The first strike came faster than even Lyerin anticipated. A grotesque creature with a torso covered in jagged spines lunged at him, its ws extended and dripping with a thick, ck substance that hissed as it hit the ground.
Lyerin sidestepped effortlessly, hisughter ringing out as the beast crashed into a nearby rock, shattering it into fragments.
"That all you''ve got?" he taunted, his voiceced with mockery. "I was expecting more from you lot!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, another creature attacked—a towering monstrosity with limbs like twisted branches and eyes that glowed an eerie violet. It moved with unsettling speed, its ws aiming straight for Lyerin''s head.
Lyerin ducked low, spinning on his heel to avoid the strike. As he turned, he swung his de upward, the silver edge glinting briefly before it sliced through one of the creature''s elongated arms. The severed limb fell to the ground with a sickening squelch, writhing as if it were alive.
The beast let out an ear-piercing screech, its violet eyes burning brighter as it reared back in pain. But Lyerin didn''t stop. He lunged forward, shing at the creature''s torso, hisughter growing louder and more unhinged with each swing.
The other beasts didn''t wait for an invitation. They surged forward as one, a mass of writhing limbs and gnashing teeth. Lyerin''s movements were a blur as he weaved between them, his de cutting through flesh and bone with terrifying precision.
One creature—a hulking brute with a mouth that split its face in half—leapt at him, its jaws snapping shut inches from his shoulder. Lyerin twisted his body, nting his foot against the beast''s chest and kicking it backward. The creature tumbled into itspanions, sending them sprawling in a heap of tangled limbs.
"Too clumsy!" Lyerin shouted, his voice filled with glee. "You''ll never catch me like that!"
As he spoke, another beast—a serpentine creature with scales that shimmered like molten gold—coiled around him, its massive body squeezing with crushing force. For a moment, it seemed as though Lyerin was caught.
But then, heughed.
"You think this is enough to stop me?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. His de red with energy as he swung it in a wide arc, slicing clean through the serpent''s body. The creature let out a strangled hiss before copsing to the ground in two twitching halves.
As the fight raged on, the ground beneath them became slick with blood and ichor. The air was thick with the stench of death, but Lyerin onlyughed harder, his joy seeming to grow with every passing moment.
The spined beast lunged at him again, its ws glowing with a sickly green light. Lyerin met its attack head-on, their sh sending shockwaves through the air. The force of the impact pushed him back several feet, but he regained his footing quickly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Finally! Now we''re talking!" he roared, charging at the beast with renewed vigor.
Their battle was a chaotic dance of strikes and counterstrikes, each move faster and more brutal than thest. Lyerin''s de became a blur, cutting through the air with a high-pitched whine as it met the beast''s ws again and again.
The other creatures didn''t wait their turn. They attacked relentlessly, their screeches and growls blending into a horrifying cacophony. Lyerin was surrounded, their ws and teething at him from all directions.
But he didn''t falter.
"Come on!" he shouted, his voice filled with exhration. "All of you at once! Let''s see what you''re really made of!"
As the fight dragged on, the beasts began to adapt. Their attacks became more coordinated, their movements more precise. Lyerin found himself forced to dodge and parry faster than ever, hisughter tinged with the faintest hint of strain.
One of the beasts—a creature with translucent wings and a body covered in glowing runes—hovered above him, its eyes fixed on him with predatory intent. It let out a haunting screech before diving toward him, its ws aimed for his throat.
Lyerin raised his de just in time, the impact sending sparks flying. But before he could counter, another beast struck him from behind, its ws raking across his back.
He stumbled forward, his breath hitching for the first time. Blood seeped from the wound, staining his coat, but Lyerin only grinned.
"Finally making me work for it, huh?" he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "Good. I was getting bored."
He straightened, his de glowing with an otherworldly light. With a roar, heunched himself at the nearest beast, his movements faster and more aggressive than ever. His strikes were a flurry of shes and stabs, each onending with devastating precision.
The fight reached its peak, the intensity almost unbearable. The ground shook beneath their feet, cracks forming as the sheer force of their battle tore thendscape apart. Trees splintered and fell, their massive trunks crashing to the ground with deafening booms.
Lyerin moved like a whirlwind, his de a streak of silver light as it tore through the horde. Hisughter echoed across the battlefield, loud and wild, as if he were reveling in the chaos.
The spined beast let out a guttural roar, charging at him with renewed fury. Lyerin met it head-on, their sh creating a shockwave that sent the other creatures flying. The two of them fought with unparalleled ferocity, their strikes shaking the very air around them.
Finally, with a triumphant cry, Lyerin plunged his de into the beast''s chest. It let out one final screech before copsing to the ground, its body twitching before going still.
As thest beast fell, silence descended on the battlefield. Lyerin stood in the center, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His coat was torn, his body covered in cuts and bruises, but his grin remained unwavering.
"Now that was a fight," he said, his voice hoarse but filled with satisfaction. He looked around at the carnage, his eyes gleaming with pride. "You lot didn''t make it easy, I''ll give you that."
He sheathed his de, hisughter echoing one final time before fading into the stillness. "Time to see what you left me," he muttered, turning toward the remains of the fallen beasts.