Knowing that his prospective ally was observing his every move, and likely reporting back to the chieftain, Dharen knew that now was not a time to be cautious. If he was to secure a strong alliance with the tribal monsters, he would need to demonstrate power. A power that was overwhelming enough to silence any doubts, to quell any misgivings.

He knew well the strength of the Sky Serpent that slumbered before him. Despite its juvenile status, if it was strong enough to cause such trouble for the large number of Awakened Nulzan that lived within the tribe, it was surely an overwhelmingly dangerous foe. As such, Dharen had no intention of fighting it on equal ground.

Pulling a small creature from within his pocket, Dharen crushed it in his grasp. Though he knew it was not the honorable usage of his ability, he found himself unwilling to care in the presence of such a behemoth.

When the Nulzan had not been looking, he had Challenged and concealed a small rodent-like monster. Though it had thrashed and shook, it had been a small matter to bring it unconscious while he searched for his quarry. And now, enough time had passed that he could gain much from its defeat. Dharen’s face split into a grin.

His muscles swelled, seeming to glow with an inner power as he siphoned Strength from his ability’s end. For the next short while, he would be at his strongest, holding the Strength of nearly thirty men.

He stepped forward, cloaking his steps within the grasp of his Boon. His passage left no sound, not even a whisper breaking the silence. He felt the Nulzan’s eyes boring into his back, and he kept his gait steady and confident as a result. It would not do to reveal any semblance of weakness. Despite the Nulzans’ willingness to entreat with him, he was well aware that they were monsters - and he, their enemy.

Finally, he reached the young Sky Serpent. It continued its slumber unabated, heavy breaths bursting from its nostrils. The beast’s head dwarfed Dharen’s body; he had little doubt that the creature could swallow him whole, given the chance. A small whispering of scales from his side rasped off, startling him slightly. He glanced aside, but noted that the Sky Serpent was simply shifting about in its sleep. its powerfully coiled body wrapped around itself. Like its parent, it emanated a powerful aura of Hunger, of unbridled voraciousness.

He tightened his grip upon Restraint. As he did so, he took a single step forward, pushing off with his back foot strongly. Were it not for his use of Softstep, the makeshift nest would have crunched beneath him harshly, shattering with the force of his feet. However, whatever magic caused the silencing of sound also served to lighten his step enough to preserve the floor beneath him. Yet somehow, it did not hinder the strength that he exerted, allowing him to burst forward with his full strength - without even a whisper to proclaim his arrival.

Restraint came down, and as it did so, Dharen activated Overcharge for the first time.

The power of his blow multiplied greatly, compounded by the effects of Overcharge and Restraint itself. The wind roared with his hammer’s passage, and with the very air having already announced his presence, Dharen answered with a roar of his own. A Warcry rang out, adding to his strength once more, while reducing that of his enemy.

Power flowed through his veins, setting his muscles afire. His whole body strained as one, unleashing the greatest blow that he could muster.

The Sky Serpent stirred awake, torn from its slumber by the sound of Dharen’s incoming attack. In a blur, it shifted its head towards him. As it turned towards Dharen, he spotted the familiar shape of a soulseed resting upon its throat. Yet, despite its quick reaction, the beast was too late to prevent his attack.

Restraint, emitting a powerful blue light, collided with the beast’s skull. The combination of Restraint, Warcry, and Overcharge lent an overwhelming strength to his blow. The mighty creature’s skull shattered, splintering inwards. Fragments split from themselves, forming shrapnel that penetrated deeper into the beast’s brain. Blood spurted, showering Dharen, bathing him in the life of his enemy. Despite that, the beast still writhed. Whether it was still alive, or if it simply twitched in its death, Dharen did not know.

The nest shook with the strength and suddenness of his blow. Though it had been built to withstand the weight of the Sky Serpent, the added force of Dharen’s blow was enough to tear it asunder. The platform shattered.

He reacted quickly, grappling onto the mangled head of his foe. He, along with the battered remnants of the Serpent, plummeted towards the jungle floor below. The beast smashed against the nearby Skywoods as it fell, sending dangerous shards of bark flying through the air at high velocities.

He manifested his dagger from within his Spatial Ring, quickly stabbing it through the beast’s scales to provide a greater grip as he began to tumble and whirl. As they fell, the juvenile Sky Serpent’s many wings occasionally caught the air, causing their downwards flight to be momentarily arrested, stifling their speed.

It wasn’t long before they crashed into the soil below, sending a sharp crack across the jungle.

Dharen groaned lightly, bruised and battered. He slowly pulled himself upwards, off from his bedding of scales and serpent. Had it not been for the beast’s anatomy slowing their fall, he had doubts that even his high Vitality would have allowed him to survive. Yet, he had.

Unwilling to reveal any weakness to the watching Nulzan, he rose to his feet and casually dusted off his armor. It was clear that though he had survived the fall relatively safely, his foe had not been so fortunate. While it had likely been doomed from the effect of Dharen’s blow to the creature’s skull, the fall had not done it any favors.

The Sky Serpent’s wings were mangled and torn, its scales ripped and shredded. He reached downwards, confident in its demise. With a single hand, he grasped the monster’s soulseed. And with a jerk, he released it from its former master.

Unwilling to risk losing his prize, Dharen quickly clasped the soulseed tightly within his left hand. It shattered as he set his will upon it, and he greedily absorbed the energy that was contained within. Unlike many others, this soulseed felt different. The power flowed from the remnants of the soulseed in a rushing torrent, overwhelming his senses. It burned its way through his veins, setting him afire in agony.

Despite that, he held firm, refusing to reveal any weakness. In what was likely an instant, yet felt like an eternity, he corralled the burgeoning power, bringing it under his will. Brought under his control, it began to fuse with the Seed of Fear embedded in his shoulder. The powers rippled around one another, twisting and writhing. And then, it was over.

He knew that the soulseed had been of greater strength than any that he had yet encountered, advancing his strength by leaps and bounds.

Dharen stood stockstill, astounded. In a single moment, he had nearly matched the strength of his Fear Seed with that of his Triumph. A moment later, he laughed madly. It wouldn’t be long, he knew, before he would be able to return to the City once more.