65 Chapter 53: A glorious end
Always try to dodge and stay behind him, since the Wendigos counterattack swipe with his left arm does minimal damage, I bring my ax down repeatedly onto his legs and arms.
Despite hacking and slashing at it for what feels like ages, the monstrosity is still doing fine, granted a lot redder from all the blood loss. Even when coating the blade edge with eighter the white or black flames, the corrosive powers of both flames are instantly extinguished upon coming in contact with its fur.
''Fuck that! This is getting ridiculous! How is this thing still standing?'' Asks Gaukler at this time already out of ammunition and using a retractable blade from his right artificial arm to inflict some damage to it.
''What would you expect it to be? This is one of the few original native creatures of Worldsend that is still alive. Neither Loyals, the brotherhood nor Executioners where able to kill it to this day.'' I hear Henry explain audible nearing his limits for keeping up the barrier still holding back our undead pursuers.
By now we had withstood most of the Wendigos attacks so that we are able to predict every one of its four attack types and take appropriate countermeasures.
-Grab: This enemy has a grab that should be deadly, if you see its left arm swing forward in a grappling motion, get out of the way.-
-4-hit comb: Wait away from the boss until the last hit slams the floor to safely counter.-
-Forward Leap: Roll in the leaps to avoid taking damage.-
-Forward Slam: Stay away to avoid, or roll forward to avoid taking damage.-
Keeping that in mind I roll through a leap attack, slicing the beast's ribcage right open. Seeing the dangling meat strips the Wendigo bites them right off of itself. Hearing the creature devour its own flesh, I puking seeing that.
''Whow can it eat its own flesh?'' I shout my question at Henry, who already has gone down to his knees is still holding up the barrier.
''The legend of the wendigo states that it grew in size depending on how many humans it had eaten. If this is true, that would mean that this particular Wendigo must have eaten many humans, maybe even half the city and thus grew to an enormous size. Having devoured so much it might even have developed a taste for flesh, even it's own.''
Hearing this explanation coming from Henry, a cold shiver runs down my back.
''How the hell are we supposed to kill it then?'' I hear Gaukler ask, my mind following a particular train of vivid memories created by Henry's explanation.
-Fire.- I think remembering having create the Wendigo curse with a particular weakness to it. Being sure that I am remembering correctly I shout my discovery out at my companions while avoiding the monsters 4-hit combo.
''I have some oil with me!'' Shouts Henry out with a smile.
Rushing to the mages side Gaukler shouts out in laughter. ''And I have something to ignite it with!''
Seeing the two men work together, Henry using up the last drops of magic in himself to keep the barrier up and Gaukler creating firebombs, I do my best to keep the wendigos agro onto myself.
After playing cat and mouse with it for ten minutes I am exhausted but happy to see Gaukler load the first firebomb into his artificial limb. Just in time to take over for me, the first firebomb hits the beast further.
Screaming in agony the Wendigo shifts his focus away from me. In under a heartbeat, the monstrosity closes the distance between it and Gaukler by just leaping at him.
Taken by surprise, underestimating his targets sudden increase in speed Gaukler ends up under one of its claws. Narrowly avoiding the Wendigos first three hits of its 4-hit combo, he ends up getting hit by the last hit.
Seeing the monster now for the first time since attacking us wanting to target Henry, I feel a sudden rush of adrenaline pump through my veins. Aiming my leviathan ax at the creature heads backside, I throw it with every ounce of strength remaining in my body.
Out of sheer exhaustion, the ax misses the Wendigo entirely, but luckily the sparks the ax head creates by hitting into bridge ignite all firebomb directly laying underneath the monstrosities slowly healing ribcage.
The resulting pillar of flames targeting the already weakened beast fleshlights up the night. Frightened by the distorted side of a still struggling but increasingly motionless Wendigo, the majority of undead pursuers turns around and runs away.
Seeing the enemy flee and the Wendigo burn to a crisp Henry collapses onto the bridges brick pavement. Feeling my body finally succumb to exhaustion I see the distorted remains of the monster blown away by a sudden gust of wind, only a shiny orb remaining.
Taping into some unknown energy reserve, I heave my body to said glowy orb. Touching it, my body instantly heals up and all its stamina returned.
Feeling energized and refreshed I stand up. Recalling my ax, it instantly comes flying, returning into my right hand. Still grasping the orb in my left hand I find Gauklers mingled body at the side of the road.
-What a glorious end for a great fighter.- I think while dropping the orb onto his body in an effort to revive him.
The moment the top hits his skeletal mask flames reignites in his eye sockets and this mingled pile of bones and cloth reform Gauklers body. Seeing the orb of light slowly turning translucent, I retrieve it from the now mostly revived man.
Walking to the collapsed Henry I again drop the orb. In an instand, it is absorbed by him and the mage opens his eyes. Looking around his memory a bit hazy the leader of the brotherhood asks. ''Did we kill it? How is Gaukler?''
Seeing him revitalized I help Henry stand up. Looking in the direction of Gaukler, I see the crazy bastard already on his feet, rearranging his suit.
What truly draws my attention is what lies beyond the bridge.
-The Astralclocktower.-
Drawn like a moth to a flame, I walk in the direction of the tower, even feeling the key around my neck gravitating towards it. Totally focussed on the huge portal at the foot of the tower, I don't see or hear Gauklers warning shouts.
Behind me Henry his wand raised high hits me from behind with a spell. Feeling mana invade my body and turning around I see Gaukler also get hit by one of the mages spells.
Feeling my body go limp, I fall to the pavement without even knowing what is happening. Out of the corner of my paralyzed eyes, I see Henry speak a view words to his friend before moving on to me.
Feeling another spell hit me I feel my hearing and feeling return to me. Hearing Henry comes closer, crouching down in front of me and pulling me up to face him, he tells me. ''I am really sorry...''
Taking my leviathan ax from me, he lets me fall back onto the pavement like trash. Giving my ax a few probing swings, Henry ignites the blades white flame and moves back to the still paralyzed Gaukler.
''... I am really sorry my friend. I never wanted our friendship end like this...'' This said Henry smashes Gauklers head, sending his companion on his out of this nightmare.
Suddenly I hear an eagle like a cry and the flapping of wings and the sound of fighting. Before long silence returns and I can only hear Henry's cold voice say. ''... Good to see you again Red. I bet you want to join your beloved Jeremiah. I am here to help you along...''
I only hear the muffled scream of a woman followed by footsteps coming my way. Again I am pulled up by Henry, up close and personal.
''... I am really sorry for doing all this to everybody, but I have made a deal with a certain fair lady up in the tower. I am a bit bewildered by her request of me killing the first person that wants to enter the Astralclocktower, but what can I say now except I am sorry...''
Taking the tower key from me Henry once again dumps me back on the street. Feeling the pain corse through me I reclaim control over my tung, so I ask Henry who has already raised my ax, ready to strike me down. ''Why?'' -Why did you do all of this? What is worth killing loyal friends and family?-
Giving me a sad smile Henry lowers the ax saying. ''All I did serves only one distinct purpose. Returning back to live and protect my child from its mother. I have you know I was once a hero and king. Loved by many but hated by my wife. I fought to unite to races in the piece only to be killed by my wife's secret lover...''
Showing of a wicked smile, recalling his end, the mage further boosts. ''... I have you know it was a glorious end, knowing that my unfaithful wife was already unknowingly carrying my daughter in her womb, never to have another child...''
Dropping my ax and pulling out his wand Henry tells me. ''... My only goal in life is to protect my daughter and having to dirty my hands with the blood of innocents like you is just a means to an end. My deal only stipulates me killing you. Because I really appreciate you asking 'why', I make it a nonpermanent one.''
The next thing I know is the feeling of cold mana invading my body killing me painlessly.
