarisse and Zac settled down, with Elise resting on Zac's lap. Her injuries continued to mend, a testament to her resilient nature. Clarisse gazed intently into Zac's eyes, brimming with curiosity and longing for answers.
Zac met her gaze, his eyes reflecting a medley of emotions—curiosity, caution, awe, a touch of compassion. The air was heavy with anticipation as Clarisse finally mustered the courage to voice her pressing questions.
"Who are you really?" she inquired, her eyes searching for the truth.
Zac held her gaze unwaveringly. "My name is Zac. Zero is another name I go by where I come from. As for my origin, it's too distant for you to comprehend. I was traveling elsewhere when circumstances intervened, and I ended up here. I know little about this place and where I am," he shared.
He paused, revealing a vulnerability that disarmed Clarisse. "I apologize for lying about losing my memories. Back then, I didn't know you or have any understanding of this place, so it seemed the best choice."
Clarisse met his gaze and found no trace of deception. She felt compelled to trust him this time, her heart softening as she considered the hardships he must have endured.
"What are your plans now? Do you intend to return?" she inquired.
"Return? I've just left my home, and I have no one waiting for me there," Zac replied with a calm, somber tone. The weight of his words left Clarisse feeling deep empathy for his plight. What experiences had this young child endured to have such a composed demeanor? What had driven him to venture so far from his home at such a tender age? As her thoughts deepened, her heart ached for Zac's situation.
Even Bella, discreetly hidden in Zac's pocket, was moved by his words, her invisible face contorting with emotion. Zac's nonchalant response masked the profound sorrow he carried within him.
Zac continued, "I plan to find the nearest city, gather information about this place, and seek ways to earn a living. It seems I'll be here for a while, so I must grow stronger."
The fire of determination glinted in his eyes, and Clarisse, though overwhelmed with curiosity, could sense the depth of Zac's resolve. They knew that their fates had become intertwined with his, and an unspoken bond was forming among them in the crucible of their shared trials.
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