The horror was similar to the first guardian of the temple, just on a much larger scale. It stood on four great legs connected to its unbelievably grand torso, wrapped in several layers of thick dark grey bones, mist falling from each crevice of the ribcage. Clutching onto the torso were six enormous arms enhancing its protection, but also its offensive capabilities. At the peak of the body, four massive cattle skulls bared their vicious rows of sharp teeth as they slithered about in the air.
' Those things could eat me whole... the scale is incredibly daunting. '
The hall shuddered as the horror roared, unleashing ghastly mist in all directions. Dell sweated furiously as he stared at the gargantuan beast in front of him, gripping his oar tightly. However, the smith remained completely still as he shouted over the roar.
" Stick to the plan! Watch out for its arms and the mist! "
Dell nodded as he assumed an offensive stance.
' Three souls I can use, I have to be wise about this. '
A pair of the beast's arms suddenly flailed out from its chest, causing the mist to swell up into its palms. This was their signal to move. Dell and the smith dashed in opposite directions circling the Lord. As they did, Dell grasped his face and materialized the soul of a guard immediately consuming it while the smith unsheathed a long black greatsword from his back, still carrying the chest from before.
The beast's hands opened wide as the mist it collected shot forward like bullets toward each fighter, which they both easily dodged. But the assault did not end there, as the palms quickly reabsorbed the mist it shot back into palms preparing to shoot again. Dell dodged it again, coming closer to its back while the Smith kept running towards the back of the hall.
" Keep it away from me! "
Hearing its voice, Dell reluctantly nodded. He knew this was his purpose in this battle, he wouldn't be strong enough to take down the Lord by himself. Still, he accepted the challenge and courageously moved forward. Another blast of mist rocketed toward Dell, which he slid under redirecting himself towards the beast, pouncing into the air. He swung his oar violently at the body of the beast striking mightily against the bone of its body. A crack formed in its shell, but not enough for Dell to be satisfied with.
' Damn! So tough! '
As he landed back on the floor, he watched as another arm emerged from the beast's torso and filled its palm with mist. He cursed as he leaped back evading a blast of mist from behind. And as he landed, he looked around while preparing to dodge yet another. This happened over and over again, to Dell's dissatisfaction.
" Argh! I'm getting sick of this! "
As he was about to dodge another blast, the mist in their palms began to coat the very arms that held them. Soon, all 3 of the arms attacking him were clad in the ghostly mist, with their hands wide. In his state of confusion, he almost failed to notice one arm rushing at an incredible speed, which he barely dodged. A barrage of fists flew at Dell as he ran about - he leaped and hopped about nimbly dodging all the attacks.
' This is nothing like that guardian before! '
Suddenly, Dell felt his side twitch in pain for a split second. But that short moment was all the beast needed, swiping its hand along the floor and sending Dell flying to the side, crashing into the wall... and yet he remained silent.
Getting right back up, he looked at his body in awe realizing that the armor he wore had done its job brilliantly. Wiping a bit of blood from his mouth, he held his oar tightly and began his assault again. As another fist launched forward, he hopped to the left and cleaved into the arm, causing a small crack to emerge on its surface. Fighting this lord was as simple as a routine for Dell, it would throw an attack which Dell would dodge while harming it as it retracted.
" Mindless! For a lord, you're quite stupid, aren't you? "
He laughed at his own remark. But as he did, the mist suddenly fell from the arms and body of the beast and filled out the entire hall.
" What are you doing? "
The mist continued to become thicker in the room as more flowed from the torso, eventually, Dell could barely see it through the mist. But he could vividly see the four ghastly lights in the fog, which suddenly began to move and grow in size. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening, narrowly dodging a grand maw flaunting rows of sharp teeth. A second one came flying at him, holding back its teeth with his oar and enhanced strength, before throwing it to the side as he breathed sharply.
' Argh! What do you need four heads for?! '
His eyes darted around the fog scouting for the next cranium to launch itself at Dell, but was met with nothing for a few seconds. The eyes represented by purple lights were stationary, staring at him.
' Why's it not attacking? Wait a second... '
Swiftly turning around, he expected the creature to attack him from behind with its razor-sharp teeth but they too were still. Suddenly the mist to the side of him shook as a giant arm pierced and slammed right into Dell. His eyes flickered as he was sent flying back before crashing into the floor, quickly regaining his balance.
' Didn't hurt too much, but I can't keep getting beaten forever. '
He looked around as the scene was once again silent within the harrow mist. A few seconds after getting up, another arm flailed itself towards Dell, clashing into his leg as he tried to jump and sending him tumbling in the air, standing back up as he touched the ground.
' Damn! There's too much to anticipate! How do I counteract this harassment?! '
Another arm rushed at Dell, but this time he managed to react. Instead of trying to dodge the assault, Dell, in a fit of rage, launched himself shoulder-first into the incoming attack. As they collided a shockwave dispersed the fog around them, sending them equally both back a short distance. His clenched jaw and wide eyes changed into a wide smile and lit-up eyes as he felt satisfaction.
' The smith was right. It isn't as strong now. '
Before when the smith spoke about its plan to Dell, he told him a few details about the final guardian of the Temple, Veindra of the Haze - specifically about its ability. The mist of the dark temple was actually a product of the lord's mysterious power, which it could completely manipulate, it could also coat objects or himself, in the mist to enhance their power and durability. So now that its arms had been freed from the smoke, Dell could match its strength. But that did not mean the battle was won, or easy from now.
Running back into the action, Dell felt the roar of the beast shake the hall violently almost making him tumble to the floor, but he continued to dash at the beast. A pair of its heads rushed at him as their purple gleamed in their singular eye sockets - rolling to the side he felt a cold, sharp bone grazing his chest but leaving no mark, only causing a loud screech of metal. And as he recovered off the floor, the second cranium came swooping. Lunging forward, Dell watched his oar ram into the socket of the skull before he was launched back by a great shockwave, sending him skidding along the floor.
" D-damn! What the hell was that?! "
Looking up, he noticed something as one of the glowing dots ascended above the beast's torso, causing Dell to chuckle slightly.
" Well, that's one less threat. "
It seems that piercing the skull's eye renders the head useless, because only three points shined in the mist now, leaving one of its heads lifeless on the ground. As Dell's power boost began to wither away, he sighed while shaking his head.
' That guy needs to hurry up, at this rate I'll run out of souls. At least I found a weakness, that'll make holding it off a bit easier. '
After invoking the power of another soul, Dell readied himself for more conflict.
" Bring it on four-headed, no, three-headed bastard! "
-
The battle between the lord and reaper roared on, leaving Dell with a few minor wounds and the beast with three lifeless heads. One would think that Dell was winning the dispute, but their battle right now was just one of endurance. And in that sense, he was about to lose. With the current boost in power about to run out, he would be forced to bleed into the third soul he had at his disposal, and if that ran out...
' Damn it! Focus up! '
He stood close to the giant torso as several arms sprayed out of it, all itching to launch themself at him. Feeling a little tired, he breathed swiftly taking advantage of these few seconds. But then, combat began again as three arms launched down towards him, the palms all digging into the spot where Dell was before he rolled to the side. Pouncing off the floor, he landed on a small crevis between the shin and knee of the horror's leg, using it as a boost to reach up on the torso.
Raising his oar, he began to strike into a crack previously made on its shell. As it was about to hit, a misty tendril wrapped itself around his leg and yanked him down to the ground. A loud groan followed as he coughed up some blood.
" Argh! "
While he was about to get up, a hand swept itself along the floor and crashed into his body, hurling him back a great distance as he clung onto his stomach with an arm while the other firmly gripped the oar. His body hurt all over, but he wasn't too badly injured, the bandages in tandem with the empowered endurance serving extraordinarily well. But it certainly shook him up, and to make matters worse...
" It's gone... the power is gone. "
Opening and closing his palm made him realize the significant decrease in his strength, deeply frowning at the feel of it. He had no choice now but to use the final soul he could. Reluctantly, he raised his hand to his eye, covering it up. But just as he was about to grasp that power, a pair of misty tentacles clasped his arms and pulled them tightly, invoking a deathly screech out of him as they stretched Dell.
' This strength! I'm gonna get torn apart! Piece of shit freak! '
In his deep desperation, he flailed his legs about as he was lifted from the floor. But it was no use, he was entirely stuck and doomed to be torn apart. Slowly, the beast walked forward on its four legs, its steps creating tremors felt through the entire temple. It was going to crush Dell. His thoughts scrambled as he tried to think of what to do... but what could he do but hope? Hope that the smith would finally be done with its task.
And thankfully, his hopes were answered. Suddenly, the sound of a war horn being blown erupted through the hall. As it did, the mist tentacles lost their forms and dissipated into the surrounding mist, letting Dell touch the ground and breathe a sigh of relief. Looking up, he saw all the mist being drawn into a point behind the horror, leaving the hall clear of the mist.
" Took you long enough! " Dell's shout echoed through the hall, which was followed by silence for a couple of seconds. But it got to the smith, who was now on the other side of the beast.
The booming laughter of the smith could be heard from even the temple entrance.
" Good job, young reaper. But I knew you wouldn't fall here, after all, you are fated to save all three realms."
He paused before speaking again, while his tone grew serious and stern.
" And as for you, Lord Veindra of the Haze, you shall perish here by my hand, by the hand of the great Nether Smith! "