Chapter 33: Evolution

Celes stared down at her arm, they were all taking a roundabout way and heading in their direction. They must have been successful in subduing the Gorgon and were now taking their leave. She was a little upset that they were not even going to say goodbye, but after hearing what Gaelin planned to do, she wouldn’t dare call them back here.

Saria: “Were they successful, did they trap it?”

Celes looked up to Saria, nodding yes to her question.

Saria: “Thank goodness, were all they now?”

Celes tried her best to explain to Saria, lucky for her, it seemed Saria understood that they were taking their leave.

Saria: “If they are leaving right away, the Hero must have realized the Grassvalley tribes plan, even still, I will make things easier for them.

Saria whipped up a wind, her mouth moved, but no sound came out. After she finish a gust wind blew pass them both, satisfied she turn back to Celes.

Saria: “With this, no one should stop them.”

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Nathan: “Watch it.”

Nathan pulled Anais over, she had nearly bumped into a member of the Grassvalley tribe. Even though she didn’t touch him, the man looked around.

Elven Soldier: “Did you say something?”

Wind Nymph: “Uh, uh yes, I said watch it, you nearly step on the poor flower.”

The Elf look down, there was a flower not far from where he stood, but he could have sworn there was nothing there a minute ago. Nathan had actually grown that plant the second he heard the nymph mention it.

Elven: “My apologies, I will be more careful.”

Wind nymph: “Please do.”

Satisfied the Elf continued forward, the wind nymph with him looked turn to Nathan and bowed. She then followed behind the man leaving them, careful not to look back. As they continued onward, similar accident occurred. An elf would search an area they were in and a nymph would kindly redirect him or her, each time the nymph would bow or mouth out “thank you”, before continuing on.

Anais: “The hells going on?”

Nathan: “This is Saria’s doing, since they could still see us, she let them know to lead their guardians away from us.”

Iris: “It seems your intuition was correct once again.”

Anais: “Even though they should be heading to finish off the Gorgon, they are still actively looking for something else or someone else. There are really out to get us, after all we’ve done.”

Nathan: “Doesn’t matter, were just three intruders, who must be we dealt with.”

Iris: “Somewhere as secure as this, must be kept secret, if by chance they were to escape and reveal its location, trouble would undoubtedly come is probably what they believe.”

Nathan: “We need to move, I’m pretty sure they have more guards around, the waterfall, I like to get there before one of them figured out why those nymphs keep bowing to nothingness.”

Anais: “If it comes down to it we might have to take on a army.”

Nathan: “I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.”

Saria might be helping them, but chances are, someone will catch on and start asking question, like why is there a nymph following each member of the Grassvalley tribe.

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As three members of the Grassvalley came into the clearing, weapons ready, they were surprise to see such a sight. Hundreds of vines holding it down, whilst a barrage of seeds rain down on its collapsing body. The creature laid motionlessly, as it body slowly gave away to the barrage. Even in this state, there weapons remained in hand. From the stories, they heard no chances were being taken.

Elven soldier A: “What a sorry sight.”

Elven Soldier B: “If he had done this much, why not just finish the job.”

Elven Soldier C: “I heard the details from Lord Edwyrd, it seems the daughters had lost faith in us.

Elven Soldier B: “Lost faith, from one defeat?”

Elven Soldier A: “Not just that, this Lycanian Hero, was said to slay one of these.”

Elven Soldier C: “From our fallen brother’s death, seeing them in such a sorry state and the fact that this so called Lycanian Hero, was able to do away with another. It would seem this man is trying to restore their faith in us, by letting us deal the finishing blow.”

Elven Soldier: “It’s that why they’ve all been following us around?”

The three men looked back, several nymphs were watching them from afar. None of them seemed eager to approach, the men could see why. Even though it was incapable of moving, the size was still unsettling.

Elven Soldier A: “That may be the case, but have you notice how strange they’ve been acting?”

Eleven Soldier B: “Like bowing into thin air or redirecting us slightly, I wonder about that.”

Elven Soldier C: “Wonder about it later.”

He directed both their attention to their comrades approach.

Elven Soldier D: “We just got word, Lord Gaelin is heading this way, along with Lord Edwyrd. They want us wait until they’ve all arrived.”

One the soldier looked at the Gorgon and then back to her team.

Elven Soldier A: “I’m not sure how we’re supposed to do anything once they’ve arrived. With the vines covering its body are as tough as steel, and the Uzy have yet to cease fire. If we foolishly get close, we will be caught in the crossfire.”

Elven Soldier B: “And d I’m not sure about cutting them down, normally when provoked, Uzy tend to fire on its provoker.”

Elven Soldier E: “Regardless, we’ll move once everyone’s arrived.”

As they spoke, the sudden cease fire of the Uzy drew everyone’s attention. Everyone’s of the flowers had gone dormant, then several of the vines covering its body retracted leaving the eye exposed. It was now a matter of approaching the Gorgon and finishing it off. The Gorgon moved slightly, causing all 5 to draw their weapons.

Elven Soldier C: “Careful.”

Even with it still tied down, the Grassvalley tribesmen were vigilant. One of the soldiers begin to chant, slowly each member was covered in a barrier of water, they heard of the Gorgons abilities and were not taking any chances. After a minute, tension slowly begin to fade, until an arrow pierced a part of the Gorgons flesh. It shifted once again.

Elven Soldier E: “What are you doing?”

Elven Soldier B: “What are we doing, clearly this thing cannot defend itself.”

Elven Soldier A: “Stop, don’t approach it needlessly, are you disobeying our lord’s orders.”

Elven Soldier B: “The vines have retracted and the Uzy have ceased fire, there’s a chance they might start attacking again. We might not get this chance again, let’s finish it while we have a chance.

Two of the others agreed with their brother and decided to close in. As they approach, a huge chunk of the outer armor crumbled to the ground, exposing more of its flesh, this startled the three, but they quickly got over it and moved in. Sword in hand one stabbed at the flesh, the Gorgon turned wants more and another huge chunk of armor, crashed to the ground, again did nothing. After that he another plunge her sword deep into its flesh. The Gorgon just allowed itself to be stabbed, it never once tried to fight back. The third jumped atop the Gorgon, using his hand he pried away more of the outer armor and began to stabbed at it.

Elven Soldier A: “This is revolting.”

Elven Soldier E: “Lord Gaelin will be here soon, obviously stabbing it isn’t doing much.”

Elven Soldier C: “Then try casting spells, where its flesh is exposed.”

Elven Soldier A: “I will have no part in this, I follow orders.”

The three scoffed at her remarks and continued their attack. One of the men approach the Gorgons eye, subconsciously they were avoiding being caught in its line of sight, but now a little more confident of them strolled around to its eye. What the man saw, almost made him drop his weapon. Those eyes weren’t the eyes of someone who had given up. An unbridled rage, a undying fire, this creature was not on the brink of death.

Elven Soldier B: “Shit.”

The Man quickly jumped back, something was wrong and no sooner did he think that, he heard one of his teammates scream in pain.

He quickly checked on her, he was shocked to see that her arm was no longer attach to her body. Blood sprayed from the socket as she fell from the Gorgon and collapsed in agony.

Elven Soldier B: “What the hell just happened?”

Looking to the other, he found that his head was no longer connected to his body.

Elven Soldier E: “MOVE AWAY FROM IT NOW.”

Looking into the Gorgons eye once more, He quickly thrust his blade into the eye.

*Clang*Snap*

As if ramming his sword into a boulder, it shattered on impact with the pupil. The Gorgon rolled over, crushing the girl with what remained of its armor. With the remainder of the armor falling off, the snyare lost their grip and the Gorgon was now free once again.

Elven Soldier A: “I’VE GOT YOU.”

A huge gust sent the man soaring over to the others, once he was safely next to them, they released their spells. A mountain of ice crashed down on the now armor less Gorgon. The spells did not stop, as a torrent of water engulfed it.

Elven Soldier A: “HEY, GET YOURSELF TOGETHER WE NEED TO RETREAT.”

He watched as the water and ice were slowly evaporating, it would be free in a matter of seconds. She shook him several times before he got his composure.

Elven Soldier B: “I’m fine, lets *Drip*………what ?”

The put a hand to his head, blood was pouring down his face, but he was uninjured.

Elven Soldier E: “My god.”

Looking up he could see straight into the sky. A huge hole had been opened in her chest. She slumped over on to him and he moved aside.

Elven Soldier E: “HELP ME!”

Turning to his comrade, he watched helplessly as he was slowly in cased in stone.

Elven Soldier E: “GET TO OUR LORD, TE-”

Before he could finish his statement, he had become a statue. A moment later, an unseen force smashed him into a pile of rubble. The man looked around, in mere moments, all of them had be eliminated. Turning to the Gorgon, he didn’t even try to fight as the same force came for him.

Just as he was about to be killed, the Uzy that had went dormant had all reinitiated there assault, along with the snyare that tried to capture the Gorgon once again. However, every vine was torn to shreds by the same force that killed his comrades. Th Uzy were useless, the armor that fell off was replaced by what seemed like a metal. It wasn’t crumbling from the attack, it was shedding the parts it didn’t need. It had evolved to a point, where armor was unneeded. With steel like flesh, it had become all, but impenetrable. This was the worst-case scenario, if he had heeded his comrades words waited, they might all still be alive.

The man did a quick look around, sure that the Nymphs had fled, he too got up to run, he had to worn his lord of what transpired. Even with only half a sentence, he understood his friend’s final words. With everyone’s help he would take vengeance on the creature.

As he ran away, he felt a surge of mana past by him. The barrier of water surrounding him begin to fail. He understood what was happening, he tried to out run it but the area of effect was to large It was futile, the barrier around was gone, and before the he could think, an intense heat over took him and all moisture in his body cease to be. Instantly reduced to a mummified state, a searing pain took over but only for an instant, the next instant, he life had ended.

In a matter of minutes, with absolutely no effort, five members of the Grassvalley tribe were killed. With no other obstructions, the Gorgon silently floated away, leaving behind a nightmarish scene.

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Nathan: “Huh, why’d did you both stop…………..what’s wrong?”

Iris and Anais looked back, then two at one another.

Anais: “Did you feel that?”

Iris: “Impossible, how could have summoned this much power?”

Nathan didn’t need an explanation, from their conversation he pretty much understood.

Anais: “……..It’s coming, we should just run.”

Iris: “But it will just follow us, wherever we go.”

Anais: “It’s not our problem anymore, let the elves deal with it.”

Iris: “But if they should all fall in defeat, it will surely come after us.”

They both turned to Nathan, he had his hand to his face. It seemed fate was just not on his side.

Nathan: “………. Your both right, it’s not our problem anymore, but if the Grassvalley gets demolished, it’ll just come after me again. It’s not going to give up.

Nathan turned and ran back, Anais and Iris right behind him. No matter what, it had to end here or else there will always be a target on his back.

Nathan: “I seriously doubt all them elves were wiped out. When we arrive, will stay far enough away to keep clear of the fight, but close enough if we need to step in. Screw helping them keep their pride. I refused to be hunted any longer.”