The man marked with the X shot the guns at the monster.
BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG!
The bullets flew through the air spinning, screaming, striking the monster's body. They impacted against its rocky hide, sparking off its surface, leaving nothing but small, shallow dents. The monster did not even move an inch.
It was able to take all the attacks. To say it took the attacks would be an understatement. Its durability was strong enough to withstand the bullets fired at it. The projectiles that should have pierced flesh, shattered bone, and ended life were reduced to nothing.
He smiled.
"Wow." His voice was light, almost amused. "It seems long-ranged combat won't work."
He put back one of his guns, sliding it into its holster, and then reloaded the other one with bullets. His fingers worked quickly, efficiently, mechanically. He pulled a long curved blade from his belt its edge gleaming, its purpose absolute.
He smiled.
"Now..." He paused. "...let's cook."
He ran forward to it.
His body launched across the rock, his feet pounding against the surface, his will absolute. He jumped high enough that he was able to get on its back, his hands grabbing its rocky hide, his body settling into position.
"Well now." He raised his blade. "Let me—"
Before he could do anything, the back and middle of the monster turned into spikes.
SHLIK. SHLIK!
Two spikes stabbed him in his right lung piercing flesh, shattering bone, spraying blood across the monster's hide. The pain was immediate, blazing, absolute. Another spike was about to hit him in the eye, its tip gleaming with deadly purpose.
He moved.
His blade cut through the air fast, precise, absoluteand severed the spike before it could reach his face. The piece clattered against the monster's back, useless.
He went for one of the legs.
His fingers pressed the trigger, his bullets flying toward the joint, striking the creature's limb. He fired multiple shots BANG. BANG. BANG! each one aimed at the same spot, each one intended to cripple.
And then he noticed it didn't do anything.
The bullets bounced off. The leg remained intact. The monster shook him off, its body shifting, its spikes retracting, its attention turning to him.
He smiled.
He said, his voice light, almost conversational.
"Well..."
He paused.
"We're fucked, ain't we? "
in the space between the admission and the action, between the monster's power and the warrior's humor.
The banished one stood on the rock.
The monster turned to face him.
And the sea roared