Extra's Fate

"Light Thrust!

A focused ray of light pierced through the dense foliage, striking the monster's vulnerable flank with searing power.

Roar...

The beast let out a guttural roar, its massive body recoiling from the sudden, unexpected attack. Its flesh-like mist bubbled and hissed where the light struck, leaving a charred and smoldering wound that immediately began to slowly regenerate.

The creature's beady eyes turned towards the source of the attack and so did mine.

While the shapeshifter displayed apparent hatred and aggression, my expression told a different tale.

'She isn't supposed to be here!'

My calm composure shattered. I was in utter disbelief.

The Saint... she was supposed to be far in the north of the domain, fighting against great hordes of Winter Foxes, not wandering in the heart of this forest.

Watching her petite form emerge from the undergrowth, I bit my lip so hard it drew blood.

She was going to steal my points...

This was not part of the plan.

"Curses..."

Tasting iron on my tongue, I reluctantly retreated a few paces.

Although I had planned to fight and slay the monster alone, the plan had changed. With the Saint here, all I could do now was wait for her to weaken the creature and then sweep in to deal the final blow, ensuring I killed it and claimed all the points.

This would probably make me look like a scavenger and a coward in her eyes, but I believed she would forgive me eventually.

Kind, compassionate, and forgiving.

That was how the Saint was known in the game and I was willing to take advantage of those qualities.

Whoosh...

However, fate had other plans.

As I turned, the beast's tail suddenly lashed out, flattening trees in its path and hitting me directly in the chest.

I didn't even have time to react.

The force of the impact sent me flying, crashing through the foliage and slamming hard against the ground.

Unfortunately, I landed in a spot directly in the Saint's and the monster's line of sight.

"Damn it..."

Vomiting blood, I struggled to my feet.

The Bloody Emblem was already starting to heal my wounds, but the damage from the blow was severe.

I would need at least ten minutes to fully recover.

Lifting my eyes from the ground, I met the slightly concerned gaze of the Saint.

Her sky-blue eyes shone with gentle empathy, which, for some reason, made me feel annoyed.

"You bas-"

Roar...

I was about to say something I would surely regret later on, but luckily the monster's roar drowned out my voice.

It lunged at the Saint, its massive jaws wide open, ready to crush her fragile form.

With a fluid grace, she swung the spear made out of strange light she held, its blade gleaming with Divinity.

The weapon whistled through the air, a blur of motion, and met the monster's jaws with a resounding clash. The force of her strike was incredible, sending a shockwave through the clearing and causing the monster to recoil in pain and fury.

The beast's momentum was halted, and it reared back, snarling.

The Saint wasted no time, her expression serene and focused.

She spun the spear in her hands, the movements precise and deadly and thrust it forward once more. The tip of the spear glowed brighter, intensifying with her power, and plunged into the monster's chest.

The creature howled, a sound of pure agony, as the spear's holy light spread through its body.

Its misty flesh began to disintegrate, unable to withstand the Saint's divine assault. It thrashed violently, but she held her ground, unwavering, driving the spear deeper.

I watched the unfolding scene with an expressionless face.

'So that's the power of a 'Sovereign'…'

Observing her precise movements and agile footwork unbefitting her frame, I shook my head.

I was still far from her level of skill and strength.

However, that didn't mean I would simply accept losing all those points to her. I wasn't doing anything right now, because it simply just wasn't yet time for me to move.

Roar…

Suddenly, the creature's guttural roar reverberated through the clearing as its form began to shift.

The Saint's spear remained lodged in its chest, the holy light searing into its very essence. Yet, instead of crumbling into oblivion, the monster began to change.

Its bubbling, mist-like flesh started to writhe and convulse, reshaping and reforming itself. The smoldering wound from the Saint's initial strike fused and healed, only to give way to a more sinister transformation.

Scales.

Hard, dark, and glistening scales began to emerge, replacing the beast's previous amorphous form.

Its limbs elongated, claws extending into deadly talons, each one capable of tearing through steel. The monster's body grew larger, more formidable and its beady eyes glowed with a malevolent intelligence. Horns sprouted from its head, curling menacingly and its jaws widened, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

A bloody smile appeared on my face as I recognized the form it was taking - a wyvern, or at least a twisted and weaker version of one.

It was about time I also joined the battle.