I jumped around in place, both feet only touching the ground one at a time. This was something I used to do in raids to make sure I was always ready to dodge at a moment’s notice.

The Dreviout, still howling in pain, charged right into us. Blinded by rage, it pressed its claw overhead. The pressure emanating alone would stop an inexperienced newbie from moving, but I’ve seen this happen all the time in raids.

I leaned to the right and kicked the ground. In the air, I swept my spear horizontally against its wrist, swiping at the rotted flesh. It howled in pain once more, compounded by the fact that he was still under the effects of the curse of torment. As I touched the ground, I again pressed forward underneath its frame and struck my spear into its soft belly.

Should I say, as expected? Blood didn’t ooze from the wounds, only the pungent smell of rotting meat.

The Dreviout raged wildly on top of me, and I immediately twisted the spear still inside, and dragged it sideways to escape from its rampage. Once I did so, I rolled off the ground and jumped forward, creating distance between us.

Now, there was a gaping hole across the Dreviout’s stomach. I smirked at the sight. Finally, something going my way. I brandished my spear once more, the tip slightly lower but still pointing forward.

However, before I could step forward to deal another strike, the Dreviout stared at me eye-to-eye and leaped into the air with no regard to its flapping innards being dragged around.

The beast, high in the air, twisted its body and opened its maw. There, it sputtered out a hot breath of fire, glazing the area in a sea of flames.

I was able to dodge forward at the last minute, but the temperature was enough to scald my skin and the hem of the coat to turn to cinders. I immediately shook off the little flames and looked to the front, only to see the Dreviout. My heart sunk.

Once the Dreviout landed, it jumped backwards, hunched its figure, and pounced forward. Its sharp claws extended at a freakish length. Its speed despite the size was insane and it immediately swept its claws overhead at my position.

I could do nothing but bring up the spear over my head and planted my feet on the ground. I grit my teeth for the worse to come.

The attack that I was braced to deal with didn’t come. What did come was its body launched to the side slightly, causing its attack to miss by an inch from my head. It tumbled into the ground and rolled into the pit of flames that it created, its howls reverberating in the room.

I was surprised, but that didn’t let me stop my feet. No, the moment I deemed it safe, I already ran forward away from the Dreviout.

“Nice!” I shouted to the side.

Madriel heaved a sigh or relief and closed her palms, the remnant white orbs of light dissipated. From what I could tell, she cast a high-level healing spell but what confused me were the white orbs of light. I didn't know a healing spell that could do that, and it was obviously a healing spell by the color.

What’s more, it seemed to be offensive healing magic, probably something used against the forces of the undead or those that desecrate life.

But I tossed the thoughts aside, I could ask later.

Its shadow could be seen behind the flames, and it seemed to hunch itself within. Not a moment later, an ear-piercing howl resounded about, the force itself caused the flames in front of it to douse. It was a clean split between the right and left.

Its smile from earlier was no longer apparent, only the eyes of a raging and angry beast. It growled, and this time, walked over cautiously. It had intellect, it knew when to stop, and when to act.

I could only smile wryly.

This was the most annoying opponent, an opponent with a detailed AI, or in this case, one with above-average intellect.

“It’s now looking at us as a proper opponent, be wary.” Madriel said, her body tensed to move at a moment’s notice.

I nodded at her words and started jumping on the spot.

“How many times can you shoot that spell?” I asked her, still wary of any sudden movements from the Dreviout.

“A few more times, I can’t truly tell. I’ve only created it at this moment, so I’ve no idea of its mana consumption.”

A crafted spell, huh? That’s one thing that never existed in the game, but I’m glad for it.

“Just like earlier, I’ll take its attention, you hit it if you find an opening.”

“I’m not new at this, I planned to from the start.” She said cheekily and started drawing back.

I drew out a breath and looked straight on.

This was an incredibly dangerous line to toe. Earlier, I was nearly done in with just one attack from the Dreviout. If it wasn’t for my endurance effect that halved all of damage, I would have already died.

In other words, this was a battle where I had to avoid getting hit as much possible, and if I did, I had to only take the hit between a few seconds. Otherwise, it was a game over for me.

I gripped at the spear’s shaft and looked at the cautious Dreviout. I wasn’t keen on getting any closer after this, and so I spun the spear in my fingers, brought my arm up and readied myself to throw it.

In any other scenario, this was a suicidal gambit. To willingly throw you weapon in a fight was an idiotic move that not even newbies would make. That was unless they had skills invested into weapon throwing. In my case, it was because of the special property the spear seemed to show earlier.

While I didn’t have much use for throwing spear arts, I did make use of them from time to time against flying opponents. As such, I memorized the martial arts to throw it.

I stepped one foot forward, tensed the muscles from my shoulder to my arm and shot it through the air. The spear itself made the air split from the force, as it was aimed against the cautious Dreviout.

Of course, something so unimaginably obvious was easy for the Dreviout to dodge. In fact, it had already done so after seeing my set of movements. It had stepped lightly to the right, and then ran forward towards my defenseless self.

That was what I wanted, of course.

As if sensing my intentions, the spear’s chain connecting it to me appeared once again, it’s flickering black light etched into the wind. I grasped at the chain with my other hand, while twisting my chained wrist to hold the other end, then pulled it back.

The chain cut through the wind from that movement alone and the spear was shot back towards me.

As the paw was about to descend on my body, the spear pierced through its muscled arms and returned to my hand. And, as if to protect me, the force of the spear returning shot me back a distance away from the Dreviout.

I landed quite roughly, with the heels of my boots grinding at the stone floor.

“So, you do have a mind of your own.” I said off-hand and returned myself to a proper stance.

At that moment, a wave of light passed my vision. That wave of white light exploded harshly, the explosion made of a similar white.

It struck the dumbfounded Dreviout in the face, causing it to wince and back away slightly.

It roared once more and looked to the person behind me, anger was clear in its eyes. The right half of its human race was now melted and horrific. It looked between me and Madriel and decided to attack me.

I moved to dodge, but I was a tad slower. The Dreviout swiped with its claws towards me, I could barely move my spear to block the attack and so one of the freakishly long claws struck me in the arm.

I was slightly launched into the air but I got my footing back to defend once more, but the Dreviout moved not at me, but towards Madriel.

I clicked my tongue and kicked off the ground. It would be one thing for me, but if Madriel, who is clearly a magic class, clashed head-on against a raid-like boss like the Dreviout, it would mean the end of her.

In my desperation, I threw my spear at it. The spear, as if sensing my thoughts, shot itself much faster than earlier and it cut through the wind like a rocket.

The Dreviout, almost as if it had expected this, moved to the side to dodge the incoming projectile, then leaped towards me with its maw wide open.

My only thoughts at this moment were ‘Ah shit, this was its plan?’

Too bad for it though, I came prepared. The moment its jaw snapped at my torso, the Night Robes I donned broke into a shadowy explosion of smoke. My body phased through and I was left unharmed under its belly once more.

I called back to the flying spear by tugging at the chains present on my wrist, and it shot back towards my hand. I then twisted my body and spun in place. The spear head drew a beautiful arc against the rotten flesh. The gaping hole once more increasing in size.

As I was about to roll to dodge the impending the rampage, the Dreviout was one step ahead of me and used its tail. This long, freakish arm deftly moved and grabbed me by the torso.

Then, as per its raging temperament, slammed me to the ground with all the force that its long, thin arms could muster.

I felt my bones break and several of my organs punctured by broken ribs. While I was used to pain, it didn’t stop me from screaming.

Once more, the arm slammed me to the ground. More of my bones broke. My consciousness was slipping, I was sure that I would die the next time.

And, once again, I was slammed hard to the ground.

I had truly died, I thought as my vision went dark.

~ Madriel ~

“No!” I screamed at the scene before me.

The young child of man, seemingly overpowering the foe while tiptoeing a dangerous line earlier, was now helplessly being played around by the Dreviout. His body limply dangling from the overstretched arm.

Anticlimactically, it dropped Sed’s body on the ground as it if was compost, losing interest in him altogether as its eyes moved towards me instead. Its eyes, burning with hatred, but also with arrogance.

Its screaming features seemed to smile.

It walked over, leaving behind his corpse. It slowly, but surely moved to my location. It was overconfident, as if relishing the pained expression on my face.

I took in a sharp breath and looked at it in the eye. I would not give this beast the satisfaction of playing with me.

I brought up my hands to level, bringing them up into a fist.

“Ancestral Faeries, I ask of your forgiveness, and for your assistance.” I said softly under my breath. Several orbs of light appeared around me, and as if sensing my thoughts, two of those orbs landed on my fists.

The orbs of light melded into one with my hands, now glowing faintly. I felt a warm sensation overwhelm my senses, but it soon subsided.

The other orbs of light then took positions to the different parts of my body. Some resided in my feet, some on my knees, on my chest. Enough so that I look the part of a shining warrior.

Using this technique once more, with my deteriorated health... I can’t even fathom the unknowable depths of pain that I will suffer after this, or the consequences of such actions. Still, it was that for the future, or my immediate death.

Come, you mangy cur. I will show you the true strength of an orichalcum adventurer, of the Radiant Fairy of the Battlefield. I will give you my thanks for giving me the time to ready this, and I will avenge the death of Sed.