Elmo wasn't sure what he felt when it appeared. It wasn't even clear as to what 'it' was. All he could say was that it was big and it was quiet.
It felt strange that something so large could move so quietly, but it also wasn't like he was able to make out what it was. Which meant that it was possible that he'd have understood how it could move so quietly in the dark if he could just see it.
Elwin was the first to react, apparently having fought similar creatures before. Though, Elmo wasn't sure he'd have been happy to have encountered anything like this again, even without having been the closest to it.
He'd have liked to have been able to see it before it struck, knocking a tree over in the process. He wished he had a spell that would allow him to create some light, but at the moment, his mind was completely blank. The only ones that came to mind were his brimstone spells, and the light that those provided was rather weak. He didn't think that he'd be able to fight effectively when he couldn't really see his opponent.
Though, that didn't seem to stop Elwin, Kim, Jonas, Owen, or Bart. Patrick and Patricia seemed to be watching themselves and Elmo couldn't help but wonder if maybe they were in the same boat as him and didn't want to accidentally hit one of their allies with their attacks given how hard it was to see in the dark.
Elmo wondered if maybe they could have really waited until daylight to fight this creature. As at least then they'd have been able to see it and wouldn't have to worry about not being able to see whatever it was. Although, it wasn't like they knew precisely that this creature had been present, so Elmo knew that he wouldn't have been able to use this creature as an argument as to waiting until dawn. Besides, he still agreed with Kim's assessment that they needed to try and get to the dungeon before Stanley and his group learned that they didn't have the right book.
For a brief moment, the thought about if they'd be able to get that book back later flew through his mind. A thought that he quickly pushed out so he could focus on the matter at hand. A matter that he felt useless in. While he could throw some of his spells at it, he didn't want to risk hitting any of his friends. Elwin included. A realization that surprised Elmo, since he really couldn't have said that he had anyone that he could really consider a friend. Mostly because he'd kept himself closed off from the world and hardly went out for anything. Even when he had to.
However, that issue wasn't important and Elmo had to force himself to focus on what was going on in front of him.
The battle seemed to be drawing closer to him, but he wasn't sure if it was naturally working out that way, if they were being forced back, or worse, if the creature was continuing to move in his general direction and wasn't paying much attention to those trying to fight it.
+++
Jonas wasn't sure what this creature was, only that it was large and could see them even in the dark. He wasn't sure how, just that this creature didn't seem to have any trouble knowing where each of them were. The only thing that had kept them from being killed had been the trees of the forest nearby. Which the creature for some reason had a hard time not running into, which in turn slowed it down enough that they were able to dodge its attack, even though they'd yet to have an opportunity to really counterattack it.
Then there was the problem that whatever it was, he wasn't able to see it with his own vision. Not because it wasn't physically there, but rather because it somehow was there one moment and gone the next. Maybe it was just incredibly fast and his eyes just weren't able to track it, but Jonas suspected that there might be something simpler to that. Especially when it seemed to move slower. Although, the creature moving really fast was a possibility, as the attacks were swift and faster than he could see when he turned towards the direction it had struck in.
Jonas felt sure that sooner or later he'd be able to see what it was. He just feared that it would get one of them before that occurred or that he'd learn what it was too late for them to do anything about it. Not that he could say they weren't rapidly approaching that point right then.
Suddenly something erupts from the ground beneath him, being slowed by a low hanging branch, allowing him the time to dodge the attack, where the creature burrows into the ground where he had been standing. While Jonas hadn't been able to get a good look at it, he had a feeling this creature wasn't that intelligent. Just really fast.
"I think this might be a kind of worm," he calls out to the others, jumping to the side instinctively as the creature tries to strike again. "I think it sees through echolocation."
"How does that help us!?" Kim cries out in frustration as she occasionally swings her sword where the creature attacked, always a second too late.
"Well, it lets us know where it's attacking from," Elwin replied, changing the angle of his swings to a downward one, in the hopes that he'd be able to strike the creature before it makes its strike, or so Jonas assumes.
"That isn't that helpful," Kim griped, sounding like she'd rather just have someone kill the creature already rather than continuing to try and dodging it, as the branches that the creature had been running into were quickly disappearing and would soon be able to strike them without any obstacle giving them time to dodge.
"Actually, it could be more helpful than it'd seem," Bart mused, looking to Jonas like he was treating this like a problem on a test, which in a way might actually be true. Just a different kind of test and one that would affect their lives in more ways than one.
"Just keep swinging and hope that-" Owen started to say when the creature got him, but rather than breaking through Owen like it was the branches, it merely stopped and seemed to be having trouble burrowing through Owen. Even as his bones breaking could be heard.
Jonas did his best to ignore the phantom pains that erupted in his own chest from that sound and charged towards the creature while it was momentarily still. Although, it while it was attacking Owen, part of it still appeared to be in the ground. Not to mention the fact that it was almost as thick as Jonas himself was wide, meaning that if it punched through Owen's chest, there certainly wasn't going to be a way to save him.
He wasn't the only one to charge towards the creature either, as Kim, Elwin, Bart, Sonya, Patrick, and Patricia converged on that spot. Patricia shot icicles that had the effect of mini spears or darts while Patrick sent flames in an arc, over everyone, singing the trees a little where the flames got too close to them. Moments after the creature had struck Owen, it was being cooked, hacked to pieces, and bled through several cuts. Yet, it still tried to burrow its way through Owen.
Jonas suspected that the creature was aware of the attacks against it, but that it had a simple mind that only allowed it to really focus on one thing at a time. Which allowed them to cut through its toughened hide without its speed creating an obstacle for them. Even Owen's cries of pain didn't slow them down, especially as Jonas suspected that if they tried to pry the creature off of Owen, that they'd not only fail, but lose their primary chance to defeat this creature before it went after another of them.
In fact, it appeared that the creature's only real advantage over them was that it was super fast. Beyond that, it was simpler to deal with than even the goblins had been. Although, the downside was that Owen seemed to need to be sacrificed in order for them to be able to deal with this creature in the first place. While Jonas might consider it a small sacrifice, he doubted that Owen would see it the same way. After all, it was Owen's life at risk at the moment. Though, Jonas was at least glad that it was one of their less experienced fighters rather than Kim or Elwin.
"Heather, Elin, get over here and start healing Owen," Jonas called out when it was clear that the creature wouldn't survive. Maybe he should have called out to them sooner, but that was for another time to consider, given it was too late to do anything about that now.
Yet, as they approached, Owen's limbs sagged, the creature broke through his chest, having burrowed through him entirely, and Jonas could see the light fading from his eyes.