Chapter 17: The Adventure of Roe (11)

As I gazed at Zam's lifeless body, an overwhelming wave of sorrow and fury surged through me. I was too late to protect my people—these people who are my children. For I am their god, and yet, now that I stand here in my avatar form, I am still too late to save them. Damn it, damn it, damn it!

Momoa, tears streaming down his face, knelt beside Zam and cried out, "You will pay for everything you have done!"

The monster, a twisted mix of human and sea creature, smirked at Momoa's words. "That is the law of the world," it stated, its tone devoid of remorse. "The strong survive, while the weak perish—much like how you Eldoans prey upon fish because of your superior strength."

With a chilling gaze towards the sky, it continued, "It's only natural. Because You are predators, and the fish are your prey." Then, fixing its malevolent gaze upon me, it concluded, "What I've done is merely a reflection of the same principle you all abide by."

The creature's words hit me hard, the harsh truth echoing in my mind. It was a twisted version of the natural order, a sick justification for its terrible actions. The thought that my own creation had become such a nightmare of survival made me shiver.

Then Momoa's grief turned into fierce determination as he stood up, his eyes burning with anger. "You think you can excuse your actions by comparing them to how we live?" he shouted, his voice shaking with rage. "You are just a monster, preying on the innocent to satisfy your own twisted desires!"

The monster's smirk widened, reveling in Momoa's anguish. "Ah, but isn't that the essence of existence?" it taunted, its voice dripping with malice. "Just like I said, a survival of the fittest, the strong devouring the weak...it is the way of the world, is it not?"

Then, with a dark glint in its eye, it continued, "also are the fish not innocent too? Yet they fall victim to your strength. See? just as I hunt mine,you hunt yours. Because in the End we are all the same creature who are bound by the law of these world.

Belz stepped forward, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. "No," she said firmly. "We may be creatures of this world, bound by its laws and limitations, but we are also capable of rising above them. We can choose compassion over cruelty, kindness over malice. That is what sets us apart from beasts like you."

The monster's gaze narrowed, its expression shifting from amusement to something akin to curiosity. " You lots really cling to your ideals even in the face of undeniable truth," it said, sounding almost impressed. "Interesting."

Then Suddenly, the monstrous creature exclaimed excitedly, " Now I really can't wait to devour you all!" it sneered, its voice dripping with malice and hunger. But there was something more to its hunger—it was a thirst for knowledge, a desire to consume and absorb us to gain insights into our world and its mysteries.

But Jono,filled with resolve, stood tall amidst the chaos. "You can't beat us. We still have nine members," he declared, his voice carrying a sense of determination despite the fear showing in his eyes.

As I glanced around at my remaining comrades—Lowena, Ediz, Lero, Mero, Xea, Jono, Momoa, Belz, and myself—I felt a surge of determination. Though we were fewer in number, we still had all we needed to defeat this monster.

However, the creature's response sent a chill down my spine. "Very well," it chuckled darkly, before suddenly convulsing in pain. "Aurg!!" it cried out, its agony echoing through the scene. The sudden convulsion caught us off guard, filling the room with an unsettling tension.

Suddenly, to our shock, we witnessed a grotesque transformation. A miniature version of the monster emerged from its body, as if it were some kind of twisted replication,It was almost like something out of Dragon Ball Z, where Cell divided and created Cell Juniors.

"How about now? We are now nine, so it's fair, right?" the creature jeered, its voice filled with sarcasm and cunning.

Jono couldn't help but curse quietly to himself, a blend of frustration and shock evident in his words. "Well, shit. Me and my big mouth," he muttered, his tone tinged with a hint of self-mockery. It was the kind of moment that begged for a facepalm.

As the miniature versions of the monstrous creature emerged, panic rippled through our group.

"What should we do?" Lowena exclaimed, her voice tinged with urgency as she scanned the area for any sign of escape.

"Shit, what are these mini creatures?" Ediz muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief as he braced himself for the onslaught.

"We have to be ready," Mero whispered, her hands trembling as she clutched her staff tightly, ready to unleash her magical abilities against the approaching threat.

With determination etched on our faces, I turned to Belz and the others. "Everyone, prepare yourselves for this upcoming fight."

Belz nodded resolutely. "Roger, Apostle Roe," she affirmed, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.

"Roe? oh, you all have a thing you call... what is it hmmm? a name?," it mused aloud, its voice tinged with curiosity. "Yes, a name... I should have a name too."

After a brief moment of contemplation, it declared to us, " Aurathos! Yes, Aurathos. How about calling me Aurathos, the Ultimate Species!!!"

As the tension grew thicker, I locked my gaze onto Aurathos, trying to find even the slightest sign of vulnerability in his eyes. "Aurathos?" I asked, my voice breaking the eerie silence that surrounded us.

With a self-assured nod, Aurathos affirmed, "Yes, Aurathos. It's a name befitting an ultimate species like me." His tone dripped with arrogance, his monstrous form exuding a menacing aura.

Momoa's anger flared at Aurathos' arrogance. "Stop with your bragging, you monster! I'll finish you off!" With a fierce shout, he charged ahead, with spear gripped tightly, his eyes burning with resolve.

But Aurathos remained unfazed. With a chilling calmness, he issued his command to his minions. "On my command, kill them all!" he ordered, his voice resonating with an eerie authority.

In the face of this ominous order, I knew we had to act quickly. "Follow Momoa! To Deal with those tiny monsters!" I urged, rallying our comrades. "Belz and I will confront Aurathos himself."

Tension hung thick in the air as we readied ourselves for the upcoming confrontation. Every member of our group steeled themselves for the fight ahead, their determination unwavering even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Then Aurathos suddenly attacked with his tentacles, the air around us felt tense. Belz and I got ready, knowing we had to act fast. I quickly made a wall of air to block his attack, while Belz created a spinning water shield to push it back.

 ....

.....

[Momoa side]

Meanwhile Momoa and the others clashed with Aurathos' mini-versions. Their weapons clashed against the creatures' sharp claws, creating loud clangs in the area. Magic crackled in the air, with flames, water, and lightning adding to the mayhem.

The three mini-monsters, their creepy laughter echoing, looked like twisted versions of the big monster. They had claws on one hand and tentacles on the other, and they moved surprisingly fast for their small size.

Momoa's anger was obvious as he launched his earth magic, sending sharp rocks flying toward the minions. Despite his effort, the agile creatures dodged his attack, responding with their own tentacles aimed at him.

In the nick of time, Jono cast his spell, quickly forming a circle with his hands before shooting a spear of water straight at one of the small creatures. It yelped in pain as the water hit it.

Concern etched on his face, Jono turned to Momoa. "Are you alright, Grandpa?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.

Momoa's resolve remained unshaken despite the close call. "I'm fine. Now Let's take down these bastards!" he declared, his determination unwavering as he prepared for the next attack.

.....

[Roe side]

In the midst of all the craziness, I kept my eyes locked on Aurathos, making sure nothing pulled my focus away. Belz had noticed how strong Aurathos was too, and hearing what her thought was it just made me realize the seriousness of our predicament even more.

Belz spoke up, her words clear and direct. "Apostle, this monster is seriously strong, even without magic," she said, her voice filled with worry.

I turned to Belz, acknowledging her insight with a solemn nod. "You're right," I affirmed, the weight of her words settling heavily upon me. "Even without magic, This monster poses a formidable threat."

Aurathos interrupted our conversation with a startling declaration. His words carried a weight that sent a chill through me, cutting through the chaos of battle.

"I think I'm starting to figure out this whole 'magic' thing you guys keep talking about," he said, his voice dripping with sinister undertones.

"What do you mean?" I questioned sharply, my voice edged with a mixture of concern and apprehension.

Aurathos merely smirked, exuding a sinister confidence that sent chills down my spine. "You'll see soon enough," he said with an air of mystery, his words tinged with dark amusement.

Belz, her expression mirroring my own concern, couldn't help but voice her unease. "What?" she pressed, her voice betraying a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

But Aurathos offered no further explanation, leaving his words hanging ominously in the air. It was a chilling reminder of his mysterious strength and the looming uncertainty of our battle ahead.

To be continued