MM - Chapter 179 - ON THE RUN

[Primal Root Fetch (Ancient): (Level 42) (HP ???/???)]

The beast’s roar washed over Selena and Raine with dramatically different results. The princess reeled like she’d been struck. With blood gushing from her eyes and ears, she fell backward. Raine felt an uncomfortable tingle wash over his skin before the Soul Flame of Amanesh went haywire in his chest. Of its own accord, the soul flame created spiked gauntlets wrought from fire that sprang into being, coating Raine’s forearms. 

With one of its prey still standing, the beast extended its monstrous cry. Shielding his head with both arms, Raine was pressed back a pace by the mysterious energy being released. The roar ended. Man and beast locked eyes, each measuring the worthiness of the other. 

A disturbing reaction made Raine’s choice for him. Usually, when a predator roars, the surroundings go still and quiet as preservation instincts kick in. The opposite happened. The jungle came to life, dozens of powerful figures charged through the trees, drawing closer with each beat of Raine’s heart.

Much of the fog holding back his thoughts was shattered beneath a hefty dose of adrenaline slamming through his bloodstream. Forcing one eye closed so he could at least pretend to see straight, Raine kicked off the ground, blasting toward the unfamiliar beast. Killing intent led the charge, followed by a fist wrapped in crackling fire. No weapon made an appearance, revealing that even the cursed ring—an item that should be impossible to remove without dispelling the curse—had been sealed as well. This also meant that the doubled damage Raine was so accustomed to was absent.

His fist blasted into the beast’s cheek. Just before impact, the Fetch turned its head to the side, stealing half the blow’s force. [-147] The mocking laughter in the Fetch’s glowing eyes was clear as day. The angle of its torso hid the return punch that would have come out of nowhere if Raine didn’t spot the roots in its shoulder coiling. A tap of his foot against the beast’s extended knee triggered a Lunge that shot him to the side. An immaculately-executed upper-cut sliced through where he’d just been. Before the beast completed the movement, it smashed a tangled foot on the ground, launching forward in a roundhouse kick that didn’t at all fit its monstrous appearance.

Raine slid as he landed, smoothly ducking the kick that sailed overhead. When the attack didn’t turn out to be a feint, disappointment mingled with relief. Being marked as ancient was an obvious indication that the Fetch’s combat standards would be above the norm. This particular ancient had just proved that it was only at the level 50 standard.

Unlike elites, nobles, hierarchs, and monarchs, ancients received no bonuses to attributes, regeneration, or skills. However, each and every ancient could be just as deadly since it was impossible to tell where their combat standards were until exchanging blows. If Raine was unlucky enough to encounter an ancient at the grandmaster level, landing a single blow would be nothing but a dream.

The Fetch completed its spin with a flying knee from its other leg. The blow thunked into Raine’s extended palm. He returned the favor by stealing its force, slowing its momentum. The Fetch’s arm (extended for balance and torque) blocked its view of Raine’s Flurry of One. The attack took it just below where the ribs would be on a human. Twelve punches combined into one, each packed with soul-searing flames and laced with killing intent. Hard bark and brittle vines crumbled beneath the onslaught. Raine’s mental strength slithered into its body, invading deep and causing the energy swirling within its chest to undulate chaotically. [-3,012]

[Negative affliction applied (Enfeared): Enemy attributes reduced by 20% (Duration 12.53 seconds)]

As the Primal Root Fetch was blown away to slam into a nearby tree, Raine ran. He scooped up the coughing Selena and tore away in the only direction that didn’t contain the crunching and crashing of another beast closing in. His bounding steps were silent as the grave, Connection firming the air and ground in equal measure to enhance their sound absorption.

Selena opened her mouth to cough more blood, but Raine’s hand clamped over her lips. She convulsed, jerking in his arms with instinctive terror, and failing to overcome his strength. In less than two seconds, the ancient Fetch was out of sight. It must have caught a glimpse of them since its heavy footsteps were closing in from behind. Raine veered right, using the dense foliage as cover. With its hamstrung attributes and bulky form, the beast quickly lost their trail. That was no reason to stop. Raine put more distance between them, changing directions multiple times to avoid fresh sources of encroaching predators.

When he stopped a minute later, Selena’s eyes were wide as saucers. Raine held a finger to his lips, and she nodded. Upon being released, her lungs shook with the need to cough. She swallowed it down with a disgusted cringe. 

Leaning close, Raine spoke softly. “I assume you have some idea where we’re supposed to go?”

She nodded again, swallowing another cough when she tried to speak. Instead, she simply pointed at the top of the tallest nearby tree. Understanding, Raine scooped her up and Lunged into the air. Raine let their momentum peter out before they pierced the canopy. Attracting the attention of a flock of flying monsters, if there were any, wouldn’t help their situation. Not with the beasts below still closing in, likely tracking the scent of royal blood.

Selena clung to the tall, branchless tree when he released her. Fast but careful, she parted the fronds above and stuck her head into the open air. Harshly cool wind slithered down from above, its contrast with the hot jungle air both refreshing and odd.

Less than a meter and a few fronds shouldn't create such a vast difference in temperature. Million creds says the air grows cold enough to freeze us solid if we try to cheat their little test by flying over the jungle.

Selena was shivering by the time she ducked down and pointed toward what Raine thought might be south. His map wasn't working, forcing him to rely on the angle of the sun, which he doubted was real. Other than anxiously watching the directions of the stomping beasts while waiting, he'd attempted, and failed, to retrieve several different items from his inventory. It was always wise to check. This wouldn't have been the first time a quest tried to blow smoke up his ass.

“The nearest shrine is that way,” Selena whispered, teeth chattering softly as she rubbed her arms.

Raine shimmied higher up the tree to see for himself. The blast of frigid air that attempted to invade his bones was battled back by the flames nestled in his chest. Spinning in a circle, he quickly noted the twelve clearings in the otherwise flat jungle. They were arranged in a familiar semicircle. He took note of the direction Selena wanted to go, then dropped back below the fronds.

“Why that way?” Those were the last peaceful words Raine was granted. A trio of root Fetches burst into view. 

When their chests glowed in preparation to release a bombardment of roars, Selena panicked. She lost her grip on the tree and fell. In the next instant, Raine crashed into her and Lunged for all he was worth. The auditory assaults blasted into his back, having little effect. In fact, they were the opposite of painful. Raine felt invigorated as his muscles bulged with power. He was still significantly weaker than while wearing his equipment, but the boost certainly aided their immediate escape. The bestial cries attracted many, many more residents of the Primal Realm. The ground rumbled as they came from kilometers away.

Checking, Raine was disappointed that whatever the beasts did to him had no direct effect on his attributes.

POTENCY: 700 > 263

FINESSE: 606 > 261

ACUITY: 458 > 272

PHYSIQUE: 675 > 301

CONNECTION: 415 > 262

When Raine flexed his arm, grinning at the improved strength, Selena watched him with terrified eyes. He dropped her as they hit the ground running. She shook her head harshly, shouting over the crunching and crackling of trees. “We're going the wrong way!”

“Just because it's not your way doesn’t mean it's the wrong way.” Raine fired back.

Selena's brows were more scrunched than he’d ever seen them, her legs pumping furiously to keep up. “We should be going toward the nearest shrine. At this rate, you’ll die before we make it to this one. It's nearly double the distance!”

Her loud voice cut through the dense jungle, attracting even more beasts. Raine picked up speed and hissed at her. “We're going this way first. Stop arguing.”

Selena dipped into her reduced Discipline pool to keep up, speaking in a slightly lower tone that was still laced with fear. “You do not understand what you are saying. You will not survive, and every second we waste brings you closer to death.”

A Fetch came into view ahead, forcing them to veer off course. It tried to follow, but a burst of Discipline and a few purposely spaced out Lunges kept them out of the range of the roar it hurled. Raine didn't have a clue what danger Selena was going on about. And while he believed the sincerity in her harshly-whispered words, no matter how much she believed what she was saying, he wasn’t about to put his life in another’s hands when he had a good reason for doing what he was doing.

When he released her wrist and continued running in the direction he chose, she was nearly on the verge of tears. “Please! We must go the other way!”

“No thanks. Why don't you explain yourself. Might change my mind.” The grin Raine threw over his shoulder as he increased speed again made it obvious that wasn't going to happen.

She was already breathing hard through lips stained crimson. “Can't you feel it? I can, and my lineage protects me. You have no such shield from the Primal Energy.”

That's what I keep feeling? Primal Energy?

Raine had never heard of Primal Energy before. Still, he could make an educated guess that it was the predominant energy source that preceded Elemental, Celestial, and Demonic Power in the realms. He’d been aware of the new energy since the entities vanished; it was hard not to with the way it felt on his skin, sinking into his muscles and joints with each breath. The Fetches’ roars had carried the largest dose. Contrary to Selena's concern, the primal energy felt terrific, and its effects extended beyond mere sensation. Raine was definitely faster and stronger than he should be, considering his attributes were cut in half.

Attributes don't just increase strength and speed, they empower the body with durability to withstand said increases. Only my raw power is growing. If I'm not careful, I'll tear myself apart with a simple punch. Somehow, I don't think that's what she's so worried about.

Selena answered the question written on his features. “Primal Energy is too potent for us mortals. While I have a minor resistance, it will not save me for long. If we absorb too much, our bodies will burst from within.”

“Oh… Yah, all the more reason to hurry.” Raine piled on the speed again, dragging her along behind.

“How can you be so stubborn?!” Her cynical cry alerted a throng of Fetches dead ahead, forcing Raine to go even further out of the way.

He pinned her with a scowl. “The shrines are arranged in the same pattern as the columns, and those… things appeared one at a time, in order. Since we have to visit each shrine, makes sense to do them in the same order. Mystic Realms might all be different, but they follow themes, and this fits, so we’re doing it, even if it's more dangerous. Now, would you please stop shouting?”

Selena’s jaw was hanging loose, her following words uttered at a normal volume. “Not one of the records mentioned anything about that. You’re right. It fits. Each ordeal has many solutions, and few give optimal results. The ordeal of survival and piety is one of the least rewarding. But perhaps that is because it has always been completed incorrectly. I apologize. My words were hasty. Yet I was not incorrect about your chances of survival!” She couldn’t help but hiss the last. “If you take any more of their attacks, you will not last.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Raine scooped his arms around her waist and Lunged into the air, directly over the heads of three beasts lying in ambush. Selena released a girly squeal that was drowned out by their deafening roars.

Landing hard and fast on his feet, Raine didn’t release her, instead triggering the second thresholds of Finesse, Acuity, and Physique with 3 Discipline per second. His total Discipline pool had been reduced to a measly 563, and he’d already burned through a decent-sized chunk of it. He wouldn’t be able to keep up this speed for long. Still, Raine couldn’t keep the smile off his lips. Maybe it was the Primal Energy messing with his head as it sped them further toward their first goal. Or, more likely, it was the second inviolable law of ZionLine ringing loud in his thoughts: With impossible challenge, comes impossible reward.