It was time to face the creature, I didn't really have any other choice, if I was correct, this place was swarming with knights ready to kill me if I acted out of place. Clearly, siding with the monster was out of the question, my job was just to lure it out and keep it distracted as the elf said. I go to the statue in the ruined square and sit on the pedestal. I brush off some of the dust that was covering it as I sit. The elf knew I was conspiring with the monster, which I tried to deny but to no avail, apparently, I was not worth killing currently.
Cori: Yo! I'm back! Where are you at?
I shouted as loud as I could, there was no response for a while, until something bounded up from behind me. Despite the creature's size, it was fast and silent.
Disgusting creature: You are back, fellow sinner. I have been awaiting your return from the camp.
Cori: Hey! You left me out there to die, what was that for?
We start to argue about him leaving me behind, this disgusting thing clearly doesn't care about me…
Disgusting creature: I now have you back, I traded the survivor's time for your life, happy?
Cori: Of course not! You are trading me like I am some type of object.
Disgusting creature: Those humans back there treated you like an object, clearly, neither side of this stalemate favors you.
I wouldn't really consider this a stalemate due to the amount of wounds on the monster, it seemed decently weakened for now. I was being used like a tool for each side, I was bait for the elf's side, and I am a tracking device and knowledge well for the creature. I really wanted to take my own side but I had neither the power, nor the courage to do so. If I moved out of place and defected from either side, I would be dead. The best way going forward is to pretend I am siding with someone and then betray them. This would shift the balance and I would get to escape, I couldn't betray or pick any side currently since being in the dead center of 2 things that could kill me instantly didn't help. I do not know the condition of the knights but I know they are capable fighters in an ambush. The knights were going on offense for now and had the advantage of me. I could side with the knights since they had a clear advantage of being hidden for now, but how many were there? Did the creature even know they were there? If I sided with the monster, the knights would probably cancel their ambush plan and come right out, and from what I saw, they could take me down pretty easily. I could keep distracting the creature or I could tell it about the incoming ambush, I have to keep a balance in being friendly but not friendly enough to the creature.
Disgusting creature: My friend, I am surprised they let you off so easily, only a few minor injuries on your body… I was thinking they would torture you and chop you up to send a message to me.
Cori: Wow, what makes you think that?
Disgusting creature: My boss and I agree that humans are nothing but a barbaric plague to this world, a scourge. Wouldn't you agree?
Cori: Yeah… Totally.
Disgusting creature: Now, my friend. I know they had some valuable information inside that camp, would you mind telling me the details?
Cori: Uhh… I didn't really see much.
Disgusting creature: I can see by your demeanor that you are withholding valuable information from me, I know it is knowledge about humans, I can smell your lies… Are you conspiring with those filths?
Cori: No, definitely not!
I definitely slipped up. Maybe I should have kept a cool head? I was nervous the whole time I was talking to him, his third eye bullshit is probably the thing that senses lies, or his sense of smell.. Something like that? I told yet another lie which puts me in suspicion of conspiring with the elf and humans, this was the perfect time for the ambush to happen… What should I say?
Disgusting creature: Hmmm… What exactly did they tell you to do then? That puny knife of yours won't be enough to betray me.
Cori: I am not planning on betraying you.
He suddenly wraps his neck around my arms and waist, the head positioned right in front of mine, he stared into my soul, a stare that reminded me of Alastor/Regel.
Disgusting creature: I can tell you are lying… Spill the information fourth and I will spare your life.
Cori: Fine! The hu-
Before I could finish, he loosened his grip around me and dropped me to the floor. The elf appeared on his back, her large knife embedded in the creature's back. It was the same knife used to stab me in the neck the first time I met her, it was a large, curved knife with wrapping around the hilt, it seemed a bit too large to be considered a knife but too short to be considered a sword. It was a mix between a short sword and knife. The ambush was a success? Before I got up, I realized an arrow had pierced my torso, did it hit any vital organs? It was somewhere in my stomach but it missed my heart at least. I should have told the creature from the beginning, the humans see me as an object, no more. I should have known they were going to betray me.
[Elf]
I sent the creature forth to lure out the monster that had been terrorizing the village. I gave the command to shoot the sinner if she acted out of place, but we would have a much better advantage against the thing if I managed to get behind it and backstab it. I had to move slowly just in case, despite my speed, the creature manages to fend against me pretty impressively, it even notices my silent footsteps while I dash but it doesn't seem to recognize slow moving objects. The fog it spews from its tubes act as sufficient cover to my actions, I have 34 men positioned at the ready for the ambush, 2 crossbowmen were ordered to shoot the sinner if she made any wrong moves. As I inch closer and closer to the creature from behind, I could hear their conversation. They seemed to be arguing about the sinner's survival but the monster didn't seem to care. I could care less about the argument as long as it kept them distracted.
Sinner: You left me to die, you idiot!
Monster: You are lucky they let you off with only a few minor injuries, may I repeat.
She didn't seem to be acting out of character, clearly, she was using the argument to distract the creature from us but she was clearly nervous, it was only a matter of time before she breaks down, I was still a decent chunk of distance away from the creature, one wrong move, and I might get a valuable asset, and a bunch of my men killed, I was under so much pressure but I still had to take it slow, I held the burden of many lives on my back as I inch closer and closer, even the life of that sinner. But why do I care so much about her? Doesn't she deserve to die? I really should have killed her but I feel like killing her would be a waste of time, she seemed really helpless and weak. Something within me wanted to give her a chance at life, even if she is using her weakness to trick me. Both of us were under intense pressure, it all broke down when the creature suddenly started asking more deep questions.
Monster: Now, my friend. I know they had some valuable information inside that camp, would you mind telling me the details?
I could immediately tell from her decline and nervous state that she was lying when she said she didn't know anything useful, I was running out of time, I wasn't close enough. The creature started gaining suspicion and soon the ambush would be exposed, but the monster was more aggressive than I thought toward the sinner, he curled around her body which gave me the perfect chance to strike. I silently leap forward and land on the creature's back, stabbing deep into its back. But I was too late to save the sinner, I heard her about to warn the creature about the ambush but I was too slow with my strike, my men couldn't tell how close I was so they shot her and rushed in unorganized. I was in the position of an ambush while they were in position for an assault, I am such a failure… If I was faster, it would have gone much more smoothly. My men surround the creature with shields raised instead of charging the spearmen in, the damage wasn't maximized to incapacitate this thing. At least I got the first strike off.
Sinner: You…
The sinner lumps on the floor lifeless. This didn't matter though, we had to continue attacking the monster, it was all or nothing on this assault. The monster sprayed its fog in my face, jetting me off its back, I managed to land on both my feet, my knife still in my hand. It was soaked in blood from the creature, but not enough blood. I pull out my other knife, this one was shaped like an animal antler, but sharp, it could control the threads I had on my body to creature traps, to prevent it from escaping, I shoot out my threads, surrounding the area in a large web, I connect some threads to the various ruins and buildings that were around, creating a sort of arena in a matter of seconds.
Elf: Fall, creature, our fight ends now!
I try to say a cool one liner.
Monster: You and your puny men… You underestimate my power and resort to dishonorable tactics to take me down. I thought I already taught you a lesson by crushing the skull of that friend of yours.
Elf: Men! Do not make Samson's sacrifice go in vain! We must take this thing down while it is injured! Charge!
We charge inwards, I clash at blinding speeds with the monster, blocking, slashing, and dodging its swipes at me, I run circles around it, leaving after images trying to confuse it, also trying to get a slash in on it's main body but it's strangely durable arms and its tail cut my path off. Despite my speed, the creature tracked me almost perfectly. I decided to change tactics and attack from above, jumping around on buildings, diving in for attacks but the creature managed to block with its tail each time, despite its arms being busy in the battle below, its tail was strangely maneuverable. I dive in multiple times to try to strike from above but it manages to repel me with its tail. My 2 knives were durable enough to withstand attacks from the monster but my endurance was taking a hit, I would be hit eventually would I? There was a lot of damage on the creature's body but just not enough. My men weren't doing any better, their swords and spears were being blocked by the creature's arms, it easily parried and a soldier that was foolish to rush in and punched them backwards, it was hard to tell whether the blows killed them. It was like fighting against a fortress, the monster had little to no openings to attack from, it could also dodge the arrows from the snipers we had positioned, we clearly needed a different strategy than rushing in on the creature. We still had the advantage of having it surrounded after all, we could play more defensively.
Elf: Men! This clearly isn't working! We must keep our defense up! Archers, keep firing!
I managed to get some of the knights to notice my command in the middle of the chaos, they started to form a large ring around the monster.
Monster: Surrounding me won't delay your inevitable death, Elf.
Did I overlook something? What was he saying? We were ready at him to pounce on our defenses any second. I was wrong, instead, it picked up one of the dead bodies of the knights and threw it at blinding speed at the knights, despite some of them having shields, they turn into a fine red mist as soon as the body hit them, their shields crumbled like paper from the throw. That one throw took down 3 knights.
Monster: You pathetic things truly underestimate the power gap, I also have plenty of rocks here, having your defense up like this will only make you die slower.
He suddenly throws the rock at me, I manage to cut it mid air with my knife, instead of splitting in 2, the rock blows into dust against my blade, it also knocks me back. I landed on my back from the pressure, I was sure I had no injury but the immense force behind the throws could probably kill me if they hit. Clearly we had to go on offense again, playing it aggressively would preoccupy its arms, but then, the same force would be punching and clawing at the knights. We only had around 35 knights left, some were severely wounded and others were not in the best shape, but we had more melee fighters than ranged units, it was clear what we should do, something had to be able to cut through the arms, the forearm part seems to be the part it blocks with, evident by the scratches on the surface. But if it could be damaged, it could be cut somehow, we just need enough force. An idea sprung into my head.
Elf: Men! Try to get behind the creature and deal with the tail! I will handle it from the front!
The knights rush toward the back side of the ring while I rush forward toward the creature, I would need some time, I had to create a web out of my strings to try to trap the arms, I had no idea how durable the biceps of the creature were but if I could trap the forearms, it would be a much easier task to cut it's arms.
[Cori]
How the hell am I still alive? I was laying on the ground bleeding out and no one decided to come? The crossbow arrows were almost as big as my arms. I tried to crawl to a safe spot while the elf and the creature were having their little battle. By now, I should have bled out from the injuries but the arrows seem to be keeping at least some of the blood inside my body. I wasn't a medic but I knew I shouldn't remove these arrows for now. From the ruins, I spectate the fight between the elf and the creature, she seemed to be building something behind her each time she was knocked back, I could barely make it out but it seemed to be a web made of thin string, I didn't know what it was going to be used for but the creature didn't seem to know it existed despite it's knowledge, was it getting overconfident? The assault against the creature so far seemed to be a complete failure, I had to find some way out of here but the fog was blocking the way, maybe killing the creature would lift the fog. Even if the humans have betrayed me, I have no other choice since the creature won't have the medical professionals to patch up my arrow wounds. I cut off the ends of the arrows and limped toward the battlefield. The current situation seemed to be shifting in favor of the humans, despite the number of bodies on the floor, they seem to be genuinely wearing down the creature since it had much less blood and it had more tentacles the last time I saw it. There were slash marks starting to appear on the arms of the creature as the elf clashed with it, both her blades flashed as fast as light striking against each arm to parry the punches, I see her dash forward, raising her blade to strike the creature, the blade of bone seemed to have streaking lines on it as the descended toward the creature, it was going to block the attack until a net of strings attached to it's hand, its ends modified with throwing knives, pinning it to the floor. The elf seemed to use the knights as a distraction in the back in order to knit a net out of her strings whenever she got knocked back. The creature seemed to be immobilized for a second, but a second was all the elf needed to cut its arm clean off. Maybe I don't need to intervene, I wouldn't have been useful anyway.
[Elf]
I did it, I managed to cut the arm off, I was genuinely surprised the creature didn't notice the web of strings I was creating white we fought, I knew bringing my antler knife would be useful. The creature suddenly roars, the shockwave was so large that it cleared the fog out of the area and broke the arena I had created. My limbs suddenly tense up, was I paralyzed? I was right in front of the roar as it happened.
Monster: THIS DOES NOT END NOW, ELF!
I seemed to make the monster more angry than injured, at least the fog had cleared out, I could see better now. The monster sent a punch my way with one of its human hands, the horrifying realization dawned on me, I couldn't dodge. I got directly hit by the punch sending me into a pile of stone, the blow made my head spin, I felt like I would have vomited if I had anything to eat. I see the monster toss the rest of the knights aside like ragdolls with its tail, it seemed to have a more serious expression now instead of a demeaning or confident one.
Monster: You thought you won by cutting apart my lower half did you? You ignorant fool! You will die just like your little friend did.
It raises its tail up to crush my head, the mace-like end shined in the sunlight, the creature seemed to have a pained expression all of the sudden, it was the sinner from earlier, she had a knife that was jammed in the creature's hind leg.
Sinner: Take that! That's what you get for getting me in this situation!
An act of bravery, rare for a sinner of her type, but much appreciated, not even a second later, the leg she stabbed kicked her back against the wall, so much for being brave. But that small distraction was all I needed to lunge forward and stab the creature in the heart. Its underbelly was surprisingly easy to pierce. This would be the final blow needed.
[Cori]
I could barely keep my conscience after that kick that broke at least half of my ribs. I really hope that the elf could patch this up since she knows first aid or something. I have seen roadkill in better condition than my body but I managed to stand up, I stumbled toward the creature and saw it dead on the ground, did that puny knife stab really kill it? I was planning on resetting the day by angering the creature and getting it to kill me but I guess it worked out? Was the knife some type of overpowered weapon that could kill the creature in one hit? I was disappointed by the sight of the elf repeatedly stabbing the dead body of the creature in the chest, she had one hand holding up the body as the other cut up the creature's body. The front of the creature seemed to be a bloody ragdoll slumped over the elf.
Cori: Elf, can you stop for a second?
She looks over and rolls out from behind the corpse, she comes over to be and hugs me… Weird.
Elf: You're the best! You looked so heroic with that knife in the hind leg!
She begins bursting out into laughter, clearly sarcastic. Now I would rather die than live with the embarrassment of that one liner I delivered when I stabbed the hind leg. Maybe I could have found a different way to defeat it if I died and reset the day?
Elf: Damn, you look like you've been digested multiple times, I'll try my best to patch you up later
Cori: What were the 2 crossbow arrows into my chest all about?
Elf: It's a shame, it was an accident.
Cori: You better punish those nerds… I am surprised I am still alive.
Elf: These aren't really my knights, I am temporarily commanding them, I leave discipline up to Altair.
Cori: Who is Altair?
Elf: You don't know? I'm honestly surprised. I don't think you want to know either, it's the least of your problems right now.
Voice: I know who that impudent brat is…
A voice suddenly sounds out, it seems to have come from the body of the creature we just defeated, its head suddenly starts to move, it detaches from its body by the neck and slithers around like a snake, does it have a second form or something? It suddenly strikes at me at a lightning speed, the elf tries her best to push me out the way but it hits anyway, instead of killing me, it seems to attach to my body, fusing slightly into my torso, the neck part suddenly wraps around my neck and squeezes. Was I going to die anyway?
Creature: Hahaha! Fools, this is the perfect vessel, another sinner! I shall use this body to wreak havoc on the city next! After all, you should have gone for the head!
Everything fades to black