281 Powerful Yet Pitiful
A dramatic scene unfolded as the eight of them began their assault on the phoenix, the once-silent landscape now echoing with the sounds of battle cries and the thunderous beats of the phoenix's flaming wings.
The air filled with the scent of smoke and the searing heat of the Pyro Peak, amplifying the intensity of the battle.
Then, with a flourish, Asher opened his beast pouch, and out came the Callisa.
"Kooo!"
With a 30 meter long body, Callisa stood tall, her body as formidable and awe-inspiring as the surrounding volcanoes.
The black carapace of the giant young beast gleamed under the fiery glow of the phoenix, and her murky, bulbous green eyes were alight with ferocity and the thrill of an imminent fight.
Turning to face Callisa, Asher's expression was somber, and his words echoed the gravity of the situation, "We're only going to get one chance at this, big girl," he said, his gaze never leaving hers, "One shot to win this. You have to be very fast and need to make it count, Callisa. If we fail... we are all done for. Are you ready?"
In response, Callisa snapped her pincers once more without any hesitation. The sound, like a powerful gong, echoed throughout the battlefield, a clear 'yes'.
Asher's face split into a grim smirk, "That's my girl," he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
The battle raged on, with the 8 of them throwing everything they had at the Blazing Calamity.
Asher watched as the phoenix's strength increased at an alarming rate.
Its HP had dipped below 120,000, but the rate at which it was decreasing was slowing down, and the amount of damage it took with every blow was shrinking.
He knew the only reason they managed to shave off so much of its HP was that it started the fight in a weakened state and thus took more damage.
But now that it was becoming stronger, the damage it would take would only continue to lessen.
He then watched as Isola, with her ethereal voice, sang a haunting melody that seemed to lull the monstrous phoenix into a stunned state.
With this opening, the rest of them redoubled their efforts, their attacks exploding over its body like fireworks. Blood spurted from the numerous wounds, only to be magically vaporized into thin air.
Despite its terrifying size, the 8 of them were relentless, their fervor undying. They were mere specks against its gigantic frame, but their collective might was not to be underestimated.
*SCREEEE!!!*
But the spell wore off too quickly, and the phoenix, now with its HP at just below 70,000, broke free with a deafening screech.
Anger, pure and blazing, emanated from its ember eyes, and yet there was an unmistakable hint of certain emotion too that flashed for a second, which puzzled Asher, wondering if he had just imagined it.
He just couldn't stop staring at its eyes. What was going on?
He also noticed that it was fighting like a madman, as if it was acting purely on instincts despite olden tales saying how it was supposed to be very intelligent and possess ancient wisdom.
He had no doubt of its sheer power yet it seemed pitiful to watch such a mythical creature being like this. And he didn't know why he was feeling bothered about it.
But his pondering was cut short as the phoenix flapped its mighty wings, sending a devastating gust of wind that scattered the five Umbralfiends, tossing them like leaves in a hurricane.
It wasn't even meant to be an attack, and yet it was a clear show of power, of dominance, one that confirmed the phoenix's strength now was quite close to that of a Soul Devourer.
"Retreat! All of you!" Asher bellowed back, a sense of urgency tingeing his voice.
He was truly shocked by how powerful it already became with so much HP still remaining.
By the time it burns its lifeforce down to 10,000 or below, then not even five peak Soul Devourers would survive against it.
He already knew the key to completing this quest was buying as much time as possible to the point the phoenix would burn itself up.
However, he now was feeling less confident than before, seeing how much HP it still had. Still, he had confidence in his 'Plan B'.
Upon hearing Asher's instruction, Ceti moved quickly, wrapping her arms around her mother and retreating with a burst of speed along with Isola.
The five injured Umbralfiends, too, used the momentum of the phoenix's attack to their advantage, speeding away from the area.
Mirena was clinging to the back of her sister, wondering if she was really alive or not after getting blasted away by the fiery wings of the phoenix.
On the other hand, Asher stood firm, his body undergoing a transformation that was equally terrifying and mesmerizing.
His flesh and muscles started to disintegrate into ashes, revealing his charred skeletal frame underneath, burning in an eerie green flame.
Placing his bony hand on Callisa, Asher looked into her bulbous eyes.
"Remember what we discussed. Once you're done, don't stay around."
With his words, Asher activated the Mark of the Damned.
A surge of dark green energy flowed from his hand into Callisa, setting her body ablaze with the same eerie flame.
Her flesh disintegrated in seconds, leaving behind her exoskeleton, dark and ominous in the glow of the dark green fire.
With a clack of her pincers, Callisa charged towards the phoenix, the earth quaking under her monstrous strides.
The phoenix spread its wings wide, the air around them glowing with scorching light, ready to deliver its most devastating attack upon seeing this giant creature challenging it.
A deafening screech echoed through the Pyro Peak as the phoenix unleashed an all-consuming attack from its wings.
"NOOO!!!"
15:02
The scorching wave of fire swept over Callisa, the horrifying sight of her skeletal body turning to ashes stinging everyone's eyes, especially the 5 Umbralfiends.
"NOOO!!!"
Mirena's scream of despair cut through the tumultuous sound of battle as her sister and Lyra tried to hold her back from running towards it while they themselves were shaken as well.
Her eyes welled up with tears, her heart burning with rage towards the Bloodburn Consort for using their young guardian as nothing more than cannon fodder. A terrifying sense of helplessness consumed them.
Yet, what they saw next shook them to their cores. Callisa's skeletal body wasn't succumbing to the phoenix's fire.
Instead, her bones regenerated at a rapid pace, every piece that turned to ashes replaced by a new one. And, in the midst of this regenerative spectacle, Callisa slowly lifted one of her gigantic pincers.
Charging an enormous sphere of dark green energy, her pincer repeatedly disintegrated and reformed, with the speed of regeneration gradually surpassing the speed of destruction. An intimidating glow radiated from the ball, casting a spectral hue on the ashen fog.
"KREEE!!"
Then came a screech from Callisa, filled with resolve and defiance. The massive sphere of energy, now fully formed, hurtled towards the phoenix.
*BOOM!*
*SCREEEEEE!!*
The impact sent the colossal bird reeling backwards, its screech a cacophony of surprise and pain.
As it crashed onto the ground, the emerald flames surrounding Callisa extinguished, and flesh rapidly grew back, covering her skeletal body.
She was back in her original form, her body trembling with exhaustion but her spirit unwavering.
The battlefield was suffused with stunned silence as everyone processed the spectacle they'd just witnessed.
The 5 Umbralfiends wore expressions of shocked disbelief, their eyes wide and trembling.
Even the usually stoic Orin had his eyes quivering non-stop.
Mirena was furiously rubbing her eyes as if doubting the reality before her. The sheer might Callisa had just exhibited left them dumbfounded.
Isola, Ceti, and Merina were equally shocked. This made them wonder how terrifying Asher's power would be if he became a Soul Purger, let alone a Soul Devourer.
"Everyone get back! It's still alive…" Asher's shout broke the eerie silence, snapping everyone out of their stupor.
They saw him sprinting towards the fallen phoenix, who was slowly rising again, its health still at a formidable 25,000 HP.
This sight sent a chilling wave of worry through everyone, particularly Isola, Ceti, and Merina, especially since they could guess it was at least as strong as a peak Soul Devourer.
Ceti couldn't contain her fear, "Your Highness, don't!" she shouted, her voice echoing around them. She didn't want him to gamble his life like this.
To her, it seemed wiser to abandon the quest and retreat while they still could. Or they might very well end up like the ashes scattered over the ground.
But Merina held her back, her voice steady, "Trust him, Ceti. We need to have faith in him."
"But, mother..."
At the same time, Isola stopped a tired Callisa from following Asher, "You're too exhausted," she said, her voice laced with concern, "We have to retreat. He will be fine, Callisa. You can't help like this anyway," Isola wasn't sure of her words, but she couldn't let Callisa put herself in danger as well.
"Koo…" Callisa let out a slow, sad mewl as she stared ahead, not wanting to leave him alone.
Isola's lips pressed together in a thin line, worry creasing her brow. She was well aware of Asher's limitations in his current form. The phoenix would take some time to burn out the rest of its health, and the odds were not in Asher's favor.
In fact, based on watching Asher's combat so far, he definitely wouldn't outlast the phoenix, especially since his attacks wouldn't even hurt it now that it had become this powerful.
But instead of succumbing to her worry, she decided to follow Asher's instructions, leading the group, especially a reluctant Callisa further away from the phoenix.
Their eyes, however, remained glued on Asher, their hearts pounding with anticipation and fear.
The massive form of the phoenix towered over Asher like an immovable monument.
He was just a flickering ember before the roaring blaze, yet his determination was unyielding, standing firm in the wake of the imminent danger.
His confidence stemmed from the plan he had thought of already; teleport behind the colossal beast, out of sight from the others, and then teleport to his Damned Dimension to wait until this creature burned itself up.
And then all he had to do was reappear at the dying embers of its life force and reap the rewards.
He readied himself, his body tensing as he prepared to execute the first step of his plan. But then, something unexpected happened.
Just as it regained balance, the phoenix's fiery eyes bore into his as its body and gaze suddenly froze.
Its luminous, ember eyes flickered with an unknown emotion as it locked gazes with him.
Asher felt an odd pull, as though he was sinking into those flaming depths, the sound of the rumbling volcanoes growing dimmer, and the world around him started to blur, slowly fading away.
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