As the clock struck midnight, the world plunged into its darkest depths. The towering trees of the forest, shrouded beneath the inky canvas of the night sky, began to sway uncontrollably, surrendering to the whims of a powerful, relentless wind that erupted from nowhere.
What materialized amidst this nocturnal turmoil was a colossal, nightmarish figure—a dragon, composed of obsidian spines, soared through the heavens, imposing its indomitable presence upon the trembling landscape. Astride this ominous beast was Gideon, an unassuming hedgehog who gazed upon the unfolding scene with a sinister grin curling on his lips.
"I've located a nearby group!" Gideon's voice reverberated, a mere whisper in the midst of the chaos. He mentally commanded his shadowy leviathan, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Charge, my loyal companion!"
Though the dragon's wings unfurled with deliberate languor, it propelled forward at astonishing velocity. It could traverse great distances at breakneck speed without the conventional flapping of its wings—a theatrical flourish, designed to awe. When every spine comprising the dragon's form was under one's command, even whims could become reality.
From the horizon, Gideon's quarry drew nearer with each passing moment—a squadron of night birds, their wings cutting through the night air with a swiftness that would be considered remarkable in the realm of Eteria, but not for Gideon.
*Wizowl: Level 29.*
*Wizowl: Level 28.*
*Wizowl: Level 27.*
These creatures resembled owls, albeit larger, adorned in plumage of deep violet and gilded talons. Three Wizowls soared in tandem, each bearing a captured prey within their razor-sharp talons—a young boar, a giant rabbit with a single horn, and a majestic wolf.
Silent as ghosts, they glided through the night, nearly invisible amidst the obsidian tapestry. The only means of tracking them lay in their scent, a sensory realm in which Gideon excelled.
"Ayo!" Gideon's cry pierced the night as he drew closer to the nocturnal hunters. Simultaneously, he unleashed a salvo of *Spike Missiles*, hundreds of ebony spines erupting from his back like a deadly shower upon the unsuspecting Wizowls.
The Wizowls sensed the impending threat, shifting into an even faster flight pattern, their bodies contorting in graceful, evasive maneuvers. In unison, they unleashed a barrage of piercing wind, an ethereal tempest so dense it became visible to the naked eye.
Three cyclones of destructive fury descended upon Gideon's location, unleashing an explosive maelstrom that reverberated through the forest like a raging tornado. Then, the triumvirate of Wizowls beat their wings and fled, understanding their chances of victory against a colossal, obsidian dragon were nonexistent.
Yet when the dust settled, it was Gideon who stood unscathed by the tempest. The myriad of spines that had shielded him now seamlessly reattached to the dragon's body. Enshrouded by this protective cocoon, he was impervious to any form of attack, invulnerable amidst the chaos.
"Magic, huh?" Gideon inquired, his lips curving into a gentle smile. "That's quite explosive." His smirk slowly transformed into a sinister grin, casting eerie shadows on his face. "But let me show you a true explosive attack," he declared, his voice dripping with malevolence.
The colossal body of the dragon Gideon was riding on began to undergo a profound transformation. It expanded in every direction, as if stretching its very sinews to their limits. Tens of thousands of obsidian spines detached from the dragon's hide, creating an ominous canopy that swallowed the sky whole. Darkness encased the heavens, leaving no sanctuary for those below.
The dragon's immense head swiveled to focus on three fleeing Wizowls, who were now tiny specks in the vast expanse of the darkened sky. Gideon, perched atop the dragon's back, let out a maniacal laugh that reverberated throughout the desolate landscape, a macabre lullaby for the impending cataclysm.
"Now, I have become death," Gideon intoned, his voice dripping with maleficent glee. Slowly, he raised his ebony-clad hands, exposing wickedly sharp claws gleaming with menace. "The destroyer of worlds." He extended his right hand, fingers outstretched, pointing it like a malevolent conductor directing an orchestra. "Behold... Atomic Barrage."
In an instant, an unrelenting torrent of spines surged towards the hapless Wizowls. Panic seized the fleeing creatures as they desperately flapped their wings, attempting to outpace the advancing wall of obsidian death. But their futile efforts were in vain; the tidal wave of black spines easily closed the distance, and upon contact, they erupted in inky, devastating explosions.
The anguished cries of the powerless Wizowls reverberated throughout the realm as the relentless cascade of explosions continued unabated. It was a symphony of destruction, a cursed aria that sent shivers down the spine of anyone unfortunate enough to bear witness.
Gideon reveled in the raw power of the harbinger of darkness he had become. Even a mere hundred spines would have sufficed, but Gideon's appetite for obliteration demanded a complete overkill. Every explosion was an exclamation of his capricious malevolence.
His pitch-black eyes remained fixed on the relentless spectacle below, a display of unrestrained destruction that he found oddly satisfying. He was enthralled by the chaotic beauty of annihilation.
Meanwhile, the source of the spines, his back, continuously birthed fresh projectiles to replace those he had unleashed. The process was seamless, devoid of remorse or hesitation. All Gideon felt was an insatiable hunger for more.
This was precisely why the goddess of darkness had chosen him. She had seen into his heart, recognizing a man driven by his whims, guided solely by the urge to satiate his selfish desires. He was a man who made no pretense of justifying his malevolent actions and harbored no inclination to do so. He was the embodiment of perfect destruction—a remorseless machine of annihilation.
As the cacophony of explosions continued to echo across the desolate landscape, a pair of messages flashed before Gideon's eyes:
*You have leveled up.*
*You have leveled up.*
The relentless onslaught of explosions ceased, leaving behind a deafening silence that echoed through the charred and smoke-filled battlefield. Gideon's sharp eyes scanned the scorched area beneath him, but there was no sign of his prey—not a single trace or a solitary feather remained to mark their presence. The once-proud Wizowls were now nothing but a distant memory, utterly and completely annihilated.
Gideon's lips curled into a wicked grin. "That was fun," he mused, the darkness within him sated, at least for now.
•••••
NAME: GIDEON BRANGWEN
LEVEL: 18/20
SPECIES: SMALL BUT ALL-ROUNDER HEDGEHOG
*STATS*
VITALITY: 87 (+435)
STRENGTH: 89 (+445)
MAGIC: 90 (+450)
SPEED: 88 (+440)
STAMINA: 87 (+435)
•••••