Reached the hill, the detachment saw Shais. Following his example, everyone ducked and moved to the top.
He looked at something without blinking. Ner looked out from behind the stone and saw the creature.
It moved slowly on four legs.
"Oh my God. This is a mockery of life…” he thought, looking closely.
The thing was as big as it was disgusting. Perhaps once it was a lizard, but now it could only be determined by the remnants of scales and claws on its legs. It was rotten, flesh and bone exposed in many places. The head and tail were missing, instead of them gaping terrible wounds emanating pus. The reptile's skin was scarred, by endlessly healing wounds. Stretched so much, as if the monster wanted to explode from the inside, bursting with poisonous fumes. Large growths crowned his back, covered with holes of various sizes, it was from them that this heavy fog emanated. Where he touched the ground, everything came to life, grew and increased. But just by looking at the source, one could understand. It only brings death.
- “What are we going to do, hero?” - In his soft, but serious voice, said August.
- “Do we have a choice? Will have to destroy it. It's moving towards the settlement, it won't wait”
- “And how do we do it? It is the size of the hotel where we are staying”
- “We'll have to hit with everything we have in stock “- Ner turned around – “The plan is simple, I and a squad of soldiers who have acceleration, we'll try to hold him in place. Magicians under the command of August will begin preparing spells, maximum power. Shais, take the rangers, cover us, who knows what this thing is capable of. Is everyone clear? Questions?”
- “Ho, ho, ho, you are such a serious commander. I even got a little excited, if you know, what do I mean” - August fanned himself with a small fan, hiding a smile behind it.
- “Enough jokes, they will wait until victory!” - Ner got up – “Begin preparations, we have thirty minutes!”
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The melee squad came close to the creature. A dozen more steps and you can touch it. There was no response, it continued to slowly move forward.
- “Stay behind, I'll try to provoke him” - Ner, approached a huge leg that had just sunk to the ground and used the skill.
His muscles bulged, veined. Teeth clenched at the anger filling his mind. Profound energy began to boil, forming an arc from the feet touching the ground to the fingertips clenched into a fist. He swung and struck, using the prop and unleashing incredible power. Flash. The monster's leg ruptured, covering everything with clotted blood and chunks of meat. The creature faltered and crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Ner wiped his face and looked up.
“Damn, I didn't expect that kind of effect. It broke too easily...”.
The air was filled with a soft buzz.
Something told him to run. Something was wrong. Not this way.
The buzzing intensified, turning into a hum. And the world has faded.
The monster growths released an endless swarm covering the sky. Black flies swirled, forming impenetrable clouds. With every second, more and more of them escaped from the decaying body.
- “RUN!” - he yelled and tossed the scroll into the air, exploding in a shower of red sparks. This was the signal to retreat.
The insects rushed towards them. He felt them like a rushing river, and he was swept up and knocked off his feet. The body was covered with a thick layer of these creatures, trying to bite him. They climbed into the eyes, mouth, nose. They clogged all the holes with their bodies, tried to break into the lungs, for the sake of another victim.
Ner released a stream of energy and yelled. The shock wave destroyed thousands of them, forming an even circle of void. In those seconds, he saw the bodies of his squad. Only their outlines could be seen, silhouettes still twitching, completely covered in flies.
From the top of the hill, a clot of flame flew at him. And Ner closed his eyes.
Heat and pain washed over his body, incinerating the approaching swarm. This was followed by a hail of arrows, each exploding, trying to disperse the cloud, which had already seen new victims and was approaching.
“We had to fight!” He began to use attacks with a large radius. Not as effective, spending a lot of energy, but suitable in situations with many small enemies.
“We need to destroy as many as possible! I have to save them!”
He frantically landed blow after blow, becoming more and more inflamed. Regeneration, blessings and gifts of the Goddess will not let him die from this, but his friends…
________________________________________________________________________________________________
New flashes arose every second, all over the battlefield. Arrows crafted by the artisans of Dal-Thoron tunneled through, crushing everything in their path.
August cast spell after spell, his forehead was covered in sweat and his breath hitched. Fire magic, it was always been his favorite. All of his being, from childhood, was drawn to the flame. But he never wanted to be just a magician, he wanted to be himself. Great, Incredible, Legendary August. Become famous. See the world. To make friends. Try everything! And not to sit behind books until death.
And he saw. He tried.
Now, in front of him, stretched real madness. Disgusting and deadly. And no matter how hard he tried; it was getting closer. Second by second, the end was near.
Someone fell down next to him.
One of the magicians reached his limit, the rest looked on the verge.
Shais tore the quiver from one of the scouts. His was empty.
“This is the end…” Sounded in August's head. But he dismissed that thought. Continuing to conjure.
And then I saw his face…
Ner screamed, his roar breaking through the clouds of insects. All covered in blood, distorted by the boundless anger that devours him.
“What did he do to deserve this? Why is he cursed with this gift?
He saved me. But can I, for once, save him?”
- “Yes ... Helt Ar Karna” - Words broke from his lips. And at the same moment, the flames engulfed the body of August. There was no pain, only warmth and light. The fire enveloped him softly. And as soon as he wished, he tore off the ground and sent himself flying, to the very center of battle.
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- “Don’t! Stop! NO!” – Shouted Ner, breaking through to a friend, hovering next to the monster's body.
August smiled. There was a sphere of light around him, not a single fly could touch him now.
First gift. Last gift. Sacrificial flame.
- “Take care of Zwei” - August's eyes closed.
- “NOOO!!!” Ner roared, only a step separated them. His hands reached out to the glow and disappeared, in a fiery storm that covered the entire valley.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ner knelt beside the huge skeleton, listening to the slight crackle of charred bones.
His hands were burned, almost nothing remained of his fingers and palms. And now he felt only pain.
- “What hurts more… Losing my arms or you August?”
- “ANSWER ME! ANSWER!”
