Zectas Volume III: Malediction of Veneficatl Valley Page 12

  As his men worked, Smoke began to manipulate the controllable soil. He turned the soil into a thin, hard hexagonal shape and assembled them into pavements.

  He stretched the usage of the controllable soil as much as he could. The road now looked like a honey bee's screen board because of its hexagonal shape.

  Smoke then made gardens beside the public roads and asked Adder to plant toxin neutralizing trees in them. With those two tasks finished, he started on the closed canals.

  He used his Digger's Wand's Trenching ability and created a small canal. He connected it to the various animal pens in his targeted area and had them exit to the various gardens beside the roads.

  They tirelessly worked for the next three days. During this time, he observed everyone's progress. Laernea and Neffe's work with the durcules beetles became an instant success with the residents.

  Smoke saw how Ichaival and Espion already gained friends as they traveled around the area gathering the ingredients for detoxification meal that could feed the entire population of Pferde.

  At the same time, the two of them also talked about the dangerous health risks that the filth and the garbage caused the residents.

  With the help of monsters' Coprohagus ability, both Laernea and Neffe cleared out all the waste and garbage in the targeted area within the span of three days.

  Smoke watched their progress with satisfaction, but he was especially happy for his first private army member, Adder. He smiled as he watched Adder plant the trees and the flowers in the garden by the road. Adder clearly enjoyed working with both his hands as he designed the road side gardens.

  Currently, one fourth of Pferde looked like a an eco friendly village. As the third day came to a close, Smoke asked the residents of the village to join them for a feast.

  When Smoke heard that Rudel couldn't bring enough tables to hold the residents in the area, Smoke made it into a standing feast.

  In this manner Deropa, Rudel, and the residents of the area got to mingle with each other. They also witnessed the early changes in their village.

  As they ate the detoxification meal that Adder, Ichaival, and Espion prepared, the residents of Pferde slowly felt better and stronger. Smoke and his men also explained to the residents the reason why they got sick and what they should do to prevent it.

  Smoke asked them for volunteers who would want to help maintain the health of Pferde by collecting the trash or walking the durcules beetles. He also taught them about proper waste disposal for their animal's excrement.

  The Centaurs' immediate recovery from their plagued status inspired a small group of Centaurs to raise their hands.

  Suddenly, a notification window popped up.

  + Quest Update: Improve Pferde Village

  [STATUS: Plagued 75%]

  Smoke smirked. It only took him three days to reduce the village's plagued status by 25%, but their celebration was cut short when Pferde's alarm went off!

  * * * * * *

  Smoke, Igniz and Rudel immediately went up to the skies and flew towards the sound of the alarm. Smoke couldn't describe Rudel's face when he saw a platoon of fifty mutated Centaurs.

  The monsters came and attacked the opposite side of the village. They broke through the village walls and slaughtered their own kin, the monsters did not even spare the women and children. The normal Centaurs stood no chance against the mutated Centaurs' surprise attack.

  From the sky, Smoke saw a smaller group clustered behind the mutated Centaur's platoon. With his Telefax Vision, Smoke zoomed in and saw two Tikbalangs guarding a single Witch.

  The Tikbalangs had red eyes and gnashing teeth. Sharp black spines grew out of its head and served as its mane. The Tikbalang's lengthy horse hoof limbs gave the monster a hunched appearance. It's muscular human-like legs looked strong but not fast.

  Within the chaos, Smoke noticed a mutated Centaur severing the dead Centaur's in half. The monster separated the Human and horse halves of the dead Centaur.

  The mutated Centaur collected ten Human upper bodies and ran towards the Witch. Five dead Centaurs on each of the monster's massive arms.

  As the mutated Centaur got closer to the Witch, Smoke noticed that the Witch stood at the center of a large casting circle made out of black blood.

  When the mutated Centaur got inside the casting circle, the Witch began some weird movements and released a black ball of miasma from her hands. The black ball flew directly above her.

  A dome of black blood sprang out from the casting circle and closed in on the floating black ball. Eventually, the dome of black blood enveloped the Witch and the mutated Centaur.

  Red lightning randomly sparked out from the black dome. A few seconds later, the dome receded into the black ball of miasma which dropped down back to the Witch.

  Instead of a mutated Centaur, Smoke saw a newly created Tikbalang standing together with the Witch.

  Still gliding in midair, Smoke racked his brain for answers. He couldn't think of a strategy to handle forty-nine mutated Centaurs, three Tikbalangs, and a Witch with unknown powers.

  Then, Smoke heard Adder and his private army members accompanied by Pferde's remaining 200 military forces on the ground. He saw them engage the forty-nine mutated Centaurs.

  Night time came, and the yellow moon slowly rose from the west. Laernea's five durcules beetles transformed into their predator state and attacked the mutated Centaurs.

  Laernea helped the durcules beetles by attacking the same targets with her Long Bow and fire arrows. Adder charged to the front and met the mutated Centaurs with his emerald tower shield and double bladed Blitzsturm. Ichaival and Espion followed closely behind the Condortlian and supported him from all sides.

  Everything changed when the reinforcements arrived. Smoke opened their party channel which contained Adder, Ichaival, Espion, Laernea and Rudel. He quickly spoke with his teammates and told them the strategy.

  He ordered Laernea to stay behind and help out the normal Centaurs against their mutated kin. Adder, Ichaival, and Espion would push forward and aim for the three Tikbalangs, while Rudel would wait for Smoke's signal before he would grab the Witch and take her away from her Tikbalang guardians.

  Smoke, Igniz, and Rudel waited for Adder, Ichaival, and Espion to get into position before he gave out the command. "GO!" Smoke yelled.

  The DarkElf closed the wings of his cloak and instantly dove down with Igniz. He had his symbiote orbit around him rapidly, his body was engulfed in dark purple flames and became a crashing comet.

  THUD!

  He aimed for the center of the three Tikbalangs and landed on the newly created monster. Molten rocks flew in all directions. All the Tikbalangs were stunned for five seconds. two monsters were blown away by Smoke's Comet Crush ability.

  The newly created Tikbalang he crushed with his landing displayed its life bar (75,000/250,000 HP). Smoke's Beast Monarch ability tripled his damage on the monster.

  Equipped with his weighted chain and sickle, Smoke dropped his heavy iron ball over the stunned Tikbalang's face and finished the monster off.

  He left the rest of the stunned Tikbalangs to Adder, Ichaival, and Espion. He went directly after the Witch. He used his Lunar Boot's increased speed to dash forward towards the Witch.

  Smoke's Comet Crush ability distracted the Witch. Simultaneously, Rudel flew behind her and grabbed the Witch away from her Tikbalang guardians.

  They had flown five-hundred-meters away from the Tikbalangs, when the Witch struck Rudel's face. The Volataur released the Witch in midair and she fell down, but she created an earth pillar to catch her.

  'What?! She could manipulate the land in this area?' Smoke wondered how high her Earth Affinity and Earth Manipulation was.

  * * * * * *

  Adder, Ichaival, and Espion arrived in front of the stunned Tikbalangs. They immediately went after the first Tikbalang on the ground.

  Unfortunately, the Tikbalang regained consciousness. The monster immediately stood up and displayed its life
bar shown over its head (230,299/400,000 HP).

  Even against the intimidating Tikbalang, Adder did not stop his charge. He leapt up and dove back down with his emerald tower shield in front of him, but the Tikbalang easily evaded the Condortlian's attack.

  The monster used its lengthy horse fists and attacked Adder. Expertly, Adder brought his emerald tower shield in front of the Tikbalang's path.

  Despite the defense of his heavy tower shield, Adder flew three meters back. After he received the Tikbalang's attack. Ichaival gave Adder cover fire as he relentlessly attacked the Tikbalang with his poison and fire arrows.

  Espion ran to the sides of the Tikbalang and attacked the monster with his throwing daggers. He was aiming for the Tikbalang's back.

  The young Spy was so focused on the Tikbalang in front of him that he didn't notice the other Tikbalang behind him. He was about to be hit when four adolescent durcules beetles came out from the sides and rammed the monster with their black horns.

  Thankfully, Laernea's hard headed nature saved Espion. She ordered her durcules beetles to attack the second Tikbalang.

  The Tikbalang cried out in pain as its life bar displayed (152,073/400,000 HP). The monster raised his hooves up into the air and aimed for the durcules beetles still plunged to its body.

  As the monster's hooves came down, the mother durcules beetle flew in front of her child and took the Tikbalang's attack to her head.

  The mother durcules beetle's horn broke off, but the Tikbalang did not stop. It held the adult durcules beetle with one of its hooves and kept on attacking her head.

  Laernea attacked the Tikbalang with her fire arrows, but it had no effect on the monster. Espion got on the Tikbalang's back and stabbed its shoulders with his green dual knives. His knives' Paralysis ability, slowed the Tikbalang's attack.

  However, Espion was too late. The Tikbalang managed one more attack on the durcules' head and it fell off.

  The Spy yelled out as it mercilessly stabbed the Tikbalang's back. Laernea broke down in tears as she kept on attacking with her fire arrows.

  The adolescent durcules beetles repeatedly stabbed the Tikbalang and they finally killed the beast. Even as the Tikbalang laid down on the ground the durcules beetles kept on attacking the monster.

  Laernea and Espion willed themselves to focus on the battle at hand. Adder was still in a bind. He tried his best to defend against the Tikbalang's attack, but he could not get an attack in.

  Only Ichaival's arrows penetrated the monster. Yet even with Ichaival's increased attack, the Tikbalang's life bar still shown (150,299/400,000 HP).

  With the Tikbalang focused on Adder, Espion stealthily sneaked up onto the Tikbalang's back and began his paralysis specialty.

  The Tikbalang tried to attack Espion with its hooves, but received Adder's Emerald Bash instead. The stunned monster stood motionless as Smoke's private army unleashed their attacks on the beast and killed it.

  * * * * * *

  Smoke switched to his power chainsaw bow and attacked the Witch from a distance. The Witch kept on creating earth pillars to block the DarkElf's line of sight.

  'Man, why can't I control the ground here!'

  Rudel flew in and out with his bastard sword, but was always met with an earth shield.

  "Nyahahaha Nyak nyak nyak nyak." The Witch laughed. "You two are very persistent. I could sense the Earth Manipulation ability in both of you. Yet, you can't do anything with my defense. Nyak nyak nyak nyak."

  Smoke remained calm and focused on attacking the Witch, but a little psych-war always helped.

  "Don't worry. We'll kill you soon enough. Just like how my men killed your precious Tikbalangs!"

  Smoke watched as the Witch turned her attention to her precious Tikbalangs. Eight poison arrows damaged the witches sides and revealed her name and life bar. Witch of Wysteria: Terrabelle (561,025/600,000 HP).

  This attack confirmed his suspicion. The Witch had enormous life, but also had terrible physical defense.

  The Witch retaliated by launching several earth pikes at the DarkElf. Smoke easily avoided them with the aid of his Cunning of the Dire Fox, Agility of the Horned Rabbit, and 60% Earth affinity.

  He could not control the land they were fighting on, but he could easily sense them. Terrabelle's earth pikes attack left her wide open.

  Rudel swiftly came down from the air and plunged his bastard sword into her stomach. Despite her sword wound, Terrabelle would not allow to go down easily.

  The Volataur's hooves sank deep into the ground as she softened and hardened the earth instantly. Rudel spread his wings and tried to fly away, but Terrabelle's earth pikes pierced through them. Rudel's life bar displayed (229,210/250,000 HP).

  Smoke watched from afar as Rudel resolved himself to sacrifice his life for Terrabelle's. Rudel held onto the Witch's shoulders with his left hand while kept on stabbing the her stomach with his bastard sword on his right.

  Each of Rudel's attacks damaged the Witch for 5,000 points. Terrabelle's life bar displayed (370,025/600,000 HP). The Witch released her hold on Rudel's hooves and sent him flying with an earth pillar attack directly below his horse half's stomach.

  His crouched position hid his presence well. Smoke sneaked a peek and saw Rudel blown high into the air. Rudel opened his wings and stopped midair.

  The Volataur smirked at the Witch. As her gaze went from him, high up in the air then down to the pain in her stomach. Rudel left his bastard sword lunged inside her.

  While Terrabelle's attention was on Rudel, Smoke silently crept closer to her. The moment he saw her in writhe pain from Rudel's bastard sword, Smoke activated his weighted chain and sickle's ability, Cyclone of Slaughter.

  Smoke's iron chain moved on its own. It created a steel vortex of continuous moving iron chains whipping and slashing Terrabelle.

  "Aaaauuuggggk! Aaaauuugh! Owwwwccch!" Terrabelle cried out in pain, every time she received the weighted iron chain's damage.

  Smoke's Cyclone of Slaughter finished its attack. The Witch's life bar drained to (61,129/600,000 HP). Terrabelle patiently waited for the DarkElf's attack to stop.

  When Smoke's weighted iron chain stopped moving, Terrabelle released a black ball of miasma five times larger than the one from before. The black miasma orb flew fast from her hands.

  Terrabelle's attack stopped directly on top of the mutated Centaurs and the normal Centaurs. The two sides were occupied battling each other.

  As the Witch's attack flew, Smoke simultaneously intertwined his weighted iron chain around her. He tightened the iron chains right after the black miasma orb stopped on top of the mutated Centaurs.

  "Stop, DarkElf!" Terrabelle yelled out. "If you don't want the mutated Centaurs to fully transform into Tikbalangs. After all, there's still a way to save them!"

  Smoke stopped his weighted iron chain's constriction attack.

  "You're lying! You're just buying time." The DarkElf answered back.

  "True. I could be lying, but are you willing to risk that chance? Do you think your flying friend wouldn't want to save his people?"

  Smoke saw that Rudel was listening in on their conversation intently. "So, how do we save them?"

  "Set me free and I'll revert the mutated Centaurs' curse."

  Deep in his heart, he knew that Terrabelle was lying. Yet, he still had to consider Rudel's opinion. He didn't want to have a fall out with his future ally.

  Smoke's dilemma reflected on his face. Suddenly, Terrabelle launched two earth pillars from both the DarkElf's sides and closed in to crush him.

  He sensed the attack and dodged backwards. His evasive maneuver made the weighted iron chains increase Terrabelle's constriction.

  Smoke's constriction attack made the Witch release her control over the black miasma orb. Black blood was released from the black orb and created a casting circle, with the mutated and normal Centaurs inside it.

  The Centaurs caught inside the casting circle were oblivious to their surroundings. They fought on with
their lives on the line.

  After the casting circle was completed, a black dome rose from the ground. It originated from the black blood, which made the casting circle.

  Smoke looked up. He saw Rudel flew faster than he had ever seen him fly before. The black dome was closing in on the black miasma orb.

  The DarkElf's tight constriction stunned Terrabelle and left her with 2% of her life bar remaining. He focused his attention on the zooming Volataur up in the sky.