Chapter 121: Brood Matron
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Chapter 121: Brood Matron
Tia looked up just in time to see the Brood Matron descending upon her, all eight of its bladed limbs poised to skewer her.
Reacting instinctively, Tia allowed herself to fall, turning her momentum into a roll.
It wasnt enough. She narrowly avoided the matrons devastating limbs, but she hadnt rolled far enough away to clear the matrons enormous body.
Gaaaaaaaaaah! Tia screamed as the matrons weight crashed down upon her. It was all she could do to wrench her torso away but it came at the cost of her arm.
Her left arm lay crushed and maimed under the Matron. Tia gritted her teeth against the immense pain.
Shes not going to make it, Vir thought, observing from ten paces away. The Matrons ambush happened so quickly, none of the other party members had time to react.
But theyd been in fights before. Lots and lots of them. Whereas a lesser party might have frozen or fled, Spears Edge did nothing of the sort.
Neel weaved through the enemy Hunters, confusing them, while Haymi fired Splash before lashing out with twin Arc orbs. Vason activated Bulwark and Leaped forth.
Both attacks would have ended a human. Both attacks failed. Haymis Lightning spells harmlessly cracked against the Matrons tough carapace, failing to shock her target. Vason didnt even make it to the Matron. For the mother whod spawned so many beasts had not come alone. Over a dozen Hunter-Gatherers surrounded the Matron in a circular formation, guarding her against physical assault.
Vasons tower shield smashed into the formation. While the Hunter took some damage, their defense held, and the warriors momentum came screeching to a halt.
Worsethe Matron hadnt paid them an ounce of her attention. Her bladed limb raised, ready to decapitate Tia, who lay crushed under her immense weight.
Despite the agonizing pain, Tia mustered her willpower and fired an Ember spell right into the Matrons face, forcing the beast to abort its strike. It bought her a precious few seconds, but that was all. She remained stuck under the Matron with nowhere to escape to.
Left alone, she would die there.
Not if I can help it.
Vir hadnt been idle, either. The moment he saw Tia fall, hed started charging Dance of the Shadow Demon. With the current prana level of this area, it took only a handful of seconds to activate, but even that felt like an eternity to Vir.
The moment it did, he sunk into the shadows. Instead of looking for an exit he could escape to, he looked straight at the shadow cast by the Matron. Though hed never tried it before, shadows were an absence of light, and so it made sense that the ground under the Matron lay in shadow.
He was right. From the Shadow Realm, he saw Tia, sandwiched between earth and beast.
All he had to do was create an opening large enough. After all, hed done it before with Neel.
Vir attempted to take a deep breath, but of course, his body was completely unresponsive within this Realm of darkness. Before his ten counts were up, he exited.
Right next to Tia. Right under the beast.
To say that the sensation was uncomfortable was an understatement. The Matrons immense weight compressed his torso, and he could feel his armor straining to retain its shape under her weight.
Even ten seconds of this would no doubt crush his Brigandine, causing his chest to implode. But Vir didnt need ten seconds. He only needed four.
Tias face warped from pain to horrific shock as she saw Vir emerge from the ground, right under the Matrons torso. Her surprise was so great that her lips moved, but she was unable to form words.
And then Vir grabbed her arm, and they disappeared.
Back into the Shadow Realm. The Matrons crushing weight immediately disappeared. Vir searched and found Tias prana signature right beside him, her body frozen just as his was.
Remembering his first experience in the Shadow Realmand the panic attack that had ensuedVir did not linger long, instead choosing an exit near the group.
The long rays of dusk gave him several options, and in the next instant, theyd both resurfaced behind Haymi and Vason.
Tia gasped desperately for air, as though shed been submerged underwater. The sensation was eerily similar, until one learned they couldnt possibly drown in the Shadow Realm.
Tia! You alright? Vason shouted, immediately falling back to her position. Haymi also scurried over, placing herself on the opposite side, while Neel barked and raced between the enemys legs, keeping them occupied. His efforts and Haymi's magic bought the party a much-needed respite, a brief moment of calm in the storm of battle.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
Vir hurled a chakram, which bounced harmlessly off the Matrons carapace, before Leaping directly onto her back. Like her spawn, she possessed no defenses that guarded her back, and so Vir laid into her.
Augmented by Haymis Enhance Speed orb, Vir sliced faster and more viciously than ever before.
Innumerable marks appeared on the Matrons carapace, but his strikes did little to chip it away. As befitting a creature of her Balar Rank, her armor was even sturdier than her Hunters.
The Matron, finally noticing the entity on her back, roared.
Immediately, half the Hunters present fired their venom. Green acid arced into the air, all aimed for Vir, but he knew better than to press his luck.
Vir was gone the moment the Matron screamed for help, already on top of another Hunters carapace. One which hed already gouged before.
Apramor! Whats taking so long? Vason cried, tanking another burst of venom. The Matrons got that acid too, he said in desperation. And shes got a lot more of it than the others. I dunno how long my shield will last.
Vir glanced at Vason to see his shield corroding before their very eyes.
That acid can eat through steel!? Vir gulped. The Matrons attention was still solidly on Vason and the rest of the crew. He had to change that.
Luckily, he had a way to do exactly that. After having bounded from Hunter to Hunter, gouging away at their armor, hed finally exposed them all.
Vir landed atop a Hunters back and thrust his katar into the hole hed dug. This time, the blade dug deep enough, and with a shudder, it collapsed.
Having used this tactic so many times before, Vir didnt even wait to check his results. From one Hunter to another, he bounded. One by one, the Hunters collapsed.
In his wake, he left only a trail of death and destruction. And in doing so, earned himself the attention of their Matron.
The massive beast screeched in anger.
Or so he thought.
But that screech wasnt born of frustration or hatred. It was a declaration of victory.
For the moment Virs feet touched the ground, pain assaulted him. His boots melted off. The acid continued to melt his flesh, leaving him reeling.
Badraks Balls the ground!
The continuous sprays of venom Vir had dodged werent aimed at him. They were aimed at the ground.
To turn the ground into a festering pool of acid that crippled all who walked through it.
Apramor! Look out!!
Distracted by the pain, Vir failed to notice the Matron open her venom gland and spray a deluge of acidright at him.
Vir ducked and turned, but could not dodge in time.
He took the full brunt of acid to his back. His armor heldfor nowbut the rest of his body was not so lucky. The acid ate into the back of his head, his biceps, and most of his legs, consuming his clothing as if they werent there.
APRAMOR! he heard someone cry, but it was difficult to say who. Virs world had become one of all-consuming pain. He no longer knew which way was up or down, or even if he was standing or had fallen.
Had he fallen into the vat of acid that covered the ground? Was he being attacked?
Ah. This isnt good, he dazedly realized as his vision grew dark.
But it was not the gods he prayed to as his consciousness ebbed. It wasnt Janak, or Adinat, or even Vera.
Ekanai? Shardul? If youre there, I could really use some help right now
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Chapter 121: Brood Matron
Tia looked up just in time to see the Brood Matron descending upon her, all eight of its bladed limbs poised to skewer her.
Reacting instinctively, Tia allowed herself to fall, turning her momentum into a roll.
It wasnt enough. She narrowly avoided the matrons devastating limbs, but she hadnt rolled far enough away to clear the matrons enormous body.
Gaaaaaaaaaah! Tia screamed as the matrons weight crashed down upon her. It was all she could do to wrench her torso away but it came at the cost of her arm.
Her left arm lay crushed and maimed under the Matron. Tia gritted her teeth against the immense pain.
Shes not going to make it, Vir thought, observing from ten paces away. The Matrons ambush happened so quickly, none of the other party members had time to react.
But theyd been in fights before. Lots and lots of them. Whereas a lesser party might have frozen or fled, Spears Edge did nothing of the sort.
Neel weaved through the enemy Hunters, confusing them, while Haymi fired Splash before lashing out with twin Arc orbs. Vason activated Bulwark and Leaped forth.
Both attacks would have ended a human. Both attacks failed. Haymis Lightning spells harmlessly cracked against the Matrons tough carapace, failing to shock her target. Vason didnt even make it to the Matron. For the mother whod spawned so many beasts had not come alone. Over a dozen Hunter-Gatherers surrounded the Matron in a circular formation, guarding her against physical assault.
Vasons tower shield smashed into the formation. While the Hunter took some damage, their defense held, and the warriors momentum came screeching to a halt.
Worsethe Matron hadnt paid them an ounce of her attention. Her bladed limb raised, ready to decapitate Tia, who lay crushed under her immense weight.
Despite the agonizing pain, Tia mustered her willpower and fired an Ember spell right into the Matrons face, forcing the beast to abort its strike. It bought her a precious few seconds, but that was all. She remained stuck under the Matron with nowhere to escape to.
Left alone, she would die there.
Not if I can help it.
Vir hadnt been idle, either. The moment he saw Tia fall, hed started charging Dance of the Shadow Demon. With the current prana level of this area, it took only a handful of seconds to activate, but even that felt like an eternity to Vir.
The moment it did, he sunk into the shadows. Instead of looking for an exit he could escape to, he looked straight at the shadow cast by the Matron. Though hed never tried it before, shadows were an absence of light, and so it made sense that the ground under the Matron lay in shadow.
He was right. From the Shadow Realm, he saw Tia, sandwiched between earth and beast.
All he had to do was create an opening large enough. After all, hed done it before with Neel.
Vir attempted to take a deep breath, but of course, his body was completely unresponsive within this Realm of darkness. Before his ten counts were up, he exited.
Right next to Tia. Right under the beast.
To say that the sensation was uncomfortable was an understatement. The Matrons immense weight compressed his torso, and he could feel his armor straining to retain its shape under her weight.
Even ten seconds of this would no doubt crush his Brigandine, causing his chest to implode. But Vir didnt need ten seconds. He only needed four.
Tias face warped from pain to horrific shock as she saw Vir emerge from the ground, right under the Matrons torso. Her surprise was so great that her lips moved, but she was unable to form words.
And then Vir grabbed her arm, and they disappeared.
Back into the Shadow Realm. The Matrons crushing weight immediately disappeared. Vir searched and found Tias prana signature right beside him, her body frozen just as his was.
Remembering his first experience in the Shadow Realmand the panic attack that had ensuedVir did not linger long, instead choosing an exit near the group.
The long rays of dusk gave him several options, and in the next instant, theyd both resurfaced behind Haymi and Vason.
Tia gasped desperately for air, as though shed been submerged underwater. The sensation was eerily similar, until one learned they couldnt possibly drown in the Shadow Realm.
Tia! You alright? Vason shouted, immediately falling back to her position. Haymi also scurried over, placing herself on the opposite side, while Neel barked and raced between the enemys legs, keeping them occupied. His efforts and Haymi's magic bought the party a much-needed respite, a brief moment of calm in the storm of battle.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
Vir hurled a chakram, which bounced harmlessly off the Matrons carapace, before Leaping directly onto her back. Like her spawn, she possessed no defenses that guarded her back, and so Vir laid into her.
Augmented by Haymis Enhance Speed orb, Vir sliced faster and more viciously than ever before.
Innumerable marks appeared on the Matrons carapace, but his strikes did little to chip it away. As befitting a creature of her Balar Rank, her armor was even sturdier than her Hunters.
The Matron, finally noticing the entity on her back, roared.
Immediately, half the Hunters present fired their venom. Green acid arced into the air, all aimed for Vir, but he knew better than to press his luck.
Vir was gone the moment the Matron screamed for help, already on top of another Hunters carapace. One which hed already gouged before.
Apramor! Whats taking so long? Vason cried, tanking another burst of venom. The Matrons got that acid too, he said in desperation. And shes got a lot more of it than the others. I dunno how long my shield will last.
Vir glanced at Vason to see his shield corroding before their very eyes.
That acid can eat through steel!? Vir gulped. The Matrons attention was still solidly on Vason and the rest of the crew. He had to change that.
Luckily, he had a way to do exactly that. After having bounded from Hunter to Hunter, gouging away at their armor, hed finally exposed them all.
Vir landed atop a Hunters back and thrust his katar into the hole hed dug. This time, the blade dug deep enough, and with a shudder, it collapsed.
Having used this tactic so many times before, Vir didnt even wait to check his results. From one Hunter to another, he bounded. One by one, the Hunters collapsed.
In his wake, he left only a trail of death and destruction. And in doing so, earned himself the attention of their Matron.
The massive beast screeched in anger.
Or so he thought.
But that screech wasnt born of frustration or hatred. It was a declaration of victory.
For the moment Virs feet touched the ground, pain assaulted him. His boots melted off. The acid continued to melt his flesh, leaving him reeling.
Badraks Balls the ground!
The continuous sprays of venom Vir had dodged werent aimed at him. They were aimed at the ground.
To turn the ground into a festering pool of acid that crippled all who walked through it.
Apramor! Look out!!
Distracted by the pain, Vir failed to notice the Matron open her venom gland and spray a deluge of acidright at him.
Vir ducked and turned, but could not dodge in time.
He took the full brunt of acid to his back. His armor heldfor nowbut the rest of his body was not so lucky. The acid ate into the back of his head, his biceps, and most of his legs, consuming his clothing as if they werent there.
APRAMOR! he heard someone cry, but it was difficult to say who. Virs world had become one of all-consuming pain. He no longer knew which way was up or down, or even if he was standing or had fallen.
Had he fallen into the vat of acid that covered the ground? Was he being attacked?
Ah. This isnt good, he dazedly realized as his vision grew dark.
But it was not the gods he prayed to as his consciousness ebbed. It wasnt Janak, or Adinat, or even Vera.
Ekanai? Shardul? If youre there, I could really use some help right now
Chapter 121: Brood MatronTia looked up just in time to see the Brood Matron descending upon her, all eight of its bladed limbs poised to skewer her.Reacting instinctively, Tia allowed herself to fall, turning her momentum into a roll.It wasnt enough. She narrowly avoided the matrons devastating limbs, but she hadnt rolled far enough away to clear the matrons enormous body.Gaaaaaaaaaah! Tia screamed as the matrons weight crashed down upon her. It was all she could do to wrench her torso away but it came at the cost of her arm.Her left arm lay crushed and maimed under the Matron. Tia gritted her teeth against the immense pain.Shes not going to make it, Vir thought, observing from ten paces away. The Matrons ambush happened so quickly, none of the other party members had time to react.But theyd been in fights before. Lots and lots of them. Whereas a lesser party might have frozen or fled, Spears Edge did nothing of the sort.Neel weaved through the enemy Hunters, confusing them, while Haymi fired Splash before lashing out with twin Arc orbs. Vason activated Bulwark and Leaped forth.Both attacks would have ended a human. Both attacks failed. Haymis Lightning spells harmlessly cracked against the Matrons tough carapace, failing to shock her target. Vason didnt even make it to the Matron. For the mother whod spawned so many beasts had not come alone. Over a dozen Hunter-Gatherers surrounded the Matron in a circular formation, guarding her against physical assault.Vasons tower shield smashed into the formation. While the Hunter took some damage, their defense held, and the warriors momentum came screeching to a halt.Worsethe Matron hadnt paid them an ounce of her attention. Her bladed limb raised, ready to decapitate Tia, who lay crushed under her immense weight.Despite the agonizing pain, Tia mustered her willpower and fired an Ember spell right into the Matrons face, forcing the beast to abort its strike. It bought her a precious few seconds, but that was all. She remained stuck under the Matron with nowhere to escape to.Left alone, she would die there.Not if I can help it.Vir hadnt been idle, either. The moment he saw Tia fall, hed started charging Dance of the Shadow Demon. With the current prana level of this area, it took only a handful of seconds to activate, but even that felt like an eternity to Vir.The moment it did, he sunk into the shadows. Instead of looking for an exit he could escape to, he looked straight at the shadow cast by the Matron. Though hed never tried it before, shadows were an absence of light, and so it made sense that the ground under the Matron lay in shadow.He was right. From the Shadow Realm, he saw Tia, sandwiched between earth and beast.All he had to do was create an opening large enough. After all, hed done it before with Neel.Vir attempted to take a deep breath, but of course, his body was completely unresponsive within this Realm of darkness. Before his ten counts were up, he exited.Right next to Tia. Right under the beast.To say that the sensation was uncomfortable was an understatement. The Matrons immense weight compressed his torso, and he could feel his armor straining to retain its shape under her weight.Even ten seconds of this would no doubt crush his Brigandine, causing his chest to implode. But Vir didnt need ten seconds. He only needed four.Tias face warped from pain to horrific shock as she saw Vir emerge from the ground, right under the Matrons torso. Her surprise was so great that her lips moved, but she was unable to form words.And then Vir grabbed her arm, and they disappeared.Back into the Shadow Realm. The Matrons crushing weight immediately disappeared. Vir searched and found Tias prana signature right beside him, her body frozen just as his was.Remembering his first experience in the Shadow Realmand the panic attack that had ensuedVir did not linger long, instead choosing an exit near the group.The long rays of dusk gave him several options, and in the next instant, theyd both resurfaced behind Haymi and Vason.Tia gasped desperately for air, as though shed been submerged underwater. The sensation was eerily similar, until one learned they couldnt possibly drown in the Shadow Realm.Tia! You alright? Vason shouted, immediately falling back to her position. Haymi also scurried over, placing herself on the opposite side, while Neel barked and raced between the enemys legs, keeping them occupied. His efforts and Haymi's magic bought the party a much-needed respite, a brief moment of calm in the storm of battle.Updated from novelbin.comVir hurled a chakram, which bounced harmlessly off the Matrons carapace, before Leaping directly onto her back. Like her spawn, she possessed no defenses that guarded her back, and so Vir laid into her.Augmented by Haymis Enhance Speed orb, Vir sliced faster and more viciously than ever before.Innumerable marks appeared on the Matrons carapace, but his strikes did little to chip it away. As befitting a creature of her Balar Rank, her armor was even sturdier than her Hunters.The Matron, finally noticing the entity on her back, roared.Immediately, half the Hunters present fired their venom. Green acid arced into the air, all aimed for Vir, but he knew better than to press his luck.Vir was gone the moment the Matron screamed for help, already on top of another Hunters carapace. One which hed already gouged before.Apramor! Whats taking so long? Vason cried, tanking another burst of venom. The Matrons got that acid too, he said in desperation. And shes got a lot more of it than the others. I dunno how long my shield will last.Vir glanced at Vason to see his shield corroding before their very eyes.That acid can eat through steel!? Vir gulped. The Matrons attention was still solidly on Vason and the rest of the crew. He had to change that.Luckily, he had a way to do exactly that. After having bounded from Hunter to Hunter, gouging away at their armor, hed finally exposed them all.Vir landed atop a Hunters back and thrust his katar into the hole hed dug. This time, the blade dug deep enough, and with a shudder, it collapsed.Having used this tactic so many times before, Vir didnt even wait to check his results. From one Hunter to another, he bounded. One by one, the Hunters collapsed.In his wake, he left only a trail of death and destruction. And in doing so, earned himself the attention of their Matron.The massive beast screeched in anger.Or so he thought.But that screech wasnt born of frustration or hatred. It was a declaration of victory.For the moment Virs feet touched the ground, pain assaulted him. His boots melted off. The acid continued to melt his flesh, leaving him reeling.Badraks Balls the ground!The continuous sprays of venom Vir had dodged werent aimed at him. They were aimed at the ground.To turn the ground into a festering pool of acid that crippled all who walked through it.Apramor! Look out!!Distracted by the pain, Vir failed to notice the Matron open her venom gland and spray a deluge of acidright at him.Vir ducked and turned, but could not dodge in time.He took the full brunt of acid to his back. His armor heldfor nowbut the rest of his body was not so lucky. The acid ate into the back of his head, his biceps, and most of his legs, consuming his clothing as if they werent there.APRAMOR! he heard someone cry, but it was difficult to say who. Virs world had become one of all-consuming pain. He no longer knew which way was up or down, or even if he was standing or had fallen.Had he fallen into the vat of acid that covered the ground? Was he being attacked?Ah. This isnt good, he dazedly realized as his vision grew dark.But it was not the gods he prayed to as his consciousness ebbed. It wasnt Janak, or Adinat, or even Vera.Ekanai? Shardul? If youre there, I could really use some help right now
