Chapter 336

336 First Encounter

***CONTENT WARNING: LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND GORE***

Skye knew what she was looking at, but didn’t at the same time. The creature before her barely resembled a human any longer..

He was shaped like an unnaturally-tall starving person, and black muck dripped from his skin. Richard’s ribs were visible as the black ooze trailed down it’s body, then spread out like a growing puddle as it stepped out of the shadows.

That was when Skye saw that he had no eyes; just deep, empty sockets. As he trudged forward, Richard looked down at the human in front of him. Anders was already trying to walk backwards, but had tripped over a branch. As he tried to scurry away, the monster slowly reached out for him..

After pausing in the air above him for a few seconds, the monster drove its long fingers into Anders at lightning speed. He screamed as he reached out for Skye, but she was frozen. Not just because of the horror before her, but because of his overwhelming magic power.

Skye had never felt something so strong, or sinister, in her entire life. The chaotic darkness she sensed from Richard was choking her senses, and had paralyzed her without her realizing it. As she tried to figure out why she couldn’t move, she looked down at her feet.

The black goo that was dripping from Richard was slowly creeping it’s way around, and up her legs.. ‘It must have some kind of paralytic inside of it. Shit! What do I do?!’

Skye could still move everything above her waist, so she tried to yank her leg out of the muck. After the first two pulls, the creature started to move..

It removed it’s hand from Anders, and brought it’s blood-soaked fingers up to it’s mouth. As it licked the blood clean, it made a disturbing purring noise. Like one made when eating a favorite kind of food. Rearing it’s head back, the monster bent down, grabbed Anders, and bit him in half.

.....

It didn’t take long for Richard to finish the first half of his meal. As he was shoving the top-half of Anders into it’s mouth, his corpse dropped the tiny scroll he’d had in his hand. Skye stared at it as she managed to get a foot free, then used her Earth magic to make a place to stand on.

She didn’t know if it was the use of her magic, or if it was because he’d finished his first course, but Richard was now staring at her. An icy chill ran up Skye’s spine as he reached out for her and mumbled; “Catalyst..”

A black streak darted across her line of sight right before Richard’s hand fell from his wrist. He cried out like a Banshee as he jerked around violently. The next thing Skye knew; she was in Tidas’ arms, and about ten feet away from where she’d been.

After he’d cut his uncle’s hand off, Tidas had circled back to get Skye out of the monster’s range. It was flailing and sticking out at everything near it. As the other RMC members converged, they couldn’t believe that the grotesque creature in front of them was real. Ralph was right; it was the thing that nightmares were made from.

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“Are you alright?! What happened?!” Tidas asked hastily as the others attacked the monster.

Skye took a deep breath to find her voice; “I followed Anders out here. He was sendin’ a message ta Marco. I was confrontin’ him about it when Richard showed up-”

“By the Gods! The fuck Is that thing?!” Ronnie yelled as he, Klaus, and Kari arrived with Murdoc, the Highlanders, and her swords in tow.

The Highlanders had heard the creature from back at camp, and knew what the noise was. He’d gathered most of his men, and told the rest to break down camp, and start the snow mobiles. They would most likely be needing a quick exit.

As the three stared at the monstrosity, Murdoc said; “That be Prince Richard: the Monster in the North.. Do ye see why we were willin’ ta break bread wit ye now?!”

As the Highlander King finished, he and his men charged into the fray. The Alconians and Highlanders rotated between fighting the monster, and pulling each other free from the muck. Seeing the fight quickly turning into a bloodbath, Tidas set Skye down, and turned to go join in as well..

However, before he could take more than two steps, Skye grabbed his arm and said; “We need that scroll! Let’s go!”

“No, you stay here-”

“Like hell I am!” Skye yelled at him before tapping into her Tank trait, and taking off.

Tidas followed directly behind her, and prayed that she’d be okay. The weapons weren’t doing anything to the creature, and they had already lost two Alconians, and two Highlanders. As they sped past the other soldiers, Tidas held his breath as Skye tapped into her Earth magic..

As she lept into the air, giant spikes shot out of the ground, and pierced Richard from all sides. As he cried out with an animalistic, unnerving noise; Skye jumped off of one of the spikes, and stabbed him with her sword.

The black ooze poured out of him like she’d hit an artery, and Richard howled like he’d actually been hurt. As he gripped his first wound, Tidas did the same thing that Skye had, but used his long sword to nearly cleve his arm off. The black ooze gushed even more, giving the fighters a small sense of hope that they could win..

As the black ooze began to fill in his wounds, Skye and Tidas sped around for another strike. After Richard pulled himself free from the spikes, Skye had more impale him, to hold him in place. The yell wasn’t as loud this time, and he had anticipated them when the two had circled back.

Skye barely dodged him, but Tidas wasn’t so lucky. He was struck on his side, and sent flying into a tree. Skye cried out as she heard the familiar snap of bones as he made impact. Rushing to his side, Skye was nearly hit with black ooze, but still got to her husband.

Wanting to go after his targets, Richard started to pull himself free from the rocks. As he did that, Skye assessed Tidas. No broken bones, and only minor injuries on his back. A million thoughts were raised, but she shoved them down to focus.

“Stay out of his sight til ye get an opening,” Skye had said softly before zipping away.

When Richard had finally pulled himself away from the ground spikes for the second time, the idea occurred to him to try it..

Raising his bony arm up; massive spikes suddenly jutted out of the black ooze that was surrounding him. Several fighters were injured, and two more Highlanders died. As the monster looked around at the pain and chaos he was making, Skye could’ve sworn that it’s face shifted into a smile.

Anger rose up in her like a struck oil vein. Her magic surged, making it easier to pour into the ground. As she shifted the ground around below him, Richard felt her magic welling up under himself. Every time she started to make a pitfall, he moved away.

Finally realizing where the magic was coming from, Richard roared like a feral beast before charging at her. Skye, of course was quicker, but not by much. Usually she could boost herself higher, but the amount of magic that she’d poured into the ground earlier was more than she’d realized.

Being an emotional magic user was a double-edged sword. It could bolster one’s powers beyond their physical limits for a time, but there were always repercussions to using large amounts of magic. Rapidly using her magic reserves wasn’t something that Skye had been ready for.

The only plus to come out of it was that Skye had still managed to continuously drain away most of the ooze. It freed the soldiers and Highlanders, and gave them a chance to run back to the snow mobiles. As she kept Richard focused on her, she monitored their retreat.

As she zipped around a tree, Skye didn’t notice the root sticking out of the ground..

Thankfully, she’d slowed down to make the sharp turn, but Skye’s momentum still sent her skidding and rolling across the sparse forest floor. She cursed out loud when she’d hit a tree, but didn’t have a second to spare.

By the time Skye was on her feet, Richard was practically in front of her. He roared like a rabid beast as he reached out for her with a fresh hand..

Tidas jumped in front of Skye, and sliced the same hand off, only this time; it was at his elbow. The creature wailed as it veered to the side, then turned around, and struck Tidas with it’s good arm.

He didn’t fly as far as the first time, but he still crashed into a tree. As Tidas got to his feet, Richard was already barreling towards him..

Arthur and Mickey had been standing off to the side, making sure everyone else had left. They could hear the revving engines from the snow mobiles, signaling their readiness to leave. Arthur was watching Kari disappear while Mickey was watching the fight.

Right as the monster went to swipe at Tidas, Skye sliced it’s backside. It didn’t complete the swing, and got pinned again by spikes. Skye zipped around it, grabbed Tidas then sped off towards Mickey and Arthur.

Richard trailed black ooze after them, attempting to spear them as he ripped himself loose from the ground spikes. It didn’t injure him, but it still hurt like hell for him to pull himself free. As his hostility rose, Richard roared, then charged after his next few meals.

They were all just starting to pull away when Richard cleared the sparse tree line. He barreled towards them as he roared his fury, and swiped at Skye and Tidas’ snow mobile. They picked up speed, but so did Richard..

Seeing Skye and Tidas in a tight spot, Mickey had started to slow down a bit. He whipped his vehicle back and forth, kicking up snow, and sending it flying into the monster’s face. It obviously annoyed him, but the creature was targeting the Alconian royals..

Seeing their Commander and General in trouble; the RMC members dropped back, and started to imitate Mickey. The multiple annoyances finally made his snap, and Richard started to attack anyone he could reach.

Two more RMC members were driven into a random tree that was on the edge of the valley. The sun was gone, and only the stars and moon lit their way. They couldn’t see as many details as before, but Richard was definitely still after them.

With an ear-shattering yell, the creature jumped forward with his claw-like fingers extended towards Skye and Tidas..

Mickey was right next to the royal couple when the creature had jumped. As the it’s shadow stretched out over them, their snow mobile was suddenly rammed into. They both shouted at Mickey as he took their place in the darkness; in the direct path of the creature..