Chương 19: Making Through the Fog

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"Form a tight circle around Vodgo! I'll handle these pests!" Von barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Cutting a surge of blood in his hand, he crafted essence bullets within seconds. With a swift reload, he took aim at the sky, but the Nix drakes were lightning-quick, darting between the clouds with unmatched speed.

Cappy swooped in to intercept one of the drakes, drawing its attention away from the escaping Amberskins.

"If you can't be hit with just one bullet then . . . Time for the big guns," Von muttered, his eyes narrowing as he drew a large amount of blood.

The essence coalesced into a massive, pulsating bullet. He holstered his revolver and pulled out a shotgun, its weight reassuring in his hands. With a practiced motion, he loaded the oversized bullet and fired.

The shot exploded through the sky, a deadly spread of essence shards tearing through the air. The Nix drakes, no matter their speed, could not evade the scattered magic bullets. They fell from the sky, crashing to the ground in a storm of scales and shattered bones.

Horizon couldn't shake the curiosity about Von's true abilities. The elf was a mystery wrapped in combat prowess.

While Von could certainly hold his own in close quarters with his long sword, it was clear that Von thrived at a distance. His mastery with an array of firearms — from sleek revolvers to thunderous shotguns — allowed him to deal devastating damage from afar.

The versatility of his arsenal was impressive, making him a formidable force whether engaging enemies up close or picking them off from long range.

Yet, it was Von's blood magic that truly intrigued — and unsettled — Horizon. The way he harnessed his own life force as a weapon was both amazing and disturbing.

Blood Magic, in whatever form, was dark, and eerie in nature that made it so unsettling. The notion of using one's own blood as ammunition added an ominous depth to his combat style, making his abilities as enigmatic as they were powerful.

With the drakes vanquished, the surviving Amberskins seized the opportunity to flee. They retreated to the foot of the cliff, carrying their wounded, leaving behind the blood-soaked camp and the merciless Nix'udjar who continued their horrific rampage.

As they emerged into the foggy plains, the group braced themselves for the next wave of dragonkin, knowing that danger could strike from any direction.

While they caught their breath, Horizon noticed Von stumbling, his usually steady gait faltering. "Von, you okay?" he asked, noticing his weakened state.

"I'm fine . . . just, using my own blood as bullets, it takes a toll. I suffer HP loss," Von replied, his face pale as he tried to steady himself.

"Why didn't you say something earlier? Use the Recovery Potion I gave you," Horizon insisted.

Von glanced at him with a mix of stubbornness and gratitude. "But it's yours."

Horizon couldn't believe Von was thinking about that now. He was too honest for his own good. "Just drink it, idiot!"

"Idiot!" Cappy echoed, fluttering around them. It didn't have any meal yet, so it couldn't transfer health essence into Von at the moment.

Horizon finally got why Cappy was Von's familiar. The bird's healing abilities complimented it's master's class quite well.

Von managed a weak smile, finally uncorking the potion and drinking it down.

The color began to return to his face, and Horizon breathed a sigh of relief as they prepared for whatever might come next.

"Isn't that a dangerous skill to have?" Horizon pointed out, his eyes narrowing as he watched Von craft bullets from his own blood. Using his life force as ammunition seemed like a double-edged sword.

Von shrugged, a wry grin spreading across his face. "Usually, it's not a problem. I use my enemies' blood or tap into my reserves. But since getting stuck in this cursed place, those reserves ran dry. I've got no choice now." His grin turned playful, with a hint of something darker. "Maybe you should let me take some of your blood? Who knows what kind of bullet I could create with your essence, hmm?"

Horizon took a quick step back, his hand instinctively resting on his sword's hilt. For a moment, he caught the glint in Von's eyes — a serious, almost predatory look that sent a chill down his spine.

"Don't even think about it."

Von laughed. "I'm just joking around. Don't be too serious. Let's go."

Across the thick mist, Horizon noticed the dark silhouettes of dragonkin circling back, their forms blending with the fog. The dragonkin they had left for dead on the cliff were rising again, their wounds closing as if by some unholy force. The more their brood approached the fallen bodies, the faster they reanimated.

"They're slowing down," Horizon muttered, his voice barely audible over the distant growls and screeches. "It's like they're waiting for their fallen to rise."

Von's gaze sharpened. "Something must be controlling them."

"Could be nothing less than Nix himself," Von said with a grim certainty. "But this mist — it's so thick. It's easy to get lost in here."

Horizon squinted through the fog. Oddly enough, he found that he could see through it better than the others, as if the mist wasn't entirely obscuring his vision. Though not perfectly clear, his visibility was far from zero.

Hours passed as they fled through the mist, the Amberskins splitting into smaller groups to carry their wounded and escape the relentless pursuit of the dragonkin. Horizon and Von soon found themselves separated from the others, forced into a small band of survivors.

They managed a brief rest in the mist, but their respite was short-lived. Another force of Nix'udjar dragonkin intercepted them, emerging from the fog with terrifying speed.

"These guys again?" Von growled, readying his weapon. "There's no end to them."

The two fought fiercely, dispatching five Nix'udjar dragonkin and a corpsemancer with swift quick strikes. Horizon's blade cut through their runes, ensuring they wouldn't rise again. Around them, the Amberskin survivors, following Horizon's earlier advice, destroyed the runes on the dragonkin, preventing their resurrection.

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