Mortis entered the bloody, gloomy forest, and no sooner had his foot touched the ground than huge thorns shot at him at high speed. Mortis was able to dodge just in time, but he felt blood running down his cheeks as a thorn grazed him. Mortis was a little surprised, but that did not diminish his curiosity. On the contrary, he wiped away the blood and with anticipation he faced the forest, which reminded him somewhat of the hell trees.
The trees whipped at Mortis with branches and vines, and more and more thorns shot out of dark, hidden corners, growing both harder and faster. But Mortis welcomed the challenge. The thrill of dodging and countering everything as his concentration rose and his senses sharpened was the greatest thing for Mortis. Becoming one with his scythe in this gloomy forest gave him a euphoric feeling. No matter what the forest threw at him, it only made Mortis stronger.
When Mortis came to a rather large, empty area, he knew a boss was waiting for him. There he saw three dryads in red and black, who maintained their graceful appearance but had razor sharp teeth and madness in their eyes. When they caught sight of Mortis, they laughed and cackled.
"It seems our dessert has arrived. Come, sisters, let us eat the flesh of this monster," hissed one of them. The others nodded and got in Mortis' way. The air was filled with a tense atmosphere as Mortis prepared for the fight ahead. It would be a tough fight, but Mortis was ready to meet the challenge and defeat the dryads.
The rearmost dryad was entwined with tendrils of thorns, while the middle one seemed as if the tendrils would grow out of it and transform into whip-like forms. The foremost dryad, the largest of all, had thick bark and carried a shield made of wood, like a spear made of wood. The dryads' attack reflected the aggressiveness of the forest. They tried to attack Mortis with pinpoint accuracy, the dryad using its shield and spear to try to root it in one spot, while at the same time trying to pierce it with its thorns.
But Mortis, nimble and determined, neither allowed himself to be provoked by the first dryad nor to be pinned down by it. With great speed, he circled the first dryad and picked up speed to take out the second and third dryads first. The second dryad was prepared, however, and grew more tendrils that slashed at Mortis. But with a grin on his face, he disappeared in front of her eyes for a moment and suddenly appeared in front of the second dryad. She didn't understand what had happened until Mortis pierced her with his scythe like a spear and she was suddenly suspended in the air. But Mortis did not stop. With the dryad on his scythe, he continued to charge toward the third dryad, who was about to pierce him with her steel thorns.
When the third dryad realized that she was about to meet her sister, she became nervous. But Mortis laughed darkly. "You want me to be the monster? Then I will be!" With full force, he swung the scythe, hurling the second dryad at the third. A loud yell rang out as the dryads whirled through the air. Mortis showed no mercy, but used the situation to his advantage. His determination and strength combined to deliver a devastating blow that hit the dryads hard and sent them into turmoil. Now he had the upper hand and used this moment to plan the next move and prepare for the final battle against the dryads.
Mortis showed no mercy to the great Dryad, who charged at him with her spear. With a skillful turn, he dodged the attack, grabbed the spear, and continued spinning before hurling the dryad at her sisters with impressive force. He faced them with a cold smile. "You are a real disappointment," he said calmly.
His scythe began to glow, and with a volley he swung it wide. The impact was tremendous as Mortis hit the spot where the dryads were trying to get back up. In the next moment, only a crater was visible, and the three dryads were gone, leaving nothing but bark.
Mortis took a deep breath, feeling the exhaustion that overcame him. But he knew he had no time to rest. The Forest of Devouring had more challenges in store for him, and he was determined to face whatever he might encounter in this dark and dangerous place. With renewed determination and a watchful eye, he continued on his way, ready for what was to come.
Mortis had believed that the first part of the Forest of Devouring had already been hell on earth, but he was sorely mistaken. As he pushed further into the darkness of this ominous place, he realized that it could get worse. Not only was the forest gloomy and threatening, but it seemed to have extinguished all life. No animal, no insect, no creature could survive. Everywhere lay their mortal remains, overgrown and decomposed by fungi.
Even the wind seemed poisoned. Pollen hung heavy in the air, not only making it difficult to see, but also carrying with it a stench of poison and decay. The sweet scent of blood that Mortis had perceived earlier had long since given way to a foul odor that took his breath away.
Despite the oppressive atmosphere, Mortis sharpened his senses. He knew he had to be careful.
In such a depraved and dangerous place, every movement, every shadow could be a deadly threat. With his scythe firmly in hand and a wary gaze, he continued on his way, ready to face any challenge this nightmarish forest might hold for him.