"FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"
Liora yelled as she started to run away from the shrine. Another blast of air formed on her staff before flying at the Trent though it seemed more panicked than before.
Party member Liora has used the skill Wind Blast (E)
6 damage done
Aiden racked his mind, trying to come up with a solution.
Then an idea struck him.
"Buy me some time!"
Aiden yelled as he grabbed two of his three remaining flasks of Firestarter. He also grabbed one of his night vision potions, then threw all three bottles at the ground as hard as he could.
You have used items Firestarter Flask (E) x2 and Basic Night Vision Potion (E)
They shattered in a rush of flames and billowing smoke. The Firestarter flasks and night vision potion fought against each other, one trying to ignite more while the other dampened the fire. The process created a large cloud of smoke.
Aiden started to run with Liora, hoping to buy some distance while his plan hopefully started to work.
His system pinged a new message at him. While it had been giving him a practical play-by-play, this one was new.
Party member Selene has used Soul Skill Chimeric Surge (C)
Party member Selene's strength is enhanced for the next 20 seconds
Aiden turned back and saw the rubble of the broken building go flying up and away.
Selene stood there, slightly hunched over and panting. Her left arm was now bulkier, and purple veins seemed to spread from it throughout the rest of her body. She looked almost manic, especially when she lunged toward the Trent, grabbed a chunk of bark, and ripped it off using brute force over any kind of technique.
Party member Selene has used the skill Claws of the Beast (E)
Party member Selene has done 14 damage
"Once that timer reaches zero, there won't be much more we can do. We need to kill it while we have the chance."
Kaelen held his staff in both hands with a white-knuckle grip.
"Goddess of love, guide my friends to strike true against those who would serve to oppose you."
Party member Kaelen has used the skill Guiding Faith (E)
Party member Selene has received the buff Guided Strike
Party member Selene's accuracy has been increased
"Looks like the little gnats are getting desperate!"
The Blood Trent bellowed as it swung its arm around.
Selene braced to take the hit, but to her surprise, the Blood Trent thrust its hand toward Jax who was staggering back to his feet. They all realized too late who its real target was.
Enemy Blood Trent has used the skill Thorn Spray (E)
Party leader Jax has failed to dodge
Party member Selene has failed to dodge
Enemy Blood Trent strikes a vital point. CRITICAL HIT
Party leader Jax has taken 34 damage
Party member Selene has taken 15 damage
Party leader Jax has used the skill Lifeforce Control (E)
Party leader Jax has spent 6 Ki to take 28 damage
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Party Leader Jax is unconscious
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Party Leader Jax is bleeding out
It was fast.
Jax tried to jump away, but he had taken too much damage so his jump wasn't fast enough. The spikes hit him in the side and sent him sprawling. Aiden saw the white aura block one spike, but when the others hit, it shattered. The spikes stabbed into Jax, and he yelped in pain before rolling to a stop, where he lay limp.
Everything seemed to tunnel.
Aiden could no longer hear anything. Not the others. Not the battle. Only his breathing and his racing heartbeat as he stared at Jax lying limply.
He told himself over and over again that Jax was just unconscious.
He was not dead.
Kaelen just needed to heal him.
Right?
But when Aiden turned, he saw the others looking at him.
Selene swung with fury as dozens of vines lashed out and attacked Jax, but it was only a matter of time before one got through. Liora and Kaelen seemed to be saying something to Aiden, but while their lips moved, nothing came out.
Then, as they continued to yell, his hearing seemed to snap back into the present.
"AIDEN, SNAP OUT OF IT OR JAX IS GONNA DIE!"
Kaelen's hand came around and slapped him.
Party Member Kaelen has struck you
You take 2 damage
The pain was centering.
Their words finally clicked into place.
Liora had already turned back toward the Trent, trying to help slow its progress, while Kaelen grabbed Aiden's collar and dragged him in close. Despite his handsome face, Kaelen's words were cutting and harsh.
"DAMN IT, AIDEN. You have a job to do, so do it. Then we can end this quest and celebrate at a bar instead of visiting a graveyard!"
Party member Liora has used the skill Wind Blast (E)
5 damage done
Warning: Party member Liora is low on mana. 10 remain.
Aiden felt his weight shift as Kaelen threw him toward Jax, then turned back to the fight and yelled,
"Hear me, Mother of Love and Family. May those who wish to do the innocent harm be burned by your protective flame!"
A gold and white flame formed at the top of Kaelen's staff as he thrust it forward like a spear toward the Blood Trent. The flames from Aiden's first flask were starting to smother as the fuel was used up.
Party member Kaelen has used the skill Condemn the Wicked (E)
The skill has failed
Warning: Party member Kaelen is low on faith. 5 remain.
Aiden did not look over at the fight.
He came to a stop beside Jax and grabbed a healing potion from his bag. After popping the top off, he grabbed the splinters and pulled them away before pouring the potion in. He alternated between pouring it into Jax's mouth for the internal injuries and pouring it into the wounds to heal them faster.
When the first bottle ran out, Aiden grabbed for another and splashed it over Jax, hoping it would help even a little.
You have used a Basic Healing Potion (E) x2 on Party leader Jax
Party leader Jax is healed for 16 HP through your meticulous application
Party leader Jax is healed for 6 HP through your hasty application
Jax jumped up, writhing as if trying to shake out the splinters Aiden had just removed. He looked around and asked,
"How long was I out?"
"Just a few seconds, but everyone is running low on energy and strength."
Aiden said this while turning back to the battle.
He turned back just in time to see a cruel scene. Selene had managed to land a heavy blow, leaving a large wound on the Blood Trent's eye, but she had been pierced through the stomach by a blood red vine. It came out her back and wrapped around her holding her at length as she coughed up blood. Liora and Kaelen were in a similar position, one vine stabbing into Liora's shoulder while another had pierced through Kaelens calf.
Party member Selene has used the skill Claws of the Beast (E)
Party member Selene has struck a vital point. CRITICAL HIT
Party member Selene has done 26 damage
Enemy Blood Trent has used the skill Blood Drain (E)
Party member Selene failed to dodge
Party member Kaelen failed to dodge
Party member Liora failed to dodge
Party member Selene has taken 11 damage
Party member Kaelen has taken 11 damage
Party member Liora has taken 11 damage
Enemy Blood Trent has healed for 33 HP
Aiden looked back to the Blood Trent as it slowly rose, a satisfied evil smile on its face while its eye reformed before their eyes.
"You were close, little one, but I believe you are out of time."
As if on command, Selene started to spasm for a moment. Her left arm returned to normal, and the purple veins retracted.
Party member Selene's Chimeric Surge (C) has ended
Party member Selene has pushed her body beyond its normal limits and is weakened
Party member Selene has her accuracy and strength reduced by 50% due to fatigue
The Blood Trent slowly panned over the group until it turned to Aiden.
"It seems you're the only one left with enough strength to do anything now. But I can see you are an alchemist, so while your fire trick was annoying, there really isn't much you can do."
Aiden tried to look it over for anything he could use. A weak spot in the bark. A blind spot he could get into. Anything.
But being the one directly looked at by the creature was crushing.
It was larger, stronger, more durable, and even, dare he say it, smarter than him.
They had used items, plans, and preparation.
They still could not beat it.
There was nothing Aiden could do except hope his smoke signal from earlier worked.
He wanted to say he had a witty retort. That the others gathered around him, and through the power of friendship, they all became strong enough to defeat this thing.
But when he looked at the others, he only saw despair on their faces.
Liora held her staff in trembling hands, her breaths coming quick and panicked. Kaelen could not even stand anymore and was muttering prayers. Selene was struggling, but loosing strength by the second before the Blood Trent Dropped her on the ground where she could barely turn her head.
Even Jax, who up to this point had never shown even an ounce of fear while fighting the ash spirits, stood with a posture like he was ready to lunge.
But his entire body shook.
Aiden could hardly blame him. Jax was probably terrified. He had come so close to dying, and without the little energy he had left, he would have died.
Aside from Aiden, everyone else had almost no energy left.
The Blood Trent leaned in close to him.
"Did you know that to make a Blood Trent, one must perform alchemy on a Trent seed? It is for that reason I owe quite a lot to alchemists such as yourself. So I am willing to offer you a deal. If you leave the rest of your group for me to consume and bring me one livestock animal per week, I will not only let you live, I will even help you learn about blood alchemy."
The offer surprised Aiden.
He looked to Selene, Kaelen, and Liora. They seemed to look back up at him with a look of fear in their eyes, and Aiden couldn't blame them.
For almost a month now, he had been saying daily how he was not their party member. He had only agreed to join them a few hours ago.
A fresh commitment was a flimsy commitment after all.
A part of his brain screamed at him to do it, to survive. It told him that he could come back with more gear and avenge them. It told him he could use the knowledge of blood alchemy to better the world.
So what if it cost a mountain?
Or even a city?
Aiden started to lean back, his mind racing with reasons why he should survive.
Then he saw Jax standing beside him.
Jax had been living with Aiden for months, they ate, worked, and laughed together. Each had saved the other time and time again against the ash spirits.
Jax's eyes wern't filled with terror, they were filled with trust.
It was the kind of trust that said he knew Aiden wouldn't make the deal.
Aiden hated that he couldn't completely agree with Jax.
He did not know if he could back up that trust.
But it held him in place.
His mind screamed at him to move, run, hide, cry, do anything to live. But that little spark of trust seemed to catch.
Aiden took a centering breath as his hand fell to rest on his satchel before he looked up at the Blood Trent, letting his mouth move before his mind could stop him.
"Go to hell you overgrown weed!"
Aiden flicked the string of his last Firestarter Flask towards the Blood Trent, the vial shattering and bursting into flames.
You have used item Firestarter Flask (E) on Blood Trent
Target is vulnerable to fire
6 damage done
The Blood Trent snapped its head back as it burst into flames, a hiss escaping its mouth as it burned.
"Foolish, SO BE IT!"
Aiden closed his eyes and waited for the blow, his body tense. His only thought was that he hoped this did not hurt for long.
The Blood Trent continued to roar.
Aiden heard its hand slam down.
But he felt nothing.
The impact shook the ground, but he was ok.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the Blood Trent thrashing wildly at something on its back.
As it spun, trying to reach it, Aiden saw one of the ash spirits ripping into the spine of the hateful tree. The others glided in after it, letting out a ghostly wheeze of a battle cry as they slashed at the Blood Trent. Their claws carved the bark away, and their embers caused chunks of it to break off.
"Damn you. Even in death, you shrine keepers continue to oppose me. DAMN YOU!"
The Blood Trent fought like a caged beast against its new attackers, each fighting with ferocity, but in a clash of a tired monster against 3 monsters in perfect form was not a fight that had high chances for the weaker monster.
Aiden, Jax, Liora, Kaelen, and Selene all watched as the cursed and cruel tree was ripped apart, the system appearing in a joyous notification
You have Defeated the Blood Trent