Time slowed to a crawl as the massive pincer tore through the air toward Sunny's torso. In that frozen moment, he could see every detail of the chitinous claw - the serrated edges designed to saw through flesh and bone, the way it gleamed with an oily sheen, the incredible speed that made it a blur of death.
Aeric's warning shout seemed to stretch on forever, but something in his companion's voice made Sunny's blood run cold. It wasn't the panicked cry of someone trying to save a friend - it was calculated, almost... expectant warning.
There was no time to process that thought. Sunny threw himself sideways, feeling the wind from the massive claw as it whistled past his chest, missing him by mere centimeters. He hit the mud hard, rolling desperately as something enormous erupted from the ground where he'd been standing.
The creature that emerged was a nightmare fusion of crab and mantis, easily three meters long. Its carapace was the same crimson color as the coral, perfect camouflage that had allowed it to lie in wait beneath the mud. Multiple legs scrabbled for purchase as it fully breached the surface, revealing rows of smaller pincers along its abdomen and eyes that tracked Sunny's movement with predatory intelligence.
Aeric had expected for this to happen, he didnt particularly hope for it but knew it could happen. although it made him a little guilty for baiting sunny like this but alas, he was alright wasnt he?
White sparks of ethereal light shimmered in aeric's hand as a simple yet sharp stone knife appeared in it, without wasting much time he lunged at the now fully surfaced carapace scavenger who's focus was on its original pray.
Although his knife skills were pitfull stabbing with it was not that hard, all he had to do was stab the thing between the layer of armor where his vulnerable flesh lied
Although that sounded like child's play, it was far from it, the first task in accomplishing this was for aeric to successfully hold onto the thing for long enough, there was also the fact that it was goddam scary up-close.
' pathetic, cowering from an awakened monster? what will i do in the future then? simply pathetic'
Sunny saw in bewilderment as aeric lunged onto the scavenger and proceeded to bury his simple blade into the narrow gap left between its armor just above the neck.
Surprisingly there was not much blood unlike what aeric had expected, the life it the beast's eyes seemed to dim and finally die out giving aeric the voice he longed to hear
[you have slayen an awakened carapace scavenger]
hope ignited in his eyes
'maybe im just partially cut out from the spell?'
[you have received a memory]
[your fate is damaged]
[ your memory has been destroyed]
' what the hell?!' was he wrong about this? did a broken fate meant being completely cut out from the spell? but thats not possible, he did have the stone knife with him did he not? then what the hell was the matter
[ your fate is mending]
[fragments: 2/350]
Aeric's heart rate accelerated and adrenaline pumped through his vein, was the spell giving him a way to restore his fate? did it work like shadow fragments? in theory this was a logical explanation, he had slayen an awakened monster and received two.... fate fragments? bad name.
His fist clenched, a path was opened for him. if he could restore his fate and take complete authority over this body, he would surely be able to use the attribute this guy had right?
he grinned
"are you ok sunless?"
Sunny who was still sprawled up on the ground frowned, the mud painting his armor in an unsightfull color, he growled
"what the hell was that?"
An innocent and honest smile found its place on aeric's mouth, his lips curling upwards and his eyes becoming narrow
"whatever do you mean sunless? here i am saving you from this vile creature and that's what i get in return?"
Sunny growled, something was up, that look in his eyes was definitely there, aeric somehow knew this was going to happen, or what else could that look had been about?
"dont play all coy with me! i saw you.... that look, you knew that thing was there, you knew it was going to attack me"
Two dagger like glare hit aeric's back who was now harvesting the meat and soul shard from inside the scavenger using the stone blade as a makeshift cleaver. he turned around with a hurtful look filled with just a bit of amusement
"what do you mean sunless? how could i have possibly known? and even if i did why would i not tell you?"
Sunny gritted his teeth in anger, this bastard. due to the lack of proof, this was going to end nowhere. he grumbled
"whatever, just take the meat and lets go we are not that far now"
'sorry sunless but i cant expose by cards to you like that you know? i even saved you, though it did cost you a memory im sure there will be plenty for opportunities later on' with that aeric wrapped the shard in the meat and hung it over his back like a sack
The two continued to stealthily travel around the coral labyrinth avoiding the few scavengers here and there with the help of sunny's shadow, the sun soon was receding into the ground bringing forth both the sleepers' anxiety
With time running out, the both soon began to run towards the nearest high rock which was big enough to accommodate both of them
'darn it we were so close to reaching it' aeric quickly unwrapped the meat, his mouth watering at even the unpleasant uncooked meat, both of them had started feeling nauseas at this point but there was nothing they could too
"um sunless..... would it be wise to light a fire right now? i mean not to say im not hungry or anything but i think we should wait till the morning.... its just a feeling"
Sunny nodded, he also had a bad feeling about it, seeing the fire of the sleepers just burnt out in an instant, something was wrong with it.
"i dont mind, better safe than sorry right?" aeric chuckled, was he trying to be friendly?
the feeling of wet stone and sharp points was not pleasant, specially not to sleep on. aeric layon the rock, leaving the night shift job for sunny's shadow deep in his thought, he summoned his runes
[Fragments: 2/350]
There was hope, in all honestly he was equally terrified as he was thrilled at this, terrified because the realization that he had to survive the forgotten shore without an aspect was stupid, thrilled because he will survive the forgotten shore even without an aspect.
Currently we was probably the weakest person in the entirety of the forgotten shore, maybe even more than cassie, not to say she didnt have other skills far useful than his own.
His body felt heavy, he was never really a fan of the ocean, the drifting winds, the nauseating sounds of the waves, and the water. This really really sucked.