Clashing against rythmic tides

Perspective : Brandon Vlodsky

"Dammit.. Dammit.... DAMMIT!".

"Why must this happen over and over again".

"Haven't I lost enough!".

"Fuck".

"History is repeating itself".

"God! Do you get a sick pleasure by making me suffer".

"But ... Not anymore... I ain't letting it happen again".

"You hear me God.... FUCK YOU".

Yes, I was terrified of it, but not any more, I stood tall and focused, my hands gripping the hilt of my sword with unwavering strength. As the enormous Centipede lunged towards me, I instinctively adjusted my posture, positioning my feet firmly apart for stability. With my gaze locked onto the creature, my body leaned slightly forward, ready to strike or defend at any given moment.

I held my sword with both hands, creating a powerful grip that echoed my determination to save what I had. The weight of the weapon felt reassuring in my hands, its blade endowed in gravity magic, ready for the creature's attacks.

With each breath, my muscles tensed, prepared to unleash controlled bursts of energy. My arms extended, creating a line of defense. The intensity in my eyes reflected the determination to keep the Centipede at bay, as I stepped back slightly, maintaining a safe distance.

In that moment, it felt as if, I became one with my sword. I was not going to let that happen again.

"I am sorry Kana".

"I am sorry Josephine".

"It was late, but your father finally learnt".

"There are some things in life you can't endure, those are the things that you need to stand up for, even if it's hopeless and foolish".

"I finally understood".

With it's one eye, it scanned my posture, and lunged towards me.

That centipede lunged forward, with it's countless legs slashing through the air with a hiss. Given it's size, it was easy to evade.

So, I swiftly stepped to the side, my body fluidly evading its attack. With an swift arc, my greatsword deflected it's venomous fangs, sparks ignited as my blade clashed with it's fangs.

I was reading it's each and every move, as it coiled its body preparing for another strike, I crouched low, with my great sword held diagonally across my body.

Without any moment's late, the Centipede began it's onslaught, however to it's surprise, I utilized the edge of my blade to redirect the force of its attack, causing it to veer harmlessly past me.

As it circled around me, my eyes followed.

I was not going to be caught off guard. Before being an adventurer, I used to work with a local debt collector. Various times, I ventured lone in the dark forests, as sometimes my job included locating debtors who fled to the wilderness. I faced various wild animals and even bandits sometimes.

So, If I focused enough, this shouldn't be that hard.

Or so I thought, but it was just getting started.

With a sudden lunge, the Centipede propelled itself towards me, its menacing mandibles poised to strike. Reacting swiftly, I deftly sidestepped to evade its attack. However, to my surprise, the cunning creature anticipated my move, swiftly veering past me. In a disconcerting twist, it turned its head and coiled around me, its countless legs sinuously moving with an eerie grace.

As I braced myself, the circle it formed around me gradually tightened, causing my heart to pound with a mix of trepidation and determination. With my blades at the ready, I clashed against its relentless limbs, igniting showers of sparks that danced perilously close to my face. The cavern resonated with the resounding clash of steel as I fought to keep the Centipede at bay.

Within the encircling dance, the creature's head ominously peered towards me, its menacing mandibles poised to bite my head. The air crackled with tension as I prepared to defend my life with every fiber of my being, knowing full well that I was done for.

However, quickly reacting in time, I tapped into the power of my gravity magic, channeling it through my great sword. With a surge of energy, I intensified the weight of my blade a hundredfold. With a swift, calculated motion, I propelled the edge of my weapon towards the Centipede's head, driven by the sheer force of gravity itself.

As my blade connected with the creature's vulnerable point, the Centipede was overcome by an unstoppable momentum. Hurtling through the air, it was propelled towards the cavern walls with a deafening crash. The grip it once had around me faltered, as its body involuntarily followed its head, drawn towards the wall by the immense force generated by my strike.

The impact reverberated through the chamber, causing dust and debris to fill the air.

It would have been nice if it stayed down.

However, with astonishing agility, the Centipede swiftly burrowed into the wall, disappearing into the depths of the ground. Determined to catch me off guard, it schemed to launch an unexpected ambush from the hidden confines of the ground.

"Shit... where is it now?".

"I can hear it drilling".

"Dammit... times running out ... Robin is bleeding heavily".

"If I don't deal with this thing quickly, somehow?".

"I will be too late".

"Someone ... please help me".

"Anyone".

I took a deep breath to calm my nurves.

"Focus".

"Focus Brandon focus".

With a sound mind and an absolute control over my emotions, I felt tremors beneath my feet, with that I anticipated the centipede's charge.

"It's gonna attack from my north - west".

I firmly planted myself, bracing for the imminent impact. As the Centipede burst forth from the ground, stones and dust were propelled towards me in a chaotic flurry. Reacting with perfect timing, I swiftly raised my great sword horizontally, intercepting the Centipede's relentless charge. The sheer force of the creature's assault strained against the resilience of my blade, yet I stood unwavering.

With my sword carving a way through the air, I effortlessly severed two of the Centipede's golden limbs, sending sparks and shards of chitin flying through the air. However, the cunning creature quickly veered past me, eluding further damage, and swiftly disappeared back into the earth, drilling itself into the depths once more.

I prepared myself, anticipating the centipede's attack as it emerged from the earth, its sharp legs digging into the ground.

However, during the course of this confrontation.

The pain in my hands and legs intensified, the nerves visibly throbbing beneath my skin. Blood trickled down my head, due to an injury caused by the rocks and debris that were hurled at me.

With each passing moment, the wound on my leg worsened, rendering it immobile and devoid of sensation. The loss of feeling in my right foot became more apparent, a disheartening realization of the extent of the damage.

"This is bad".

I stood my ground, as the centipede lunged forward its legs slashing through the air.

With a well coordinated spin, while dragging my right foot, I positioned my greatsword diagonally in front of me, precisely deflecting the attack, the blades met with a symphony of steel, each clash echoing through the chasm.

Yet, the creature was unfaced and relentless.

I didn't knew, how much more I could held on.

My vision became darker around the edges.

With my mind, blanking in and out, simultaneously.

The weight of my heavy blade, became harder and harder to bare. As I was practically unable to move, due to my right leg.

On the verge of losing consciousness, while I instinctively positioned my blade, somehow deflecting the relentless assault of the centipede's limbs. However, just as my strength waned, a voice broke through the haze, jolting me back to awareness.

"Mentor... Mentor!"

The urgent cry pierced the air. To my astonishment, it was Marcus and the others, alive and well, emerging into view when I was finally going to give in.

Summoning all my strength, I let out a resolute shout,

"Don't worry about me! Robin, take care of Robin!" Marcus, understanding my plea, firmly responded,

"Right."

In a show of solidarity, Thor Gild's voice rang out, filled with determination,

"Hang in there, my friend. We're on our way to aid you."

For the first time, I felt genuine hope and relief as I saw them.

However, to my surprise, it felt as if the centipede understood what we said. It withdrew its attention from me and lunged towards Marcus, who was heading for Robin. With a swift and deadly motion, its sharp limbs coiled around Marcus, stripping away his flesh. Marcus crumpled to the ground, his life force fading away.

In response, Ikbal fired a lightning fast arrow that pierced the creature's remaining eye.

The air became filled with a dark, ominous fluid as the creature writhed in agony.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the centipede, like a malevolent force of nature, burrowed into the earth, piercing through Robin's body with ruthless precision. The impact of its descent sent Emilia, Thor Gild, Keira, and Sheela hurtling into the root-covered walls, their bodies battered now covered in roots.

(No! No!).

It happened all in a split second that, it felt as If my whole ruined world crumbled around me.

Bringing me back, to my cruel reality,

"I can't defy fate".

"No One can".

"The history will repeat itself, crushing me over and over again. Until I give in".

"Until I give in".