278. Remnant Roots

278. Remnant Roots

278

Year 270

How many damned rocks are we expecting? Prabu cursed as his biomechanical suit augmented his movement in space. He darted from rock to rock, propelled by his own magic and the vines from the suit, which functioned as extendable limbs, in the way Doc Ock would move about in space.

Rocks popped out of the void by the hundreds, as part of clumps or clouds of rock, usually anchored around a single larger chunk of rock.

On another side of the vastness of space, Colette fired magical spells repeatedly, blasting the rocks.

Despite the seemingly mundane nature of the act, I was nervous. We, were nervous.

This was about the time the Comet should have reached treehome in one piece, and there was a demon king that we didnt kill.

We were waiting for Multipus.

Its on one of the rocks, and we expected it to appear.

I suspected its alive. We didnt get notifications, but its likely we wont get notified if it vanished midway? I wasnt sure when the system gave notifications. Maybe only when we shared the same world, and so if I wasnt there when it vanished, I wouldnt even know?

More rocks coming it-

The edges of the reality bubble bent, as if the skies and the stars was a flat lake that suddenly bulged upwards. It burst, and a gigantic rock was here.

Alright, alright, volleys away! Stella and the void mages coordinated the defenses. The space-based ballistas and magical cannons were already aimed at the expected entry point of the rocks.

More rocks popped up, this batch was even larger than the one before.

[Demon King Multipus has arrived]

Oh fuck. I cursed, and the heroes did too.

Right now, only Prabu and Colette were in space, dealing with the rocks. Chung was back on Treehome doing whatever shit he was doing. Khefri was in Threeworlds, doing stuff in her little queendom. Adrian was still busy with cleanup of the remnant wolf-demons.

My domainholders were scattered too. Lumoof, Roon and Edna were still on Satrya, Kafa was back in Delvegard, and Johann was still enforcing order in Threeworld.

Even though we knew Multipus was coming, we had too many competing priorities that we couldnt just camp on Treehome and wait. I immediately sent out a ping, and summoned them through my [Court of the Deitree], and they were all immediately pulled back from their current worlds.

We need to support Prabu and Colette against Multipus now. I declared, and prepared to deploy another clone, if needed. I still have a few slots available and having seen what Multipus could do on the demons comet, I was fairly concerned about what Multipus could do here.

A swarm of smaller multi-limbed octopus-like demons exited from the larger rocks. They were hiding within the rocks, and their limbs or spines shot out like really long spears and javelins. But this was space, and space was huge.

Keep your distance and bombard it from afar. Stella advised through our shared magical network. With the huge distances of space, every attack from the demon king took longer, and so, for Prabu and Colette, they were able to maintain their distance and maintain their attacks.

Aye. Colette said, as she blasted magical projectiles towards the demon king. Which ones the true body?

There were about fifteen smaller demon kings, and each of them contained fairly similar levels of power.

None. I responded, as Lumoof teleported onto the nearest space-based platform. Would it be better to force a battle on one of the rocks?

No. Edna arrived soon after. That sounds like fighting on the demons home ground. Fighting in space is effective against it.

But that means we cant get near. Lumoof countered. It was harder to reach the floating, moving bodies of Multipus in space.

But we have the advantage. We have enough bombardment weapons to take it out. Roon and Johann arrived next on the space platform. They wore a kind of wooden suit similar to the heroes. How far can you make roots?

These days? Very far. Lumoof said. But space is big.

We just need platforms to stand. Just support us and well shoot it out of the skies.

Very well.

Prabu and Colette were both relieved to see the rest of the domain holders arrive. Took you guys a damn while.

We were out on other worlds. Lumoof countered. It is only natural that we will take some time.

The Multiple Multipus bodies attacked, rolling like gigantic space urchins through space. Its tentacles hardened into spears and spines, and attempted to smash into the heroes and my domain holders.

But once more, space is big. We found it hard to hit each other, but we outnumbered the demon king here.

You know, we shouldve called it a sea urchin, instead of an octopus. Its more like a sea urchin. Stella quipped while she helped use her magic to move some of the floating platforms around.

Multipus attacked with a combination of piercing strikes, using its spines to try and hit the heroes and my domain holders from afar. In space, we traded projectiles. Lumoof summoned gigantic roots and trees that reached into space. The domain holders would then hop on them, and use them as platforms to get into better firing positions.

The platforms, made from rocks such that trees could still be summoned on them, were transformed into living platforms. A few of the void mages maintained open portals, such that my roots could sustain the trees on these platforms, and allow them to give the fighters extra mobility.

Wait. Multipus is here? Khefri commented as the news arrived on Threeworld. Well, send me there?

Khefri teleported to my main body, and then, she arrived soon after.

The space began to bend some more.

More rocks incoming!

Another gigantic cloud of rocks appeared out of the edges of reality.

Well, shit. Prabu cursed. We cant destroy rocks AND fight Multipus!

We caught some, and with a heavy bombardment, destroyed a few of them.

Some rocks are slipping through! A void mage almost shouted through our shared communications network.

The skies were lit in beams of light and magic. The heroes themselves went all out, as the two archmage-heroes fired spell after spell at Multipus and the rocks.

Its gaining speed! Roon and Johann said as everyone chased after the urchins. Our weapons and spells tried our best to catch the urchins, and we managed to hit a few of the urchins with really strong attacks, and destroyed them.

But of the ten to twenty smaller bodies, we only managed to destroy slightly over half of them. The remaining half were all injured to some extent, but they flew towards Treehome at high speed.

Surface team, intercept, intercept! Stella roared as her own set of void weapons launched towards the demon king.

But there are rocks headed our way? The mages manning the various defensive structures countered. We cant target both at the same time.

There was no point hitting the demon king with weak attacks. It didnt hurt the demon, and our energies are better used dealing with other threats such as the meteors.

Focus on the rocks. I said. Well deal with Multipus once it lands.

***

The starry skies were lit aflame, as six gigantic streaks of light burned through the outer sphere. Our weapons and magical attacks chased after the remnant bodies of Multipus.

Each world has an atmosphere, and to some extent, a magisphere that protected the world. Stronger worlds have stronger protections from such incursions, though the demons have clearly mastered the art of circumventing these protections through their rift gates.

Multipus incoming. I declared, as Freshka entered a rare emergency siren.

We found Multipus somehow charging towards Freshka directly, which I found amusing. It must have felt my presence and determined that I was the threat they needed to eliminate.

Out on the streets, there was panic as the sirens blared.

Whats happening? The folks asked.

Demon King incoming. Expected to land somewhere around Freshka. Please seek shelter or teleport out immediately.

Freshka quickly emptied out, as I used my teleportation abilities to send people out of Freshka and towards the rest of the city. My domain holders and mages continued to attack Multipus body, as it spins through space and pierces through Treehomes atmosphere.

Around this point, I created a huge wall of shields around Freshka, as the six injured bodies of Multipus crashed in the lands around us. Its impact on the land around them caused huge shockwaves that smashed into my wall of shields.

The bodies did not move for a moment, and that was the opportunity we needed. Lumoof teleported down, and immediately charged into one of the Multipuss bodies.

His body glowed with the [Fury of the Avatar], as huge magically empowered roots pierced one of the bodies. It died instantly.

Edna landed right next to the another Multipuss bodies. She took the spines to her flesh unharmed, and slashed right into its actual body.

My roots attacked the remaining four bodies, and though I injured them, it felt like they still lived. I Immediately wrapped my vines and roots around the remaining four bodies, and I felt it struggle against my vines.

I attempted to drain Multipus of its power, my vines immediately sucked the familiar demonic energies of demon kings.

Hate.

All I felt was hate. We destroyed two of Multipuss bodies, and the remaining four were not in good shape. Lumoof quickly teleported to the third body, and once more, with his Fury, crushed the third body with an empowered piercing root-spear.

The three remaining bodies melted through my cocoon of roots, and immediately tried to merge. I battered the remaining bodies with my roots, and weakened it some more.

The melted bodies reformed, and then, reshaped itself into something resembling a golem.

Only to die.

The heroes and the rest of my domain holders arrived, and they came with the heaviest barrage of magic and weapons.

It died before it turned into its golem form.

[Demon King Multipus has been slain]

[Youve gained 6 levels. You are now Level 265]

[Your abilities and skills have been strengthened, range decay for abilities and skills reduced]

Spaizzer

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Tal has found a doorway to an ancient pocket dimension in the woods, but the discovery has cost him dearly.

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