The Prodigies: The Return of Equinox

Chapter Fifteen - Fighting the fire

"You're a strange one." The creature released itself from the web and approached the figure. It loomed over the humanoid shape. The shape looked up. It stood a few feet shorter than the shade, but it wasn't scared.

"But I will be your demise," said the shape. The voice sounding only vaguely human. "Let it be known that insects will be your end." It was Voleria. From inside its body flowed hundreds of beetles to the surface. Each one covering Voleria's body in constant movement.

"Should demons be scared of insects?" It then impaled Voleria with the same arm it tried to kill Winter with. The speed was blinding, but the beetles reacted just as fast. Yet, it was to no avail. The beetles were punctured, their deceptively solid and hard bodies were no match for the strength of the shade. The shade's hand was now on the other side of Voleria, but the mass of insects didn't seem to care. Rather, Voleria's body began to move up the length of the porcelain arm. Everything the body touched was being shredded. The porcelain skin had been eaten away where Voleria was. Soon after this started sharp vibrations started emanating from the creature. The vibrations caused panic and chaos in the mass of insects and they all split from each other in moment.

"So it seems you do have a weakness." Said the shade behind it's glossy white mask. The bleach white eyes of the monster grew tiny pupils. Silver irises soon followed. The "blood" that oozed from its body stopped, and the damage it had endured started to reverse itself. Flesh grew from exposed wounds, and the skin grew over the flesh, closing gaps in the gloss armor. The shade slowly grew thicker. It had started to gain mass. The thin twig-like limbs grew to the size of tree branches. "But either way, you've taken too long to try and harm me. I only grow stronger the longer I am alive." Voleria reformed in front of the shade.

"You forget that insects adapt to any situation the best." Voleria jumped away from the shade and formed its bow. Before Voleria could land it fired two arrows. One hit the shoulder of the creature and on impact webbing had started to fly and cover the surrounding area. Spiders anchored their webs onto any surface they could find, spreading throughout its body as the shade made a half-hearted effort to remove them. The second arrow hit one of its knees. Termites, ants, beetles swarmed on the leg. They began work on devouring the skin of the monster. Sharp vibrations arose again.

Before the vibrations could end another arrow flew towards the shade, but this one was different than the ones before. This one was made of bugs long dead and freshly deceased. Their bodies stiff, hard, and without care for vibrations. The arrow met its mark on the shade's knee where the skin was devoured. The arrow pierced through the flesh and the tip poked out the other side of the leg. Sharper vibrations and hums poured from the shade and a faint sound of screaming came from behind the mask of the thing. Voleria was now incapacitated from the over stimulation. It slowly lost it's human shape and devolved into a web net filled with too many insects.

The shade slowly made its way toward Voleria, it visibly had difficulty in moving. The pierced leg dragged, and the rest of the legs now had to work with the shot leg being dead weight and getting in the way. The "blood" of the creature wouldn't stop oozing even though the wound had tried to seal itself. It was clearly injured.

Before it got too close a wall of stone, dirt, and grass rose between the shade and Voleria.

"All of the Mother's creations are under my protection. And you are no creation of the Mother" said a voice of stone, heat, and earth.

"And who is it that dares interrupt the cull of a lesser being?"

"Core, the Promise. As a protector I will defeat you!" Core came through the hallway slowly. With him the room became noticeable warmer.

"And I as well!" Seilan jumped over the Zorfec to reveal himself. He was armed to the teeth. Two swords, four knives, and a bow with arrows. When Seilan laid eyes on the creature he saw he was not at all prepared for what this thing was. It was an evil thing of porcelain skin, impossible geometry, and sickening presence. It could only see Voleria collapsed on the ground struggling and buzzing wildly.

"I've already took care of four of your kind, human. Do not test me." Seilan gave out a small whimper. He nearly started to change to Seilana, but he held firm. He had trained to fight a demigod. He looked towards Core, and Core looked back at him. They both nodded. Seilan charged towards the beast and Core protected him in anyway ze could.

Seilan swiped upwards with his sword, perhaps more violently than he would have under normal circumstances. The shade step away and stabbed towards Seilan. It didn't matter though, he was protected by Core. Seilan needed to find out how this thing fought. Just a few more seconds and he would have answers on how to beat it. He stabbed, got close, distanced himself. He danced with sword and knife in hand, unleashing a flurry of blows both precise and powerful. The shade retaliated in equal and greater measure. It slashed, stabbed and rushed at Seilan. It might have already killed him were it not for Core. After a minute of fighting Core brought up two walls and forcibly separated both Seilan and the shade.

"Thank you for that, I think I have it figured out."

"You think so?" Croaked the Zorfec with clear unease.

"Yes." Assured Seilan. "Whatever this thing is, it doesn't have much experience in actual combat. It's tells are blatant, even if they happen really fast. It's not precise in its movement, its foot work is sloppy, and it's only targeting center mass or my head. Clearly, this thing doesn't know how to kill a person."

"And you do?"

"I've been trained to kill a demigod. They have all the same workings as a normal human. Of course though, this thing isn't human."

"I'd say it's much more the opposite in every sense of its existence."

"Clearly. Just cover me, ok?"

"Got it. But what about Garvhoz and Svetra?"

"They'll need to take care of themselves for now. There are more important and dangerous things present."