With a swift movement of her spear, KiAera slashed through one of its wooden legs with ease. She then darted around the Tropiruth, dodging its wild swings as she left trails of fire in her wake.
The Tropiruth stumbled backwards from the attack with a cry of pain. It turned toward KiAera and Saptal, snarling in rage.
"???? ???????????? ??????t ?????? ????, ?????? w?????? ?????? ?????????????? ????????!" It hissed as it raised its arms.
It howled as strange dark crystals began to sprout from its bark, rippling and parting in a harrowing formation. Its form enlarging as it grew in size.
Its energy gushed through the air like a hot mirage, buffeting her and Saptal with a dreadful gust. This wasn't normal. Not from her understanding. But KiAera was familiar with this radical transformation. Evolution.
The Tropiruth's appearance took on a drastic and grotesque shift, taking on a fractured, jagged, unnatural blackened hue. Its wooden arms split and twisted into elongated claws tipped with razor-sharp crystal shards. Its snarls deepened as its eye burned with a malevolent, feral glow.
KiAera gritted her teeth, her fur bristling as she steadied her spear. This wasn't the same creature she'd fought moments ago.
It was as if something had hijacked its essence, forcing it into this nightmarish form. She knew something was off about the Tropiruth with its unusual arrival, but this confirmation unsettled her. "Saptal, back me up! This thing's evolved, but not in a natural way!" she shouted over the howling wind of dark energy emanating from the monster.
Saptal could barely muster a word as he watched, his massive form trembling.
"I feel it too… it's... vile."
The Tropiruth roared, the sound reverberating through the forest and shaking the nearby trees. Shards of crystal broke off its body, embedding themselves into the ground like jagged knives. The bark of its body cracked and peeled away, revealing a network of dark, gleaming crystals spreading like veins across its torso and limbs.
Its evolution into an [Emergent] was complete.
"???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ????????????????... ???????? ???? ????????????????????," it bellowed, its form towering over KiAera and Saptal. The ground beneath it cracked, blackened tendrils erupting outward and clawing at the earth as if the very forest recoiled from its presence.
KiAera's [Insight] flared to life, glowing faintly in her vision as it attempted to read the Tropiruth's altered state. The information was fragmented, as though the creature's new form defied proper classification. She confirmed that the creature had evolved—from a Tropiruth to a Terrotruth.
[Terrotruth: Corrupted Variant - "Dark Evolution"]
??. .????. .????. .??
— Creature: Terrotruth
— Variant Grade: [Emergent]
— APeX: [5283 Units] → [6868 Units]
— Attributes: [Plant] [Doom] [Corrupt]
??. .????. .????. .??
— Threat Level: HIGH
— Boost: Emergent vs Fledgling bonus
— Condition: Stable under external influence
— Altered Abilities:
- [Dark Tendrils]
- [Crystal Amplification]
- [Enraged State]
— Warning: Host integrity compromised. Entity exhibits controlled aggression linked to an external force.
??. .????. .????. .??
The words froze her for half a second. Controlled aggression. Linked to an external force. Someone was doing this.
The Terrotruth roared again, the sound echoing with a resonance that vibrated through her bones. It lunged, faster this time, swinging one of its massive crystal-encrusted limbs directly at her.
KiAera dodged, the impact sending shards of rock and bark flying into the air. She retaliated with a blazing arc of her spear, igniting the corrupted tendrils trying to snake toward her.
"We need to end this now!" she shouted to Saptal. The Terrotruth's sheer power was overwhelming, and the longer it remained under whatever influence controlled it, the more destruction it would wreak—not just here but on the forest and beyond.
Saptal responded with a conjuring of vines, each glowing faintly with his own energy. They coiled and lashed out, grappling with the Terrotruth's limbs to slow it down. "Hurry, KiAera!" he growled, straining to hold the monstrosity in place.
She didn't need to be told twice. Her mark ignited immediately as she honed her focus on it. She evolved from her [Fledgling] state to her [Emergent] state in that instant, becoming a Mearcritt.
★ KiAera's APeX: [2522 Units] → [5044 Units]
She saw the Terrotruth thrashing against Saptal's ensnaring vines, black tendrils of its own twisting out to sever them. Its voice boomed, "?????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ???? ????????!"
A horrific mass—a cluster of roots, erupted from its back like legs of a spider. These tendrils sprouted outward, shooting toward KiAera and Saptal with frightening speed.
Saptal stood paralyzed before the approaching mass, but KiAera positioned herself to retaliate. Her body felt weightless yet powerful as her [Spectral Flame] blazed around her, burning brighter and hotter than before. The dark tendrils of the Terrotruth clashed violently with her fire, creating a chaotic storm of black and blue energies spiraling through the clearing. She was barely keeping it under control as it swept across Saptal, Sapshorla, Amber, and Pi Osseod.
If she lost control, they'd burn. Her [Emergent] form still felt raw to her. Maintain focus, KiAera. You can handle this. She thought to herself.
"Keep it busy, Saptal!" she commanded, her voice ringing with an edge that even she wasn't accustomed to. "I'll finish this."
Saptal growled in affirmation, his tree-like body crackling as he redoubled his efforts. He plunged thick roots into the ground, which erupted beneath the Terrotruth, binding its legs and forcing it off balance. "It's not going to hold for long!" he warned, his glowing green tendrils trembling under the strain. They snapped as the Terrotruth thrashed.
KiAera dashed forward, spear in her ear-limb's grasp. She leapt into the air with feline agility, her fiery aura trailing behind her like a comet. Her spear blazed mid-flight, the fire along the blade elongating and arcing like a flaming scythe.
The Terrotruth roared in defiance, swinging its crystal-encrusted arms wildly to free itself. Its claws caught the edge of KiAera's arc, forcing her to twist mid-air and land behind it. Without hesitation, she spun on her heel and delivered a sweeping slash, her scythe slicing cleanly through one of its corrupted limbs.
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A deafening crack echoed as the severed arm shattered into shards of bark and crystal. The Terrotruth howled, its movements becoming erratic. Black energy poured from the wound, hissing and writhing as though alive.
The Terrotruth turned to face her, its corrupted eyes narrowing with hatred. "??????... ????????…"
"This thing's about to blow!" Saptal warned, retreating several paces as the corrupted energy blasted to dangerous levels. "KiAera, we have to fall back!"
"No. We have to push." With a defiant roar, she leapt high into the air, her spear descending in a blazing arc.
The Terrotruth's remaining crystals began to quiver violently, its form growing unstable. Dark tendrils erupted again from its body, writhing and lashing in every direction. She barely managed to leap clear of one as it gouged a deep trench into the earth.
KiAera gasped in surprise as she tried to dodge everything but was caught off guard by one root smashing into her. The moment it connected with her, there was a blinding explosion of light and fire, engulfing the battlefield in an inferno that consumed them both. She cried out as she was sent flying, landing hard on her back. Her body ached from the blow, as wood splintered through her fur. They sizzled and crumbled as her flames caught on them.
Damn. I was hit too hard…
The Terrotruth cackled maniacally as it loomed above her, its green eye glowing with malice. "?????? y????'r?? ??in????h????!" It hissed, raising a thorn covered fist.
"No, you. Asshole." She used her ear-limb to hurl her spear into the Terrotruth's eye, and instantaneously, it ignited with a glorious blaze of white-blue flames.
"????aaaaaaagh!!!!!!" The Terrotruth shrieked as it stumbled back from the attack with a cry of pain. Its roots twitched erratically as it writhed in agony. "??y eyeeee!!!!!!!!" It screamed as it clutched at its face, desperately trying to put the flames out.
KiAera smirked as she watched the Terrotruth burn. She stood up slowly, wincing slightly from the pain of her injuries.
"It's over now," she said, glaring at the Terrotruth.
She took a deep breath, her paws clenched into tight fists as she prepared the incantation.
"Gathered strength, a potent mass,
A weapon forged from creature's grasp.
In the beast's maw, it finds its aim,
To strike with force, to quench the flame.
A sphere of pure destruction,
Borne of a monster's ire toward obstruction."
"I call upon the power of the Abyss, to help me vanquish my foes."
"[MereSphere]..." she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke.
"[MereSphere]!" She yelled, her voice echoing through the forest as she released the energy that had been building up within her. It released from her mouth as a massive orb made entirely of flames, its size comparable to that of KiAera's entire body. The orb flew toward the Terrotruth with incredible speed, crashing into its chest with an explosive impact.
The Terrotruth unleashed an agonizing cry before collapsing onto the ground, followed by a loud thud and an explosion of flames. Its remains burned fiercely, sending embers scattering into the dawning sky.
★ KiAera's APeX: [5044 Units] > [5572 Units]
When the light faded, KiAera stood in the center of a scorched clearing, her flames dissolving back into her spear as her form reverted to its normal state. The Terrotruth was gone, reduced to ash and fragments of crystal that shimmered faintly in the smoky air.
KiAera panted heavily as she stared at the remains of the Terrotruth, bidding the beast farewell. Her [Insight] flickered one last time, displaying a chilling message:
[External Influence Disconnected - Entity Terminated. Observation Ceased.]
She remained silent for several moments before turning away from it. Her heart raced within her chest as she struggled to process what had been disclosed. She walked toward where Saptal and Sapshorla stood together. They were both staring at her in awe.
KiAera slumped forward as exhaustion took complete hold of her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
Pi Osseod scampered toward her, whimpering as it nudged her shoulder gently with its snout.
She saw Amber limp toward her as well, then strode, before limping again to reach her. Amber hugged KiAera tightly. Amber buried her feathery face into KiAera's furry neck and sniffled.
"LeeLee! KiAera's safe! Big mean Tropiruth gone!" She murmured gratefully; her voice muffled against KiAera's fur.
???? ? ????
★ Amber the LeapLeap's Bond:
— Bond Increased!
— Companion > Friend!
???? ? ????
KiAera opened her eyes and smiled weakly at Pi Osseod before glancing over at Amber. She returned the hug, wrapping her fluffy ears around Amber.
"Yes... I'm okay. Don't worry yourself about little old me," she whispered quietly, running her ears' hands through Amber's feathers.
She only had a moment to comfort her before glancing at Saptal and Sapshorla, who watched them silently. They appeared dazed in a trance.
"Are you two alright?" She spoke up.
Saptal nodded slowly while Sapshorla gave a thumbs up. Sapshorla winced immediately after doing so, which caused KiAera to frown worriedly.
She studied Sapshorla carefully and noticed that the tree-girl had several nasty cuts and bruises along her body. Saptal also appeared injured, although he was far less battered compared to Sapshorla.
She sighed softly before turning toward Pi Osseod. "Pi Osseod... Can you heal Sapshorla? She got injured pretty badly during our fight against the Tropiruth."
Pi Osseod chirped happily as it bounced toward Sapshorla. It began licking her wounds gently with its tongue, causing the looming tree behemoth to laugh at the sensation.
KiAera grinned at the sight before looking around to access her surroundings. She noticed that Amber was still clinging tightly onto her body, refusing to release her grip, despite KiAera telling her multiple times that she was fine.
"Amber... Please let go of me now," KiAera breathed as she tried to pry Amber off as gently as possible.
Amber shook her head stubbornly, as she tightened her hold even further. "NO! LeeLee must rest! LeeLee fought big scary Tropiruth!"
KiAera groaned internally as she realized that there was no way she could convince Amber otherwise. She reluctantly stopped her struggle against Amber and allowed the LeapLeap to continue cuddling against her. She had to admit; the warmth emanating from Amber's feathers was rather comforting.
She glanced away, and resumed her survey of the scorched remains of the Tropiruth once more before turning back to Saptal and Sapshorla. They both continued to stare at her expectantly, as if they were waiting patiently for her next command.
Goosebumps ran through her skin as she wondered why the two Zeldritch monsters trusted her so much, when she was clearly just some random stranger who randomly dropped here from another world.
She cleared her throat against the building awkwardness, speaking up. "So... What do you guys want to do now?" She met Saptal's gaze.
Saptal shrugged nonchalantly, as he glanced around curiously. "Well... There's nothing left of that awful Tropiruth anymore thanks to ya, but we probably shouldn't stay here, considering that there may be others nearby. Best to head somewhere safer." He suggested as he scratched his chin in thought.
KiAera nodded. He was right, it was dangerous to stick around. More monsters like the Tropiruth may be lurking nearby, waiting to ambush them. However... Where exactly would they, as in Saptal and Sapshorla, go instead?
She, Amber, and Pi Osseod had the means to return their Crystal Shelter; whereas the two massive Sapkins before didn't have that comfort of a home except for the forest itself. The Sapkins would not fit into her home due to their tallness.
However, they could stand around in the glades for the time being.
KiAera pursed her lips, pondering deeply about how best to address Saptal's question without offending him or Sapshorla. Finally, she decided to speak honestly instead of attempting to sugarcoat things too much. After all, there was no point in hiding things when everyone present seemed trustworthy enough.
"Well... You two could come with us if."
Saptal raised a brow.
"With ya? Ya mean you got somewhere safe ta go?" His gaze shifted toward Sapshorla before returning to KiAera. "Where exactly are ya planning ta take us then?" He inquired, clearly intrigued by the offer.
KiAera hesitated slightly before responding, "Well... We do have a place where we stay at whenever we need rest from our travels... However... It's kinda small... So it might be difficult for you two to fit inside..." She explained slowly while averting her gaze awkwardly.
Saptal frowned slightly as he pondered over her statement. After moments of silence, he finally spoke up again. "Hmmm... I see..." He glanced at Sapshorla. "Whatcha think about this idea? Should we go along with them or not?"
Sapshorla grinned as she nodded. "Yup! Sounds like fun!" She held Pi Osseod in her gigantic, barked palm, which made the Osseod look like a small gemstone in comparison. It squealed happily in response.
KiAera blinked rapidly in surprise before glancing at Amber. However, she was glad that they seemed willing to accept her offer regardless.
The LeapLeap merely shrugged before nodding. "LeeLee trusts Saptal and Sapshorla! Leelee thinks that Saptal and Sapshorla good Zeldritch!"
"Okay then... Let's go," KiAera announced as she began walking toward where she had left her satchel earlier, before fighting the Tropiruth. As she reached for the bag, she paused briefly as something caught her attention, out of the corner of her eye.
She turned toward the phenomenon, noticing that there was a strange cluster of pink petals fading between the trees. The petals were pirouetting in the air and then vanished outright.
She frowned as she stared intently at the last petal. She couldn't help but wonder why they appeared so odd. Familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time, somehow...
She shook her head dismissively before picking up her satchel and slinging it over her shoulder.
Her ears perked as she overheard Saptal and Sapshorla's conversation.
"Perhaps we should shift into our [Sapling Forms] ta not draw anymore attention."
"Oh? Brightness, Sapkin! It'll make us smaller! Otherwise, we might not fit into wherever KiAera is taking us."
"That's what I was thinking! C'mon! Let's get started!"