After travelling for most of the day the forest darkens as night falls. We decide to stop in an area which is a little more open with slightly fewer trees than other places, but there is still enough to almost completely block out the sky from view.
With Element Creation, I build a metal dome as I wrap myself into a circle inside the perimeter and spit out Lia's nightly supplies. Over the course of the night, various sounds of things hitting the dome can be heard. From nothing more than simple tapping to a hit hard enough to send tremours through the metal. Lia was certainly right that this forest is more dangerous than the entire past week, but so far I haven't seen anything that can't be handled. But I know that I can't let my guard down. I can still feel it, that oppressive aura from when we first entered the forest. But it is a little different now, previously it felt as if it was spread wide and permeated through the forest. But now it feels focused, directed as someone or something.
Despite the powerful pressure coming from the forest depths and all the loud sounds that occasionally rang through the dome, Lia for whatever reason slept through everything without waking up once. But eventually, morning comes and Lia awakes. Taking out the remains of the boar, Lia cuts off some more and I quickly roast it with my fire while taking down the dome. Putting the rest of the boar back into storage, Lia finishes her small breakfast and we begin to hurry along, lest some hungry monster decides to waste our time.
*roar*
After a relatively peaceful trip over the past couple of hour, we hear a sound roar sending birds out from their perch and many small critters are running away from the source. Suddenly a notification pops up from the System.
"Currently under the effects of 'Timah's Warcry' all stats reduced by 30-60%, changing depending on the current range from Timah. Range updates every 10 seconds and lasts until you leave Timah's domain or Timah cancels the skill."
Probably having seen the notification as well, Lia's face turns sullen, "we have to get out of here! As fast as possible! NOW!"
With clear worry on her face, I oblige and begin moving as fast as I can, disregarding the trees and pushing them aside. I didn't need to think too hard about it as the feeling I got from the roar was the same as the pressure I had been feeling this whole time since entering the forest. I can easily tell it is something dangerous.
As we continue to run I ask, "I can understand that it is dangerous, but what is it that we are running from? I've felt an oppressive pressure on me as if it was watching my every move, ever since we first entered the forest. Just what is this Tamah?"
"I should have realised this sooner when we first saw the abnormal expansion of the forest. As you've guessed the skill, Timah's Warcry, is a skill that belongs solely to the Sacred Beast, Timah the Forest King. An ancient Legendary Monster, Timah is a giant ape that passively expands the forests he lives in. And he seems to be fighting something, so we need to leave and make sure we don't end up as collateral damage. So less talking and more running!"
As soon as I hear that it is a Legendary Monster, I shut my mouth and do nothing but focus on getting us the hell away from here. I still get flashbacks to being chased around by Cetus, and I don't need another Legendary Monster to worsen my PTSD.
As we are running I feel as though I saw my life flash before my eyes on several occasions. Large trees were falling from the sky and when the made impact on the ground, craters larger than me were made. Having just barely escaped the blast radius of a few of the ones that landed near me, I can't help but worry over what would have happened if I had gotten hit or been near the blast zone of these exploding trees.
At other times powerful bolts of lightning came out from the sides, piercing through many trees and some just barely passing by me, and setting the forest ablaze. Had I been going just a little bit faster, I think I would be dead right now. I can feel a cold sweat running down the side of my face, despite my inability to even sweat as I really had just barely avoided death. If I was lucky I could maybe survive being in the blast zone of those trees, I doubt it but maybe is I was just on the edge, but if that lightning so much as grazes me in the most inconsequential spot I would be dead in an instant with my vulnerability to lightning.
After a nearly eight hours of bobbing and weaving my way through the forest at max speed while avoiding the stray attacks of Timah and whatever it is fighting, we eventually make it out of the forest and subsequentially Timah's domain as we are no longer under the effects of his skill. But not willing to stay within sight of the first I continue to move as fast as I can while following the river away from the forest.
But just as I thought things would finally calm down I see a tree fly out far to our left, with a large monster being carried along with it as it crashes into the ground, creating the largest crater yet. I keep on moving but keep an eye on the mess over there as the monster that was carried along with the tree drags itself out from the crater. It seems pretty close do death... maybe I can sneak a kill in and reap the rewards with little effort, lets take a look and see what this is.
The race is Adult Celestial Winged Liger a tier 10, and its current state is near death, meaning it has less than 5% of its total health remaining, maybe I can pick up the scraps that Timah left behind. Let's see, its remain health is... oh. How the hell is this near death! This thing still has a million HP! Oh shit, we made eye contact.
Seeing the greedy look I had been giving it, the Ligers body begins to generate sparks around it, concentrating them and launching a bolt of lightning in my direction.
Picking up the pace and putting up all my elemental walls, I run as fast as I can while yelling, "I'm sorry for having ill and greedy thoughts!"
Thankfully it doesn't seem to keen on going after me after I escape as the Liger spreads its wings and flies off in a different direction before launching one last attack into the forest and leaving the area for good.
I should have known better than to even think about picking off something that can fight a Legendary Monster and still live after fighting for so long. I need to try and hold back that opportunistic nature of mine a little more... at least against the things that far exceed my strength anyway.