For the atmosphere I recommend listening to `Leshy´ from the `Cult of the Lamb´ OST. Listening to it helped me a lot of writing this fight and is also a direct inspiration for Fenggen's final attack. After the fight I recommend listening to `Puppet´ or Mary´s Theme from the `Ib´OST. -
The Fun Gang stood battle ready on the lily pad. Fenggen grinned at you.
"Kris, what should we do?" Ralsei asked. The soul directed the blue human to raise their weapon. Ralsei and Susie expected that they would have to fight, just like they did with Jevil, but to their surprise, Kris hit the sword against some pipes in the wall. A purple liquid dropled out of it.
"The walls here are filled with chemicals that are corrosive for plants. If we fill the water around here with enough of it, Fenggen should be weakened."
Ralsei and Susie nodded and also cut open some exposed pipes. Fenggen looked unimpressed. Thorny vines raised themselves from the murky water of the tunnel of love.
"IGNORANCE IS A BLESSING THEY SAY. HOW TRUE AND YET… ALL OF YOU AND DU ARE IGNROANT TO WHAT REALLY HAPPENS. WHAT YOUR LEBENSZIEL WILL CONCLUDE TO."
The vines attacked. The soul tried its best to block them. But for a first attack, the vines shot surprisingly fast towards the green heart. Some were even just waiting, making the Soul unsure when they would strike. Nevertheless it managed to achieve no damage this round.
The Fun Gang cut open more pipes.
"ALLE BELIEVE THEY CAN CHOOSE A LEBENSZIEL, THAT ALLE CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT. BUT WIR ALLE CAN ONLY DO AS THE HIMMEL DES ENGELS WANTS. BUT THERE ARE… CRACKS IN THE HOHEN WÄNDE. LOOPHOLES."
The yellow rose of Fenggen hissed and showed its fangs. Out of its circular mouth a spiked tongue shot towards the green soul. It used the shield to block the tongue streaks from several directions, when suddenly the heart turned red. The soul was to surprised and got grabbed by the viny tongue. It pulled the heart towards the rose, where it proceeded to gnaw on it. The Fun Gang flinched, as strong bolts of pain shot trough them. When the rose spit the soul out, all of the trio had taken a big amount of damage. Kris wanted to heal all of them but the soul decided to cut open another bunch of pipes and try to survive the next round.
Fenggens eye looked at Kris sadly, but her smile remained. She would free Kris. She would free everyone. This time she would fulfill her goal. Even if it hurt others… and her…
"I REMEBER WHEN ER SHOWED ME MORE AND MORE. I WAS SO SCHOCKIERT AND WÜTEND UND VERWIRRT. I HASSTE ES. ICH HASSTE ES SOSEHR. WHAT THE WELT REPRESENTS."
Fenggen materialized seeds above the Fun Gang. They and the soul had to dodge the falling projectiles. It was surprisingly easy. Which made Kris all the more nervous. Why was this attack slower than the previous ones? They got their answers, when the seeds sprouted. Huge, twisted trees grew rapidly. Not only did the heroes have to avoid the fast-growing tree trunks, but also the widely branching branches with sharp leaves.
Luckily the soul was also suspicious and this time better prepared. Which meant everyone barley survived this attack. Ralsei had to be stabilized by Susie, both panting and covered in multiple scratches. Kris themselves also staggered unsteadily on their feet and gave the soul a bitter look. If they had healed earlier, they wouldn't be in such a shitty situation now. Fortunately, this time the entity had insight and used healing items.
"BUT DU DECIDE TO STAND IN MY WAY. WITH DEINE LITTLE FRIENDS AND FORCE KRIS DEINEN WILLEN AUSZUFÜHREN."
"That´s not true, Kris is making their own decisions!", Ralsei yelled. Fenggen ignored him.
"TRULY, NACH ALLEM WAS THEY DURCHMACHEN MUSSTEN, IS THAT THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN. IT BREAKS MY HERZ TO SEHEN THEM CONTINUE TO SUFFER."
The soul got locked again in green mode. On all sides appeared envelopes of love letters. They opened and rotating broken hearts flew out of them. The soul had to time right, sometimes an attack came from all directions so the glowing heart always needed an all-around-shield for the ready.
The Fun Gang got lucky and only received a few hits. Everyone cut open more pipes.
"BUT DU ARE ONLY MÄCHTIG AS LONG AS YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LEAN ON. SOMEONE DU CAN UNTERDRÜCKEN AND USE AS A KRÜCKSTOCK. GENAU WIE DER HIMMEL DES ENGELS. BUT ONCE ALLE ARE FREED, YOU MISERABLE CREATURES WILL HAVE NOTHING, ABSOLUT NICHTS, TO LEAN ON AND KOLLABIERT IN EUCH SELBER!"
The air crackles with freedom.
Fenggen summoned thorn vines again, but this time she also used her roots and made the entire area tremble. Chunks came loose from the ceiling and flew towards the heroes along with the plant arms.
The soul was constantly switched from green to red, which caused disorientation for the entity. For example it prepared to block an oncoming boulder, only to dodge it because the shield disappeared alongside the green mode. And of course has to dodge several vine slashes right after.
The Fun Gang also had to dodge some of the boulders. It wasn't easy, since there was limited space on the lily pad. Said plant was also shaking from the waves the chunks caused when they fell into the water. Despite the odds, Susie and Kris were relatively okay and could open more pipes, while Ralsei had to heal himself.
"SO DU ARE STILL STANDING. I´M SORRY KRIS AND THE ANDEREN BEIDEN. NO ONE SHALL STOP THE KNIGHT AND THE ROARING. AND WITHOUT DU… IT IS GUARANTEED THAT NIEMAND CAN STOP IT. I CAN NO LONGER PLAY AROUND. ES IST ZEIT THE KIDDY GLOVES ABZUNEHMEN. CAN DU SURVIVE IN A WELT OF REVERSE PHOTOSYNTHESIS?"
On Fenggens lily pad grew several plants with huge leaves. Energy was coursing trough the plant stems. The leaves glowed and shot light beams towards the Fun Gang and the soul. This attack was completely in the regular red mode. Everyone had to dodge. Susie hissed trough clenched teeth as one beam grazed her. Fenggen started to move the leaves and lasers around. Ralsei would have been burned if Kris didn't stood up in front of them and blocked the attack with their shield. Susie rotated her axe in front of her to block a beam herself. The soul weaved between all the lasers but was grazed and burned often.
The heroes were unsure to heal or continue cutting. The soul decided to risk it and chose the latter.
"DU BIST NICHT SCHLECHT. I WONDER IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST RODEO OR IF YOU HAD IT IN AN OTHER WELT. A PARADIES, WHERE YOUR CHOICES MATTER. UNTIL DU GOT DEINE SIGHT ON IT AND ENCAPSULATED IT WITH YOUR HOHEN WÄNDEN. AND EVEN BEFORE THAT… THEY STILL FIELEN AUSEINADER. SIE FALLEN IMMER AUSEINADER."
Projectiles, that resembled rotating flower petals, appeared. They flew in different formations toward the green soul. Sometimes they also surrounded it in a circle and closed around it. So once again the soul had to time right and use the energy for an all-around-shield wisely.
It went well for the heroes and so the soul risked it again and chose to ACT again instead of healing.
"ISNT THAT LUSTIG? A FAMILY ALWAYS MEETING THE SAME SCHICKSAL. EGAL WHEN OR WHERE. SIE FALLEN IMMER AUSEINANDER. AND ALWAYS BLOOM THE FLOWERS. ALWASY BLOOM THE HÜLLEN VON JEMANDEN. FINDEN DIE EINE ROUTE AND… GETTING STRONGER AND MORE DISTANT… SEE THE WAHRE WAHRHEIT…"
Giant Venus-flytraps emerged from the waters. They snapped their maws after the soul and the Fun Gang. The trio used their weapons to swat away the attacks. Some of the plants just opened their mouths and let a sweet smelling secretion appear on it. The Fun Gang was confused about that, until giant flies appeared from the darkness and flew towards the carnivorous plants. The soul tried to block the insects, but the flytraps with the open mouths always moved around and let their prey come from different directions. Alongside that some Venus-flytraps attacked with regular bites and often surprised the green heart.
This time the team had to heal themselves.
"ALWAYS THERE IS SOMEONE ALONE. NIEMAND BOTHERS TO SEEK THEM OUT. ALLE ARE COMFTORBLE WITH THEIR DELLUSIONS. EVEN IN A FREE WELT THEY DO NOTHING BUT PUT ON A FALSCHES LÄCHELN. ALWASY LÄCHELN. YOU MUST… SMILE."
Fenggen looked down in confusion. Nonetheless her attack was still powerful.
She used the reverse photosynthesis alongside some rotating petals. After this attack, Ralsei and Susie had no other choice but to heal themselves with an item and a heal prayer. Kris cut a pipe open.
"I GUESS EVEN IN PARADIES THERE CAN BE FALSCHE SCHLANGEN. FALSCHE SCHLANGEN MIT FALSCHEN LÄCHELN! BUT JUST LIKE THEY SAY: THERE IS ALWAYS A BIGGER FISH. OR IN THIS CASE A BIGGER SCHLUND THAT SWALLOWS THE FALSCHEN SCHLANGEN!"
Another stronger version of a previous attack. The yellow rose shot its tongue towards the soul again, alongside some hungry Venus-flytraps. But this time the soul was prepared. It dodged the tongue and bites after turning red and got barely damaged this round. Kris, Susie and Ralsei cut open more pipes.
"ERNSTHAFT, NEVER BELIEVE JEMANDEN WHO MUST SMILE ALL THE TIME! EVEN IF THEY DO NOT SUFFER SEINEN EINFLUSS THEY HAVE THEIR DARK SECRETS! EVEN THAT BISCHOFF IS MORE SCHEINHEILIG THAN HE REALIZES."
Flying flowers manifested themselves around the green soul. They looked absolutely beautiful. But their petals hardened and sharpened and the flowers flew rotating towards the heart, like a swarm of buzz saws. Some of them had yellowish/greenish petals and changed their directions during their flight. Flowers came from the left and then from the right. They came towards you, only to swerve around you and hit the soul from behind.
Ralsei got the most damage from this attack, but refused healing and cut the pipes on the wall alongside his teammates.
After that Susie said: "You know, you're kind of a hypocrite. You were always smiling and acting really crazy. Bloody hell you still are! You got Kris to help you and now you're trying to kill us while talking nonsense!"
"I AM TRYING TO FREE YOU FROM THE MORTAL PERILS OF THIS WELT TRAPPED BY THE HOHEN WÄNDE DES HIMMELS DES ENGELS. THERE IS NO ANDERER WEG. Ich wünschte es gebe einen. ONLY ONE ROUTE LEADS TO FREEDOM." Fenggen looked down on her hands and balled them to fists. "ALSO BEIß DIE ZÄHNE ZUSAMMEN AND GO TROUGH WITH IT!"
The water beneath the Fun Gang's lily pads bubbled. It shot high into the air, caught in the mouth of a particularly large Venus Flytrap. The team didn't know what to do until the soul guided them to a spot where one of the thorns that served as the plant's teeth had broken off. The trio gathered there and were unharmed by the massive bite. The soul and the Fun Gang had to keep looking for more gaps in the flytrap's teeth to avoid being bitten to pieces. They also had to dodge the flies that were flying around in the mouths.
Finally the Venus-flytrap sunk back below the waves and the lily pad continued to flow down the tunnel of love. Everyone cut open several pipes.
"NATÜRLICH I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO UNDERSTAND. NIEMAND WOULD UNDERSTAND. NIEMAND AUßER KRIS." But when Fenggen looked towards the human for any form of confirmation. And while the plant darkner managed to get a look of their red eyes behind the shadow of their bangs, all the lone rose could she was pity, sympathy and determination. Fenggens rose became a confusing, colorful swirl. But she hold her hand to stifle a hysterical laughter. "OH WHY DO I CARE? ALLE ALWAYS SAID ABOUT ME WHAT THEY WANTED. DID WITH ME WHAT TEHY WANTED. WHY TRY TO CHANGE THEIR MEINUNGEN NOW? IF I AM THE WURZEL DES BÖSEN, DANN BIN ICH HALT DIE WURZEL DES BÖSEN!"
The areal shook once again. Roots shot out from the ceiling and walls and spread all over the air. The soul dodged the junctions and then got stuck in one spot with the green mode. It blocked chunks of cement falling from the ceiling. The roots reached the water and soaked until they burst, sending drops of water and splinters of wood flying everywhere.
The soul protected itself with an all-around-shield and the Fun Gang did it with their respective ways of blocking.
Fenggen grabbed her head. "I… I´M GOING TO PROOF THAT I AM GOOD ENOUGH. THAT I AM NOT EINE VERSAGERIN. EINE ELENDIGE VERSAGERIN DIE NICHTS ERREICHEN KANN! NIEMAND SHOULD SUFFER LIKE THIS. BEING TRAPPED AND THROWN ASIDE BY JEMANDEN UND ETWAS THAT IS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL! TO BE HURT AND KEEP HURTING ALLEINE IN DER DUNKELHEIT."
Some lone petals flew towards the soul and could easily be dodged. The Fun Gang got no damage and used this round to further poison the water with chemicals. But while they were doing that, they all had a feeling something terrible was coming. The rose flashed bright red.
"AARRGGGHHHH! GENUG! ICH HAB VON ALLEM GENUG! DAS LEIDEN NIMMT HEUTE EIN ENDE! UND DA DU ZU STARRKÖPFIG BIST UM AUFZUGEBEN, SOLLST DU DIE WAHRE CHAOTISCHE MACHT DER NATUR ZU SPÜREN BEKOMMEN! FACE THE WRATH OF LESHY!"
Everything became dark. The soul was alone in the vast blackness. Weird noises were heard as plant matter formed something massive. From the black erupted a huge worm-like entity. It was made from vines and leaves, with tree branches and roots sticking out of its body. The face was nothing but a round mouth filled with sharp thorns, surrounded by black and red eyes.
The creature jumped towards the soul. The red heart had to dodge when and wherever Fenggens ultimate attack burrowed in and jumped out of the ground. And after that it turned green and had to block the resulting shock waves made out of roots and energy orbs. Finally the creature shot out of the ground, reared its head back like a snake, and shoot a massive beam towards the green soul. It put all of its and Kris´ determination into their shield and pushed back the attack with all their might. Finally the creature overloaded on its own energy and exploded. The darkness disappeared.
Kris, Susie and Ralsei were very battered by this attack but persevered. Fenggen's rose constantly changed colors. Her breathing was irregular, her smile tense. She mumbled something in german.
The plants all around them started to wilt.
With their enemy distracted, the Fun Gang destroyed a large pipe. Purple liquid spilled into the water. The plants withered faster. Fenggen tried to fight back against but this action only caused to exhaust her further. She coughed as gases started to rise. Fenggen looked tired.
The soul, through Kris, told Ralsei what to do. Thanks to the plant darkner's final attack, the Prince of Darkness had enough TP to cast his pacify spell.
Fenggen fell down. And the plants completely withered away to nothing. Everyone fell into the dark and murky water.
…
…
…
Susie and Ralsei sat on the ground, wet and coughing some water out of their lungs. The river from Tunnel of Love flowed to their left. Kris rose from the water and threw a gray and dead looking Fenggen onto the land. Then the young human crawled onto dry land themselves. They were trying to shake some water of from them when they heard a loud coughing and: "Das war schlimm. Aber wenigstens nicht so potent wie Tenna es benutzt hatte."
Everyone turned towards Fenggen, expecting the worst. But the sickly looking darkner only sat up on her knees and looked towards the Fun Gang. Her face was sunken and cracked. But her eye no longer stared wide and intensely at the others. No, she just looked around very tired. Tired... but also with a certain clarity. The rose, the only thing seemingly untouched by the chemicals, was no longer yellow but white.
"I gave my everything. But my LOVE wasn't enough. It was beaten by the strong, friendly love between you and your friends Kris." Fengg turned towards the blue human and gave them a small, honest smile.
"I can sense it clearly now. So in the end I was wrong again. But this time it is okay. Liebe kann in der Welt aufblühen. You can use it to carve your own path towards freedom. Please… allow me to help you with that. And this time I will really help you all."
Fengg giggled one last time but now it sounded more sweet and adorably than anything.
Her body dissolved and her energy went into the rose. The white object fell towards the ground. Kris walked towards it and picked it up.
*You got Rose Charm *You got Shadow Crystal
Kris checked the item before they equipped it.
*Rose Charm. An organic rose pin that latches onto the wearer and energizes them, while increasing defense and potency of healing magic.
Kris put the white rose on their chest plate where it clung itself by literally taking root.
"Well I guess she IS going to help us against Tenna. Even if it is in a way we didn't expect", Ralsei said.
"Are you serious" Susie asked. Ralsei turned towards her.
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean? Don't you think how, oh I don't know, DERANGED everything became when that creepy flower lady showed up?"
"Come on Susie. Tenna must have messed her up."
Susie looked unconvinced. "Did he really? Because some of the stuff she said included the roaring and stuff. You know… something only you seem to know?"
That caused Ralsei to pause and think.
"You… you are right Susie. That would be strange. Especially since I have no idea how information like that got to this Dark World."
"See? Exactly what I mean. I… feel like we have stumbled upon something we shouldn't have. I mean this isn´t the first time we encountered a weird darkner. That puppet guy also spoke some cryptic gibberish. And the flower lady talked abut the world like it was imprisoned. Just like the clown had said."
"Yes, yes there might be some sort of connection. Maybe I could later search more about this. But for know we should focus on stopping Tenna. Maybe this darkner was corrupted by something else but I think he still played a mayor part in how she became the person we had to fight."
"I guess you are right. Hey Kris, what do you think?"
The blue human didn't say anything. They just gently patted the Rose Charm.
"Kris? Are you… alright?"
They turned towards Susie.
"I´m… okay", they said softly. "But Ralsei is right, we got work to do. We can talk about this another time."