Pain. I'd been feeling it coursing through my body for nearly half an hour now, that and exhaustion.
Going to the gym first thing in the morning is one way to get some gains in, putting on your running shoes and getting some steps in too; but dodging numerous axe swings and throws? Hell--not even Sam Sulek could hold it out for as long as I did.
I'd be glad if dodging was all I did though.
My reaction speed did manage to barely save me from impending doom in some occasions, not all. Against a battle-built mass of pure muscle and rage, reaction speeds weren't enough to hold your own.
When I'd be too slow to move out of the attacking line, I'd attempt to parry the attack or change its momentum using my blade. I say 'attempt' because what I was doing could simply be summarized into that single word.
If a wrecking ball was speeding towards you at an astonishing pace, how effective would blocking it with a single hand broadsword be?
The sounds of our weapons colliding had nearly rendered me deaf at this point--the sparks left me trying to regain my vision each time. Currently, I could barely even feel my fingers; my wrist itself felt like it needed medical attention.
The beast let out another raged roar as tremendous amounts of blood came flying out of its nape; falling to one knee as it covered its freshly acquired wound with its free hand.
I'd be excited had I not seen this scene before...I believe even Lance himself had lost track of how many times he'd given the beast a fatal wound. Of course it heals, why would it be a dungeon boss if it couldn't?
The rate at which it did so was as alarming as its healing too. Even Lance's 'blink' spell couldn't help him counter that.
3 seconds? No, perhaps 2 seconds--he'd have to inflict several fatal wounds in no less than 2 seconds for it to be close to calling effective. This was the top levels of C rank? an abnormally sized bull-like creature with frightening strength and healing that could leave any top tier cleric jealous.
To make matters worse, the more he'd damage it, the angrier it got.
The angrier it got, the harder and faster its hits became. Had it not been for my incredible fore-sight, I'd have been dead ages ago.
"Load runner, how are you fairing?" Lance let out, catching his breath as the beast slowly rose to a stand; its wound completely healed.
"Can't feel my arms," I let out, getting ready for any sudden attack, "I don't have much left in me Lance...get this over with already."
If this dragged on for another 30 minutes, my hands would be the least of my worries. That is, if I still had them by the end of those 30 minutes.
I still had to deal with the stinging pains in my abdomen from the crushing blow it had received, plus my blade itself seemed like it was on its last leg. One more blow and it for sure would turn to scattered pieces.
"I've exhausted my soul well, the little magic I have left can't handle a sudden burst of speed"
"Then chant a damned spell for fuck's sake." I barked out, breaking into a sprint to widen the distance between the bull and I.
"I'll hold for as long as I can, just do something!"
Not the bravest words I've let out, but I don't regret barking them out either. My life was on the line here. Hell, who even knew if the boss would be interested in him if I died? For all I knew, I was the target here--and I didn't like it. It seemed like Lance understood my situation as well.
Without any hesitation, he too widened the distance between him and the bull before beginning his chant; his movements not stopping even whilst conjuring up a spell.
Eerily though, the bull itself made no attempt to both stop the chant or close the gap between either of us. It simply stood in the middle of the amphitheater, axe resting on its shoulder with what looked like a smug look on its face.
"Insects" It let out, its voice deeper than any I've heard and surprisingly loud enough to send chills down my spine.
Even Lance, who had been running around it came to a complete stop; eyes widened--the magic that was gathering around him quickly dispersing back into the environment.
With ease, it stretched its free hand towards my direction, a chilling silence being shared between us before a crushing feeling suddenly overcame me. It felt as though a hand had tightly placed me in its grips and was now forcibly pulling me closer to my foe.
Resistance was futile.
Every inch of my body felt chained to whatever forces were holding me against my will. By the time I'd noticed it, my face was a breath's distance from the bull's muzzle.
"They warned me about you..." It continued, its voice causing the ground below to rumble softly, "...it seems the elder was fearful for no reason--what should be a bird is but an insect."
"How pitiful"
Suddenly, a burning sensation run up my body, with the bull's thick fur slowly igniting into a flame on its edges--making it look like some hell-birthed creature that had crawled out to inflict terror upon all who witnessed it.
Its red eyes released a faint glow as a small burning orb formed in the middle of its stretched out arm that was still pointed at me.
"Tell the high and mighty ones above to send a new toy...this one has just broken."
Its words came as an echo before a deafening silence quickly engulfed the entire area for a brief moment.
The orb in its hands emitted a blinding flash before a gust of scorching hot wind quickly blew past everything, nearly skinning me alive. Then, in a blink of an eye, the orb burst and a pillar of raging fire was sent flying straight to my body with an intensity that nearly crushed me even more.
It hurt, the pain was something I can barely put into words.
The fire didn't just sear my skin--it melted flesh, boiled blood, and charred bone. I could feel it in my veins, navigating my body like my own body cells. Any blood that wanted to leave me instantly dried up before exiting my skin--had there even been ashes left of me after it was done, I'd be thoroughly impressed.
"congrats master, I sense a strong source of magic flowing within you." The messenger let out, her voice nearly a whisper compared to the screams of agony I was letting out.
"I've just completed calibrating your soul-well, this should be a good test for it."
Her words expired by a second before the flames that once roasted me alive quickly turned cool.
My burnt skin almost immediately revitalized and parts of me that had been blown away quickly regenerated back up. Noticing this, even the bull itself was left wide-eyed. Instantly, the flames shifted to a pale white hue before bursting towards me again at an even greater intensity than before.
What should have burnt me even more now seemed even cooler than the previous inferno. What was more surprising was the fact that the flames seemed to be narrowing down--almost funneling itself to my solar plexus at a speed that rivaled the flame burst itself.
After a short while, a blast echoed within the amphitheater and my body was sent flying a hefty distance away from the now enraged beast who's free arm now lay a distance away from its body.
"Filthy animal...you'll pay for this." it growled out, making a sudden charge towards me. One armed and angrier than before.
Though...it felt odd.
I hadn't noticed it immediately since my initial reaction was to make a mad dash away from the incoming Taurus; but once I did, the initial fear that had filled me slowly started dying down.
First, my energy was back. My arms weren't numb, my chest didn't feel like I'd just come out of a failed chiropractor's office and my legs didn't feel weak. I truly was healed!
Second, the once instant movements of the beast itself felt slower. Whether it was because of its missing arm or because I'd suddenly gained speed was the mystery I wasn't willing to uncover. The benefit that came with my speed, however, were what I was rejoicing about the most.
Its fore-image.
Initially, I'd see the attack almost before it happened. once I'd move, the attack would pass, leaving me one hair strand away from death. Now, each swing felt delayed. The fore-image would pass, then the attack would happen. Could my attack have grown as well?
That was a theory I was willing to test since the beast itself was still fast enough to close the gap.
Swiftly, I dodged an incoming vertical slash before thrusting my blade forwards. Its target? the Taurus' leg.
The collision between my blade and the rock-solid collection of muscles left me feeling like I'd just bitten an iron ingot. My hand's felt a momentary numbing sensation wave through them as I took some steps back, widening the gap between the beast and I again.
The beast itself showed a grin before bursting out in a deepened laughter.
"Pathetic" It let out, brandishing its war-axe again, ready for another strike.
Before it could move, a clap of thunder echoed as a random streak of lightning struck its shoulder with a force that sent a chilling gust of wind flying past me.
Blood flew out of its newly acquired wound like water out of a fountain. The source of the attack himself wasted no time capitalizing on the chance he'd gotten. Within a second, Lance appeared behind the beast itself; eyes leaving azure streaks of light as he swung his blade down.
Another tremendous amount of blood flew out of his body as it swung its axe around as though it was swatting a fly away. The fly in question had already made a full stop right beside me, steamed breaths leaving him as he stared at his target, his eyes narrowing as though he was trying to confirm something.
"Load runner, are you alright?" He questioned calmly, readying himself to launch another attack.
"Surprisingly, yes."
"Whatever it is you did back then, I'll have to ask you to do it again," He continued, his now usual azure glow emerging from his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath, "The beast before us is impervious to physical attacks, but is weak to magic."
Weak to magic? A glance at the Taurus was enough to confirm this. The blood that was once spraying out of his nape was now sealed, yet his ripped off arm and torn shoulder were still in the same condition. Both attacks he'd made were mere tests to confirm his theories.
Great, we had a theory as to how we could defeat him--only problem was that I couldn't replicate what happened between the Taurus and I.
As much as I'd want to, I had no control at that moment. For all I knew, the magic it was using against me went haywire and ripped its arm off. Before I could let the man himself know this info, his body blinked out of my view, his voice echoing all round the area as he begun chanting more spells.
He was basically counting on it working without confirming whether or not it actually worked.
"Messenger, you said I have magic right?" I begun, sprinting around to widen the gap between the bull and I.
That nasty look it gave as it stood was one that I'd much rather stare at from a comfortable distance away.
"That's correct master, a sufficient amount to allow you at most 2 spells." She responded calmly, her golden text barely keeping up with my pace, "the absorption process was cut off before you could take in a lot more."
Two spells...what the hell could I do with two spells? I didn't know exactly how much magic I had in me, but two spells? after all that fire I'd practically eaten up? I was about to complain before a sudden memory flooded my mind--with it, coming an idea.
How certain I was that this would work? Probably 2%
My knowledge on spells was minimal, but I knew them and that's all I needed to know. What I was about to do would either break me or save me...with how the beast before me looked, it was either I was breaking myself or saving myself before it broke me and had me for dinner.
"How about using it all on one spell?"
"I'd advice against conjuring up anything above C graded spells master, the outcome is unpredictable."
That's all I needed to hear. Sorry miss, but I'd already accounted for that.
2% was a merciful estimation. Worst case after doing this would probably be my demise, but I was willing to bet those assholes upstairs wouldn't let me have another 'pre-mature' death.
"Lance! stagger it then make a run for the nearest cover you can find!" I shouted out, Lance himself simply continuing his spell yet his tone changing to confirm that he was in on the plan.
"Master, I do advice you again to not attempt a higher graded spell." The messenger butted in again, concern filling her tone as she spoke. "Your body can barely handle top tier C spells."
"What was that? just call out the spell's name? Got it!"
"PUNY BEING, I will not let you succeed!" The beast let out, its red glow brightening as it charged right at me at a terrifying pace.
Before its charge came to a successful hit, an even louder thunderous bang echoed before multiple streaks of lightning ripped through its body--cutting off one of its legs and making holes in its back and abdomen.
An opening!
Swiftly, I stopped my run and changed my directions with my arm pointed towards the now immobile being--fingers pointed out on one hand to imitate a gun.
"Doom flare" I let out, my voice almost a roar that split the air, echoing off the amphitheater walls.