Chapter 26: The Scaled
Chaos descended upon the cavern the instant the mysterious robed figure gave it’s command.
The strange language rolled through the blood-soaked chamber like a curse from an ancient graveyard. The syllables were sharp and guttural, inhuman and cold, carrying an authority that made even the cocoons pulse violently in response.
The Scaled Wights shrieked as dozens of crimson eyes ignited at once. Then... They rushed forward.
The sound of their shrieks alone was horrifying as they surged forward like rabid beasts unleashed from chains.
Claws scraped against wet stone, with scaled limbs slamming against the almost fleshly ground.
As they moved, their shrieks overlapped into one dreadful chorus that battered against the minds of the eight exiles like rusted nails scraping flesh...
The atmosphere immediately became suffocating as even the blood pool rippled violently beneath the pressure the horde exuded.
But despite all of that, the group reacted immediately. This time, nobody froze nor did they hesitate.
After everything they had endured inside the Nether Lands, they learnt that hesitation was equivalent to death itself. And who wanted to die...?
Golden light shimmered around Regaleon as his battered Armour manifested completely over his body. The rusted plates locked together with metallic growls, and with one final sharp clink, his head was fully covered by his helmet...
Crimson rune-lines pulsed faintly beneath the surface of his Armour like veins carrying molten blood through flesh.
Regaleon gripped his Halberd tightly; with the blade of the Soul Essence gleaming with a cold predatory sheen beneath the crimson glow of the cavern...
Beside him, Aureleah lowered her body slightly; like a wolf preparing to pounce on prey.
Her black Cloak fluttered around her like living darkness. The shadows beneath her feet twisted unnaturally while her twin Daggers slid into her palms with lethal elegance...
Vaelorin tightened his grip around his crimson Staff as fire began spiralling around him slowly. The flames moved with frightening discipline, coiling around his body like obedient serpents waiting for permission to devour...
Beside him, Valmyr planted his feet heavily against the ground while slamming his Shield downward with a thunderous boom.
His massive Broadsword rested across his shoulders with fingers wrapped tightly around the hilt...
Kaeloris nervously adjusted his spectacles before raising the glowing Lantern higher.
Though the cavern was not dark, the golden light from the Lantern still enabled them to see everything clearly and vividly...
Next to him, Caelestra’s Coins orbited around her sharply as they gleamed with a silver sheen. Though they were monetary Essences, she clearly wouldn’t mind weaponizing them.
The ornate Treasure Chest in her hands hummed faintly with Aetheric power as though responding to her fighting intent...
Veyrath’s grip against his Cauldron was tightening.
Though fear remained obvious on his face, the glowing runes upon both his Cauldron and the miniature Life Tree behind him gave him an entirely different aura than before...
Lastly stood Sylveris; the youngest and only unawakened amongst them.
She stood behind Regaleon while playing with her pale fingers nervously.
Though she knew that the group was more powerful now that they awakened their Essence Runes, she clearly understood that the monsters they are about to fight are also stronger...
Then... The Scaled Wights arrived.
Surprisingly, Regaleon was not the first person to move this time. Instead, it was Valmyr.
The failed Vanguard roared like an enraged beast as he charged forward. His Shield was raised and his muscles bulged underneath his skin; then...
BOOOM!
He slammed directly into the first Scaled...
The impact echoed violently across the cavern but the result shocked everyone...
Instead of the Scaled being blasted backwards, it was Valmyr himself who skidded backward several steps.
His boots dug trenches into the wet ground as he tried to stabilize himself...
"What the hell?!" Veyrath shouted; eyes aost falling from their sockets.
It was true that Valmyr hadn’t activated his Essence Runes to fight with the Scaled, but they had thought that him using his Runes now wouldn’t be necessary because he had the physical advantage...
Of everyone in the group, Valmyr was the one that relied mostly on brute strength to overwhelm his opponents.
And that was something that has being going well for him since their arrival in the Nether Lands, because he was physically built for such a thing.
But now, the physical prowess which made Valmyr stand out amongst his peers actually failed him now. That was, well, shocking.
The failed Vanguard’s expression hardened instantly as he stared seriously at the Scaled Wight...
Only now did the group truly realize how terrifying these monsters were.
But unlike Valmyr, who looked like he needed a minute to get a hold of himself, the creature was actually fine. It shrieked at the failed Vanguard before charging forward while swinging it’s claws...
CLANG!
Valmyr hastily raised his Shield to intercept the strike.
Sparks exploded outward while his arm trembled violently.
The sheer force behind that attack had nearly knocked the failed Vanguard off his feet but he managed to maintain his balance...
Meanwhile, Regaleon narrowed his eyes underneath his helmet as he watched the battle between the duo.
If even Valmyr was getting overwhelmed physically... Then this means that those creatures were something else entirely.
His thoughts moved rapidly as he began to analyze the consequences.
If even the Scaled Wights were already this powerful... Then what about those things that were growing inside those cocoons?
How powerful would they become after they matured fully?
Regaleon’s instinct screamed danger at that thought, but there was no time to think further. Now, they got a pressing situation on their hands...
Next to him, as Valmyr fought against that Scaled, Aureleah had also moved...
The shadows within the cavern twisted for a moment and then... She vanished.
A blur of darkness flickered between the monsters... Silver flashed and a Scaled Wight’s head flew upward.
The creature’s body was expected to dissolve, but shockingly... It didn’t. Instead, the body continued thrashing violently even after the decapitation.
The severed head screeched horribly from the floor while the body clawed blindly around itself...
Aureleah’s eyes narrowed coldy as she took in the sight. "Killing these things would be difficult..."
She had watched Valmyr’s battle and realized that they couldn’t possibly fight against those things with brute strength alone. They needed a strategy and the weak points of these Scaled...
This was the reason she had taken action. She had thought that decapitating them would kill or injure them badly, but it looks like her conjecture is incorrect...
Three Scaled noticed her and lunged simultaneously. Their slitted eyes glowed fiercely as they charged with their claws outstretched but before they could reach...
Aureleah’s body distorted as she melted back into darkness; causing the creatures to pass through empty shadows.
A second later... She was already behind them. She didn’t hesitate at all as...
Slash! Slash!! Slash!!!
Her Daggers carved across the backs of their knees rapidly.
The monsters shrieked in pain before collapsing as they couldn’t maintain their balance and with a final silver arc, their heads disconnected from their body...
"Leg joints!" She shouted toward the others. "The scales are weaker there!"
Finally, she has discovered a weak point of the Scaled...
At the same moment she made her move, Vaelorin unleashed concentrated flames at the incoming horde...
The failed Pyromancer thrust his Staff forward and a massive torrent of flames exploded outward like a volcanic eruption...
WHOOSH!!!
The crimson cave became drowned in orange light as several Scaled shrieked while the fire consumed them.
But unlike the previous Wights, these Scaled did not burn away instantly. Instead, their black scales glowed red-hot as they continued charging through the inferno...
Vaelorin’s eyes widened in disbelief. "They can actually resist fire?!"
The failed Pyromancer was so shocked that he didn’t notice one of the Scaled burst through his flames and swung toward him...
CLANG!
Regaleon intercepted instantly as his Halberd collided against the creature’s claw.
The impact shook his entire arm as the strength behind that strike was monstrous.
Still, he didn’t retreat. Instead, his Halberd twisted sharply as silver light flashed. Then, the blade carved downward across the creature’s shoulder joint....
Crack!
The scales split apart almost instantly and black blood exploded outward.
The Scaled shrieked violently; it’s slitted crimson eyes blazing with pain and rage...
But before it could attack further, Regaleon swept his Halberd sideways and cut through the creature’s neck...
THUD!
The creature’s head fell with it’s body which twitched for some seconds before stopping.
Regaleon confirmed what Aureleah said immediately. The scales around the joints really were thinner and less protected. That was the Scaled Wight’s weaknesses.
"Attack the joints!" He called out to the others. "Their necks, shoulders, and knees!"
Instantly, the group began reacting to his words...
Caelestra flicked her fingers and the orbiting silver Coins arounf her shot forward like bullets...
CLANG! CLANG!! CLANG!!!
Most of them bounced off the scales of the Scaled; but the moment they struck the joints... Blood erupted outward like a fountain.
The Scaled began to stagger and after several more flashes, they were left twitching on the floor...
Veyrath suddenly slammed his Cauldron into one charging Scaled. The impact sounded like metal crushing bone as the Scaled stumbled...
Before it could stabilize, roots burst out from the ground and wrapped tightly around the creatures legs...
"HAH!" Veyrath actually laughed. "I got one!" He shouted dramatically while pointing at the Scaled.
Then, the creature ripped the roots apart effortlessly; as though they were paper.
The wide smile on the failed Alchemist’s face vanished instantly. "Never mind!" He shouted.
Then without waiting, Veyrath ran backward while screaming like a sissy...
Watching this, the others almost wished they could strangle this peer of theirs...
In the meantime, the battle intensified...
The cavern had become complete chaos by now as: fire burned, silver flashed, shadows danced, and blood splatter endlessly across the ground.
But no matter how many was killed, more and more Scaled Wights emerged from the tunnel. Their shrieks became deafening as they kept on attacking...
At the beginning of the fight, there was only about a couple dozens of the Scaled, but now, the group couldn’t even count how many Scaled there were...
Through the battlefield, Regaleon moved like a commander amidst the carnage.
His Halberd swung relentlessly; every strike targeted weak points while every movement was precise and efficient...
Suddenly, one creature lunged toward Sylveris. But once again, Regaleon stepped forward instantly...
CLANG!
It’s claws slammed against his Armour violently. The sheer force shook him, yet strangely, he merely reeled slightly.
Then... His Halberd flashed and one of the creature’s arm flew off.
Slash!
A second slash severed it’s knee and a final thrust pierced through it’s throat.
Black blood erupted as the Scaled collapsed and once more, a faint crimson wisp drifted from the corpse and was absorbed by his Essences.
Around him, the battle continued brutally as the group adapted to it’s rhythm...
Valmyr began targeting knees before smashing skulls afterward...
Aureleah sliced tendons and joints with surgical precision before slitting their necks...
Vaelorin burned exposed flesh after scales were shattered...
Kaeloris illuminated the cavern while warning others about incoming Scaled...
Caelestra’s Coins distracted and repeatedly pierced weak points...
Even Veyrath somehow became useful by entangling creatures long enough for others to kill...
Little by little... The Scaled Wights began falling and the group was surviving...
No! Not just merely surviving, they were also winning.
Then... Everything changed.
The mysterious robed figure standing near the tunnel finally moved.
For the first time since the battle began, it raised it’s head fully. The hood shifted slightly, making a pale chin became visible beneath the crimson glow of the cave.
Then... It spoke once more.
It was a single, terrifying phrase in a language that was ancient, rotten and wrong.
And the moment those words echoed, the entire cavern reacted.
