Ancestral Lineage

A thick, dark pink string shot out from Lamair's back just as the beast's massive claws tore through the air where he had stood moments before. The string connected to a sleek, humanoid flying puppet above, which yanked Lamair upward with precision. He somersaulted gracefully through the air, landing smoothly on the back of one of his eagle puppets as it soared toward the treetops.

"High defenses, extreme speed, and overwhelming presence… Platinum-ranked beast, no doubt," Lamair muttered with a dry, humorless laugh. His voice betrayed neither fear nor despair, only grim determination.

Behind him, a radiant sigil burst into existence—a beautifully intricate symbol resembling a Puppeteer's hand gripping strings of countless marionettes. The sigil pulsed with power, casting an eerie pink glow across the battlefield. An aura of dominance and control exploded outward, suffocating everything in its path, the air growing thick with dread.

Dark pink strings erupted from Lamair's body like veins of living energy, each connecting to his scattered army of puppets. The forest, now a battlefield, became alive with motion as every puppet stirred in unison, their glowing eyes locking onto the beast.

Qirantha, perched atop Lamair's head moments ago, let out a sharp, resonant chirp. Her small frame began to warp and grow, her body elongating and twisting as her form changed. Within seconds, she stood beneath Lamair, a towering 7-foot-tall humanoid spider. Her chitin gleamed like polished obsidian under the moonlight, the streaks of dark blue, purple, and pink in her fur glowing faintly. Her many red eyes burned with feral intensity, and her newly-formed claws flexed, ready to strike.

Lamair now floated midair, his form radiating an intense, almost blinding pink light. It clashed against the golden glow of the beast's eyes, the two energies battling for dominance over the darkened forest. His puppets, infused with his power, surrounded the beast like shadows converging on their prey.

"This is it, Qirantha," Lamair said, his voice steady but charged with resolve. "Let's show this beast what happens when it underestimates a Puppeteer."

The beast let out a deafening roar, its tails lashing out and tearing through trees as it charged again, but Lamair's puppets moved to intercept. The battlefield was set, the clash of titans imminent.

...

A streak of blue and gold tore through the night sky, blazing so brightly it rivaled the moon's glow. Shockwaves from its passage carved a path of destruction through the land, uprooting ancient trees, shattering boulders, and flattening hills. Ethan moved like a comet, his expression etched with worry and urgency.

The system's warning had been jarring, unprecedented in its intensity. Even the life-threatening episode with Andriel felt like a mere footnote compared to this.

"What the hell is happening?" Ethan growled in frustration, his fists clenched at his sides. His clothes and hair whipped violently in the wind, the sheer speed of his flight pushing him to his limits.

'Master, stay calm. Panicking will only worsen the situation,' Angitia's calm yet commanding voice echoed in his mind. Her telepathic connection to him radiated reassurance, but it wasn't enough to ease his tension.

'Angitia is right, master. Keep your composure. You know what could happen if you lose control…' Galeno added, his tone gentle but firm, leaving the sentence unfinished. Ethan didn't need the rest to understand the consequences.

"You're both right. Thank you," Ethan replied, exhaling sharply to steady himself. But his thoughts were far from calm. *Let's just hope he's okay… because if he's not…*

Ethan's gaze shifted to the translucent system screen floating to his left, its blue hue contrasting against the night. It displayed a precise route to Lamair's location. Even at his current blistering speed, it showed an estimated arrival time of eight hours. Eight hours too long.

'System,' Ethan called out, his voice laced with desperation. 'Is there no way for me to move faster? I've already invested everything I could in speed, but it's still not enough.'

The system responded instantly, its tone mechanical yet carrying a weight Ethan wasn't used to hearing.

"There is an option to accelerate your travel, but it will come at a cost: the complete depletion of your energy and mana reserves."

'What about teleportation?' Ethan asked quickly, his mind racing for alternatives.

"Teleportation is not possible within this zone due to the interference caused by the beast's unique energy signature. Additionally, your current energy reserves are insufficient for long-range teleportation of this magnitude."

Ethan clenched his teeth, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. I'm still too weak, he thought bitterly. Every second wasted felt like a dagger to his chest.

"Damn it!" he hissed under his breath, his hands tightening into fists. "Lamair, just hold on. I'll get to you, no matter what it takes."

With renewed determination, he pushed himself harder, the blue-gold aura around him flaring even brighter as he surged forward.

...

Lamair hovered above the battlefield, the pink sigil behind him pulsing with power as threads of energy extended from his body to his puppets. His chest heaved with effort, sweat dripping down his face despite the cold night air. Below him, Qirantha—now transformed into her towering humanoid spider form—let out an ear-splitting screech, her claws carving deep furrows into the earth as she charged the beast.

The colossal monster roared, its sheer presence pressing down on everything around it. The four tails behind it whipped violently, toppling trees and sending shockwaves through the air. It showed no signs of hesitation, no weakness, only raw, unrelenting power.

The puppeteer's threads glinted in the moonlight as Lamair sent his forces into action. His eagle puppets dove from the sky, their metallic talons glowing pink as they aimed for the beast's eyes. At the same time, the cat-like puppets streaked forward on the ground, their claws tearing through the earth as they leapt for the creature's legs.

"Focus the joints! Slow it down!" Lamair commanded, his voice strained but firm.

The eagles struck first, their talons slamming into the beast's glowing yellow eyes. Sparks flew as the attack connected, but the monster barely flinched. With a low growl, it shook its massive head, sending one eagle puppet crashing into the forest floor in pieces.

The cats fared no better. As they swarmed its legs, aiming for the vulnerable spots between scales, the beast's tails swung with terrifying speed, obliterating three of them in a single swipe.

Lamair winced as the feedback from his destroyed puppets shot through his mind. It felt like needles stabbing into his skull, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on.

"Qirantha, now!" he yelled.

The humanoid spider lunged, her claws gleaming as she aimed for the creature's exposed throat. She moved with incredible speed, her form a blur in the moonlight. For a moment, it seemed like the attack would connect.
Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

But the beast was faster.

In a blur of motion, one of its tails slammed into Qirantha mid-air, sending her flying into a nearby cliffside with a deafening crash. The ground trembled as rocks and debris fell, burying her form.

"No!" Lamair shouted, his voice cracking with panic. The bond between him and Qirantha weakened, though he could still feel her faintly through their connection. She was alive, but barely.

The beast turned its glowing eyes toward him, its gaze radiating an almost sentient malice. Lamair's breath hitched.

"Think, Lamair. Think!" he muttered to himself, his mind racing. But every strategy, every calculated move he tried to form, crumbled under the weight of the monster's overwhelming power.

The beast roared again, the sound shaking the very air. It charged, its massive form barreling toward him with terrifying speed.

Lamair extended his hands, summoning every remaining puppet he had. Dozens of humanoid and beast-like constructs materialized, forming a defensive wall between him and the monster.

"Hold the line!" he commanded, his voice filled with desperation.

The puppets surged forward, meeting the beast head-on. They clawed, bit, and slammed into it with everything they had. For a moment, it seemed like they might hold it back. But the monster's sheer size and strength proved too much. One by one, the puppets were crushed, torn apart, or sent flying into the night.

Lamair's vision blurred as the strain of controlling so many puppets at once took its toll. His knees buckled, and he dropped to one knee on the eagle puppet he was standing on.

The beast broke through the last line of his defenses, its massive frame looming before him.

"This… this isn't how it ends," Lamair muttered, forcing himself to stand despite the pain.

He gathered every ounce of his remaining energy, the pink sigil behind him flaring brighter than ever. Strings of light shot out in every direction, connecting with the scattered remnants of his puppets. They began to glow, their forms crackling with unstable energy.

"If I'm going down… I'm taking you with me," he whispered, a grim smile on his face.

The puppets surged toward the beast one last time, their bodies glowing like bombs ready to detonate. Lamair clenched his fists, preparing to trigger the final attack.

But before he could, the beast roared again, its eyes glowing brighter. A wave of pure, oppressive energy erupted from its body, sweeping through the battlefield. The wave struck Lamair and his puppets, shattering his strings and sending him tumbling from the eagle puppet's back.

He hit the ground hard, the impact driving the air from his lungs. As he struggled to stand, the beast loomed over him, its glowing eyes piercing through the darkness.

For the first time in his life, Lamair felt truly powerless.