New Chapter inbound! But first we gotta get through the reviews.
Luine Mercury LWG: Let's hope I didn't make it underwhelming!
Hunter Zickafoose: Only time will tell. But nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Demons death: I'm sorry you're having troubles loading the chapters. Honestly after having to reupload my last chapter I've lost a tiny bit of faith in .
Onward with the Story!
The entirety of Astera seemed to leap awake as the sound of the emergency horn ripped through the calm air. Richard, Angela, Nina and Fabien looked around like the sky was falling, ignoring the loud sound of the alarm.
"What's going on?!"
Angela had to shout over the sound of the loud horn, her eyes briefly catching glimpses of the hunters in the Canteen quickly grabbing their gear and leaping into action. Hether lifted her book off the table faster than she meant to before slinging the strap over her shoulder.
"It's the emergency horn! Somebody fired an emergency flare!
"What does that mean!?"
Richard asked, his hands over his ears to block out the loud horn that was assaulting his senses. Hether glanced upward, noticing that there was a flare hanging just above the Ancient Forest.
"It means that a hunter really needs help with a-"
Hether's explanation was cut off as Eclipsen stood almost to swiftly for Hether to notice and took off, his pace faster than what Hether could even hope to catch up to. She stood from her seat and took a couple steps, reaching out futilely at the back of the quickly disappearing Eclipsen.
"Pard! Wait!"
The rest of the group stood up quickly, with Nergigante strangely responding the most and joining Hether in looking at Eclipsen sprint towards the Workshop. Hether painfully noticed that he didn't have the Black Sword or any kind of armament on him besides the Slinger and his carving knife.
"What's wrong?! I'm sure he can handle it!"
Richard said as he walked over to where Hether and Nergigante were standing, his golden armor glistening a bit in the now star filled sky's light. Hether shot Richard a worried look as the emergency horn started to fade out.
"He's still got broken bones from his last hunt!"
Hether said loudly as the horn completely died down. Richard's eyes widened and the same look of worry dawned on his visage. Angela, Nina and Fabien quickly rounded the table as well upon hearing the words come out of Hether's mouth.
Richard's head snapped to the left as he looked over the Tradeyard. With a quick glance, he noticed that the staircase beside the table led down into the Tradeyard, just a few feet away from where the gate of Astera led into the Ancient Forest. With another quick movement, his blue eyes looked at the sky and registered the dying flare over the Forest.
He looked back at the group and waved his hand as his legs already began carrying him around the brazier and onto the staircase next to the table.
"Come on! We'll cut him off!"
The entire group followed him as they made a mad dash to catch Eclipsen before he could deploy.
-Transition-
A slight, burning pain filled Eclipsen's chest as he leapt down the three steps that led out of the Canteen, ignoring the shout from Hether to stop. He couldn't just deny an S.O.S, let alone an Emergency Flare. Every part of him screamed that he had been sitting around long enough, and that it was time to get back into the action.
As he sprinted past the archway that led into the Private Quarters, he caught a glimpse of Sundancer running towards him with the Black Sword clutched under his arm. The Felyne rounded the corner of the archway like it was trivial before tossing the Black Sword at Eclipsen.
The Hunter caught the Sword as if it was weightless before clipping it onto the back of his waist. He continued his sprint, with Sundancer quickly and easily catching up to his run.
"What's going on?!"
Eclipsen asked as he turned the corner of the walkway and ran past the Workshop. Sundancer shook his head as he followed, his armor clinking thanks to the movement.
"Meow don't know! I'm just as sur-purr-ized as you are!"
The Palico said as he followed his partner down the wooden staircase next to the Smithy. Sundancer was still surprised with how fast Eclipsen could run when he put his mind to it, especially after his infection with the Frenzy Virus. Sundancer glanced and noticed that the Hunter's eye wasn't glowing; a clear sign that the Frenzy Virus hadn't activated yet.
As they descended the stairs, Eclipsen saw as chaos consumed the Tradeyard. Hunters were flooding the large area, all of them wounded and bleeding. Many of the medical experts were calling for First Aid Meds and were tending to the hunters who were severely or even fatally wounded.
Eclipsen glanced and noticed that the Commander and Field Team Leader were questioning a less severely wounded hunter, who looked as if they had been taken by surprise. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Eclipsen immediately headed for the Commander.
"What happened?!"
The Commander jumped slightly as Eclipsen came to an abrupt halt next to him. The Commander looked at his best Hunter with a worried face. It wasn't often that the Commander was concerned, which spoke to Eclipsen on a deep level.
"A Savage Deviljho attacked the hunters tracking the Azure Rathalos."
Eclipsen's single eye regained it's familiar glow and he began to restart his sprint towards the Ancient Forest. The Commander was quick and placed his hand against Eclipsen's chest, locking eyes with the Hunter.
"You're still injured. You remember the last time you fought a Deviljho?"
The Commander asked, his tone more concerned than anything else. Deep in Eclipsen's crimson eye, the Commander saw nothing but rage and determination.
"All due respect sir, but I can't let this go. Look around. You see all the people it's hurt? I'm not going to let it rampage and kill more hunters, let alone innocent monsters and the rest of the damn ecosystem."
Eclipsen's words were filled with a desire for vengeance. And behind that desire was the urge to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. The Commander held the Hunter back for a few seconds, still searching his Crimson eye for anything else. After a few seconds, the older man caved.
"Fine. Go. The Huntsman left a little while ago to try and drive it off."
The Commander said as he removed his hand and used it to point towards the gate leading out of Astera. Eclipsen nodded and took off, the wind from the action blowing a few hairs out of the Field Team Leader's face.
-Transition-
"Dear God..."
Richard muttered as he walked into the Tradeyard. It was an absolute madhouse, with wounded hunters yelling and shouting as their injuries were tended to and medical experts rushing to get to them all. Many of the hunters had what looked like bite wounds and traces of Dragon element danced across their bodies.
Hether watched in dismay as the hunters were desperately healed by those who had the medical skill to do so, along with the more experienced medical professionals guiding those who didn't have the basic medical knowldge that they did. Everyone was trying to keep these hunters from death's door, and Hether's fingers itched to help as well.
"Wait a second! These are all the hunters who departed on an expedition yesterday! They were hunting an Azure Rathalos!"
Hether said as she looked over the crowd of injured hunters. She recognized a few of them, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that the ones she was familiar with weren't hurt too badly.
Nergigante watched in horror as the hunters were taken care of. A strange feeling crawled it's way into her chest as she witnessed a doctor set the broken ankle of a poor hunter, as well as the muffled yell through he cloth that the doctor had given them to help deal with the pain. She couldn't identify the feeling burning in her chest, but it made her... She couldn't quite say what it made her feel like. All she knew was that it was unpleasant.
"These are Savage Deviljho wounds..."
Angela muttered as she joined Richard in looking at the chaos engulfing the Tradeyard. Angela, Hether and Nergigante noticed as Richard reached into the chest plate of his armor and withdrew his silver cross necklace, holding it tight in his hand. Nina and Fabien desperately looked around the Tradeyard, hoping to find Eclipsen's Odogaron armor and Death Stench Bowels in the crowd.
"There!"
Angela shouted as she pointed at the very familiar Eclipsen. He was dashing towards the exit, his eye trailing with crimson light as he moved. Richard turned towards the group, his sky blue eyes filled with seriousness.
"Hether, you need to stay here. Help the wounded. We'll make sure Eclipsen comes back safe."
Richard quickly looked at Nergigante, who returned the look with one that held no emotion, though her body language spoke differently. Her muscles were flexed and her posture spoke of wanting to move.
"Nergigante. Can you fight a Deviljho?"
Nergigante gave a solid nod, the echoes of a snarl crawling their way into her face. She wanted to tear something apart, and her claws itched when she thought about it. Richard nodded before turning and gesturing to follow.
Hether watched as the group quickly gave chase after Eclipsen, with Nergigante following quickly after them.
-Transition-
Eclipsen felt his teeth clench as he sprinted past Area 4 of the Ancient Forest, dodging a wounded hunter as they were carried towards Astera on a cart. He tried to ignore the sight, as the rage boiling in the back of his head was already clouding his judgement.
He didn't want the Frenzy to consume him just yet. He needed to make sure that the hunters still fighting were safe. Then, and only then, he could unleash his fury.
He kept that mantra in his mind as he ran. The area around him whizzed past too quickly for him to register, as he was focused more on the place the Emergency Flare had been fired from. If those hunters, and the Huntsman, were still holding off the Deviljho, then it was all but guaranteed that it was still there.
Savage Deviljho were too ravenous to simply abandon a meal. Whether it was another Deviljho or smaller hunters, the Savage monster would try to kill those hunters and the Huntsman until it was either dead or it had devoured them, and the thought made Eclipsen sick to his stomach.
Eclipsen felt a feral growl rip through his throat, his legs pumping faster and more relentlessly. He reached the field of tall grass that led into Area 1 of the Ancient Forest, and he heard the roar of the Deviljho. Eclipsen felt the pull of madness at the back of his head as he sprinted through the tall grass, barely noticing as he whizzed by a hiding hunter.
He barely heard the shout of the hunter as he emerged from the tall grass. All he could focus on was the figure of the Deviljho as it stomped towards the Huntsman.
-Transition-
The Huntsman grunted as he stepped to the right, narrowly dodging the vicious bite of the Deviljho. He swung his trusty Longsword, carving a long gash into the muscled neck of his opponent. The Deviljho roared as it pivoted, raising it's huge maw before thrusting it downward at the Huntsman.
The old hunter grunted again as he leapt backward, rolling as he landed on the ground. He endured the sharp pain in his side as he moved. The side of his armor was torn open and three large slashes adorned his skin, resulting from his leaping to move another hunter out if the way of the Deviljho's maw.
The Deviljho growled as it tore it's mouth out of the ground, shaking it's teeth of dirt. It's large body made the earth shake as it took a step forward, it's single glowing eyes staring down the Huntsman down like a piece of meat.
The Huntsman made a noise he himself couldn't quite describe as he glanced through the small eyes of his visor. Two of the hunters that had been left to fight the Deviljho were hidden behind a tree and rocks, while the third had been injured and carted towards Astera. He had no idea where the fourth went, but he knew that they had not been eaten by the Deviljho.
The Huntsman gripped his beloved Longsword, holding tightly as he locked eyes with the Deviljho once more. He was prepared to die fighting this monster, and he would be happy knowing that he managed to save lives in the process.
The sound of footsteps barely caught the Huntsman's attention before a blurry figure leapt through the air, a furious shout following as it collided with the side of the Deviljho's head.
The monster recoiled with a pained roar as the figure tore into it's only remaining eye, and it didn't take long for the Huntsman to recognize the armor and white hair of Eclipsen.
The Deviljho swung it's head wildly, trying to dislodge the Hunter to little effect. Eclipsen dug the wicked hook of the Black Sword deeper into the flesh of the Deviljho as he pulled back his fist and rammed it mercilessly into the side of the monster's head.
Eclipsen let out another shout as he continued to pummel the head of the Deviljho, eventually aiming for it's one eye. The Deviljho roared as well before a torrent of Dragon Element came pouring out of it's mouth, unkindly eating away at anything around it's face. Eclipsen growled and covered his face as the Element tried to burn away his exposed skin, before the Deviljho quickly swung it's head and he lost his grip.
He landed hard onto the ground, but Eclipsen managed to roll with the landing and spare himself some extra bruising. The Black Sword was still held tightly in his hand and he heard the screech of Fatalis underneath his own blood rage.
The Huntsman could only watch as Eclipsen and the Deviljho stared each other down, both of them growling like wild animals. Eclipsen's Palico Sundancer raced past the back of the Deviljho unnoticed, running up to the Huntsman with worry in his adorable eyes.
"Meowster Huntsman! Come with me!"
The Huntsman nodded as he sheathed his Longsword and followed the Palico as it back around the Deviljho, somehow managing to avoid it's attention as they ran.
-Transition-
Richard breathed heavily as he stopped at the edge of the area where Eclipsen and the Deviljho were. He looked at the two growling at each other for a second before huffing and leaning over, placing his hands against his knees.
Nergigante stopped next to him, her yellow eyes watching as Eclipsen growled at his opponent. While she was happy that he hadn't been hurt yet, something told her that something was deeply wrong with the Hunter. His eye was glowing far more brightly than usual and his posture was more like that of a raging beast than a human.
But the part of her that was still filled with pride and her monster instincts flared back to life. She wanted to see just how powerful and vicious the Hunter could be. She wanted to see exactly who Eclipsen was in the heat of battle, so she could judge him worthy of her time and affection.
Nergigante brushed away the last thought about affection.
Angela, Nina and Fabien soon arrived as well, each of them breathing just as heavily as Richard, but they weren't as winded as he was. The group watched as Sundancer led the Huntsman around the rear of the Deviljho, keeping the old hunter from being attacked by the monster in the process.
The Huntsman sagged as he joined the group in looking at the two combatants face each other, his hand pressed against his side and his breathing wheezy and somewhat shallow. Fabien reached into his pouch and offered a Potion to the Huntsman, who took it with a gracious nod.
"Thank you."
He said before he turned away to lift his visor and drink the restorative. Richard stood straight as he regained his breath.
"Alright, let's do this."
He said before moving to join the battle. A black scaled hand stopped him before he could continue, and he gave an offended and confused look to Nergigante. Her yellow eyes were still looking at Eclipsen and the Deviljho, which prompted Richard to do the same.
He gave another glance to the situation, noticing that there was an air of confrontation to it. Like Eclipsen and the Deviljho had a score to settle between them.
This was a duel.
-Transition-
Eclipsen found the red film at the edge of his vision irritating. The irritation then bred anger and anger, more fury. He blinked, hoping to clear the redness, only for it to grow more vivid. He tightened his grip on the Black Sword and let out a yell, pushing his legs forward.
The Deviljho roared and returned the gesture in kind, opening and lowering it's mouth in the hopes of simply catching him in it's jaw. Eclipsen's instincts were in full effect as he immediately fell to the ground, sliding across the dirt and swinging his sword upward, creating a gash in the monster's neck.
The Savage variant howled in pain as Eclipsen leapt from his slide, swinging his sword and slicing easily into the ankle of the beast. Blood, black in color and almost dark enough to absorb what little light there was spilt from the wound, hissing as it met and began to eat into the ground.
Eclipsen grunted as the Deviljho swung it's tail at him, the appendage colliding violently with his arms as he attempted to soften the blow. He flew more than a few feet, landing hard on his back and hearing a quiet crack from inside his ribcage. He quickly lifted himself from the ground and instinctively rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding as the Deviljho slammed it's mouth into the patch of dirt he had landed on.
He grunted as the pain of his re-broken rib ripped through his chest. But he lifted himself from the ground anyway; He didn't have time to focus on the pain. Any distraction meant death.
He yelled as he ran forward again, just as the Deviljho ripped it's mouth from the ground. Eclipsen swung the Black Sword as he passed by the ankle of the Deviljho, aiming for the Achilles tendon. The sword cut deeply, but the hook of the sword failed to find it's way around the tendon and only tore a gash into the monster's ankle. The Deviljho roared again and lifted it's leg, almost taking the Hunter with it if he hadn't ripped the sword from the beasts ankle, and slammed it down.
Eclipsen jumped backward, his fury addled mind already putting together fractured predictions of what the Deviljho would try next. The monster released no sound this time as it whipped it's tail at Eclipsen. The Hunter rolled right under the attack before starting to sprint towards the Deviljho's other ankle. The monster reacted quickly and pivoted on it's feet, snapping it's jaw at the Hunter as he ran.
Eclipsen leapt just before the teeth caught his feet, swinging the Black Sword as he flew over the Deviljho's head. The hook of the sword caught the side of the monster's face, pulling the monster along slightly and making it yelp as Eclipsen's momentum came to a halt. Eclipsen growled and scrambled up the other side of the Deviljho's face, digging the claws of his gauntlets into the monster's skin and using the Black Sword as leverage.
The beast roared as the Hunter ripped the Black Sword out of it's skin before slamming the hook down on the top half of it's jaw, clinging onto it's jagged teeth like a key fitting into a lock. Eclipsen pulled with all his enhanced might, forcing the Deviljho to stand upright, or else it's jaw be dislocated or broken entirely.
The monster bit down on the hook of the Black Sword, pulling Eclipsen forward before he ripped the blade back towards himself.
It was a war of strength.
-Transition-
Nergigante watched in a mixture of horror, worry and surprise as Eclipsen wrestled with the jaw of the Deviljho. She had watched her father battle a Deviljho at one point, and both it and her father had come out with life long scars from the clash.
She found herself worrying for Eclipsen the same way she had worried for her father. The darker sides of her mind showed her visions of a badly wounded Eclipsen, along with the same memories of her father in such a state.
And yet the prideful part of her was impressed. She had seen just how powerful a lone Deviljho could be, and this human had the strength to pull open it's jaws. She assumed a Savage Deviljho was even more powerful, which sent her heart fluttering for reasons she couldn't discern.
"Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and goodwill, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children..."
Nergigante glanced over at Richard, watching as he recited something in whispers. She watched as he repeated the words, his eyes locked on the battle raging just a few yards away and his hand clutching the silver cross she had seen him hold when they had entered the Tradeyard. Nergigante shook her head and returned her attention to the fight.
-Transition-
Eclipsen roared as he fought for control over the Deviljho's maw, ignoring the sound of the Black Sword creaking and the noise of Fatalis' shrieks in his mind. He felt his muscles swell as the Frenzy Virus worked it's magic and he gave another furious pull. The Deviljho roared and bit down harder onto the Black Sword, catching Eclipsen's crimson eye with it's own.
Then, the Deviljho howled as it thrust it's head downward, pulling the hook of the Black Sword with it.
Eclipsen's mind barely registered the feeling of his feet leaving the head of the monster through the shock before he slammed hard into the ground. The impact shattered his Slinger and he felt a great amount of his bones crack. The anger in his mind immediately dispersed, giving way to the soul crushing agony that followed.
He could hardly draw in breath as he watched the Black Sword clatter to the ground, it's hook now bent wildly out of shape. A few of the Deviljho's teeth landed in the dirt as well, having been ripped from it's maw along with the sword. The red film that had invaded his vision was replaced by black as the Frenzy Virus sputtered out and agony engulfed his being.
His vision began to be consumed by darkness and all he could think about was the need to scream.
-Transition-
Angela made a sound between a gasp and a shout as Eclipsen made impact with the ground. Nina took a step forward in surprise and Fabien grabbed her shoulder.
"No!"
The Huntsman shouted as he took his own step forward, his hand finding it's way to his Longsword despite the freshly closed wounds in his side. Sundancer drew his own sword and joined the Huntsman in getting ready for a fight.
"Meowster!"
He called desperately, his mewl similar to one of pain.
Nergigante's claws flexed in anger and she felt her teeth clench in fury. She stared at the unmoving body of Eclipsen, his figure broken and defeated. The right shoulder plate of his Odogaron armor had been shattered along with his Slinger and the Black Sword was in the worst state she had ever seen it in.
This was not how this powerful Hunter was meant to look. Her inner monster howled in added rage at the thought of such a beast prevailing over the human who had bested her. More anger filled Nergigante's being and her teeth felt the need to bury themselves in flesh.
The Savage Deviljho took a step back and arched it's head into the sky before letting out a victorious roar, the Dragon Element in it's maw steaming like newly boiled water.
Richard clenched his cross tightly and Angela could only place her hands over her mouth to keep from letting out a pained howl. Nina reached for her weapon and her hand met thin air, soon realizing why Fabien had stopped her from rushing in. The Huntsman gave an angry grunt as he tore his Longsword from it's sheath.
The Deviljho breathed heavily before turning, it's gaze locking onto the group. It was still hungry, and victory did nothing to sate that hunger.
Nergigante felt a screech crawl into her throat as her wings fanned out and her tail slammed angrily into the ground. Her spines rattled menacingly in fury as the Deviljho took a few loud steps toward them. She would tear this monster apart, whether it was part of her kind or not.
The rest of the group quickly began to ready themselves for combat. Fabien pulled his Insect Glaive clumsily from his back and Nina ripped her carving knife from her belt. Angela let out an angry yell as she pulled her Gunlance from her back, ignoring the feeling of welling tears in her eyes.
The group hadn't noticed that it had started downpouring, with the ground growing wet and slick with rain as the feeling of looming combat swelled.
The Deviljho walked forward slowly, it's gaze sizing up it's next battle and meals. It's tongue darted out from it's mouth, quickly licking the dirt and earth clean from it's teeth to cleanse it's palate. The Dragon Element surged through it's teeth, the crimson electricity darting across the bone white weapons.
The group could only wait as the monster stopped it's approach.
It opened it's maw and roared again, letting the excess of it's Dragon breath to leak out if the sides of it's mouth.
Nergigante recognized the display as an attempt to assert dominance, and she swiftly remembered that she was an Elder Dragon. Her teeth clenched further and she took a few steps ahead of the group. She fanned out her wings further and rattled her spines, making as much noise as she could to rival the Deviljho's roar. She couldn't roar anymore, but she was still able to show her own strength.
Her yellow eyes stared down the Deviljho's own golden orb, her anger swelling as it continued to try and assert dominance. The only thought that graced her was the idea of tearing this Deviljho apart.
She was an Elder Dragon, the top of the food chain and respected by monster and human alike. She would fight to the death to avenge her friends and it was more than likely that she would win.
After all, if Eclipsen had done it, she could do it better.
Her mind stuttered for a second as she noticed a glint of bright crimson above the Deviljho's head. Her vision focused for a moment before she beheld Eclipsen's familiar figure on top of the monster's skull.
The entire group watched in disbelief as Eclipsen stepped further onto the Deviljho's head, the broken remnants of his Slinger discarded for the thin wire that it used to grapple.
The Deviljho made a confused sound as the wire slipped around it's neck.
The wire then tightened quicker than the monster could register and the Deviljho lost the ability to draw breath into it's lungs. Eclipsen pulled on the wire like a demon had possessed his body, his crimson eye glowing brighter than it ever had before.
The Deviljho made a wheezing, pleading howl as it took a few panicked steps backward, it's balance shaking as it did so. The wire around it's neck was tightening at an alarming rate and it's body couldn't function without the air it consumed more often then actual food.
Eclipsen's body was like a black phantom as he curled the wire around his hands to both give him a better grip and to tighten the wire further around the Deviljho's neck. His knees did most of the work as he pushed off the monster before pulling with his arms, his broken and cracked Odogaron armor stretching further thanks to the sheer swelling of Eclipsen's muscles.
The Deviljho tried to release a torrent of Dragon Element, only for the black and red gas to sputter out in the middle of it's esophagus and begin to burn the flesh inside it's throat thanks to the blockage that the wire was making. It let out another wheezing gasp as it slammed into a nearby tree to try and loosen the grip of the wire.
The group remained silent before erupting in a shared cheer. Angela tossed her Gunlance to the ground before taking a step forward and cupping her hands to her mouth.
"KICK IT'S ASS!"
Sundancer leapt into the air in joy as the Huntsman removed one hand from his weapon and raised in the air triumphantly.
"GO!"
The word was simple yet it conveyed a cheer for victory that only the Huntsman could make. Nina pumped her hands into the air and let out a howl of courage and Fabien quickly joined her, using his single free hand to mirror the action the Huntsman had performed.
"AND I WILL STRIKE DOWN UPON THEE WITH GREAT VENGEANCE AND FURIOUS ANGER, ALL THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO POISON AND DESTROY MY BROTHERS! AND YOU WILL KNOW MY NAME IS THE LORD, WHEN I LAY MY VENGEANCE UPON THEE!"
Richard outright screamed the end of his prayer into the angry skies as Eclipsen tightened his hold in the wire, refusing to give the Deviljho ground as it flailed and raged across the area.
Eclipsen's eye glowed like a flaming star as the Deviljho rammed it's body against a nearby tree in an effort to dislodge the Hunter from it's neck. The wire around it's throat only tightened further, and the muscles in it's neck gave way as the wire cut through it's hardened skin like a hot knife through butter.
The monster gave a heaving cry as death loomed closer, the wire constricting further around it's neck. The wire hissed as the black blood of the Deviljho tried to eat away at it's components, only for the wire to get thinner, sharper and even more deadly.
The cheer of the crowd didn't distract Nergigante from watching and listening closely as Eclipsen slowly finished the battle he had started. She felt a cruel smile creep into her face as her instincts took even more pride from how Eclipsen had returned and was asserting his own dominance onto the Deviljho in the only way known to nature.
This was how an Elder Dragon fought.
She wanted to join the cheers of her new friends and she wanted to see the brutal end of their foe. And deep, deep down inside her, she realized that the feeling she had felt in the Tradeyard was the desire to protect the ones in Astera. This Deviljho's death would protect many lives and save ones that would come after.
As she listened to the battle rage onward, she heard a low, beastial growl. Her smile disappeared and her pride poofed out of existence, with horror taking it's place as she deduced that the growl was Eclipsen's.
And that growl wasn't even human anymore.
The Deviljho lifted it's body back into the air, using it's tail to balance and keep from falling backwards. Eclipsen adjusted his foot on the head of the monster and pulled harder, the wire creaking and cutting deeper into the Deviljho's throat.
The end was near, and the group cheered louder as the eye of the Deviljho rolled back into it's head. The blood from the wound on it's neck sprayed slightly from around the wire constraining it's flow.
Nergigante felt horror creep into her mind as she noticed that the wire was too tight for normal human muscles to pull, with the neck of the Deviljho now looking more similar to a cinched garden hose than it's natural muscled state.
Then, her pride and instincts once again took into account that this was a victory.
And she screamed.
"KILL IT!"
Her shrill cheer cracked through the air like a whip, and lightning struck somewhere in the distance not even a fraction of a second later.
All of the Ancient Forest heard as Eclipsen opened his mouth and let out a roar. The sound was completely and totally inhuman, its deep tune echoing strangely as it carried off into the distance. Eclipsen's crimson eye flared up like it was actually on fire, despite the fact that it was only light spilling forth from the iris.
And as soon as the roar died out, a loud and sickening snap erupted from the throat of the Deviljho. The monster's body collapsed forward with a thundering boom and the ground shook as it's corpse landed heavily on the earth, it's maw visibly shattering as it met with the dirt.
A few seconds passed as the rain continued to fall. The group was quiet, having been shocked and scared by both the cheer of Nergigante and the roar of Eclipsen respectively.
They watched as Eclipsen let the wire fall to the ground, his body heaving and his breath shallow. He took slow, uncoordinated steps as he made his way off the Deviljho's neck. His eye had lost much of it's glow, but it was still shining vividly in the dark and muddy environment.
The ground seemed to welcome him as his foot met the Earth, plunging deeply into the slick and wet dirt that had mixed with the rain and become mud. His movement was poor as he dragged said foot out of the mud and placed it forward before repeating the process with his other foot.
He inched closer to the group, though Nergigante knew something was incredibly and irrevocably wrong. His shining eye was dead and void of emotion. His body was no longer displaying the strength she had found admirable, but instead it was shaking like an animal stuck in the cold.
And as he tried to walk closer to the group, Eclipsen's knees gave out and he lost conciousness once more.