(Written while listening to: "Victorious" by Aviators on YouTube)
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An axe came down with earth shattering force.
Once Irabeth's head, now monster's, was severed from its body. It rolled a few meters and stilled. Greenish ichor trickling from the wound.
He stared at the Beast's unmoving body for a few seconds. His emotions, unreadable.
Suddenly, he was interrupted by other prowling creatures, which were previously avoiding the two battling powerhouses. They leaped into action once there was space to do that.
What commenced next was a slaughterhouse.
The corrupted creatures gathered, attacked only to get smashed into ground. Cut with devastating axe strikes. Or simply pummeled into meatpaste with bare hands.
At first there were many creatures. Then, the numbers started dwindling. The earth shook with each strike of the Strongest Saint.
Showcase of pure brute strength, combined with refined fighting mastery, proving vast experience gained through lifetimes of dire fighting, either through warfare, or survival.
Cut. Slash. Punch. Stomp. Cut. Slash.
Many Beasts were felled with just one strike. Few needed more. But not much more.
The carnage proceeded uninterrupted. The Flowing and brutish Beast King moved tirelessly as if it was just a walk in a park for him.
After just a few minutes the tide ceased.
And Godar reached the once Main Square of Incandescent City. It has changed a little bit.
Where once was a lively centerhood of thriving civilization. Filled to the brim with social life, news criers, occasional Knights patrols, sometimes festivities, or other events.
Now there was a small lake of sludge. From said sludge grew a pulsing, reddish/blackish tree. It was ugly and exuded an aura of repulsiveness around it.
Although a person with a keen eye or relevant knowledge could notice a small detail about it.
It looked sick.
Of course it looked sick. as an unsightly abomination, with its form foreign for human aesthetics. But beside that it also looked unhealthy compared to what it was supposed to look like. Its branches, roots and tendrils are less vigorous than in Laito's vision. Less saturated with colour. Most noticeably:
It was much smaller.
In Laito's and Gandeon's visions it was supposed to become a grand pillar connecting to heavens within the span of a single day. Now, it was just around 100 meters tall. Which wasn't even bigger than the tallest trees on Earth.
Quite the letdown. Consequences of ritual disruption. But not only.
Beast King stood at the fringes of the pooling sludge. He regarded the tree. But then he felt a gust of wind brushing his back. In response he turned away from the tree…- to regard his imminent opponent.
"Longst did I've hunted thou…- Blatherer of Desires…" He proclaimed as he stared down the perpetrator of this city's demise. The old hag that transformed into a shapely Matron. A Cursed Devil apparently known as "Blatherer of Desires". Quite a mouthful for a name.
After the passing of 5 months she looked quite different then she did during Carnival. Although her horrific beauty and charm remained, she looked less…- alluring. More creepy. As if she abandoned any pretenses. Her crimson eyes stared at The Beast King without blinking, wide-open, with blood flowing down her face in streams.
Just like the Tree, she also looked sick. Slightly thinner. Her veins showed from under her skin, pulsing as in fever.
Just what could bring a Cursed One to this state?
"...Alas. It is not you who are my prey today." The Beast King spoke.
"Begone."
She screamed. A powerful reality-shifting sound blast that carried a concentrated Will of a Deity within it. If there was any normal mortal person nearby, their brains would instantly burst like pierced water balloons.
Yet. The Beast King stood as he stood.
Unshaken. He sheathed his axe.
And then, he started to transform. In mid-transformation he pounced.
In an instant Blatherer of Desires was met with the open jaw of a Lion closing over her face.
And not just any Lion. An absolute Unit of a Lion. Striking perfect balance between mass and agility, body designed with achieving status of an Apex Predator.
Today though the predator has met his match. After all she was being entire two stages of existence beyond his. So obviously she didn't die from his assault.
But she also didn't swat him like a fly as one would expect.
No.
In fact she was pushed into defense, for the moment. Swipe of claws and bite of sharp teeth.
It was obvious though Blatherer didn't receive any significant damage. But neither The Beast King.
After her initial mental attacks failed, she resorted to physical battle. Her weaker side.
And absolutely the dominant side of The Beast King's entire being.
As a combined result of all of these factors: her actual combat output was effectively lowered to being comparable to Great being. While Beast King has a long list of Great beings he has hunted and slain.
Outcome: A Saint fighting a Cursed Devil into a standstill.
They have exchanged savage strikes. Her elongated sharp nails and blackish roots pierced the giant Lion from the ground on her command.
The fight lasted a few minutes, during which another reason for Blatherer's apprehensive battlestyle has shown itself. She tried to move the fight away from the Tree.
Just as she thought she managed to move the fight into a more convenient zone…- something changed.
Her veins started to open up. With splashy sound blood bursted from Blatherer's body in fountains as it was a Tarantino movie.
The blood pooled at the side of Lord Godar.
From it a figure of a woman has risen. It was a beauty with vampire-looking aesthetics. Pale skin, white hair, sharp teeth…- and a mad grin.
Crimson Blood Pest was alive.
I mean really…- Could someone whose name literally screams "PARASITE!" Could be killed that easily? Possibly, if it was a Cursed One doing that.
But Crimson Blood Pest was part of the Font of Wisdom task-force for the fight with the enemy. Obviously they had planned as much as they could, capitalizing on their strengths and minimizing weaknesses. Both short and long term.
Now, their plans were coming to fruition.
The roots/tendrils the Blatherer has used suddenly withered and crumbled as if all the juices were drained from them. Instead, healthy greenish roots sprouted from the ground and attempted to imprison the Matron.
It was Glade Rootwarden commanding them from afar. While he was routed during the Carnival, it was all according to plan as he was the one sent to persuade The Beast King to aid The Incandescent.
They gained an advantage.
But…- just as the three Saints moved to strike at once…-
The sound of something depowering resounded through the nearby land.
The three Saints and one Cursed Devil, have frozen in a moment of consternation.
Unexpectedly for everyone:
The radiant-golden dome surrounding the Incandescent City has…-
Collapsed.
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[3,5 years left until MHA plot beginning]
[Chapter End] The story is not over yet
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Author notes:
I got a new job.
Hence:
Fewer chapters…- but only temporarily!
Once I'll get into flow and acclimatize myself, there shall be a "consistency" once more!
My goal was 1 chap every: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, [Saturday/Sunday(depending on the mood)]. I've been failing recently. I'll work on it.
Though I make no promises.
See ya soon!