In the aftermath of the giant's thunderous emergence, the once-solid rock of the cave appeared to tremble in terror. A near-deafening cacophony rang out as the colossal creature slammed into the cave's vaulted ceiling, shards of stalactites raining down like deadly hail.
The chamber, bathed in an eerie half-light, amplified the fearsome silhouette of the behemoth as it scanned its environment with a singular, monstrous eye. This leviathan of the underworld was both bewildering and terrifying in its strange, human-like form.
The air crackled with unseen energy as the giant began to vocalize. Its voice was a tumultuous symphony of alien sounds, a language too obscure for the symbols embedded in the palms of Klea and her companions to decipher. Though the meaning was lost, the sentiment was clear. Anger radiated from the creature in waves, its ire palpable as the cave walls vibrated in sync with its vocalizations.
Julian turned to Klea. His ordinarily strong, determined features were pulled tight in anxiety, and the glow from the symbols on his palm cast an eerie illumination on his face. "What should we do?" His query hung in the stagnant air, seeming to echo off the cavernous walls.
Frozen in place, Klea stared at the monstrous figure looming over them. Her mind raced back to the imagery etched onto the pages of an ancient tome she had studied in her youth – an epoch before the flood. The memories unveiled the leviathan's identity – a one-eyed giant, just like the creature now holding them captive in its gaze.
Fumbling with the idea, she decided to exercise her exceptional spirit reading abilities. Ignoring the limitations of linguistic barriers, she transmitted her intentions directly into the behemoth's consciousness. It was a daring move, one based on faith rather than fact. She concentrated and formed a clear message in her mind,
"We mean no harm, tell us who you are. What are you?"
She felt a connection, a sort of mental acknowledgment, but it seemed her message had not calmed the creature. Instead, the giant's fury intensified. Its huge fists pounded against the stony walls, sending tremors through the ground beneath them. The desperate rage in the creature's actions resonated in the cavern, an unmistakable desire for freedom.
As they all recoiled from the violent outbursts of the creature, an ethereal voice echoed once more in Klea's consciousness. It was the same little girl-like entity from before,
"Do... not let it get out... It will unleash death toward your people."
"My people? Tell us who you are?!"
Before Klea could engage with the voice further, a horrifying sight unfolded in front of them. The giant lunged forward, its massive fist swinging at the praetorian soldier who had been unfortunate enough to draw its attention. The soldier was obliterated in an instant, a gruesome reminder of the creature's immense power and an ominous precursor of what could be their own fate if they didn't act fast.
This brutal act spurred Julian and Thrax into action. They summoned the seventh stage of their [Immortal Gate] abilities, their bodies glowing with ethereal energy. Powered by their boosted strength, they attacked the giant in synchrony. Thrax, leaped high into the air, his spear aimed at the creature's massive head. In contrast, Julian adopted a more grounded approach, diving low and slamming his shield into the giant's knee with all his might.
Their well-coordinated attack succeeded, carving a deep wound in the creature's neck and forcing it down to its knee, momentarily debilitating it.
However, before they could follow up with another attack, the giant retaliated. With an agility that belied its size, it swung its arm wide, sweeping the two warriors off their feet. Despite their best efforts to dodge, they couldn't escape the reach of the giant's massive arm.
Julian took the brunt of the impact on his shield and was sent crashing into the cave wall. His body crumpled on impact, the breath knocked out of him. On the other hand, Thrax was ensnared by the giant, his body crushed in the creature's vice-like grip.
"URRGHH!!!"
A guttural scream of agony echoed through the chamber, a testament to the severity of Thrax's situation.
However, the tide of the battle began to shift again. Dozens of glowing, lightning-enhanced spears, summoned by Klea, rained down on the giant. Her [Gungnir] spears, charged with her newly mastered Law of Lightning and guided by her Spirit Reading abilities, found their marks with unerring precision.
The cavern echoed with the creature's roar as the spears pierced its thick hide.
However, the giant refused to release Thrax, its hand tightening even further around him. His powerful armor held up against the immense pressure, but it was a painful ordeal. Julian, recovering from his earlier impact, sprung to his feet and charged at the giant. He climbed the giant's body and aimed his sword at the creature's single eye, hoping to blind it.
BAMM!!!
The giant was able to close its eyes fast enough, and its hide was able to protect it fully, but the attack gave Thrax the chance to unleash his ability [Blood Rage] which further increased his battle power and break out of the giant grasp.
"Roman, NOW!!!!" Thrax shouted and called for Julian and both of them swiftly aim at the eyes ready to make critical wounds on the giants
But the giant had different plans. As Julian's sword plunged toward its eye, the giant's eye started to glow brightly. Without warning, a powerful energy beam erupted from the eye, catching Julian and Thrax off guard. The energy knocked both of them against the cavern wall, their bodies limp from the immense force.
At that same moment, Klea's eyes widened in horror as she saw more creatures pouring out from the destroyed gate. She knew they were losing this fight and needed to retreat immediately.
While the forty praetorian soldiers occupied the giant, Klea swiftly drew a formation circle on the cave floor and summoned her trusted pet, a majestic, ink-black Bestet Tiger King, Tivali.
"Tivali, let's go!!" She commanded. The beast sprang to action, darting towards Julian and Thrax. With Klea and Damo on its back, they picked up the two wounded warriors and sped away from the chaos.
The giant, now free of its restraints, chased them but was unable to catch up due to its size.
Upon reaching a safer distance, they halted. Klea's eyes scanned over the injured Julian and Thrax. "Are you alright?" She asked, her voice laced with concern. Both men responded affirmatively but their egos had taken a bruising.
Damo quickly cast a healing spell, soothing their aching bodies and mending their wounds. However, Thrax was far from calm. "What is that thing!" His question rang out, echoing the confusion and fear they all shared. They only had a vague idea about the creature's strength which most likely reach 500 battle power.
Without a real understanding of what it was or how to defeat it. They knew they needed to retreat and regroup. They quickly journeyed back through the ruins towards the Spirit Tree nestled within the forest, hoping to find refuge or answer to the alarming situation.
However, no sooner had they set foot on the forest floor, than the earth began to quake again. This time, it was followed by the ground splitting open, giving way to hordes of tiny ball-like creatures. "They are coming here!" Klea warned, her voice filled with a grim determination.
The verdant labyrinth of the forest made navigation difficult and they soon found themselves lost. Their journey took an unexpected turn when they stumbled upon an ancient pyramid structure hidden amidst the undergrowth. It had multiple layers and looked like a fortified stronghold, providing them with the refuge they so desperately needed.
They made a beeline for it, the tiger's muscular body carrying them swiftly up the steep staircase leading to the entrance. However, before they could enter its gate, another earthquake rocked the forest floor and hundreds of winged stone creatures poured out of the cracks. A booming sound followed, and the giant they had left behind crashed through the wall.
The breathless pause that followed was punctuated only by the thudding of their racing hearts. The encounter with the giant and the emergence of the abyss creatures had left them exhausted and desperate. They had found a potential safe haven, but could they hold out against the onslaught of these fearsome creatures?
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