The cleanup was made and the mill hopefully should be operational. Ori had a workout jumping from side to side but still had plenty of energy to use. The last obstacle; the only thing that remained was to reach the final upper floor that was completely sealed by a thick blight. A corrupted wall on the ceiling allowed nothing to go through.
Unshaken by the obstacle, Ori, Mokk, and Opher, planned what could be their next move.
"Listen, what if we hit it very hard and boom! It opens?" Opher made the first suggestion.
"How are we going to get up there and hit it?" Mokk asked.
"Bah, that's easy. We jump!" Opher went forward and leaped as high as he could, covering half of the distance required and falling back down.
"Okay, I can't do this."
"You even tried." Mokk commented. "No pair of legs can propel one up there like that… Or maybe..."
Mokk and Opher gaze at Ori that seemed concentrated in analyzing that barrier. His breathing was a tad heavy as he barely heard Mokk.
"Oh, maybe you can do it?" Opher shook Ori out of his concentration.
"Ah- I believe I can. I will try."
Ori's words seemed to come out with fright, but he held on. Ori crouched and focused to do a charged jump. He releases all accumulated energy at once and is launched upwards leaving a faint trail of light in his wake.
Mokk and Opher watch attentively and are impressed by the artful movement of the spirit. Ori traveled farther than Opher could reach, but wouldn't be quite enough. When the two below saw Ori too was to fail, Ori created a Light Burst orb and bashed it to keep going. Then a second jump in the air and finally he was able to reach the ceiling. Ori summoned his blade and cut the vile mass! The slash was clear as it made a wound of the writhing mass as flames began to envelop it.
"You did it! The way will be open!" Mokk celebrated.
"I never had a doubt. Guardian spirits are amazing!" Opher added.
Due to the impact, Ori lost all propelling force and began to descend. Upon arriving back down, the flames surprisingly didn't do the trick. The mass grew and swallowed the flames completely. Ori was in disbelief.
Did it eat the flames? How is that possible? Maybe I did something wrong? I spent good seconds considering what I should have done differently but in truth, there was not much else I could do using my blade. The flames usually were the answer but never before I've seen them be handled like that. Whatever is up there is conscious, yet does not attack back.
Right. I have other things that I could use. First I could try to launch a Spirit Spike and the blast should destroy that mass.
"Woah, it is growing!" Opher observed. And what was once a hole that became sealed, began to spread the blight all over the ceiling. Maybe it didn't want us to tear open the wood, which would be easier.
Soon it happened just like that, the ceiling was a purplish mass of decay. Returning to what I had previously considered, I bring forth the Spirit Spike. The spear's form easily surpassed our heights but was light and easy to use.
"Stay back, you two." I warn them. "I will try to explode the ceiling."
The spear was hurled and the blast was great as expected. The ceiling reacted like a soft mass of jelly and bounced against the spike's impact. The smoke cleared and a small hole was open. I thought I was successful and now we could think of a way to get up there. Alas, the hole closed almost immediately after we saw our chance.
"No way! It regenerates!"
"Wo! No fair! Evil blight, come and face me!"
What now? I can't keep burning energy to open a few seconds gap for us. There is not enough time for the three of us; the worst still is that not even I have the means to reach up there in such a short time by myself.
"Let us think of something else" I suggested. "I can't keep this up or I'll be exhausted too soon."
"Okay, we will see something." Mokk replied to me comprehensively.
"What? Spirits tire out? That is not right!"
"Opher, please behave. You should remember that you only heard stories about them." Mokk stepped in.
"I… Uh, just asked. Sorry."
"It's fine." I said to him. "In order to have fewer problems let me handle whatever is up there. I can damage decay more easily. While you two will evacuate the mill."
As I said that I was already tense and working hard to remain calm and secure.
"Wowowo! Let me say something." Opher requested. "Now this is what I was talking about. Spirits are fierce fighters and I am proud to be helpful in any way. Please let me know what I can do."
Opher at first looked upset but turned out to be okay by my willingness to take the risk by myself. These two may know how to look for themselves but I won't make them face something that nobody has knowledge of. We agreed to my plan. We just had to find a way to keep the ceiling open long enough for me to cross the barrier. Time was of the essence.
"Right. Firstly let us examine the mill, try to find anything that can be useful in breaching the ceiling. Mokk, study the cabin and see what it is capable of."
Both agreed and we spread out. With things normalized it was safe to scour the place for a solution. The multiple moss-covered wheels that could now turn but with no purpose were the only objects we knew of. Anything else as the semi-library or paths distanced us from a clear solution to our goal.
It seemed useless to wander and we reunited back at the control cabin, right under the infested ceiling.
"I can't seem to have a clue. You guys were lucky?" Mokk asked.
"I have nothing as well." I replied a bit down.
"I know there can be something in here! I will keep on searching!" Opher said to us and returned to check the place edge to edge.
"Oh well, maybe he can find something. Right now, what should we do?"
"Mokk, let's keep studying the controls of this cabin. Something must be useful here."
Mokk lightens up to my suggestion and quickly hops to the chair in front of the controls. This time I follow him and we both try to discover anything useful. But first I had a small doubt about the mill.
"Hey Mokk, do you know if this place was operated?"
"This place is by what Kwolok told us, automatic if I recall." He explained. "Nobody needed to be here."
Hmm, this answers a few things. Since nobody needed to be in here, how does this place remain clean or free of pests?
"Do you have an idea?" Mokk asked about my musing state.
"Maybe." I replied with confidence. "There is something here that we are not seeing. These controls may be the answer."
There were no manual instructions, and we had to test things by ourselves. The set of buttons and the few levers served for something. At least once it was operated to make the structure functional and automatic. From what I learned back at the Zephyr, Franz had told me that the kainari design varies from machine to machine. But one thing that Seil often likes to add to most creations is weapons. Of small and large scale.
Then maybe the mill also has weapons? Could it be the answer that kept this building going?
"Let's try pressing everything!" I suggested. There can't be a self-destruct switch here, can it?
"Okay, but let's have caution. Opher is still messing with things." Mokk warned and that was very true.
"Well remembered." I went out of the cabin and checked on Opher climbing the largest wheel in the center of our room. "Hey, Opher! Be careful there! We will try to make something work here!"
Immediately Opher turns and shows me a thumbs up. "Don't worry about me! Let's get things running."
Okay with that I return to the cabin with Mokk and off we go to break something or optimistically speaking, solve things.
"Try this one." I asked and after the action was done. Every wheel we could see began turning at a slow pace. Opher went with the flow and turned with them. He seemed to have fun.
"This seemed to start automatic rotation. Let's now try this."
Another button, another action. I was going pretty blindly hoping to not blow up things accidentally, but I had no other means to test if not by risking it. This time, I seemed to have turned on the lights. It had illumination for the nights, huh. All right then.
The third button made the wheels spin faster, nothing interesting but also not dangerous to us.
"Wo guys! I think I found something!" Opher shouted to us as he spun.
"What is it?" I went to him by jumping forward and holding onto the wheel's edge.
Opher requested me to peek into the wheel's interior and there I spotted a clear, metallic object very different from the mill's wood. Why was it there?
"I, uh… don't know what it is. Could it be helpful?"
It was a find. Maybe it could be a weapon? Time to check!
"That was a great find, Opher! I'll try to see what it is!"
I leaped away and back to the cabin as Opher felt flattered to be helpful.
"Mokk, Opher had found a strange metallic object inside of the big wheel. Let's stop it to analyze."
"Aiyo! To stop them must be this one." Mokk hit the first button and the lowering of a lever slowed its movement to a complete stop.
"You learn quickly. You would probably like to see what some friends of mine have to show you."
Mokk grew excited. "It would be a pleasure. This kind of stuff you don't find every day. It is really fun!"
Okay, the next thing on my list was to analyze the metallic object on the inside of the wheel. I jump from the cabin and meet Opher. It is much easier for me to jump from platform to platform without tiring myself. Guess that is a perk of mine I got from my adventure with Sein. And well, it would be a crime if I don't put it to use.
"Now, let's get in there." I said while peeking on a small crack on the wood. "How can we…"
"Allow me." Opher hammered down the wood with his staff and pried open the way. I could go through and so I did. Upon seeing the object up close, it was… a circle? No, a tube that I could not see what was inside. It was too dark to see. It didn't appear to be deep but something was strange. Why would this tube be here again? It is large and heavy to be moved. It rotates with the wheel it is attached to, but… I can't really tell what this is or its purpose.
"Any luck?" Opher asked from the other side.
"Ahn… I think this is a tube or some kind of shallow hole."
As I tried to explain myself, Mokk in the cabin kept trying to study more and more of the panel. He went forward and tried to pull another lever to action. It read 'energy level' at its side and that had the moki's curiosity.
The tube that I checked started to heat up and grind like a turbine engine. Molecules of energy started to gather at its deepest point and formed a sphere. The increasing heat, the light, and charging up sound… That moment I realized that it was… a laser cannon!
I dash out with luck out of the way as it fired the laser upwards with immense force. It hits the ceiling and tears open a wide hole. We watched in awe as I got a ragged breath from the scare but we were safe. We reunited soon after.
"Oi, Mokk!" Opher called in shock. "Wanna have us killed?!"
"I am really sorry, Ori!" Mokk ignored the monkey just to piss him off, which did. "I didn't mean to do that!"
"Hey!" Opher demanded attention.
"Oh, yeah." Mokk rolled his eyes. "I forgot you were there too!" He plays silly, getting Opher to boil in rage.
"Enough!" I silenced them. "It's not time for that! We can get there right now! And as we planned I will move there immediately. Opher you will stay with Mokk and each will defend each other!" As I said that the passage was closing.
"Okay, okay! Get over there!" Mokk ordered and I obeyed. I launched a light orb as my first boost, then a double jump sequence, then another orb followed with a dash and I made it just barely!
Opher and Mokk celebrate on the floor below as the opening closes. However, Opher was not completely satisfied.
"Mokk, do that again! I cannot leave the spirit to fight alone!"
"Right." Mokk went back to the cabin. "I… don't really know how to make it work! It seems to be on a cooldown timer!"
"Damnit!" The baboon slams a wall. "I will just sit here and pray!? I cannot rest the possibility that something foul is sitting up there!" And attempted to climb in any way he could, climbing the machinery and hitting the ceiling.
I reached the place... the final floor of the Wellspring Mill and my surroundings were nefast. There was only a window on the ceiling bringing light to the chamber. That inky black goo and putrid mass almost completely surrounded me. The very floor I stood drenched in it. Luckily standing on it doesn't have some ill effects on me but I would rather stand on clean ground. The entire chamber was like an odd and spacious room. There was… almost nothing here. I study around and spot wreckage and debris piled on one side, mostly like a sealed shut passage. It could be opened, but probably only with a powerful explosion. On the other side, I spot that… thing. An enormous heart-like organ that clogged yet another passage. It dripped the very filthy goo that stained the entire place. That thing must be what owned the vines that wrapped around the mill. I just have to cut and burn it down.
I hear the sound of waters and the giant core pulses as it pours liquid down a cane that supposedly would take to the lake below the mill. That thing is corrupting the waters! I hardened my determination to eradicate it. Once it is gone, and the waters return to flow I will be able to search for Ku!
Then I look at a strange new figure just below my goal. A person standing still very quietly. I am taken by surprise. I didn't notice their presence! But gladly they don't move and I get the moment to study whatever I can from them.
It was a person, with regular height but completely covered in a ragged and black robe. With a big hood and long sleeves, everything was covered. Except for nose and mouth. A short greyed muzzle that wasn't much different from many creatures like mokis or spirits. Still, it is an enemy, I cannot stop feeling a deep sense of dread emanating from both this person and the blob pulsating behind them. I assume a fighting stance ready to battle.
"Who are you?" My voice traveled easily and fast in the empty room. And after waiting a few seconds the person's head tilts! I flinch slightly to their movement.
"You've arrived." A female voice came from the stranger, one that I recognized. "The child of light!"
"That voice. You were the one that sent that monstrous beetle after us."
"Was it fun to beat one of my pets? Behe came home crying, you know." Her voice sounded joyous and sweet, but deep down it was just as threatening and scary to hear. "How do you feel after coming all the way here victorious?"
"Cut your games. Who are you?" I couldn't stand her playful voice. The murderous aura she emanates was different from anything I felt before. Not of a raging beast or of a sadistic nature. Something else much deeper… Much more disturbing stirred this person.
"I am called Miria." She presented herself. "I am here to meet you. Simple as that."
I keep my guard up. I don't want to make an unnecessary movement and risk myself. She begins walking slowly around.
"To meet the child of the prophecies is a rare opportunity. I bet one being, in particular, is drooling to have their merit to rise again. And oh, child, I recommend you to run. And never look back."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your enemy lies closer to you than you imagine." She sweetly says. "For now, relax. Follow my advice and abandon this land at once. Nothing is holding you here."
"I am not going anywhere without my sister! I am not following any of your orders." I riposte, angrily to her suggestion.
Miria shakes her head. A devilish smile formed on her face. "A shame. So much pain awaits you down this path. Regardless of how heroic you wish to be, you won't be able to save anybody. In the end, everything decays." She whispered the last words. And begins a mild dramatic performance. "Oh, the long-awaited child of light, caught in the storm barrier that Her Grace erected. A tragedy separates the siblings. Face it. Your kin is already lost."
I couldn't give in to the terror that Ku may or may not be living right now. I prayed with all my forces that she'd be well and hidden this entire time. I will not relent and let worry overwhelm me. Still, her speech gets my attention. A detail that does not slip by.
"Storm barrier? What does that mean?"
She giggles. "Listen to me boy, this land has been in shambles for centuries. You cannot save it nor its grieving people. Leave now, and never look back."
"You know what befell this land? You know what happened to my sister?" I imposed questions so that perhaps she could give me slight hints to ease my worry, also serving to make her believe that I wasn't going anywhere. The result is that she simply sighs.
"You choose the hard way. So be it."
From her long sleeves, her hands morphed to curved blades identical to the praying mantises from earlier. I watched in disbelief as she quickly grinds them making a few sparks and a wind current. The battle was upon me, and so I assumed my fighting stance.
"You seek to teach the waters to flow? To reach the people of Niwen?" A buzzing hum starts as she reveals a set of dragonfly wings on her back, lifting her from the ground and creating vibrations in the air. She flies high in the room. I watch unbelieving my eyes. What kind of creature is she?
Miria licks the edge of her blade and her tongue too morphs to a stinger. A scary grin reforms on her face. "Come and try. Face the despair that drowned us all!" She dives in at the moment she ends her sentence. We clash our blades in a dispute of friction and strength. I was stressed while she was content, laughing moderately as she pushed me back. Her strength was greater but I needed not confront her like that.
I slip away from her to create a little space and dash around. Creating speed as she stood quietly waiting for my attack. I couldn't really understand her or find her weak spot to hit but I went for her back. Dashing to her and in a flash.
Miria quickly turns around to me, blocks my sword with one of her blades, and the other swings towards my neck! I abandon my weapon and roll backward until I hit the wall. I checked my neck, my head was still in place. Good. I breathe in relief.
"Predictable, little boy. You're better than that. Come." She taunts me.
I charge forward and use my speed to trade attacks with her. Our blades parry in the heat of battle, attacking high and low, but she is always able to block me. I wouldn't get anything done like that, so I sped up. Dashing at my utmost velocity I was able to push her back but I wasn't done. I dash after her and attack her now fragile defense.
"Not bad!" She says as she manages to block my second strike, recovering and taking flight. That was not quite enough to deal damage. I must find a way to defeat her. Was I not fast enough? Am I that predictable? Do not fret. I still have tools to use.
I breathe deeply, calming down as she dives on me. I place my sword above me to block her blades, and as she swings it down at me, I bash her out of balance. Like a counterstrike, I force her to drop her defense. That was the moment!
I hold nothing back as I slash the space in front of me, catching my foe, but nearly a graze on her body. She backflips to create distance, and I do the same as her motion almost gets a hoove in the face. Wait, a hoof? She had no glow, her fur was of a pale grey. Could she be…
"You are a corrupted spirit… aren't you?" I asked, wishing not to believe. And she does not answer me. Her smile was nowhere to be seen. My eyes widen as her deadpan reaction proves me true. "Hey… what happened to you?"
She rushes in much more savagely. We collide and I am pressed against the wall, the disgusting goo drenching my back. She pins me vigorously as I struggle to compete and not get crushed. I can't escape the pressure. And in this meantime, I saw the spot I had cut on her front during this struggle, and the simple graze was gone… She healed back to normal. She can regenerate?
"Your death… will bring her despair." She spoke slowly like she was reciting. She would kill me now! She reveals her tongue again, abnormal and with a sharpened tip, much like a stinger. Under that pressure, I couldn't dodge it, but I created a light burst orb in desperation and exploded it to free myself at the moment she shot her sting forward. I escape her, but lose sight thanks to the smoke. Then my reflexes tingle, warning me of imminent death.
"She will suffer as we all did!" She shouts and cleaves horizontally with both her blades. I bent backward, just in time as she cut the end of my fur. I survived her attack. Beloved Sein that was too close! Yet, I had no time to rest. She came after me and attacked like a beast. I focused on creating distance, my arms beginning to sting as fatigue wears me down. Each blocked blow or dodge required my complete attention as we danced on the field.
I have to counter her and switch my weapon in a brief moment between her attacks. I summon the Spirit Spike and threaten to launch it. She bites the bait and moves away to dodge. Immediately I swap to my bow and fire at her fleeing. She was quick and I missed my shots, but creating this distance was all I wanted. Before she could come back, I went to her. I jump into the air with the Spirit Edge, I then hide my weapon behind me.
Unsuspecting, she saw me desperate to attack and merely grinned at me.
How easy it is to parry such an obvious assault, poor boy.
She prepared her blade while the second was meant to strike me down here and there. The moment she blocked me I would be dead. At the moment of our clash, I swing my weapon and surprise her by carrying the heavy-hitting hammer, the Spirit Smash right against her blade. The collision breaks her blades and leaves her stunned. I bash her with all my might downwards and she falls flat on her back. Not done yet I fire four arrows on each of her limbs to immobilize her. Then I fell down, bringing the hammer at her once again, smashing her vulnerable form at last.
I panted heavily and stood above with my blade pointing to her face. "Enough already." I hoped she'd give up. Certainly, I had broken a few of her ribs and the arrows would hurt like hell. But something told me she wasn't even in the pain of such a physical level. I wonder if she even can feel anything.
"Please let's not fight anymore. I wish to talk."
I counted that effort enough for her to surrender, but apparently, she did not. She groans in defiance. Struggling against her bindings. She opened her mouth and my reflexes made me ready. Her tongue once more was used to harm in the form of a sharpened spike that stretched quickly towards me. It all happened in a few instants. I swing my blade in an upward arc, severing her tongue and cutting her hood's fabric enough to be able to see her eye.
Now, her tongue healed back as I imagined, but her eye… I was mesmerized. The eyes of spirits normally are black with a round white pupil, but hers are of a bright green, almost neon-like. And her pupil is black and slightly narrowed vertically.
"Don't… look…" Her voice quivered in fear. All her confidence seemed shifted to an utter fright. She trembled like a poor creature at the mercy of a predator and quickly grew stressed.
"Don't look… at me!" She said a little louder. I was still comprehending her sudden change of personality. She agonized and strained her bound limbs to break free.
"Hey! Stop!" I ordered before she'd tear her skin. But little she cared. She screamed and pulled one arm free. Ripping much of her flesh in a messy show of self-inflicted torture and blood spurting. I watched in terror as she broke free. Her first wounded arm pulled the arrow out of the second. Then both arrows of her legs. Completely freeing herself. Her limbs heal back in a matter of seconds.
She beats her wings and pushes me away with a forceful wind current. She was incredibly pissed.
"You saw… me!" She showed her anger, but I was still so disturbed and confused.
"I-I…" I stutter. Was that so bad-mannered? I don't know! "I am sorry! I didn't see anything else!"
Infuriated, she began a new assault. And I readied myself. I dared not to clash against her so I fully focused on escaping her frenzy. She cleaves and heaves the room debris after me. Her attacks become faster and patterns are inconsistent. I was cut in various parts. Thankfully none were deep. But my arms and legs, face, and thorax cried out in pain. And my poor mind, I held on firmly to not let the pain injure my judgment.
She had no more control over herself it seemed. I throw many light burst orbs and bash them at her. Which she slices in half, but my technique served to cover a great space in smoke. I ran and dashed for my life, hearing the cling of sharp metal hitting the floor and the buzzing of her wings.
Eventually, her tantrum ceased. So she looked out of stamina but didn't appear fatigued as I did. Damn it, I was sweating as I would be in a sauna.
"You saw me…" Her voice rang low. Still angry and frustrated.
"I am sorry! I… " I pant. Something tells me she loathes her appearance. Hence the black robe that covers her body. Apologizing won't help. The best I could do is toughen up and say it. "I found nothing wrong with your eyes. I don't think you should hide them."
She comes to a full stop. I prayed that she didn't feel offended. I wanted to not show pity but to actually compliment her. I pray with all my might, and soon, the little I could see of her face was actually revitalizing. Her expression melted to an affectionate look. Her eye peeked behind the cut hood and a cute grin formed on her face.
She was happy.
I said the truth, and thank the light the compliment worked. Hope this also made her calm enough to talk.
"Miria, please, let us talk." I invited her again to let go of our weapons. "I promise to help you. Just let us speak and reach an agreement."
"You can't." She answered me and her smile vanished. "Nobody can help." She takes flight and closes to the corrupting blob at one end of the room. She takes one of her places and thrusts it into the corrupting tumor. That could not be good!
The pulsating mass of Decay reacted and convulsed. It clearly did not like her attack!
"Child of light, I hope to see more of you. Until then, make it rain." She said coldly, but a little different from that earlier confident, crazy persona. Still, I did not like what she said. I can't trust her nor what she meant by it.
A twisted growl echoed, beginning low to a disturbing high pitch. Things felt much tenser… Felt like the whole room was alive? An unnerving foul presence lurked and the stirring of the mass would not stop. Finally the worst appeared. A maw with serrated teeth opens from that blob. An abomination. Beloved Sein what is this thing!? I felt the despair of thousands of souls emanating from it. My body trembles in fear and I can't move.
"Everything decays. All purity and order, all wither before the treads of destiny. There is no use in resisting." Miria said her last words as I had to pay attention to the monster. It roars, forcing me to block my ears.
Tentacles appeared from every puddle of that filthy goo. The same I had cut before. They approached with no friendly intention and I… couldn't move. I was paralyzed by fear. That is the thing that we were after, that I blatantly said I would take care of.
Move. Move! Move, move, move! I repeat to myself, trying to force my body to obey before it would be too late. This is not the time to be scared!
MOVE!
All the tentacles shot forward where I stood and I leaped out of their plunge. My body was mine again and so my blade was in my hands. I cut the extendable arms, and see they burn, opening space for me.
"Miria!" I shout to the corrupted spirit. "You will be free of whatever inflicts you! Just you wait!"
Miria remained in silence and motionless beyond the beat of her dragonfly wings. But was struck by those simple words. She hides her eyes behind the fabric of the hood she wears and leaves to think of her experience through the ceiling window.
Ori was left with the beast. A foul creature. A mass of blight and corruption had to be dealt with here and now. The nimble arms sprouted everywhere and Ori sliced their assault valiantly. Not letting himself fall to its grasp. The intensity grew, their numbers were endless. Ori tried to burn every puddle of goo but they wouldn't ignite.
Fatigued from the previous encounter. The spirit was more and more likely to succumb. Until at last, one tentacle managed to wrap on his ankle and pull him down. Ori flopped forward and from there more and more appendages wrapped around him, forming a prison of coils, leaving only his head out. Ori tried to writhe and even bite his bindings, but wasn't nearly the match or able to handle the foul taste of the coils. He grew desperate while being pulled towards the creature's open maw, awaiting a feast. Eager to consume.
"Mokk! Still not enough?!" Opher asked impatiently, already acquainted with how to climb the place. The mechanisms needed time to recharge and cool down and they'd be able to fire the cannon again.
Meddling to test the engine's response, if they were not broken by so many inputs already, Mokk received the green sign. The system was marked ready to unleash concentrated energy. The moki rejoiced. "It is ready! Get ready to climb up there!"
"Finally! Mokk, leave this place once I get up there." Opher requested as the cannon charged up. "This place will likely fall apart."
"Understood! Come back alive you moron! Even if you die for it! Good luck up there!"
Opher was as astounded as he was confused. "What?"
"See you outside!" Mokk cast his prayers and fired up the cannon, immediately leaving the place. The beam pierces the mass of Decay and rips apart the tendrils pulling Ori to the ravenous beast. A pained roar echoes, scaring Mokk as Opher promptly rushes to the upper level. Climbing or the various inactive gears and wheels he reaches the place and the passage seals again.
Opher prioritized the bound spirit, reaching and uncoiling him from the vines. "Hey there! Let me give you a hand."
Ori breathed in relief, although tired. "Opher! Thanks for the rescue." Ori stopped to catch his breath and the beast was not happy.
"Wo! What the heck is this slime?" Opher asked about the goo spread around. Then he saw the tentacles, making the same question and then the fiend.
"It is worse than I thought! What the hell is this!?"
"The thing that we came to destroy!" Ori replied and summoned the Spirit Star, a large shuriken. Opher was in shock to see the creature, but the sight of the luminous star was even more impressive. Ori spun the star, and he launched it forward after a heads up. Opher ducks it and the spinning projectile rotates the room slicing the tentacles, then returning to its user.
"This thing did that to you?" Opher used the moment to ask about Ori's weary state.
"We don't have time." Ori panted. "That creature is corrupting the flow of the waters by clogging itself on that passage. If we-" Ori quickly jumps from a sweeping tentacle, cutting it in and recreating space. "If we destroy it our problem should be solved!"
"I got it! Just dodge every vine and beat that ugly face up." Opher cracked his knuckles, buying the challenge.
"Yeah, basically." Ori didn't argue against Opher's view.
Opher analyzed the spirit a bit, knowing he had to be cautious. Ori was close to exhaustion and wounded. He considered a detail that their entire space in the chamber could be flooded if the beast so wanted. Unless the wall of wreckage could be broken open. Alas, he had no time to consider everything, and honestly didn't want to.
Opher spun his staff, ready to make some martial moves. Growing excited as well as serious to battle. "I am going ahead!"
Opher advanced while Ori stayed back to recover a little more. The creature accepted the baboon's challenge and sought to end him. Hundreds of extendable arms shoot forward as the baboon evades the tentacle's plunges and slips away from their coils. Ori looked quite impressed. Opher had fluid movement, agility to evade every assault. Halfway there, the creature attempts to sweep the monkey by using a low attack, then to finish him off. Opher was prepared, he leaped on the first tendril and went on jumping from each, bouncing from the goopy mass as they tangled chasing the monkey.
"Here comes the boom!" Opher announces triumphantly now that he had slipped past the many arms. The eyeless face awaited, maw opening wide. Opher jumped to strike its forehead but was surprised as a new tentacle shot from its maw, wrapping the monkey and pulling him into oblivion.
"Opher!" Ori shouts as the monkey vanishes from sight. No! Ori was both infuriated and shaken by losing a friend. Mind racing to find a way to rewrite the monkey's fate. But nothing helps him deal with accepting that - Ori shook his head and prepares to dash in.
"I'm okay!" Opher's voice comes out muffled on the creature's mouth. Bringing Ori clarity that there was still hope. "Actually, I'm kinda not!" Then the creature was forced to open its jaws to reveal the monkey fighting for its freedom. The serrated teeth sank in the monkey's flesh, bringing a world of pain for one to endure.
Ori had no time to lose. Swiftly he dashed and cut every obstacle with grace. Bashing and jumping closer to Opher. He arrives quickly at his friend's position and cuts the creature's face with a full vertical slash. The strike freezes the monster momentarily and Ori takes Opher out of there. Just in time before the beast roared for being struck.
"You okay?" Ori asked worriedly. And the monkey's hands looked terrible and bloody.
"Don't worry about me. My hands are aching, but phew… what a shitty start." Opher wasn't even bothered by the sudden scare. And even shared a laugh. "Aw man, gotta train harder!"
"Don't play the tough. Stay behind me for now." Ori solicited. Opher should be unable to fight with hands like that.
"Nah, It takes more than that to get me down." Opher showed to be ready to start again. He was much more serious this time, however, still managed to crack a wide smile like one that enjoys the thrill of battle. "This is fun."
Ori saved up the words of planning and would just follow instincts as Opher would do. He conjured a light burst orb and threw it forward. The smoke would hardly blind the eyeless abomination but maybe should confuse its sensory vines. Ori and Opher advanced, and to their delight, the creature doesn't attack. The smoke did cloud its vision somehow. Ori throws more and more smoke covers and with that, the foul creature just strikes where the sound surges. It grasps the air, flails around nothing. Soon it enrages, and throws a tantrum, smashing every tentacle everywhere as it roars.
Ori and Opher would be woefully unprepared if they didn't expect that, but the duo leaps out, and Ori uses the Spirit Star to clear the path. Opher then rushes in with the opening. The tentacles didn't regrow fast enough and the monkey would shove his fist on its face.
The same surprise tendril sprouts out of the fiend's mouth to take Opher. But he was expecting that. As that nimble arm shot to the monkey, Opher moved in perfect reflex and dodged it by tapping on its surface and pushing himself out of the way. The appendage kept traveling forward with all the force until hitting the wall of wreckage on the other end of the room.
Ori quickly stood on the tendril, and with Spirit Spike in his hands, he hurled it into the foul creature's maw. It explodes and a vile ichor gushes out from the wound. And lastly, Ori switched to the Spirit Edge and slashed the creature's 'tongue', igniting it with Sein's flame. This time it would not sever a tentacle directly connected to it.
Ori and Opher take distance as the creature burns and wails from its incoming doom. So much that the watermill trembles from the outburst of the flames reaching it for good and engulfing it. The fiend begins to unclog itself from the waterway and a torrent would invade the building and flood everything within. Small streams of water already leaked in from behind the grotesque creature's erratic squirming. The tremors further weakened the watermill's resistance.
"Oh, not this again!" Ori was reliving a bitter memory.
"The place is going to flood!" Opher yelled as he searched for an exit.
We have to get out of here! With a new surge of energy, I use a new Spirit Spike to the wall and bring it down. The act drained me so much and so I fell to one knee to recover, but I wasn't allowed to stop. The monster trashes about and waters would soon begin flowing.
"Watch out!" Opher yelled and I glanced behind me to spot a tentacle moving towards me. I haven't recovered yet. I won't get out in time! I feel my body being quickly moved and learn that Opher moved with haste and took me out of the impact, directing me to the exit I opened. He tapped my shoulder as I lacked my breath to even thank him.
"Come on! Let's run a little!" Opher suggested all hyped as our situation was dire. I managed to recover and he even laughed a moment. Opher was that type of person that somewhat can't really get shaken. I borrowed a bit of that energy and got ready. After a nod, we sprint away and at that moment, the creature frees the waterway. A cascade pours in. And Sein's flames were put out, unfortunately ridding the beast of decisive demise. I couldn't bother with it now and ran the tunnel out to freedom.
We rush like there is no tomorrow and our path is heavily blocked by more wreckage. Without time to think, Opher and I smash the blockades. He uses powerful shoulder-slams and I, my hammer. The wreckage gets more and more persistent. We followed this same pattern for almost a minute while escaping the waters. And to make things worse than creature chases us as well. I get far too irritated and cut every approach the fiend tries to get. The water doesn't bother it, not even slightly.
"Persistent that one, eh?" Opher looked behind to spot the creature.
"Keep running!" I say during the rush. Sounds of wood shattering are loud with the crashing waters and that abomination crawling after us. We weave its assault and push it back whenever possible.
Mokk on the outside was already noticing the trembling of the watermill. He grows worried. In its highest levels, waters were escaping past every nook available and threatening to burst the whole thing soon. "What do I do? What do I do!?" He runs in circles trying to find a way to help, but can only pray. Something didn't feel right, the roars he heard earlier were terrifying. And even seeing the waters unleashed didn't bring any joy, not without them. Mokk observed and chased where the waters were flowing. Probably serving how to pinpoint Ori and Opher's position in the building.
Suddenly, an enormous hole bursts open in the mill, a violent and copious amount of water pours out, pushing the duo and a purplish and enormous monster down to the forest level. They're there! Mokk had to move and so he began running towards them, but the sight of the abomination freezes him in place. It would submerge in the lake with them!
Ori and Opher fell fast towards the lake below the mill, unable to do anything but be washed away in the force of the current. They collide against the lake's surface and sink by the cascading weight of water and the monster above them. Ori is impacted and quickly loses consciousness. his vision blurs as his mind is in complete disarray. A panicking need to breathe hit the back of his mind, but his body would not answer. Deeper he sunk. Unable to even fidget… Soon enough, everything faded to black.
...
A/N: Boss fight! Some of the greatest moments in video games. Writing that fighting scene was hard but I hope I could get things across. I had debated quite a little how predominant the POV swap should be, but I, unfortunately, couldn't make the whole thing in the third person. I realized that taking it easy and using the first person helped me to write it, whereas I would still be stuck if I focused all in third. So, sorry if it turned out disappointing to those who expected a third-person view.
I love an epic battle and I hope to become better to share this hype. Feel free to give me some advice, if you'd like.
Thank you for reading!