Beyond the mist, the thick plume of ash and blood, at the hear of a massive crater where the tallest waterfall fell from the heavens, a clash, a duel to death is unfolding. In one corner, a looming horror, a monster woven from tendrils soaked in ink darker than despair coiling and writhing in darkness. And facing it, a young fellow who's strength is slowly waning but his resolve remains firm as he faced the abomination.
As the horror incarnate rain upon a voley of tendrils like volleys of spears, the young warrior dodges and parry the strike with a swift motion as he is dancing an elegant waltz while swinging his sword with both his thin arms, cutting the tendrils in a wide swing yet not far enough to reach the creature as it back away each time it failed to deliver a killing blow.
And from the remnants of the previous clash, something slowly crawl out of the bits and pieces. Survivors of the catastrophy of being devoured in but a single moment realizing what they are witnessing. A birth of a legend, a new hero.
***********************************
*Clang* *Slash* *Pierce* *Crush*
My lungs feels like it's on fire, my arms and legs are shaking that I can't keep my sword still for even a second. As the monster sends volley after volley, I could barely dodge and parry its attack as each dodge I keep getting graze and each parry send my whole body numb and flying away.
*Stumble* *Pierce* *Jab*
The last attack sent me flying high as my feet failed to brace and I crash unto the jagged walls, stumbling to my knee where the tendrils stab at my shoulders causing my dominant right hand to go limp.
"[Hahaha! Finally reaching your limit?]"
Hearing her taunt as she finally moves closer, I start to wonder where does she gather all her energy when she was wobbling and tumbling down just moments ago. That's when I notice that whenever she unleash her tendrils, underneath those writing weapons are a shrivling core that's slowly disintegrating. Seeing hope at the end of the tunnle gives me that second wind. I cut the tendril on my shoulders and raise my sword with one hand to parry all the other tendrils as she keeps moving closer and I aim my sword at the gaps.
*Plunge* *Grip*
"[Pshexk! Fool!]"
*Drag*
Seeing blood spilled from the gaps of those endless writhing ambomination, those parried tendrils turn around and wrap around me as it then drags my body upwards.
*RIP* *TEAR*
Dragging me by my feet, my body is slowly being grated as it bash against those jagged stone surface that is still seering from my massive attack. Peeling my skin, clothes, and the mask Seyong gives me, I try to stop it but everytime I try to pull my sword out, it plunges it deeper to its body and refuses to let go.
"[Ahaha! Right! The best scenario here is that we both perish and soon let the new ego take over! Better yet, a wandering monster could just devour our corpse and restart the cycle all over again!]"
With one hand barely working I am completely helpless as the monster tow my body over and,
*Splash*
Haul it over into the coast where it all started. The sand slowly trickling in from the side while the ocean behind me sending waves beneath to form the moist surface, this whole place feels like a watery grave as I lay motionless upon this shallow waters.
*Splash*
Soon it arrives as well with ny sword still stuck inside with its hilt poking out.
"[Khohek! Ohak! Hak! Hahaha! Taking in your sword was a terrible gamble. It's a bit too big and that's when she said he- oheck!]"
Black cracks are slowly forming from where the sword is plunged, causing its body parts to slowly fall off like a dilapidated slowly crumbling down. I then summon my halberd and use it to slowly stand but my body simply refuses to move.
"[Kahaha- hek! I won! Who said the old folks can't beat the new generation?]"
Slowly it drags itself ever closer as its body crumbles and leaves behind a trail of jts organs and tentacles every step of the way until it finally reaches me.
"[This is it! Thank you, and goodbye- ahakc!]"
*Zwoosh*
From the dark night sky, a yellow star shine and descned brighter than the sun. Crashing down with such an impact that it blows everything away including me. My body flings far and crash near the shores until I finally notice who saved me.
*Sizzle*
Gangyi, with half her body burned to black while missing half of her hair and feathers lay motionless on the wet surface that is bubbling around her.
"Gangyi..."
Hoping for the best and the memories of a certain soldier's death resurface.
*Crack*
Hearing something snap from inside my body as I forcefully stand, and look at where the monster got flung away. Floating- no, standing on water the monstrous horror is still standing.
"[Kehe-hek! How the tables have turned, well? Come! Devour me!]"
With a thrid of her body completely incinerated, most of her tentacles have been charred black whipe the sword stuck to her still slowly disintegrating her. I scrap at the bottom of what remains of me and slowly wring my empty body for the last bit of strength. With one arm, I aim my halberd at it shouting:
"Jacky!"
*Boom*
"[Jacky...?]"
*Slash*
Even without a face, I can tell how baffled the monster is at the nickname I gave it for not being able to spell its name. With a single dash, my body burst with purple glow as I then appear beside her and plunge my halberd at the opening left on her burnt parts.
*Stab*
Her ripped tentacles wriggles one last time before it pierce through my body.
"Ahack!"
"[Jacky? To think the first good nickname I got is from a nemesis like you... Cough! Cough! Don't think I'll keel over and die so easily when you can only muster such a pathethic attack!]"
Her tendrils bore and tear new holes on my body as I cough out my insides and lose the feeling of my lower half. Slowly she starts peeling and pulling me and ny weapons out...
(No..)
*Bang* *Perchack* *Eeeng*
Something wheeze pass through my ears and barely missing by a hair's breathe, blasting half of the monster away, stopping its movement. From the open wound I see someone standing on a small wreckage, its a wounded Yungmin carrying a majestic bow glading with bloodshot eyes.
(How pathethic of me... Move!)
*Grip*
One last time I slowly grip my halberd and push it down near the sword. The halberd and sword shines bright amidst this terrible night, from that light it slowly merge into a new weapon. Gurgling blood and spitting it out, the sight of two stars colliding makes me mutter:
"[Stellar Impact!]"
*Twist* *BWOOOM*
"[Oooh? Nuooaaah!!!!]"
That single blow twist my whole view into a mesh and curl. Blood splutter and rain as I feel it on my face and the taste of dust enters my mouth. As if crushed by something from the inside, I feel myself singking as the surface twirl like a vortex.
"[Aaaa! Noooo! You.. You cannot do this! You're suppose to absorb meeee-]"
*Crunch* *Crumpled*
The Monster King Vessel, the most powerful enemy I have ever faced, soon vanish swallowed by the vortex that seems to swallow the world.
Cold, darkness, and despair. An eerie tranquility submerging me into depths never seen before. Light fractures shines betweent the cracks of this darkness and brush against my skin... My echoing breath reverberate through the darkness, this black realm darker than ink stretch endlessly below, and I'm slowly falling towards it.
*Thump* *Thump*
Slowly I hear my heartbeat, its been a while but after so long of people calling it silent I'm happy to hear it.
*Thump* *Thump*
Like clockwork, it sent me into a trance as I fell into this endless dream-like maze of nights and blues, I feel at peace. I neither feel drowing nor do I feel pain. Closing my eyes, I hear whispers from the deep... It calls for me, beckons me to come closer as my consciousness fades.
(Like that time in the train, let's see where this takes me. If this is the end of my journey... All I can say is, thank you and I'm sorry).