The glimmering cavern quaked, its frames of stone shuddered and the air was billowed with dust. The once ethereal landscape was tarnished in the wake of two beings.
A hulking man with long wild grey hair and raven black eyes faced his foe amidst rubble and upturned earth, holding a massive dark crimson spear that matched his figure.
His foe, a stark contrast to the ferocious appearance of the man, was an almost angelic being that had descended from the heavens to grace the earth, a white Heron… But its demeanor lacked the same grace as its appearance as if the man before it had tarnished its honor.
The Heron was surrounded by a haze of flowing dust, circling it in many rings.
The howling wind was reminiscent of the lamenting cries of demons in hell, engulfing the cavern in its rousing.
Kiran's heart pounded in his chest as he stared down the stationary source of this wind.
'A treacherous method of battle.'
Alarmed, he evaded to his left, just as a spree of slicing gale exploded where he once was.
'It's like a watch tower. Tall, in the distance, and uses long-reaching attacks.'
Then a violent stream of water circled Kiran and displaced the earth around him as a boulder eclipsed his point of view, rapidly approaching him.
"Ar–"
The brutal force suppressed Kiran's ability to engage with the towering Heron, still practically motionless atop the lake's center. It bombarded Kiran with countless attacks, all of varying sources. Water, wind, earth, and its capabilities were unmatched in each.
'It's Path doesn't matter. There's nothing clear… I don't even know if it has used a second or even third Ordeal Ability — if everything up to this point had been just one Ordeal Ability…'
The onslaught continued Kiran neither losing nor gaining ground.
Fortunately, his essence reservoir was near limitless, constantly drawing from the tattoos.
He barely dodged another storm of dust and earth, each swipe of dust threatened to saw off his limbs, and grimaced.
This battle was going nowhere, a stalemate.
Had Kiran fought this beast without the tattoos… it was needless even to entertain the outcome.
Kiran continued to dodge, retreat, and advance in a perpetual cycle. His mind and body endured as time passed.
Ordeal Abiltieis were fickle and as vast as the mountains of the Wailing Chain. It is an understatement to say it is important to deduce the capabilities of an otherwise unknown enemy.
But it was a fool's game to continue.
The cutting wind, flowing water, and ruptured earth. The Heron had countless blends of abilities, each cascading and leading into another.
Then there was that… ability — a barrier of sorts. It was impossible to notice until he had already entered and found something amiss. Not with the entrance or the expanse itself, but the Heron's behavior led Kiran to assume a barrier even existed.
But eventually… Kiran began to falter.
A titanic slab of stone slammed into Kiran, and despite putting up a guard to brace the attack, the force shattered his arms and ribs.
Launched back, Kiran drifted as he used his spear to slow himself.
But he was undeterred. Although he was injured, Kiran could use this as an opportunity.
The Heron… was intelligent, much more so than it initially lets on. Perhaps this was because it still retained much of its Ordinary form, but the reason why was unimportant.
Smiling, Kiran regained his balance, raised his spear with his already healing arm, and yelled:
"Osias, wait by the tunnel's edge!"
Then he exploded forward.
Bombardments fired.
The vicious wind once again shot at Kiran, only the dust and obscured traces of essence hinted at its direction, each cut threatening to sever his limbs.
Once again barely dodging, Kiran continued forth, even suppressing a groan as his hip was cut.
'It's solitary. There's no reason for it to be hostile to us other than to feed.'
Kiran smiled as he continued forward, almost stifling a grim laugh.
'Can I even call it a vile beast? It reminds me of humans.'
Cutting off his thoughts, the ground split below Kiran's feet — an attempt to swallow him when he changed his strategy.
But Kiran was undeterred, it was too shallow for someone as large as Kiran, and as if he expected such a ploy just mere moments prior, he lept and jammed his spear into the solid earth in front and climbed.
'Like caring for the livestock in a herd, it heals the weak and the sick.'
The glimmering water from the lake was brought forth, and spikes of water rained onto Kiran he waved his spear to parry the oncoming spikes.
'It wants its livestock to be healthy and whole, just before it butchers them for meat.'
These spikes punctured and littered Kiran in holes, but he continued as always.
Kiran's heart pounded in his chest as he charged forward, the ground beneath him a blur of motion. The Heron, now fully awake and emanating a deadly aura, let out a piercing screech. From its wings, a storm of crescent-shaped rings of the lake water flew towards him, cutting through the air with lethal precision.
Kiran didn't flinch. He pushed aside the pain as the attack rend and slashed at his skin, even drawing blood and leaving deep gashes across his arms and chest. His muscles strained, but he pushed onward, each step fueled by a surge of essence that bolstered his strength.
The water's edge drew nearer, and the Heron's attacks grew more frenzied. Kiran felt a slice through his thigh, and another nick on his shoulder, but he pressed on, using Blood Mend to heal the surface wounds almost as quickly as they were inflicted.
Then a tremendous gale honed onto Kiran, something he could not wave off — so he gave his offered his limb in return.
His right arm severed from past his shoulder. The blow carried it off, landing far away from his sight.
But Kiran was just a few steps away from his goal, his face a fierce scowl directed at the audacious Heron.
His vision narrowed, focusing solely on his target.
Kiran reached the water's edge with a final, desperate lunge across the raised earth — another of the Heron's ploys to bar his approach.
The heron reared back, finally moving its massive body. Kiran felt the earth beginning to take hold of his feet as if its claws were projected to the ground below him.
But Kiran's grip tightened around his spear, the essence within him blaring in preparation. Every ounce of his strength, every bit of his essence in his reservoir was emptied into this throw.
He reared back and, with a thundering roar, he hurled the spear with all his might. The weapon cut through the air like a flash, leaving a crimson blur in its wake. The Heron's eyes widened in shock as the spear struck true, sinking deep into its chest. A fountain of blood erupted from the wound as the heron let out an anguished cry.
Not done!'
Kiran willed his spear with what little control remained over the construct to inflict more damage, anything to ravage its insides.
He extended an arm and within the Heron, his spear turned to a bulging mass of crimson spikes.
The killing intent in the air dissipated greatly, replaced by the Heron's pained wails. In the next moment, the Heron's earthen claws that crawled up to Kiran's knees loosened due to its agony.
...Kiran could only imagine when was the last time the Heron was tested, to feel such immense pain. To fight a battle to live. To claw for life, for survival. How many years has it huddled in solitude, using its healing water to lure in easy meals?
Kiran watched as the majestic beast staggered slightly, its wings showing a faint sign of faltering.
Breathing heavily, Kiran stood at the water's edge, blood dripping from his wounds. Blood mend temporarily halted.
His essence flickered, the immense exertion leaving him momentarily drained. But he had succeeded. His reservoir was already drawing from the almost endless amount stored within the tattoos and in moments he will be full again.
Taking this moment of reprieve, Kiran bent down and began viciously hammering into the hardened stone.
His legs… the stone caved in, exerting immense pressure as the Heron sought to simply crush Kiran and compromise his movements.
Kiran was without a weapon. The construct was lost as it embedded within the Heron… something he couldn't do a thing about. Such was the nature of his True Extraction.
He was dangerously close to the lake's edge, and the many rings of dust that scattered around the Heron began to collect into a fierce whirlwind once more as it recollected itself.
If the Heron is entirely keen on killing Kiran… then Kiran would likely meet his end here.
With enough capacity to use Blood Mend, Kiran focused the ability on his legs, as he hobbled and circled the edge of the lake, welcoming continued battle as he solemnly spoke once again to the Path Beast:
"We… We wish to leave."
The Heron began to hurl more of the lake's water at Kiran as he evaded.
"How much longer can you put out this atta–"
A thunderous crash sounded as a glaring gemstone was lifted from the water and propelled into Kiran's side by the Heron's control of the wind. The stone was hurled into the side unprotected by his missing arm, crumpling his flesh and bone alike. Launched back, Kiran bit down on his teeth and swallowed a mouthful of blood that threatened to spill out.
"You must be wondering how the body of a human is as resilient as a beast… others would have their torso torn off from that."
Kiran's missing arm and parts of his shoulder had begun to stop bleeding, and the very beginnings of a stump were forming.
Regrowing limbs didn't take long for Kiran... perhaps for others it might, but certainly not an enigma of the Blood Path like him.
"How is it? Your essence I mean. How much more do you have left?"
A wave ruptured the ground below as it upheaved everything in its approach. Kiran lunged and rolled to the side.
"You have nothing that can kill me in a single blow. You can't even reach the end of the cavern. You are… quite weak for a Third Ordeal. At first, I thought my senses said otherwise."
'High amounts of essence, and a myriad of different attacks. A slightly weaker body in exchange perhaps. It thrives in prolonged battles at a distance but within its territory. It is intelligent, but both arrogant and cowardly. Did it allow Osias to be healed because a meager Second Ordeal and Ordinary couldn't be capable of matching it?'
'No, it was before that. The very act of allowing entry into its territory. Most of its strength lies in concealment then. I didn't even realize something was amiss as we entered the expanse. So it's that barrier of sorts…'
Kiran's legs have recovered, and he sped forward to the edge again. It was perplexing to Kiran as he continued to circle the lake. The water that healed Osias no longer contains the same property. Instead, it was embosomed with murderous intent as it was shaped into flowing instruments of battle.
Glancing at the large gaping wound where he threw his spear Kiran snarled at the Heron:
"Why don't you heal that hole of yours with the water?"
Slowly as he regained his recovered stride, Kiran continued to move while unarmed.
Another part of the Heron's abilities was unraveled — the water no longer possessed its healing properties. Like a lure, it must have drained a significant amount of essence to infuse and sustain such a lake capable of healing.
Perhaps it's trying to save its essence, cautious of my recovery.
Kiran also had an inkling that if it wasn't for the inherent difference in how those of the Path of Blood obtain essence then the lake also either provided or sped the replenishment of essence for every other Path. A sizable bait must be set to interest prey, after all, merely healing alone cannot attract things into such a murderous den.
"Once you deplete your reservoir… what then?"
Kiran was sadly mismatched this time if he wanted to slay the Heron. He lacked any evasive moves to close the distance atop water nor did he have any reliable range attacks. It was a single enemy as well. Without the tattoos, the first time he depleted his own reservoir would be the moment he died — no sources of blood to replenish from.
Perhaps the Heron's natural essence reservoir was its strength. But it was bound to deplete before his own. Just how many lives were taken in the inheritance?
But Kiran didn't think he needed to kill the abominable beast, nor did he want to.
It allowed the brothers to heal and didn't move until Kiran stepped outside the cavern.
It had some sort of control over this expanse, but Kiran did not want to test this control by crossing its domain without its permission. It welcomed them in, but he was sure it wouldn't allow them out so easily. Kiran was sure that was one of its Ordeal Abilities, if not an application of one — a sort of domain it lords over.
Normally, Kiran would never approach a figure cloaked with many untold capabilities… and yet, it showed glimpses of intelligence, something he could use.
"We wish to leave. Cease that ability that closes us within the expanse. Don't think I needed to touch it to know of its existence."
Perhaps it wasn't the Heron's intelligence that Kiran could take advantage of, but it was cowardice and reclusiveness.
And just as Kiran thought… the hovering and poised barrage of the elements halted. The wind died, and the lake slowly became still once again.
The Heron looked distraught. Ruffled feathers, a ragged breath, and a gaping hole in its feathered chest.
Then Kiran felt a gentle ripple through the air as his eyes cast upon where he presumed the invisible barrier bordered the expanse.
It was a lamentable decision for the Heron. Distasteful and humiliating, an act that angered it so much.
An easy meal, a rare opportunity as very few would ever venture towards the inkling of danger that it exuded.
And yet, neither party wished to continue in a worthless battle to the death. Both had their own goals, and either dying in an immediate battle was ill-advised for each of them.
Still wary of turning his back on his foe, Kiran's eyes never left the Path Beast as he walked back to Osias and to the entrance.
He kept quiet and wary, his disdain only growing as the giant white figure grew smaller and smaller with each step.
Looking at Osias, he let out a sigh and lowered his head.
"Grab a hold of me, and I'll step through first. You'll follow immediately."
As they made their way out of the cavernous expanse, Kiran looked behind, grasping the last fleeting glimpse of the distant Heron tending its wounds, and callously said:
"One day… we'll come back. If the Heron doesn't catch something too large for its appetite in the coming years, we'll return. Return its hospitality back in blood."