The Higher Plain Ch 21: Xylarion Vs Morvren!

The air was thick with smoke and the foul stench of decay. I towered over the gathered soldiers, my massive form casting long shadows as I looked toward the beast rising from the distant forest. My breath hitched. My entire body tensed, instincts screaming at me to acknowledge what my mind was reluctant to accept.

Morvren.

The name left my lips in disbelief, barely more than a whisper, yet it felt like it carried the weight of the entire world.

From down below, near my foot, I heard Krelzor's voice. "What?"

I glanced down at him, his small figure almost comical compared to my own. His face was upturned, eyes full of confusion and concern. I bent down, resting a hand against the ground, my fingers sinking slightly into the dirt as I tried to steady myself.

"Morvren," I repeated, more firmly this time. "They are creatures of living corruption, beings of pure darkness. Wherever they go, they infect, consume, and destroy. They don't just kill, Krelzor—they erase. Whatever they touch becomes them."

His brow furrowed, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "And... you've seen them before?"

I exhaled slowly, my breath ruffling his hair. "Yes. But never here. Never in the lower world." My voice dropped slightly, a thought creeping in that I didn't want to entertain. "They shouldn't exist here."

Then the beast roared.

A sound like thunder ripping through a storm, only worse—deeper, more primal. It made the ground tremble beneath me, sent nearby soldiers staggering, their weapons rattling in their hands. Even I flinched slightly, the raw, unfiltered hunger in that roar digging into me like unseen claws.

I stood up fully, towering over the field, taking in the full sight of the creature.

It was different from the Morvren I had fought before. Smaller—much smaller. Back home, they were massive, towering over mountains and capable of swallowing cities whole. But this one, despite its size compared to the humans, felt vicious in a way that was different. It wasn't just hunting. It was raging. Its form was unstable, shifting between solid and liquid, tendrils of darkness writhing and oozing with an unnatural fluidity.

This wasn't just any Morvren. This was something corrupted even further.

My fingers curled into fists.

"K..." I started, glancing down again at the small man beside my foot.

Krelzor looked up at me in confusion, clearly caught off guard by the nickname I had just casually given him.

I smiled briefly. "Please stand back."

At first, he didn't say anything. His lips parted slightly, like he wanted to argue, but then he shook his head. "Alright," he said, a little hesitant at first before his voice gained more strength. "Then I'll help the prince get as many people to safety as I can."

That made me feel just a little lighter. Even now, in the face of this nightmare, he still wanted to help. He wasn't a warrior, wasn't trained in combat, and yet he refused to just stand idly by.

I gave him a firm nod. "Good luck."

Krelzor smirked slightly. "Yeah, you too, big girl."

And then he was gone, running off toward the prince and the scrambling soldiers, leaving me standing there alone.

I turned my gaze back toward the Morvren.

The black fog around it pulsed and writhed, spreading out further as its body shifted and twisted like living tar. The red glow of its eyes locked onto me, and I could feel the raw hatred radiating from it.

"Alright then," I muttered to myself, rolling my shoulders. "Let's see what you can do."

The beast moved first, lunging forward with a speed that didn't match its massive, melting form. Tendrils shot out from its body, reaching for me, twisting through the air like grasping fingers.

I braced myself and swung my arm, slamming into them mid-air. They dispersed on impact, breaking apart into black mist before reforming almost instantly.

"Figures," I muttered. This thing wasn't solid. It wouldn't go down the way normal Morvren did.

I needed to think.

The problem with fighting an enemy like this wasn't just its raw power—it was its nature. If I wasn't careful, I could end up infected by the corruption it spread, and that was a fate worse than death. I needed to be smart.

I took a step forward, and the ground trembled beneath me. The soldiers behind me were retreating, their panicked voices fading into the background. Good. They needed to get out of here.

Another tendril shot toward me, this time aiming for my legs. I leapt back, barely avoiding the grasping darkness as it hit the earth where I had just stood. The grass withered instantly, the soil turning black and cracking apart.

I clenched my jaw.

The Morvren growled, a deep, guttural sound, and lunged again.

This time, I didn't dodge.

I stepped in.

With all the strength I could muster, I drove my fist forward, straight into its core.

A shockwave exploded outward from the impact, uplifting the ground, and blowing away so many trees and land, I just hoped that no humans where getting crushed or injured, but now wasn't the time to focused on such things.

For a moment, the entire world seemed to pause.

Then the Morvren reeled, its form rippling violently as it staggered backward.

I exhaled sharply. I could hit it. Even if it reformed, even if it wasn't fully solid, it still felt the force of my attacks.

That was enough for now.

I grinned slightly, wiping the back of my hand against my forehead. "Looks like you're not untouchable after all."

The Morvren snarled, its red eyes narrowing with something that looked almost like recognition.

I tensed.

It knows me.

That was the last thought I had before it attacked again, faster this time, more focused.

I barely had time to react before I was forced onto the defensive, dodging and countering as its tendrils lashed out in rapid succession. My muscles burned, but I refused to let up.

Faylina – No Choice Left

The Morvren came at me like a relentless storm, its tendrils whipping through the air, striking with such force that each hit rattled through my bones. I blocked one, then another, but it was faster now, learning my movements, adapting.

Then it got me.

A thick, oozing tendril slammed into my side, knocking the wind from my lungs. I staggered back, my footing slipping as the ground beneath me cracked from the impact.

The beast didn't stop.

It lunged, its body shifting, melting, reforming as it leapt through the air. I barely had time to brace before it hit me full force, its weight slamming into my chest like a falling mountain.

I crashed down.

The earth shook violently, the impact sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Dust and debris flew into the air, and for a second, all I could hear was a deafening ring in my ears.

Then—snarling.

I blinked up just in time to see the Morvren looming over me, its massive, rotting mouth stretching open, its jagged black teeth dripping with thick, putrid liquid.

It was going for my throat.

Instinct kicked in.

I threw up my arm, catching its snapping jaws inches from my face. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to push closer, trying to sink its fangs into my flesh. Its breath smelled of decay and rot, an overwhelming stench that made my stomach churn.

It pushed down harder.

I gritted my teeth, holding it back with all my strength, my muscles burning under the pressure. The Morvren's dark tendrils wrapped around my limbs, slithering like living ropes, pulling me down, trying to consume me.

Oh no you don't.

Summoning every ounce of power left in me, I slammed my knee up into its gut. The beast let out a guttural snarl but didn't let go.

Fine. Plan B.

With a growl of effort, I braced my other leg against the ground and kicked with everything I had.

The Morvren went flying, its body twisting unnaturally as it crashed several yards away, plowing through trees like they were nothing.

I sucked in a ragged breath, my chest rising and falling as I lay there for a second, staring up at the sky. My arms ached, my legs burned, and I was pretty sure I had bruises in places I didn't even know could bruise.

But I wasn't done.

I rolled over and pushed myself up, my massive form towering back onto my feet. Dust settled around me as I shook off the lingering pain.

Then I looked around—and my stomach twisted.

The camp was gone.

No soldiers. No tents. No sign of Krelzor, the prince, or anyone.

Had they escaped? Or had the Morvren's corruption already—

No. I refused to finish that thought.

I clenched my fists, exhaling slowly through my nose. Focus. Worrying wouldn't help. Winning this fight would.

I turned back to the Morvren, which was already rising again, its red eyes glowing brighter, its body shifting unnaturally as it reformed. It looked stronger now, more vicious—like it was feeding off the destruction.

I narrowed my eyes.

This wasn't going to end unless I ended it.

I let out a slow breath. I had no choice.

My body began to hum with energy, a deep, pulsing force that stirred something ancient within me.

"Alright then," I muttered, rolling my shoulders.

"Time to grow."