★ Hostile Zeldritch Detected!
??. .??
Creature: Dorvus
Species: Dorvus
Sobriquet: "Doom Deer"
Alignment: [Preda-Praieon]
APeX: [6125 Units]
Attributes: [Beast] [Doom] [Voltage]
Evolution Stage: [Fledgling] (F)
Current Variant Grade: [Common]
??. .??
KiAera's breath hitched as the Dorvus emerged from the shadows. The air around it seemed to crackle with a tangible tension, the kind that made her instinctively curl her ears close to her head. Its body, sleek and flawless, shimmered as if darkness itself had molded its form. The faint crimson patches on its coat pulsed faintly with an odd current of power.
The Dorvus glared at her and Gilbud, the deer-like monster bared its fangs, while its crimson orbs pierced through her very soul, an eerie light on its sinister visage.
KiAera shuddered involuntarily at this display of ferocity directed toward her and her companions. A [Fledgling]. This was only a fledgling. But the dread it radiated was suffocating. Something was wrong.
????★ ?
Creature: Dorvus
APeX Power: ?? [6125 Units] ??
??. .??
Dorvus's Parameters:
STR Parameter: [1250]
DEF Parameter: [600]
PWR Parameter: [1925]
WIL Parameter: [500]
RES Parameter: [800]
SPD Parameter: [1050]
??. .??
????★ ?
And judging from the sheer magnitude of power radiating off this particular beast, considering her condition was not the best right now…
????っ? -?????
[STATUS AILMENT: Poison]
??. .??
★ KiAera's Status:
APeX [Reduced] [20%]: 4320 Units
??. .??
Poison Resistance = TIER: F (84%)
??. .??
????っ? -?????
"Skaditty..." Skadicritt stirred weakly within KiAera's grasp, drawing her attention slightly.
Skadicritt whimpered amid her feverish haze. KiAera wished that she could provide some form of relief from Skadicritt's the torment.
However, KiAera doubted anything she attempted would have sufficed adequately—given their precarious circumstances at the given moment.
Did… did the Dorvus do this?
Like a lightning bolt, a blaze of ire shot across KiAera's mind, replacing her worries entirely with fury. This Dorvus dared endanger Skadicritt further? No way in hell would she forgive this creature for daring to threaten Skadicritt's life!
Determined to protect Skadicritt at all costs, KiAera steeled herself mentally. Fleeing appeared futile, and KiAera refused to abandon Skadicritt, the Plelepun, and the Mezmeics if it came to that!
Therefore, she chose to fight rather than flee in order to safeguard her companions' safety!
Apprehension made Gilbud stomp nervously beside KiAera. With whimpers, the five Mezmeics on his back trembled uncontrollably.
KiAera sympathized deeply with everyone present here, understanding fully well the gravity of the situation unfolding before them...
"Take her and go, Gilbud," she whispered, placing Skadicritt on the Plelepun's back. Her gaze never left the Dorvus, the Doom Deer's crimson orbs reflecting her form in return. It stood there as if in contemplation. KiAera wondered what it was thinking...
"Yo! No!" Gilbud protested. "Y-you'll die against this thing yo!"
KiAera glanced at him, gracing Gilbud with a sad smile. "Go, please. I want you guys to survive, okay?"
The Dorvus took a slow step toward them, its antlers lowered, crackling with electricity.
"Miss Merecritt! No!" the Mezmeics cried out.
"I'll be fine, Gilbud. Hurry up. Burrow into the ground with everyone." She hoped she could grant Gilbud even a moment's respite if things were to go badly her.
Gilbud stared wide-eyed at KiAera, unable to comprehend why she decided to sacrifice herself for his sake. He couldn't fathom why KiAera cared enough about his survival over hers.
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"Yo…"
KiAera flicked his face with her tail, "I said to get out of here. Go!" She dropped low into a crouch, her ears perked, her shoulders squared, her tail flame burning bright and true, ready to pounce at a moment's notice.
The Dorvus held her gaze; it seemed to assess her.
"Miss Merecritt, please reconsider!" one Mezmeic implored as it sobbed uncontrollably.
"We don't wanna lose you, Miss Merecritt!" Another sniffled through tears streaming down its face.
Their voices were muffled as Gilbud begun digging frantically into the earth with Skadicritt wrapped securely by his trunk. KiAera watched through her peripheral as the Plelepun vanished beneath dirt, the Mezmeics clinging onto dear life atop his back.
Thank you... KiAera thought solemnly.
The Dorvus snorted impatiently at KiAera, seeming as if it were tired of waiting idly for her to finish her goodbyes. It pawed at the ground with its hooves, eager to commence its attack.
KiAera braced herself mentally for the imminent conflict.
The Dorvus launched itself abruptly without warning whatsoever, charging straight toward KiAera!
"Watch your back, Merecritt. I'm not your opponent," the Dorvus growled as it shot forth several [Doom Zaps] from its antlers in quick succession.
KiAera dodged and ducked, narrowly evading each bolt that whizzed overhead! She felt the hairs on her fur stand upright, sensing the intense energy surging through the air.
This Dorvus was serious about eliminating her from the face of existence, huh!? Well, she wasn't planning on dying anytime soon either!
"Your back!"
KiAera gasped in surprise, her mind whirling as the Dorvus shot several more lightning bolts that struck behind her. The resulting explosion swept her off her feet, sending her flying several feet. In that head spinning conundrum, she narrowly avoided the Dorvus' passing hooves and antlers.
She landed heavily on the ground, momentarily stunned. Her ears twitched in pain, a dull throbbing sensation coursing through them. She felt winded and disoriented from the impact—her vision blurry and unfocused.
Shit! KiAera cursed inwardly, shaking her head rapidly to regain her bearings.
The Dorvus had its back turned to KiAera, focused on the direction where the Plelepun had escaped. KiAera seized the opportunity, pouncing forth and lunging toward the Doom Deer's neck!
Her ears retracted to propel an [Ear Punch] attack, causing her to move rapidly and strike the Dorvus's vulnerable spot with deadly precision.
KiAera missed as it weaved expertly, avoiding her assault.
She now knew what it meant when it said she wasn't its opponent...
★ Aggressive Zeldritch Detected!
??. .??
Creature: Ilosphat
Species: Ilosphat
Sobriquet: "Noxious Spitter"
Brief description: a sinister monster that resembles a Dilophosaurus.
Alignment: [Predator] [Aggresor]
APeX: [4800 Units]
Attributes: [Hazard] [Deino]
Evolution Stage: [Fledgling] (F)
Current Variant Grade: [Uncommon]
??. .??
She quickly reacted, clenching the fists of her ears and slugged the Ilosphat on the jaw, sending it staggering back in shock. It winced, biting its tongue.
Oh, shit! KiAera—in a panic—took advantage of its stunned state to launch a barrage of [Ear Punches].
★ [Ear Punch] - Beast - TECH: 40 -> TECH: 44
★ [Ear Pummel] - Beast - TECH: 35 -> TECH: 38
The Ilosphat growled in frustration and attempted to retaliate, but KiAera was relentless, refusing to allow it the chance to counterattack as she continued to pummel it repeatedly with a flurry of punches, knocking the beast down.
But the Ilosphat wasn't done. It rolled onto its feet, its frills folding back as it opened its mouth wide as a viscous glob bulged in its throat.
KiAera's instincts screamed at her to move, and she bolted to the side as the Ilosphat spat its payload, a spray of noxious fluid arcing through the air. The venom hissed as it splattered against the ground, melting through the earth like acid.
That could've been me, she thought, her heart pounding.
She prepared herself for the Ilosphat as its toxic saliva dripped from its fangs and its frills flared wide.
KiAera needed to think fast. Her mouth opened in preparation to fire her [MereSphere]. But the Dorvus charged, moving with an unnatural swiftness that belied its size. The Ilosphat barely had time to react before the Doom Deer slammed into it, impaling the Ilosphat with its antlers.
The Ilosphat let out a shrill, guttural screech as the Dorvus' antlers unleashed an electrical current into the creature's hide. It struggled frantically, writhing wildly in a desperate attempt to escape as the voltage rippled through its nerve endings.
KiAera watched in horror as the Dorvus drove its antlers further into the Ilosphat's torso, greenish particles splattered around them both. She took several steps back as the Ilosphat twitched violently a few moments more before falling silent.
With one deliberate flail of its head, the Dorvus pulled its antlers free from the Ilosphat's corpse, tossing the decaying creature aside with such disrespect that it made KiAera cringe inwardly.
The Dorvus turned toward her, its crimson eyes burning with an intensity that made her shiver involuntarily. She knew what it was capable of, and she didn't want to be on the receiving end of its wrath.
The Dorvus snorted impatiently, pawing at the ground with its hooves. "Get lost, Merecritt," it snarled. KiAera felt her hackles rise in defiance, but she chose to heed its warning.
The message was clear. This wasn't about her, Gilbud, or even Skadicritt. This was vengeance—cold, brutal, and entirely the Dorvus's to exact.
She stared into the depths of its cold, crimson orbs, her gaze unblinking. "Before I depart. I have a question for you, Dorvus."
The Dorvus grunted in reply, indicating it was listening. KiAera continued. "Were you the one that harmed Skadicritt?"
The Dorvus huffed in annoyance. "That little pest?"
KiAera frowned at its response. Suddenly the Doom Deer shook its head.
"No, I didn't harm the girl. It was the pack of Ilosphats roaming the area that did."
"Why should I believe you?" KiAera pressed, unconvinced by the Dorvus' claim.
"I did not attack the Merecritt girl," it reiterated. "It was the pack of Ilosphats that ambushed her before I arrived. I was merely protecting myself."
Then the Dorvus rolled its eyes, clearly exasperated. "I don't care if you believe me or not. All I care about is that you leave this area right now and never come back," it growled, its crimson orbs glowing with a dangerous light.
KiAera hesitated, unsure how to proceed. The Dorvus was clearly dangerous and unpredictable, but she couldn't ignore the possibility that it was being honest.
Otherwise, a part of her knew that if it wanted to attack her, it would have done so already.
Yet something about its tone, its curt dismissal of the situation, felt... off.
"Protecting yourself?" KiAera repeated. "You expect me to believe you just happened to stumble upon a pack of Ilosphats mid-ambush and decided to intervene out of self-preservation?"
The Dorvus narrowed its glowing eyes, electricity crackling faintly along its antlers. "Believe what you will, Merecritt. I don't owe you explanations. I owe them justice."
KiAera glanced at the fallen predator. "Justice? For what? For them attacking you, or for something more?"
The Dorvus froze for a moment, its gaze darkening. "You ask too many questions, Merecritt."
KiAera felt the hairs on her fur bristle, but she stood her ground. "If you didn't hurt Skadicritt, why do you care so much about these Ilosphats? What did they do to you?"
The Dorvus let out a long, rumbling exhale, its breath misting in the cool air. For a moment, KiAera thought it wouldn't answer. But then it spoke, its voice quieter but no less dangerous.
"They're vermin," it growled. "They poison the balance of this land, twisting it with their filth. I've watched their pack spread like a plague, devouring everything in their path. They leave nothing but decay behind. They don't deserve mercy."
KiAera's eyes narrowed. "So this isn't just about them attacking you. You're hunting them."
The Dorvus snorted impatiently. "Go on, Merecritt. Leave," it growled, its tone leaving no room for argument.
KiAera nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Dorvus. I will leave right away." She turned and began walking away from the battlefield, her ears twitching as she picked up the sound of the Dorvus snorting and pawing at the ground behind her.
She swiveled her head to witness it turn as well, trotting in the opposite direction, its huge antlers swaying with each step.
"Do you have to walk such a path?" she asked.
The Dorvus snorted loudly, its antlers sparking with electricity. "It's none of your business," it growled.
KiAera sighed in frustration. She could tell she wasn't going to get anymore answers from the Doom Deer.
She decided to let it be and continued to walk away. There were more pressing matters, like finding her way back to Gilbud and the others.
