168 Ava’s struggle
“Who are you?!”
Eli shouted, brandishing her scythe with ferocity, its blade gleaming in the dim moonlight. She hoped to intimidate the stranger, who had appeared so suddenly and swiftly. She knew just how powerful he was, this man in red garb, whose speed was almost fast enough to catch Ava, who could teleport. She couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down her spine, imagining how destructive he could be with a weapon in hand.
Ava also stood by Eli’s side, her petite frame appearing even smaller next to her friend’s formidable stature. She clutched at the folds of her purple robes, the fabric bunched tightly in her fists. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth, as she nervously nibbled at the soft flesh.
“We should first assess his power...”
Ava whispered softly, her voice barely audible above the silence, her eyes never leaving the man in red garb.
With practiced ease, Ava summoned her mana, her fingers dancing in the air as she began to cast a spell. She conjured a lightning spear, the crackling energy illuminating the surrounding darkness. Ava knew all too well the dangers of underestimating an opponent, and she was not about to make that mistake here.
She had witnessed the man’s speed firsthand and knew that without her ability to teleport, she would have been dead. However, she also understood that speed did not always equate to strength in battle.
Eli couldn’t help but shake her head as she gazed at Ava, a familiar feeling of admiration and amusement washing over her. She was struck by just how serious Ava was about the game, her unwavering focus surprising her once again.
As Ava began to cast her spell, Eli felt her own senses sharpen, the excitement of the impending fight surging through her veins.
.....
‘I guess I should also give it my all!’
With a burst of speed, Eli lunged forward, her scythe held high. She felt Ava’s presence behind her, a constant reminder that her friend was there to support her with lightning if necessary.
Eli’s scythe descended with lightning speed, a deadly arc of silver aimed straight for the heart of the mysterious stranger. She was determined to end this fight quickly and decisively.
The stranger’s eyes flicked from Ava to Eli as she charged forward, her scythe held high. With lightning-fast reflexes, he lifted a single hand, attempting to deflect the full force of Eli’s attack.
Boom...
The two forces collided with a thunderous boom, the shockwave rocking the ground beneath their feet. But to Eli’s surprise, the stranger’s palm was unaffected by her strike enchanted with ‘Fiery Strike’. The force of the impact was so great that it sent her staggering backwards, her scythe clanging against the ground.
Eli’s eyes widened in disbelief as she struggled to regain her footing. She had never faced an opponent with such immense durability before. Even the skeletons in the Fallen Angel Tomb were less durable.
Zziinngg...
A dazzling spear of lightning snaked through the air, crackling with electricity as it raced towards its target. The spear of energy pulsed with a brilliant light, cutting through the darkness and illuminating the alley as it traveled towards the stranger’s chest.
With deadly precision, the lightning spear homed in on its target, closing the gap between Ava and the stranger in an instant. The air hummed with the raw power of the spell, and for a moment, it seemed as though the battle was about to reach its climax.
But then, in a flash of red and black, the stranger moved. His hand shot out, snatching the lightning spear from the air and absorbing its power into his body. Ava watched in disbelief as the stranger absorbed the full force of her spell, his form radiating with a strange energy that defied explanation.
...
Eli and Ava locked gazes, exchanging a look of determination. Without a word, Ava raised her hand and summoned a ball of fire into existence, the orb crackling and snapping with intense heat.
With a fluid motion, Ava hurled the blazing sphere towards the stranger, the air rippling in the wake of her attack. But this time, the stranger didn’t make any attempt to intercept the spell. Instead, he simply dodged the attack with ease, his movements as graceful as they were deadly.
The fireball hurtled past the stranger, exploding against the ground in a shower of sparks and embers.
‘It seems he can be hurt by fire...’
Ava leaned in close to Eli and whispered urgently in her ear.
Hearing her friend’s voice Eli nodded in agreement, her eyes never leaving the stranger.
With a quick incantation, she cast ‘Fiery Strike’ onto her weapon, imbuing it with the fire. The scythe glowed with a fierce, blazing light as she lifted it high.
Eli wondered if the stranger’s resistance was limited to just his palms, or if his entire body was immune to the elements. Regardless, she was determined to find out. With a fierce roar, she lunged forward, ready to unleash the full fury of her ‘Fiery Strike’ upon the mysterious stranger.
Boom...
Eli and the stranger collided for the second time, the sound of metal clashing against skin ringing out across the battlefield. But this time, Eli had changed her approach. She waited a split-second longer before swinging her scythe, disrupting the stranger’s timing and allowing the sharp blade to make contact with his wrist.
In an instant, the stranger vanished into a red fog, reappearing a distance away from Eli. He gazed down at his arm, which was now starting to turn a deep shade of purple where the tip of Eli’s scythe had made contact. The man looked up, his eyes meeting Eli’s as his face turned into a creepy smile.
Eli took a step back, a chill running down her spine. A moment later, the pavement beneath her feet shattered, as a strange red tentacle emerged from the ground, reaching out towards her. The sight of it filled her with dread, and she stumbled back further, trying to put some distance between herself and the dangerous appendage.
Eli gritted her teeth and swung her scythe towards the red tentacle, but the weapon merely bounced off its surface as if it were made of metal. Undeterred, she imbued her weapon with fire and swung it again, this time managing to successfully cut one of its limbs. The red abomination writhed in pain as the tentacle slithered towards her.
Whilst Eli engaged in battle with the writhing red tendril, Ava focused her attention on the corrupted human. She cast her spells one after another. The red orbs descended upon the stranger, raining down a storm of flames. Despite his impressive agility, the man could not evade each and every one of Ava’s attacks, and some of the fireballs were purposely caught by his healthy hand.
But the man showed no signs of pain, even as one of his hands hung lifelessly by his side, its skin now an eerie shade of purple. Ava would’ve continued her assault, if not for a sudden scream.
Aghhh….
Ava’s gaze shifted from the man to her friend, witnessing the horror of Eli being caught by the tentacle, pulsing with strange energy. Eli’s face was turning pale, and her scythe movements were slowing down. Ava could feel a surge of fear and panic race through her body, as she realized that her friend was in serious trouble.
Ava used her ‘Lightning Step’ spell to appear before Eli in the blink of an eye. She threw a fireball at the tentacle, forcing it to retreat and reached for a health potion, bringing it to her friend’s lips. With each sip, the color began to return to Eli’s face, her breathing growing stronger and steadier.
Ava casted another ‘Lightning Step’ to teleport them both a safe distance away from the stranger and his dangerous red tentacle. Sighing in relief, Ava watched as her friend’s eyes fluttered open, filled with vitality once again.
“Eli, look at that thing. It’s turning purple, just like the man’s arm...”
Ava said, her eyes fixated on the writhing red creature, its surface turning slightly purple where the fireball hit.
Following her friend’s gaze Eli nodded her head, massaging her leg, which was previously caught by the tentacle.
“The tentacle can drain your mana and health, don’t let it touch you...”
Eli gazed at the strange man and the red creature as they slowly approached them. The creature’s form was like a giant slug, and two black dots marked its body. Despite its strange appearance, the creature moved with a fluidity that was reminiscent of a normal animal.
Eli shuddered at the thought of encountering such a being in the midst of a dark, in the lush forest during a moonless night.
“We better kill it...”
Ava nodded in agreement with her friend’s muttered words. Even though she wanted to slay the creature for experience points, her goals aligned with Eli’s.
Swish...
A burst of fiery light illuminated the darkness as another fireball materialized in the palm of Ava’s hand. This caused both the man and the creature to halt in their approach, as they eyed the flames dancing on Ava’s hand.
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