{Within the Treacherous Forest}
The grass swayed, and the trees jived with the flowing winds.
A crimson dew dripped from the swaying trees that were bent over as if kneeling to their maker.
Up above, the darkening blue sky flickered its celestial rays down upon the land.
Amidst the tragic scene of destroyed foliage and toppled woodland, a lone figure treaded through, carving a path out as they walked over the destruction that lay past them.
The figure glowed with an ethereal white light, a beautiful slim figure that sparkled beautifully and left prints of light with every step it took, yet it was not walking.
Each step was more akin to a leaf fluttering in the wind or a slice of grass gently floating horizontally.
As they approached a toppled tree, it placed its hand upon the fallen landmass.
It had no fingers, but its ends were akin to a butter knife's edge smoothed over as it was for all the ends, including its singular "toe" that danced along the soil floor.
Its bright emerald eyes glimmered as it glanced up the tree to the "bitter fruit" that hung among them, the crimson dew steadily dripping downwards.
An angelic voice, one so heavenly that it filled the surrounding foliage with vitality, sounded out, "Children..." a sorrowful gaze cast across its face, "You've all suffered so much."
WOOOSH!!
A strong gust of wind breezed by, swooping the "bitter fruit" off the jagged branches and slowly onto the floor, carefully laying them down in front of it.
A mournful gaze was cast as it observed the "bitter fruit," bodies dried up, dripped dry of their "dew," and left to rot for many days from the sharp branches.
As the figure continued examining, it found traces of battle and injuries on the figures.
A look of rage replaced its mournful face, "So... this is where you've gone" a green aura radiated through the air, causing the bending trees and the wobbling grass to rot.
"I will find you..." the figure spoke with a resolute chant, "And you will pay."
WOOOOSH!!
As the figure dispersed with the winds, a looming warning was sent out to its target.
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{Meanwhile at the Cave...}
"You're nothin' but a bitch!"
A brawny man broke out in a cocky smile as he leaped towards the robed man across from him.
The rippling pond next to them coiled with each blow they exchanged, reflecting the dark red sky above as if molding into a bitter wine.
The scent of soil wafted through the air, intertwining with the colorful auras of green and blue that soared and clashed through the sky.
The lanky figure across from the brawny man leaped backward and dodged each blow, striking back once he saw an opportunity, only for his attack to be rendered useless by the ivory spikes protruding from his opponent's body.
'Damn...' the Mini-boss cursed to himself, 'I need to find an opening.'
All while this battle took place, a young lad was spectating from the tall grass.
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{From Within the Tall Grass}
As Oz watched on, he was mindblown by this level of fighting; these 2 were leagues, if not multiple leagues, above him.
Sweat dripped down his forehead as a nervous smile spread across his face, 'I'll only have one opportunity before I'm dead.'
He quietly inhaled and exhaled, calming his nerves, 'I gotta make it count.'
The boy continued watching on, the battles of the titans reminding him of the clash between the pig and snake from not long ago.
Yet at that moment...
"ENOUGH!" the brawny man yelled out as a cold blue wave of aura burst forth from him, sending the lanky figure toppling back across the muddy floor with frostbite enveloped over him.
Finally, as the robed man's thin figure slowed down from bouncing along the short grassy floor, he looked up towards his opponent.
"W-wuh?" a shocked look spread onto the Mini-boss's face, "Y-you've already?-"
"That's right." the brawny man interjected as he prowled towards his opponent across from him, chunks of ice slowly creeping across his muscular body, "I've gotten to the realm, even you couldn't hope to get."
A look of shame and frustration shot onto the lanky man's face as his mouth foamed in frustration, "Fff-, ya think I got here just cuza' realm?!"
He slowly wobbled to his feet as fierce winds swirled around him, causing Oz to cover his eyes to protect his sight from the scattering debris.
"No ya bastard!..." the lanky man shouted as his cloak began to flap upwards from the fierce winds, revealing his green-tinted skin underneath with tints of purple-skinned frostburn eating away at his flesh.
His robes ripped into thousands of shreds at the swirl of wind, revealing his toned physique underneath.
His abs glistened under the darkening sky as the frost melted from his body and his festering wounds began to heal.
The brawny man chuckled at this sight, "So... ya getta Weedcur, and ya think ya stand a chance?"
Sarcastic chuckles sang through the air, "To think I used to be jealous of that trash ya found..."
The lanky man who stood a good 10ft(3m) away grimaced as the brawny man continued on, "No, I've found even greater power!" as the man's icy blue skin illuminated and eyes shone with a fierce blue light.
SWOOOOOSH!!
A sharp light burst forth from his body with a loud shout as his opponent across from him did the same, sending forth fierce colors that swirled in the air, and in the eyes of the boy, 'The world is just 2 colors now...'
The young boy who stood aside as a prowling onlooker was forced to shut his eyes and turn away, covering his face with his hands as the clashing bright lights were too bright for his mortal optics to bear, toppling onto his butt as the glowing radiance poured out onto the darkening lands.
Within the radiance, sounds of explosions and battle continued on.
Oz, none the wiser to what was occurring within this fuselage of burning rays, began counting down internally, waiting for the light to pass and for his opportunity to arise once more.
'1-'
BOOOM!!
'35-'
"GAHHHHH!!"
'73-'
"YOU FAKIN BASTARD!!!"
'324-'
Finally, after what felt like centuries of no sight and only hearing, the battle that continued to grow in severity finally ceased.
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PAH!
Like a bubble being popped or a mystic creature of light being crushed to death, the light suddenly diminished, not like a steady decline, but as if a lightbulb was shattered, returning the darkening lands to its previous dreary state.
Twinkles of soft snowflakes and gentle breezes of wind drifted through the air.
Oz, who was still adjusting to the various changes in brightness, began to rub his eyes, his blurry vision slowly adjusting as he saw 1 figure standing over the other.
'Who won?' the boy wondered as he scrambled back to his knees, doing his best to stay quiet yet also hastily preparing himself to strike as he assured himself, 'I just need the final hit on one of those bastards, and then I'm outta here.'
As the dust settled and the boy's vision readjusted, he prepared a firm piece of earthen soil in his hand, compressed for maximum pain and lethality, the lad assured himself, 'If it can kill those rats, it can kill these bozos...' he gulped, 'I hope.'
Finally, his vision fully readjusted to, in his surprise, see the lanky man standing over the brawny man.
The lanky figure's pants were in rags, with him holding his own arm that was profusely leaking.
Purple frozen skin was coated all along his body and, despite his best efforts, refused to go away as even Oz could feel the man's life force being eaten away.
Even so, he was still standing and sputtered out to the fallen foe in front of him, "Huff... huff... told ya..." his wheezing breaths continued as he finally forced out, "There... was so much for ya..."
Tears trickled down the man's face as he looked down at the one he at one point called his brother, "You still had so much pot-"
"DON'T LECTURE ME, BONES!" the brawny man's rasped voice barked out, "Ya think it was my choice?!" he spat out, and a look of disgust shone on his face as his blue eyes twinkled.
He continued shouting, "Who was the one who s'posed to lead us?!" he pointed his lacerated hand at his "old friend."
The intensity of his shouts increased as frigid swirls circled around him, "Who's the one that said he'd get everyone back safely?!"
The intensity of his glimmering eyes increased, "Who the FUK is the one who said they'd protect us from everything, even that Slimy Bastard waiting for us back at the shit pit?!"
BOOOM!!
Finally, the earthen powder settled to show the lanky man holding the brawny man down by the shoulder, with the other hand grasping the icy spear gripped firmly in his brother's hand.
Veins bulged from their heads as they struggled, each trying their best to push the spear forward.
The brawny man leaned forward and whispered in his rasped voice, "Do it."
A toothy smile shone from him, revealing his bloodied mouth, "I gotta contract to fulfill anyways, and it ain't gonna let ya live..."
Tears dripped down from the lanky man's face as he struggled on, desperately wishing the circumstances could be different, yet his old friend continued, "C'mon, let me join my..."
A deadly light flashed in his eyes as he leaned forward, enveloping his arm in a thin sheet of ice, and leaned forward with all his might, "Brothers!"
KCHUNKK!
"Uhh!" a shocked look spread on the brawny man's face as he glanced down at the icy spear embedded into his chest, piercing through his heart and poking out through his back.
"Uhh... huhh...", he took desperate gulps for air, yet all was for naught as blood trekked out of the wound, gushing onto the muddy floor.
"Muhh-muhhh- mihibhoss", the man desperately called out, tears welling in his eyes.
Bones grasped at him, preventing his friend's fallen body from hitting the ground as he pulled at him, hugging him as tears welled down his eyes.
The brawny man's blue eyes slowly restored themselves to a florescent shade of green as he murmured out, "I-I'm sorry..."
The lanky man aggressively shook his head as he cried out, tears streaming down, "No. Nonononononoooo!!"
As Bones lowered his head onto his friend's chest, calling out, "I- I should've protected you all! I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
The sky further darkened, and a somber atmosphere brewed around.
A small smile spread across the dying man's face as the slim blue aura around him diminished, "Old fri-."
KHUNKKKK!!!
The brawny man's head was splattered into thousands of pieces as brain matter flew everywhere!
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[Experience Gained...]
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