Chapter 53 - Shape Shifting

I was completely flabbergasted. How could I not be? The Esze I cast hit the enemy hard. The owl monster was thrown backward, away from the courtyard where Erik was. The monster's head was badly injured and bleeding fresh red blood. Either its skull was cracked or broken, but hopefully, both happened, and it didn't wake up again. That would be even better!

Erik turned to me, then smiled while giving a thumbs-up gesture with his hand. "That's amazing, Anggi!"

Before I could respond to his compliment, my instincts suddenly picked up on something above me. It wasn't as large as the grotesque bird monster, so I knew it was something different. When I looked up, I saw the figure of a young Elvian leaping from a tree branch while wielding a spear. He landed in the courtyard, plunging his weapon into the wooden floor.

Erik immediately ran closer, intending to attack, but I quickly stopped him. I knew the Elvian standing before us had no intention of harming anyone. In fact, I recognized him as the one who had helped me gain entry into the city of Arnest.

"Elzhar!" I shouted as he lifted his face.

The young Elvian with a center-parted haircut gazed at me intently. It felt like there were countless words he wished to express but was unable to. I could relate. I truly understood the emotions he was experiencing at this moment. The man was looking at someone responsible for transforming his city into a nightmare. Furthermore, Elzhar had been the one to provide that individual with a crucial clue. His emotions must have been a whirlwind.

But I was feeling the same way. I, who had not anticipated this outcome, was also at a loss for words. We exchanged a deep look without any dialogue. Overwhelmed by the guilt weighing on me, I averted my eyes to the ground. I had lost the resolve to meet his gaze.

Elzhar moved closer to me, coming to a halt exactly one meter away. Without any breeze or rainfall, he unexpectedly placed his hand on my cheek and lifted my face. We were compelled to look into each other's eyes.

"There are many things I want to ask you, Anggi!" he said in Elvian. "But not now. Let's talk more after we kill Strigifavorus."

"SS-Strigi what?" I dared to open my mouth for a moment knowing Elzhar could control his emotions. He could have let out his anger, but he chose to hold it in.

"Strigifavorus," the Elvian replied in a flat tone. "That bird has been a legendary creature among the Elvian people for hundreds of thousands of years. According to folklore, the wind Esze is its main power. I never thought that monster would actually exist."

I held his palm, which had been resting on my cheek, and then clasped it tightly against my chest. "Elzhar… I'm sorry! I don't know what else to say. What's clear is that I apologize and truly feel remorseful."

The man shook his head. "Didn't I tell you to put this topic aside until the monster is dead? And I hope your human knight friend who appeared out of nowhere can be of help."

Elzhar shot a pointed, cynical glance at Indra, who stood a short distance away, his presence an anomaly that stirred unease in the air. An Elite Knight of Lurivia, clad in his resplendent armor, stood defiantly amidst the vibrant streets of this Elvian city—an act of boldness that was strictly forbidden for humans. The tension crackled around us; I couldn't shake the feeling that if the Elvians decided to convene a trial, they could easily cite numerous breaches of their sacred laws.

Turning away from me, the young Elvian warrior forcefully yanked his spear from the aged wooden floorboards, splinters flying at the sudden movement. Without hesitation, he sprinted forward, heading straight toward the massive, fallen form of Strigifavorus, the ominous owl monster that lay sprawled against the cobblestones. His fellow city guards quickly rallied behind him, their determination palpable as they moved in unison. I couldn't fathom their intentions, but an unsettling thought crept into my mind—perhaps they aimed to deliver a final, lethal blow, ensuring that Strigifavorus was truly vanquished.

"You know him? What did he say?" asked Indra, who had suddenly appeared beside me without my noticing. He had remained silent all this time because he didn't understand Elvian.

"In short, he is Elzhar, the Elvian who helped us enter this city before. Elzhar mentioned that he would discuss everything with me once the situation is resolved."

Not long after, Dimas approached from behind. The man looked exhausted from running a distance, and he stopped near me, panting heavily. He probably hadn't fully recovered; his energy was clearly depleted.

"Where are Erik and Shella?" I asked in confusion.

Dimas took a moment to gather himself, still catching his breath. Finally, he responded, "Shella is helping to treat the residents who have been evacuated deep into the forest, while Erik is guarding her. Too many Elvians rejected her presence until we could show our good intentions."

I see; I believe I understand the situation. The townspeople would undoubtedly view the arrival of humans with skepticism after this tragedy. It seems that Shella needs to demonstrate her sincerity by treating the injured. Leaving that girl alone among the Elvians is indeed dangerous, as there may still be Elvians with ill intentions toward us. Asking Erik to ensure her safety is the most sensible decision.

"I understand. But what about you? There's no way you've fully recovered!"

"Of course not. Do you think I'm superhuman? My body still hurts," he replied with a wry smile. "Even so, I want to take responsibility and clean up this mess that I created. I won't run away from my responsibilities."

"Good, then we can—"

*KIEEEEEEK!!!!!

Before I could finish my sentence, I suddenly heard a shrill scream that was deafening. My sensitive hearing made the sound so intense that it knocked me down, and I ended up sitting on the wooden floor. Even though I covered my ears with both hands, the echo still reverberated in my head. After a few moments, the excruciating pain began to subside, and I took the opportunity to look around.

I spotted Erik and Dimas, their bodies in a deep bow, as if trying to shield themselves from the agonizing waves of a mysterious sound that echoed around us. Their faces contorted in discomfort, I could see the strain in their expressions, suggesting that even their ears were under siege by the relentless screech. My gaze expanded, taking in the scene around me. A few Elvians lost their grip on the branches of the towering Hanarusa tree, tumbling down like leaves caught in a tempest, unable to withstand the force of the cacophonous noise. Some of them crumpled to the ground, unconscious, a testament to the overwhelming power of the sound.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind surged through the area, whipping around with such ferocity that it threatened to uproot everything in its path. I instinctively raised my arms to shield my eyes from the swirling debris and blinding dust. Squinting against the chaos, I tried to pinpoint the source of the disturbance.

Then, out of nowhere, a colossal figure loomed before me, its presence both awe-inspiring and terrifying. A chill ran down my spine as shock and fear gripped me, making it hard to breathe amid the turmoil surrounding us.

I had expected this moment, but I never thought Strigifavorus would change form. The wings that had once been cut off grew back, and I realized that not one, but two pairs of wings had become larger. This was evident when he spread them wide.

The most striking aspect of his transformation was that his feathers, which had originally been dark, now burned bright like fire. No, not just bright; his feathers emitted actual flames. It was so hot that the leaves and tree trunks around him caught fire, worsening the blaze threatening the city.

The heat reached where I was standing and made my body start to sweat. Indra even took off his armor because he didn't want his body to be cooked in that armor.

"Fuck! What the hell is that?" Indra cursed as he slammed his armor onto the floor. "The monster recovered as if my attack was just a joke."

"Not only that, its appearance is very different from before," Dimas remarked, his eyes never leaving Strigifavorus.

"I have a bad feeling about this." For some reason, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. How could it not? Just injuring the owl monster had nearly cost me and Dimas our lives. What would it take to defeat a Strigifavorus that had transformed like this? The current incarnation of Strigifavorus looked like a beast from hell, here to spread terror and despair.

Suddenly without warning, the bird monster flying in front of me puffed out its chest and shot a fireball that shot towards me along with Indra and Dimas. We immediately threw our bodies to the side to avoid the attack. The fireball destroyed the wooden floor and the building behind us. It even managed to knock down a Hanarusa tree until its trunk almost hit me.

"How are we going to beat him?" I asked in a panicked tone.

Before anyone could muster a suggestion, Strigifavorus unleashed another searing fireball from its gaping maw, forcing us to scatter in all directions. I darted toward the wooden bridge, determined to reach the towering tree on the other side. The colossal creature bombarded us with fireballs the size of an adult's torso, but strangely, its wrath seemed focused solely on me.

As I navigated the intricately winding wooden paths and bridges, I attempted to outsmart the beast, but no matter how I twisted and turned, its fiery gaze remained locked onto me. Indra and Dimas valiantly tried to divert the creature's attention; however, it brushed them off as if they were nothing more than insignificant pebbles beneath its feet. The monstrous Strigifavorus, no longer soaring through the air as it had before, had fixated on me as its sole target, abandoning its threat to the entire city.

Its massive form plodded after me, crashing through the gaps between the stately Hanarusa trees. There were moments when it would leap, its immense bulk crashing onto a branch overhead with a thunderous impact, forcing me to quickly seek an alternative path to evade its grasp. Several Elvians armed with javelins launched their futile assaults from various angles, yet they were powerless against the fifty-meter-tall titan. With a mere shift of its massive body, Strigifavorus summoned flames that radiated in every direction, the heat washing over me like a scorching wave, a vivid reminder of the danger that loomed ever closer.Burning part of the body of the Elvian who intended to attack him.

A wave of confusion washed over me as I feared for Elzhar, one of the victims who had died. I turned back and saw him lying near the roots of the Hanarusa tree. Fortunately, he hadn't burned to death; he had just fallen and fainted. One of his friends was pulling his body to take cover under a fallen tree trunk.

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least he was alive for now, and I was grateful for that. A moment later, Strigifavorus narrowed his eyes at me, puffing out his chest as big as he could.

"Oh no! This is going to be a powerful attack!" I said in fear as I watched the giant owl prepare to strike.

I swiftly grabbed the Viglet staff that hung from my belt, its wood cool and familiar against my palm. Raising the tip of Viglet toward the looming figure of Strigifavorus, I felt my heart race as I closed my eyes, striving to tap into the depths of my concentration. The air around me crackled with anticipation as I attempted to harness the elemental energy coursing through me and channel it into the staff. I knew that the next attack would be nothing short of catastrophic if I failed. Thank the stars I had lured it to the outskirts of the city; the destruction this battle would wreak in the crowded city center was too terrifying to contemplate.

In an instant, I felt an electrifying surge of power spill from my Esze circuit into Viglet's staff—a rush of energy unlike anything I had ever experienced. Memories flashed through my mind; I had always been wary of pushing the limits of my Esze energy, knowing that overexertion could plunge me into unconsciousness. But now, faced with the stark reality of life and death, there was no room for hesitation. The agility with which I had evaded his deadly attacks was fading, and soon I would have to stand my ground.

Before I could fully gather my thoughts, Strigifavorus unleashed a roaring fireball, embers swirling and expanding into a monstrous orb, its heat radiating outward like the sun. It hurtled toward me with terrifying speed!

Drawing upon every ounce of strength I had left, I released a torrent of Esze energy from the tip of Viglet Harapan staff. In response, a colossal gust of wind materialized, a swirling tempest that surged forward, rivaling the size of a one-story house. Yet, as I sent forth this incredible burst of energy, I felt an unsettling drain on my strength, as if my vitality was being siphoned away. My knees buckled, and I sank down, a wave of weakness washing over me. But despite my weariness, my gaze remained locked on the path ahead—the only beacon of hope in the chaos surrounding me.

It was the greatest attack I had ever unleashed. Moreover, when combined with the power of Prince Keylan's Hope Viglet, it could strengthen its user's Esze many times over. I was confident that this attack could neutralize the fireball and injure the owl monster.

In a split second, Strigifavorus' fireball collided with my wind clump in midair, creating a shockwave and a cloud of smoke that spread out over a radius of several hundred meters. I was close to the impact and was knocked backward by the force of the shockwave. My entire back ached, as if a joint had been broken. It felt like my body must have hit something during the fall.

It was the greatest attack I had ever unleashed. Moreover, when combined with the power of Prince Keylan's Hope Viglet, it could strengthen its user's Esze many times over. I was confident that this attack could neutralize the fireball and injure the owl monster.

In a split second, Strigifavorus' fireball collided with my wind clump in midair, creating a shockwave and a cloud of smoke that spread out over a radius of several hundred meters. I was close to the impact and was knocked backward by the force of the shockwave. My entire back ached, as if a joint had been broken. It felt like my body must have hit something during the fall.

Horror suddenly devoured me whole, and cold sweat began to come out of my pores. Strigifavorus's gaze stared straight at me. He puffed out his chest again to do the same attack pattern as before.

What should I do?

I wanted so badly to get out of this place. But unfortunately, my body didn't want to listen at all. I saw Dimas trying to run towards me. But with that distance, there was no way he could make it. In slow motion, I could see the Strigifavorus' mouth slowly open and glow. Inside its beak was a ball of fire that was ready to burn my body in the next few seconds.

"Move, you bastard!" I cursed in desperation. I thrashed my legs hoping to shock my nerves and get my body up.

When I felt like I was on the verge of death, suddenly a miracle came at the right time. Out of nowhere, suddenly there was a slash from Esze's wind elemental knife in the air. It hit Strigifavorus' neck and made him scream in pain while canceling his attack. I immediately turned to where the wind knife came from and found a figure I didn't expect.