Glass or Diamond: Fairy's Wish

Episode 32: Murtoa of Lakia Fights the Coratodra

The name Neekimuugorr is a name that belongs to a creature so terrifying to the tribe of the Zaereens, that the creature possessing the name is revered as a sort of god, or at the very least, a divine judge of worthiness.

For centuries, the Zaereens have performed a rite of passage known as the Rite of the Goddess Moon, during which chosen champions -one of whom brandishes the legendary heroic sword known as Zaermaa- do battle with the Neekimuugorr. Few survive the ordeal, but if any one of the chosen can manage to sever the head of the Neekimuugorr, that warrior is deemed a hero and worthy of further trials and rites within the Zaereens.

To a professional colossus slayer such as Murtoa of Lakia, the Neekimuugorr is actually known as a coratodra, a species of hydra-like creature that sprouts two new heads every time one is severed.

Murtoa has only fought one before, and he managed to kill it after hours of trial and error and several tactical retreats. Naturally, he figured out quickly that severing heads was not an option, but he also discovered that the heads get in each others' way. Utilizing this can help him not only thin their numbers by knocking some heads unconscious with concussive blows from its compatriots, but he can also tangle their necks and disorient the monster. And, though it's often disadvantageous to him, severing heads from the beast can buy him moments of recess while it recoils in pain and regenerates the two new heads.

Attrition is obviously not an option with a coratodra, but a sort of blitzkrieg is. Coratodras typically have several hearts for feeding blood to its many brains. Wounding one isn't enough to kill it, but injecting an air bubble into its arterial system is. Mury used a similar method as when fighting the Nightenmael, though in the Nightenmael's case, he drove a pike into the colossus's brain with an explosion, and for the coratodra, he ended up forcing a massive air bubble into an exposed artery using one of his blast flutes.

He may not have his gear, but he currently has the spirit of the wind at his disposal.

Or, he did.

Murtoa looks around during a brief moment of recess following two more severed heads. He's getting tired, but he's close to the body, and the monster is also a little tired. He shouts, "COCO! WHERE'S SCHIERANNA!?"

The teen pops up from her hiding place, shouting back, "She flew inn'e gabhole!"

Mury grits his teeth. She was undoubtedly well-intentioned, but it hinders his current plan. He has no way to communicate with her, and he was trying to recall how he actually killed it while holding it at bay. Fortunately, mature coratodras don't tend to move, as they typically find a place they're content with and feed off of anything and everything that approaches via the tunnels the heads can protrude from.

The coratodra suddenly squirms, seemingly forgetting about him for a moment as it groans. Several of the mouths rumble, and their heads shake, battering other heads around them.

Mury smiles under his helmet. "Fair enough."

Several of the heads roar, but the sensation continues, and the disoriented creature tries to flex its large abdomen to work the gas out of its system. Unfortunately, air is also being drawn in, and even though it tries to batter those heads allowing air in, new heads simply pull air in after.

Schieranna has rather fine control over air and wind, meaning to force a burp, she's managing to pressurize the coratodra's body.

And, Mury has a blade that should be long enough to pierce to its stomach.

He sprints in close while it's distracted, jamming the blade in with his remaining strength. He has to step into the blow, shoving with a second surge to get more depth, and the monster howls, noticing him.