Horizon's heart skipped a beat. This was the first time he'd faced a creature with stats in the triple digits. The sheer power radiating from it made him question whether he could even survive the encounter, let alone win.
But now, with the beast looming before him, retreat wasn't an option. Confidence wavered, but there was no choice — he had to fight.
Horizon unsheathed his twin scimitars from their scabbards, the familiar hum of [Dragonbane] coursing through his nerves. He bet everything on this skill — doubling his attack damage against dragons while halving their blows on him.
His grip tightened as he locked eyes with the towering Nix dragon before him, its decaying form oozing malevolent power.
Wasting no time, Horizon lunged forward, the sharp ring of his blades cutting through the air. One dragon was fixated on him, every swipe of its massive claws met with the deadly arcs of his scimitars.
Meanwhile, the second Nix dragon turned its fury toward the fleeing Amberskins, slaughtering any who dared to approach the safety of the outcroppings.
Horizon's focus flickered for just a moment, seeing the Amberskins scrambled to get away from the Dragon's deadly breath.
He didn't linger away for long, though, as the Nix dragon snarled, its hollow eyes glowing with eerie necromantic energy.
Horizon crouched low when its tail swept over his head. The dragon lunged first, claws swiping with lethal speed. Horizon sidestepped, rolling under the attack. As he rose, his scimitars slashed across the dragon's bony legs, leaving deep gouges that leaked black smoke instead of blood.
The dragon roared in fury, whipping its tail toward Horizon with the force of a battering ram. He barely ducked in time, the wind from the tail strike whipping past his face.
With the potions his HP surged, his wounds closed, but he wasn't done yet. He popped open a vial of [Heaven's Blessing], the sacred liquid purging the necrotic energy coursing through him.
He couldn't afford to take any risks — not with a massive dragon as his foe. He had to be in top form to face the beast head-on.
Before he could move again to attack, Horizon suddenly heard a whisper — soft and haunting, like a sweet, deadly melody carried on the wind.
"Raise . . . the undead," the voice commanded, echoing in his mind, compelling Horizon with an unnatural force.
W–what's this?
A strange pull tugged at his mind. Was he . . . charmed?
Impossible!
His passive skill [Resolute] should have nullified it. He wasn't supposed to feel fear or fall under any charmed spell.
Yet, his thoughts clouded, and for a brief moment, he lost his control over his body.
Something was wrong, terribly wrong.