Chapter 18

 

The bulging mess of a mutated gnoll began to cackle at the adventurers. “Look at me now!”

 

“What in the hells happened to him?!” Milly wondered.

 

“It looks like he consumed the same concoction that's been mutating the wildlife around here!” Ivory pointed out. “This can't be good for us at all!”

 

“What have you done, Krok?!” Zayd screamed out. 

 

“I've done what was necessary to ensure the survival of my tribe!” Krok cried out.

 

“But all you're doing is destroying these people!” Zayd declared.

 

“To me, they are one in the same…” With that being said, Krok whipped his tail-like arm at Zayd and sent him flying. Luckily for him, his shield absorbed most of the force.

 

“Agh!” Zayd moaned and groaned as he tumbled and rolled across the ground.

 

“Now you'll all die!” Krok roared loudly. “Watch as your very lives are taken from you!”

 

The deformed beast lashed out again. Milly and Ivory began to launch a barrage of hellfire upon the brute while it swung Zayd around like a ragdoll.

 

The poor adventurer took a beating as the beast held him by his leg and proceeded to beat him profusely. 

 

When Zayd could, he would raise his shield to block the hits. While Krok possessed the ability to easily slice Zayd into several pieces, he refrained from doing so.

 

“I could kill you with such ease right now but this is too much fun!” Krok continued to pummel his target. His shield kept taking the brunt of most of the hits but a few would slip by and Zayd could feel the force of the hits causing a staggering amount of damage to him. 

 

Eventually Zayd would lose the ability to hold the shield properly as his arms and legs fell limp from the pain.

 

Krok tossed him to the side. “Now I'll do it to one of your friends next! You can just sit there and watch like a good pup.”

 

Krok turned and began slowly approaching the two. Meanwhile, Zayd struggled to stand up. His bones were fragile and his muscles ached beyond belief. “I-I can't move…”

 

Krok continued his approach, laughing and grinning while he shrugged off their attacks as if they were nothing.

 

Ivory and Milly desperately began to combine their attacks into a more powerful one and fired it at their target.

 

Nothing at all would seem to phase him and he continued in his pursuit.

 

Eventually, with not much place else to run, they were face to face with the mad beast.

 

“So…which one of you will be next?” Krok asked as he raised his lengthy claw up to them and pointed his long dagger-like nails at Ivory. “Will it be you?” He turned his claws towards Milly. “Or will it be you?”

 

“Stop!” Zayd cried out. He could barely lift himself up but he attempted to nevertheless. However, his courage could not muster up the strength it would take to rise to his feet. He was nearly defeated and all that remained was a will to fight but not the capacity.

 

“Stay down, boy!” Krok howled back at him. “It's their turn now! Remember you brought them here. This is your doing! You could have just packed up and left. But you chose to stay and fight…now you must suffer the consequences of your actions...”

 

“It was the right thing to do!” Milly declared. “I don't care what you say or do to us! Zayd is a good person and I don't regret a single thing! I'll follow him straight into the depths of the hells, if I must!”

 

“Milly...” Zayd whispered to himself. His heart had felt those words and they rang through his mind though his body could offer no aid to her.

 

“Don't worry. He’ll be following you soon enough,” Krok claimed. “I'll see to it myself.”

 

The beast raised his claw high and brought it down upon the poor young adventurer, Milly.

 

A pool of blood shot through the air. Ivory and Zayd could only watch with horror in their eyes.

 

However, as they looked closer, they could see Milly still standing. She appeared unscathed with no apparent signs of injuries. 

 

“Wh-what? But how?!” Krok looked on in horror as he brought up his arm to reveal another arm with a severed paw. “But I killed you!”

 

“Not quite…” Hiang held onto his side as blood dripped from his wounds. One of his arms lay limp and disfigured while the other held his blade with a severed claw at his feet. “That technique was my Sans-Satsu, which means ‘three kills’. Listen closely because I'll only say this once. To put it simply, it's meant to do three things: to kill your opponent’s technique, to kill your opponent's ki, and to finally kill your opponent.”

 

“You! You fool!” Krok howled into a rage. “You think this is enough to kill me?! Watch as I devour you with my fangs!”

 

“I'm ready you foul beast!” Hiang shouted back at him. 

 

“Hyah!” Zayd cried out as he rammed his shield right across Krok’s head. “Shield Bash!”

 

The move was bold and left Krok in a slight daze. However, this was short-lived as Krok quickly gained his composure. Zayd was now left in a vulnerable position as he collapsed to his knees.

 

“Darn, I used the last of my energy with that attack…” Zayd looked on as Krok towered over him. “That's all I‘ve got left. I guess I'll be joining Gohvo and Tum, now…”

 

“You may have stolen my claws but I still have abilities of my own!” Krok roared. “Now watch as I devour your friend with my Savage Fangs!”

 

Krok's mighty fangs came bearing down upon Zayd. The adventurer had just enough strength left to still wield his shield. Zayd raised it high.

 

“It's no use! My Savage Fangs will eat right through your shield, boy!” Krok collided with the shield and a burst of energy shot out from them. 

 

A crack rang out through the air. Something had shattered. 

 

The adventurers looked on in horror hoping they would not witness Zayd's mutilated body next to his broken shield. However, they bore witness to something else entirely when they looked upon the scene. 

 

Zayd's shield held strong and was held high against the beast. Krok's mouth was wrapped around the shield but something was different about him. His fangs were shattered!

 

Krok pulled back in shock. “Wh-what?! But how?!”

 

“I told you…my Sans-Satsu eliminates my opponent's technique and ki,” Hiang explained. “While you may be able to still psychically attack, you've been rendered unable to use any of your abilities.”

 

“Damn you!” Krok cried out. “I'll kill you for this!”

 

“You should have done that earlier,” Hiang remarked. “If you had been more thorough then your victory might have been assured. But now you'll be the one to die! I'll avenge my friends, you vile creature!”

 

Hiang shot forth with a burst of speed and began slicing away at Krok. The brute could only counter attack as his mutated form made him slower. Hiang's natural agility made him lighter and more agile than most. He was able to bob and weave his way around the target as if it were a simple task.

 

“Hiang!” Zayd cried out. He attempted to stand on his feet but he was too weak. “Ugh, I want to help but I can't move…”

 

“Stay down, Zayd!” Milly approached him and attempted to console him. “Let us take it from here.”

 

“Milly's right,” Ivory commented. “Hiang just gave us a massive advantage with what he's done. We actually stand a chance now.”

 

“We can do this, Zayd!” Milly assured him. “You've done enough, now rest for a bit.”

 

“Here, take this,” Ivory handed him a potion. “I've been saving these for us since I picked them up back in Bea Lardi. It's about time we use them.”

 

“You mean we could have used these the first time we fought Krok?” Zayd asked her.

 

“Yeah but then we wouldn't have them now,” Ivory stood up and chugged a mana potion. “Now get your health back up so you can rejoin us!”

 

Ivory dashed off and began to help Hiang fight off the beast.

 

“Do you think we can beat him?” Zayd turned to Milly. “He's so strong…”

 

“I don't know,” Milly replied. “I do know this though. Adventuring with you guys has brought me some of the most exciting moments of my life. I've always been one to want to run from a fight but today…we make a stand…and we do it together.”

 

Zayd smiled back at her and nodded. “You're right. We're going to take this guy down…”

 

“Now drink up,” Milly told him. “I'm gonna go give them a hand.”

 

Zayd stared down at the potion that he held in his hands. His hands struggled to barely lift it to his mouth but he held it firmly and downed its contents. “It'll take awhile for this to take effect. But my companions…they need me now…”

 

Hiang desperately fended off the vile beast as Krok flailed his arms around wildly.

 

“You may have cut off my claws but you've done nothing but save yourselves from a quick death!” Krok yowled. “I’ll pummel you until there's nothing left!”

 

Hiang swiped his blade again and again. Unfortunately for him, his injured arm slowed him down as it constantly swung around uncontrollably. He had no choice but to sever it. Hiang lifted his blade and swiftly sliced his limp forearm from his body, making a clean cut at the elbow. He cried out in pain but he swiftly pulled off his shirt and wrapped it around his arm in an attempt to hinder the bleeding. For a moment he sat there, staring back with wide eyes while he processed the sheer pain that followed. 

 

Ivory and Milly let loose their spells and arrows at Krok. It was a desperate battle that could now be swayed in either direction as their projectiles began to wear down its target. 

 

Hiang had continued to carefully dodge through each of Krok's attacks. Where Zayd had to rely on his shield, Hiang was able to almost effortlessly evade the beast. Almost…

 

Krok noticed a Black Orb heading towards him but also perceived that it was in line with Hiang. Instead of allowing the attack to hit himself like Krok usually did, he evaded it. Krok jumped up and watched as Hiang was forced to dodge the spell lest he be consumed by it. When Hiang moved out of the way, that's when Krok made his move. He swung his tail-like arm down and smacked the adventurer head on with a direct hit.

 

Hiang went tumbling several feet away with his weapon far from his reach. 

 

“That's it! Stay down, pup!” Krok shouted before turning towards Ivory and Milly. “Now you two will get your turn!”

 

“Milly run!” Ivory commanded as she began to conjure another spell. Unfortunately for her, she had drained the little energy she had received from the mana potion. “Dammit I'm spent!” 

 

“You need to run too!” Milly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her towards her. “Let’s go!”

 

“You're not going anywhere!” Krok reached out and thrashed his arm at them, sending them flying to the ground. The beast quickly closed the short gap between them and towered over them. “You're mine now! I may not have my teeth but I can still swallow you whole!”

 

Milly cried out as Krok opened wide and pulled her close. Before he was able to consume her, a shield flew through the air and smacked Krok right in the face. 

 

“Gah!!” Krok recoiled back as Zayd ran forward to catch his shield. As he did, he leapt through the air, over Milly and drove his ax down into the mutated beast. 

 

Krok cried out even further in agony as his shoulder split open with a large wound. Vile ooze began to spew out of him as he staggered backwards.

 

“Zayd!” Milly shouted as he turned towards her and reached out his hand to help her to her feet. “You're better!”

 

“Not quite…” He suddenly collapsed under his own weight. “Sorry, I must admit I haven't quite recovered yet…”

 

“Zayd…you saved me…” Milly whispered to him.

 

“I-I couldn't just sit there and do nothing…”

 

“Heads up, guys!” Ivory remarked. “He's not done yet!”

 

They turned to witness Krok roaring with pain as he flailed around wildly. Suddenly his cries turned to laughter as he began to cackle loudly. “Finally! A worthy foe!” He staggered forward as the ooze continued to seep from his wounds. “You all have done well but this ends now! No more fooling around, boy…”

 

Zayd carefully picked himself up but Milly attempted to stop him.

 

“Zayd wait…”

 

He turned to her. “It's ok…”

 

Zayd turned and faced Krok. He slowly limped towards the beast and raised his shield high.

 

“That damn shield of yours. It's the only reason you're even still alive!” Krok glared intensely at it. “It's about time I get rid of that thing!”

 

Krok launched himself at Zayd and began wildly flailing his arms at Zayd. He raised his shield high and began blocking each attack. Zayd attempted to counter with his ax but Krok wouldn't allow it. The moment Zayd blocked an attack, Krok was already attacking with his other arm. 

 

One after another he began to wear down on Zayd’s stamina, draining every bit of energy he had left. While Zayd's shield may be durable enough to withstand the attacks, he would inevitably grow too weary to wield it properly if he allowed Krok to keep this up. However, there wasn’t much that Zayd could do to escape.

 

“Ahahaha look at you now, boy!” Krok smiled as his victim lay beneath him as he pummeled the shield with blow after blow. “Look at you! You're weak! Defenseless! What can you do against me?”

 

Hiang sprung through the air with intense force and his katana held forward. His intent was to utilize the element of surprise to strike Krok down but the mad beast saw it coming. He whipped around and smacked Hiang with his arm, sending the poor adventurer into unconsciousness. 

 

Zayd utilized the opportunity to swing his ax but Krok turned around and smacked it straight from his hand. All he could do now was wield his shield in hopes of blocking whatever came next.

 

“Nothing…” Krok growled and lifted himself high. “That's what you have left. Absolutely nothing. Not even hope remains for you.”

 

Zayd gulped as he looked over at his ax. It was too far for him to reach. While Milly has arrows, they did very little and Ivory had no more mana to spend. Unfortunately, Krok appeared right. There wasn't much else Zayd could do. Hiang wasn’t able to make a difference and the others were surely dead. 

 

The adventurer thought back on the beginning of his journey just as Krok had begun to raise his arms up. While he knew deep down that his death was about to come, he still had a fight left in him. With a will to live, his shield arose. Zayd knew that this time he could not successfully block the attack as Krok was utilizing both arms for his attack. This was it for Zayd and he knew it, this attack would finish him off.

 

Milly and Ivory cried out in horror as they watched their friend come face to face with death. Even worse that they would soon fall victim to the same fate. Ivory lowered her head and closed her eyes. Milly, however, shouted out as loud as she could and cried out to her dear friend.

 

Zayd could do nothing but raise his shield and die with honor. There was no one left to step in, no one left to save the day. 

 

Krok's arms met with the shield and a loud crackle sounded off. It was a sound like no other they had heard before. It deafened everyone in the area and sounded off throughout the forest with an explosion so loud that even the villagers could hear it. 

 

Milly and Ivory looked on in sheer and utter shock as they witnessed a sight to behold. Zayd barely held up the weight of his shield as his arms shook wildly. A cloud of black smoke laid upon the ground in a wide area. Krok was standing there, still towering over Zayd, or at least what was left of Krok. While his legs and lower half still stood firm, the entirety of his upper body was missing. 

 

“Wh-what happened?!” Milly questioned.

 

“I don't know…” Zayd slowly lowered his shield and watched as Krok's remains simply tumbled over. 

 

“Your shield happened, Zayd…” Ivory flipped through the pages of her tome to reveal the page describing Zayd's shield. “...when enough energy is absorbed, it is released back at the enemy with the full force of a mach-bomb.”

 

“So Krok essentially just took a mach-bomb straight to the face?” Milly wondered.

 

“It would appear so,” Ivory claimed. “It seems his attacks were enough to finally release the energy from the shield.”

 

Zayd stood up from his position and glanced at the defeated foe.

 

“You did it, Zayd,” Ivory declared.

 

“No…” Zayd turned back as Hiang approached them. “We did it.”

 

Zayd, Milly, Ivory, and Hiang had overcome the odds stacked against them and defeated a foe that was far beyond their level. Where most would have fallen, they had proven themselves victorious. The slain corpse of their defeated foe lay upon the ground, bringing another quest to a close for them.