Stronghold Leader Zogar effortlessly lifted his hand, halting the lightning-forged shield in its tracks, and then delivered a powerful punch, resulting in a resounding "Bam!" The impact jolted through the shield, causing it to shatter into numerous lightning tendrils that recoiled back toward Orion's arm before dispersing into aimless sparks.
Unfazed by the shield's destruction, Orion pressed forward, swiftly manoeuvring to bring his lightning-forged blade down upon Stronghold Leader Zogar.
To Orion's surprise, the leader simply elevated his hand and caught the blade between his fingers. With a firm grip, Stronghold Leader Zogar shattered the blade into a deluge of lightning, the tendrils flickering out from Orion's arms. Seizing the moment, Orion quickly reshaped the lightning into a new shield, forcefully propelling it towards Stronghold Leader Zogar in his next move.
However, even though the shield shattered upon impact, Stronghold Leader Zogar took two steps back before coming to a stop, standing tall with an erect posture. He turned his head from side to side as if attempting to shake off the arcs of lightning that were dancing around him.
Simultaneously, Orion swiftly retreated, the lightning still crackling from both his arms. He observed as Stronghold Leader Zogar held his position, allowing the lightning to descend toward his stony leg before radiating out, encompassing the ground in a shimmering display of lightning energy.
"It appears that this form is both advantageous and disadvantageous for you," Stronghold Leader Zogar remarked, retracing his steps to his original position. "Feel free to make another attempt." He gave a slight smile, "Let me personally guide you through some of the aspects of becoming a warrior."
At his words, Orion, who had increased the distance between them, decided to give his best effort. Unable to directly harm the Stronghold Leader, he aimed to experiment with new approaches. He launched forward, conjuring his lightning into two colossal forged hands.
With a resounding "boom," he slammed them ahead, causing the ground to tremble momentarily and a cloud of dust to engulf the surroundings, concealing his presence.
"Smart move," Stronghold Leader Zogar mused, a raised eyebrow accompanying his observation as the cloud of dust obscured Orion's presence.
However, his ears soon caught a distinct sound. His eyes widened upon spotting a bolt of lightning hurtling his way. Swiftly evading, he watched as the lightning struck beside him.
"Booom!!"
He raised an intrigued eyebrow, realizing it was merely a piece of lifeless two-star Vylkr vines.
In the next moment, time seemed to slow down as Orion burst from the dust, his massive fists resembling mountains, aimed at Stronghold Leader Zogar's face.
Stronghold Leader Zogar clenched his fist, merging it into a single pestle-like shape, meeting Orion's lightning-covered fists head-on with a resounding "bam." Orion quickly repositioned his other fist toward the ground, using it to propel himself over Stronghold Leader Zogar, landing behind him.
….......…..
The farm
"Ha..... Haaa... What's happening?" Overseer Anara exclaimed, stepping out of her hut. She had made sure the babies were asleep before she left.
Holding her belly, she made her way to the ancestral essence pool. Rapidly, Overseer Anara dove headfirst into the lake, deliberately sinking instead of floating. As she descended to the pool's very depths, her hands commanded the surrounding vines to coil around her body. She became encased in her own roots, activating an ability inherited from her tree nymph ancestors.
At first, Overseer Anara had only intended to utilize the vines for a brief period, hoping to alleviate the persistent agony of the sore that throbbed within her body like a pulsing heartbeat.
This unfamiliar sensation was entirely new to her as a tree nymph since they lacked the type of heart that the villagers possessed. It was a mystery she struggled to articulate or control, each throb inducing a torrent of tearing sensations rippling through her body.
Amplifying the intensity of the yellowish radiance, Overseer Anara pushed her ability to its very boundaries. Concurrently, she intensified the number of vines encircling her, prompting the luminous glow from the dense waters to spill outward, casting an illuminating halo over a small section of the surrounding vicinity.
Suddenly, the brilliance of light extinguished, and the vines encircling Anara released their hold, rapidly retracting into the earth as she swam upwards, breaking the surface.
Using the nearby terrain for support, Overseer Anara pushed herself upright, only to lose her balance and fall forward, landing in an involuntary sprawl.
"Haaahh..... My legs," Anara gasped, attempting to rise and move, but her efforts proved futile. Paralysis seemed to have seized her from the waist down, while from her upper torso, it felt as though a sharp object was tearing open her stomach, only to be immediately healed.
This was precisely why she had sought refuge in her ancestral pool and used her vines, hoping for a complete cure.
Yet, her judgment appeared to have been mistaken; her condition had worsened.
Now, returning to her tree was impossible due to the considerable distance.
"Haaa... Haaa..." The sounds escaped Overseer Anara's lips in ragged gasps as driven by instinct, she inched along the grass with her body flat, her gaze locked on her distant tree. Struggling to reassert her control over her vines, she observed them detach from the ground and curl around her form.
Nonetheless, as a searing wave of agony surged through her, her mouth fell open in a silent cry of shock and torment.
Immediately, she relinquished her hold over the vines once more, fearing that she might lose control and inadvertently harm the newborns. After all, all the vines that covered them were naturally linked to her.
"Orion," Overseer Anara's trembling voice trembled, her body contorted as she curled onto her side atop the grass. "Orion..." she called again, recalling when all of this had begun, when he had released his semen into her flower. It had started as a mere burning sensation, something she believed she could alleviate on her own.
However, the agony grew, compelling her to immerse herself in the ancestral essence lake in a futile attempt to quell it. But instead, it intensified, spiralling into a situation where she couldn't walk, and even her healing powers were powerless.
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