The Highest Place! Chapter 18: A Lifeless Battle! (Patreon)

The air hung heavy with the scent of decay, while an ominous power cast a pall of darkness over the scene. Amidst this grim tableau stood a skeletal figure, draped in robes of black and red. Its eye sockets were hollow except for a solitary glimmer, reminiscent of a tiny ember amidst the shadows.

The sound of creaking bones accompanied the figure's movements, as its bony hands gripped a long wooden staff that bore the appearance of scorched timber. This being emerged from the sinister Gehenna woods, a breeding ground for the dreaded S Class monsters.

"That's a half lynch?" Aric's voice trembled with shock and astonishment, barely managing to cling to his sword as the overwhelming fear threatened to numb his fingers.

"Yes," Seraphina affirmed, her grip on her staff betraying the tension in her stance, as if it were a barrier she could find refuge behind.

Gideon's muscles tensed as he gripped his massive hammer, his voice tinged with skepticism. "How can you be so sure?"

Seraphina's brow furrowed, and she wiped the sweat from her forehead with deliberate slowness. "Its magical energy is unstable, and its body appears quite fragile."

Aric's expression bore a confident smirk. "It seems like it's not accustomed to its own power."

"Yes," Seraphina agreed, her voice steady as she elaborated. "It's caught in the midst of a transformation, still adapting."

Lyra's voice quivered slightly, her fingers clutching two small daggers with determination. "It's almost unbelievable that something already so terrifying could become even worse."

Aric's urgency surged forth. "We have to act now! Kill it before the transformation is complete."

The whole group of adventurers fell silent, their attention fully fixed on the half Lynch standing before them.

"WHAT???" The Lynch's voice thundered, its declaration cutting through the air like a blade.

"YOU FOOLISH HUMANS THINK THAT YOU CAN KILL ME?" Mockery dripped from its words like poison. "YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN RENDER ALL MY EFFORTS FUTILE?" It jeered once more. "WHAT A PATHETIC JOKE!" Its anger erupted, its power unfurling in a violent surge that birthed a shockwave, capable of propelling anything unfortunate enough to be caught in its path.

Bracing themselves, the four adventurers stood firm, their bodies ready to defy the oncoming onslaught. The ferocious shockwave swept through them, crashing into their forms with a force that threatened to knock them from their feet. When the tumultuous wave finally subsided, the adventurers struggled to maintain their balance, their bodies a testament to the sheer might they had endured.

In the midst of uncertainty, each warrior on the battlefield grappled with the specter of defeat. They understood the odds, realizing that this battle could very well mark their final stand. Still, every one of them clung to their weapons with unwavering determination.

A voice cut through the tension, offering an alternative perspective. "You should run."

Lyra's gaze shifted to Duncan, positioned at the rear of the group, his eyes betraying an indifference that seemed to dismiss the gravity of the situation.

"What are you talking about?" Lyra's incredulous tone masked the gravity of her emotions. "We're not running!" Her defiance reverberated in her shout.

"You will die," Duncan stated flatly.

"Maybe..." Aric's smirk was laced with defiance. "But it's preferable to meet one's end defending home and country than to succumb as a coward who defended nothing."

In an unexpected moment, a flicker of vitality danced within Duncan's eyes, his heart quickening as a long-forgotten memory clawed its way to the forefront of his mind. The tableau played out: a village teeming with life, wooden houses standing amidst lush trees heavy with fruit, fertile fields worked by diligent farmers, and a radiant woman in a dress whose features were obscured by a brilliant light behind her. The woman extended her hand toward Duncan, a potent yearning to reach out and grasp it seizing him momentarily.

"We may face death," Aric's voice resonated with unwavering conviction, pulling Duncan back from his reverie. "But cowardice will not define our demise."

Silent resolve hung in the air as the adventurers surged forward, Aric leading the charge with Gideon and Lyra close behind, their weapons held steadfastly.

Meanwhile, Seraphina remained poised at a distance, enveloped in a radiant golden light that formed a protective cocoon around her. Her focus was unwavering as she channeled her magic. A brilliant pillar of light shot upward, nearly piercing the sky before arcing down to land upon her comrades, cloaking each one in the same luminous aura.

The Half Lynch's irritation echoed in its voice. "HOLY MAGIC..."

A smile touched Seraphina's lips, tinged with pride. "A Lynch's most renowned vulnerability," she declared confidently. "It should prove sufficient to counter a halfling like you."

"DONT BECOME TOO CERTAIN CHILD," the Lynch countered, its staff raised before it slammed into the ground. A tremor ran through the earth as skeletal hands clawed their way to the surface, summoned from the depths below. Simultaneously, ominous winds coalesced, birthing monstrous figures adorned with immense horns and razor-sharp claws. Their eyes glowed with a pale, eerie green light, casting an unsettling hue upon the battlefield.

"A HALFLING I MAY BE..." the Lynch's voice resonated with an unsettling confidence, the horde of skeletal warriors and monstrous creatures encircling it. "BUT I AM STILL ABLE TO COMMAND DEATH AND DECAY!" Its proclamation rang out like a sinister command.

The skeletal warriors wielded weapons coated in a sickly green energy, their rusted forms pulsating with malevolent power. Accompanying them were ghastly beasts that emitted snarls of pure hatred, their presence sending shivers down the spines of the adventurers.

"DIE," the Lynch bellowed, its bony finger outstretched like a vengeful specter. In response, the assembled creatures surged forth, a torrent of maleficence hurtling toward the adventurers, prepared to rend anything that dared stand in their path to shreds.

With blade in hand, Aric surged forward, meeting the fierce gaze of a black beast poised to strike. His sword, ablaze with crimson energy, sliced through the air and severed the creature's razor-sharp claws with a single, swift motion. The wounded beast roared in agony, its pain echoing through the battlefield.

A confident smirk played on Aric's lips as he bounded backward, his eyes narrowing as he observed the onslaught of more monstrous creatures converging upon him, their intent to rend and destroy clear. "Be gone, you foul creatures," he taunted, his hand igniting with fiery brilliance. Flames danced on his fingertips before erupting into a torrent of fire that engulfed the approaching beasts. When the inferno subsided, nothing remained but charred remnants of what once threatened them.

Gideon, armed with his mighty hammer, swung it with devastating force, shattering the skeletal warriors that sought to impale him with their death-infused blades. His snarl of determination echoed as he faced a seemingly endless tide of adversaries. "Get out of my way!!!" His thunderous shout accompanied a powerful downward swing of his hammer, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground and obliterating everything in their path.

Lyra, despite her diminutive frame, moved with a swiftness akin to lightning itself, leaving devastation in her wake. Her daggers sliced through enemies with precision, her gaze cold and unyielding as she left a trail of broken bone and dark flesh. Her training as an assassin, unyielding in its lack of mercy, guided her ruthless assault.

Meanwhile, Seraphina's focus remained steadfast amidst a symphony of cascading lightning. Her eyes shone with magical brilliance as whispered enchantments swirled around her. Raising her staff, she commanded the darkened clouds above. Her target was the half Lynch, and as her will materialized, lightning speared the sky, crashing down with a deafening explosion that enveloped the halfling in electrifying fury.

As the dust and smoke mingled in the air, a collective breath filled with exhaustion and relief passed through the adventurers. Weapons still gripped in their hands, they formed a united front against the enemy, their determined stand causing the dark forces to halt their pursuit.

Aric's smile broke through his sweat-covered face. "Good work, Seraphina," he praised, gratitude evident in his voice.

Seraphina leaned heavily on her staff, her breath ragged and her eyes only half open. "I hope that last strike was enough," she admitted with strained honesty. "My magic is nearly depleted."

Lyra's laughter held a touch of defiance. "No need to worry. I doubt anything could have survived that explosion," she declared confidently.

"ARE YOU SURE?" The chilling voice, all too familiar to the adventurers, shattered their newfound confidence. Dread seeped back in, eroding their resolve.

As the dust began to settle, a cold wind swept through, dispersing the lingering smoke and clearing the scene. Amidst the aftermath stood the figure draped in black and red robes, staff in hand, ensconced within a protective purple barrier.

"You humans are more potent than I anticipated," the figure sneered, bitterness infusing its words. "You've managed to endure for this long, but can't you see?" The staff was raised, emphasizing its words. "All your efforts have been in vain."

Once again, creatures of death and decay clawed their way from the earth and swooped down from the skies, renewing the ranks of the diminished army.

"YOU'RE FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE, MORTALS," it taunted with glee. "Just look at your weapons."

The adventurers glanced at their once-mighty weapons, their shock evident as they beheld the rusted, aged appearance of their swords, daggers, and hammers. The items that had once exuded strength now appeared brittle, ready to snap.

"My power doesn't revolve solely around death," the Lynch continued, stepping forward with a sinister grin. "It thrives on decay and erosion. In fact, one might say that decay is the predominant characteristic of my power. My soldiers are infused with this very essence. The more you assail them, the more your weapons will crumble."

Fear etched itself across the adventurers' faces as the harsh reality sank in. The weight of such truth bore down upon them.

"YOU SHALL NOT PREVAIL IN THIS BATTLE." The Lynch's final declaration hung in the air, casting a shadow over the adventurers' prospects.

***

From a distance, Laufey beheld the pillar of greenish light that pierced the sky. The trail of fleeing animals and monsters between her massive boots was a clear sign of the terror they sought to escape. However, such matters held no importance to her; her focus was fixed solely on one individual, and that focus heightened her anticipation.

With each step, her colossal muscles tightened with excitement, a titanic grin spreading across her lips. “Duncan, I’m coming for you,” she announced with fervor, her voice resonating like a rumbling tremor. Each stride carried her forward, covering vast distances with effortless grace, as the greenish beacon drew her closer to the impending encounter.