Power and Fear

Chapter 50

Dane's current location was at a sturdy, abandoned large building that looked like a storage warehouse. The dry blood stain and rotting smell of flesh were still lingering in the three-story building. It was able to withstand the monster's attack as it was secured by other structures on both sides. The foundation and design of the warehouse were created by Dwarf artisans, as the main gate was imbued with rune language to keep the storage safe from disasters and outside assaults, but the vast number of different monsters were able to break into the warehouse due to their sheer numbers and relentless attacks. Despite the strong defenses put in place, the warehouse eventually fell victim to the overwhelming force of the creatures, leaving a trail of death.

Most monsters kill to feed their hunger, as humans are seen to be weak and fragile.

The city Lúthien is like any other city. In the past it had bustling markets, lively taverns, and diverse neighborhoods. However, those who govern the city lost their way, and they made a huge mistake in feeding their ego and instilling that they can stand without any other force protecting and defending the city. This arrogance led to a lack of preparation when the wounded Drake moved into the mountain range and started to claim the entire land, including the small towns and the city of Lúthien. At its new nest, it was already evolving, as it had a capacity to think and understood that feeding on the untapped underground mana crystal under the city itself.

As the city of Lúthien was more focused on farming, as the land was fertile and could produce top-quality crops, that made their city flourish and prosper. However, they soon realized the threat posed by Drake and his ability to control and influence other monsters.

caught off guard by the intelligent and strategic actions of the wounded Drake. The city was soon ravaged by countless different monsters that resided on the mountain range, and because the city focused on luxury and prosperity, they were ill-prepared for such an attack. The once thriving city of Lúthien now lay in ruins, its people dead and the few remaining populace now scattered, and its resources depleted.

The news of the city's bloody fall spread slowly, as neighboring cities were unaware of what happened, as the city of Lúthien only sold their products and crops to the upper region and hardly conducted any trade or communication with the surrounding areas. The number of people residing in the small city of Lúthien was not even confirmed, as farm towns were also all over the enclosed but perfectly fertile land. And because it was isolated and protected by the long mountain range separating it from the east and south regions, the closest to them was the north, who saw the city as just a city of commerce and didn't bother with anything else. The nobles and governing body that ruled the city saw this as a minor issue as they continued to flourish and gain wealth.

The neighboring cities were shocked to hear of the devastation that had befallen Lúthien, and they quickly realized the significance of their mistake as they feared the Drake could do the same thing to a much bigger city like Solnara Cererindur. The news about the fall of Lúthien reached the merchant king through his consort, Lady Aranel Finrod, whose uncle was from that faraway city. After nearly four months as a traveling merchant connected to his uncle, he finally reaches her and hands over the private letter detailing the events that happened.

The letter started normally as it was written, filled with hope and care, until Lady Aranel's uncle wrote that an ominous thing occurred as they heard loud, monstrous roars in the middle of the night, and the number of monsters was increasing and was reported to be seen roaming near the vast farmlands, as the farmers were terrified and unsure of what to do next. Lady Aranel's uncle ended the letter with a plea for help, hoping that someone would come to their aid before it was too late.

But all this information came late, as the traveling merchant who was entrusted with this letter was unaware of its vital content and continued to travel around the east region on his normal route. She quickly sent messenger pixies to the location and even paid an Arkan Sonney scout additional gold to gather information and confirmation on the situation related to the letter.

Lady Aranel Finrod was the person that requested the quest to hunt Drake to the left of the royal advisor, who was Sylveth Melriel, or the Crescent Magus, the being King Deryth Cererindur's youngest consort. He granted her request and ordered the Crescent Mage to create a quest contract to hunt the monster after five months. By that time the city inhabitants and resources were already gone as the tall grass that covered the entire open land stood witness to the city's bloody fall.

All two hundred thousand residents were gone and became nourishment to different monsters that all came from the mountain range, as they were called to the drake command to protect it while it rested and recuperated from its wound after getting hurt by a more powerful being.

This was the information gathered by the Arkan Sonney scout. Those long months of waiting were answered as the first hunt came to the guild that marched toward the city with 60 players lost and didn't even reach the city, another five monhts and yer the second guild thet hunted the Drake also failed , including the third and the fourth guild that hnted the drake, nearly 300 plus players were killed, replening those killed players warent easy as new players lact sufficient training to use their skills effectiveliy until on the second year inside the tower the fifth Evolve Drake qest was taken by the joint guild of the east lazarus and whire devil guild with its support High Strategy guild, the 3 guild were able reach the city and finally face the now Dragonoid monster for the first time.

Dane knew time inside the tower was different and, at times, erratic. His sense of time was distorted and altered, maybe due to the fact the separate system that managed his regeneration and body reconstruction was linked to the main tower system. He felt he was just sleeping for a year , but upon confirmation, the tower had been in the realm of Earth for almost five years. Maybe, just maybe, the separated system that revived him altered his perception of time to prevent his mind from collapsing, as the true passage of time could damage his mental health. It was a necessary sacrifice to ensure his well-being and continued functionality within the tower's complex systems.

Either way, the time inside the tower is much longer. As the time of the first Drake concert was now about seven years ago, so by his calculation, that is the equivalent of seven months outside the tower. So if the tower was active for five years in the human realm, the players that entered the tower and remained inside had already spent nearly sixty years inside. But their physical appearance grew older by just five years.

He never expected that the time inside the tower was that much longer than he initially anticipated. Because in the virtual gaming world time was fixed and in sync with actual time, the discrepancy in time spent inside the tower now was a shocking realization for him. The concept of spending nearly sixty years inside the tower was both fascinating and unsettling to him. But it was an acceptable outcome if the gods can make Arcane Crusade into a reality that can easily manipulate time to whatever extent they desire.

Now he has more personal questions about his bloodline; he suddenly felt the urge to fill in the blanks of what happened after he passed away and resurrected after five years and not after a year. But that's a different matter that he will have to explore further, but not now. The battle with the Dragonoid has already started.

The vibrations from the battle were already intense, and the warehouse was trembling, but it was still firmly standing amidst the chaos. As he focused on the present moment, he knew that his immediate priority was to defeat the Dragonoid and protect those around him, but as he watched, he could see they were managing the hunt very well.

The players who were attacking the dragonoid were having a hard time dealing any wound to the creature as it was indeed powerful, but it doesn't mean they are helpless. They just need to push even harder. The players were like kittens fighting an adult lion.

The plan was executed, but the chain and titanium sphere were now useless. The dragonoid's hard scales made the hardest metal on earth leave a small dent on the creature's body. In order to finally injure the monster, the archers are required to utilize double the force of a railgun to break through the scale.

Each slash and attack they gave was met with retaliation with signs of slowing down, and each attack of the dragonoid was intended to kill them. It was fast and violent; the creature's claws tore through their thick shields like they were made of cardboard. Each guild member for each team continued their attack; attack spells hit their mark, but it wasn't enough. Many players were tossed like ragdolls with broken bones and severe injuries, but they refused to give up. The battle was intense, with both sides fighting fiercely. .

Dane noticed that the now Dragonoid could only cast projectile flame attacks; it was powerful but is just like facing a large and wider flamethrower. The players armor was able to protect them as the fire was seen to melt metal and stone, but Jacob Lazarus had a skill to cast magma; using that was making the dragonoid annoyed, but it wasn't doing any damage at all.

Charlotte and Natasha used a lightning attack spell and noticed the monster slightly stagger from the attack. Sasha Andrey saw the creature's reaction; she grabbed an arrow and told the mage to imbue the arrow with a lightning spell that has a longer duration. The female porter near her quickly opened a strength potion ampoule vial and poured it on Sasha's mouth as she drew her heavy bow and aimed it at the monster's eye.

The ampoule vial filled with 10 ml of strengthening potion and 20 percent more power for one minute activated. She pulled the bowstring, and Porter felt the raw force she was exerting. The mage doubled the arrow to gain 500 damage points. As soon as Sasha was ready to fire, the tankers rushed the standing monster and used their shields to bash it in all four directions so it wouldn't move. Bonnie cast gravity increase on where the monster stood, and Farrah cast plants to hold Sasha on the ground so the recoil wouldn't hurt her.

The remaining mages cast barrier spells to stop the dragonoid from doing anything, and the attack force surrounded it and grabbed the titanium sphere and ran full speed, intending to stab it as soon as the arrow hit its target.

Sasha let go of the bow; in a split second, the humming sound rushed out, the force was strong, and the impact was absolute. The moment it struck the monster's eyes, the delay lighting spell activated while those who were running holding the sphere collided. The impact was so powerful that it sent shockwaves through the entire battlefield, causing chaos and confusion among the fighters. The dragonoid let out a deafening roar as it struggled and felt a sharp pain on its side.

The titanium sphere was able to penetrate its hard scales, and it was finally wounded, but it was not that deep. The dragonoid burst out a concentrated fire that looked like a plasma cutter. Natasha shouted to the players near her to run. But those who were directly near the monster were cut and instantly killed. The three knights holding the sphere were cut in half, while the tankers pressing the creature with their huge shields were vaporized to dust. The plasma beam that came from its mouth was strong enough to cut the entire building in half, and everything that stood in its path was incinerated within seconds.

Natasha rolled on the ground, avoiding the plasma fire that was tearing and melting the ground beneath her. Reaching the Dragonoid, Charlotte snatched the arrow from its blind spot, which was still in its eye socket. She jerked the arrow out with a quick motion, and the Dragonoid roared in agony and momentarily lost concentration.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Natasha sprang to her feet and charged at the creature with her sword raised high. While Sasha and Leonid Zoya shot two more arrows imbued with lightning, as soon as Natasha attacked the wound on its side, the two arrows hit its stomach, and they were able to puncture the scale and hit the flesh, as half of the arrowhead was now embedded in the Dragonoid's abdomen. The creature let out a deafening screech and thrashed wildly, creating an opening for Natasha to deliver a fatal blow with her sword. With one final strike, she plunged her weapon deep into the beast's heart, ending the battle once and for all.

The dragon tail struck Natasha, breaking her arm, while Charlotte was tossed toward a broken shop and smashed against the wall. Natasha was on the ground while the dragonoid was about to stomp her to death when Cody pushed the monster a few feet back. While Farrah used her skill to cast a moving vine to remove her from the range of the Dragonoid attack,

This action was their retaliation for seeing seven of their members die, but they were able to finally wound it. The flow coming out from its body was worth the risk. The death of their teammate was making them feel a mix of anger and determination as they continued to fight against the powerful creature. Despite the loss, they knew they had to stay focused, as the time for mourning will come. Killing the monster was what they all agreed to do.

"We shall cry when that thing is dead!" Natasha's shout echoed, a fierce promise hanging in the air. The team, galvanized by her resolve, drew a collective breath. Weapons were raised, healing potions gulped down, and a flurry of urgent activity conducted under the shadow of the still-operational battle wagons. The Dragonoid, a creature of primal instinct, recognized the threat posed by their preparedness, understanding that their strength lay not just in their individual abilities but in their well-maintained equipment—their supply was undeniably their greatest advantage.

A roar ripped the air as the monstrous Dragonoid charged, its immense force capable of shattering the very ground beneath its feet. Mary Kaye, positioned within the second wagon connected to the now stationary first, felt the tremors intensify with each thundering step. The team steeled themselves, bracing for the inevitable impact, their meticulous preparation now the only shield between survival and oblivion.

Knowing the moment was at hand, Mary Kaye swiftly prepared her defensive spells, ready to bolster her teammates in the crucial task of protecting their vital equipment. Then, with a deafening crash, the Dragonoid struck, obliterating the first battle wagon. Its strategic positioning, however, proved its worth, the sacrifice ensuring that the equipment was scattered and distributed towards the players, minimizing the potential for complete loss.

The High Strategy Guild members inside the first wagon, who were managing the distribution, saw the monster tear the wagon like it was made of paper, but they remained focused on their task, determined to salvage what they could in the face of imminent danger. The chaotic scene spurred them into action. Two instantly died, and the remaining two were injured. They quickly assessed the situation and coordinated efforts to retrieve the scattered equipment before they got killed. The ten-foot-tall creature burst out a fire and burned everything on the first wagon as it aimed its flame toward the second. Mary Kaya cast a wall made of rock and soil to stop the concentrated fire. The first battle wagon was gone. Jacob and Cody attacked the dragonoid. While those who didn't die grab any equipment, especially remaining potions.

The players inside the second wagon jump out as the wall Mary Kaye created explodes. Mary was about to die when her guild member pushed her and used a barrier scroll to save her as the second battle wagon finally burst and exploded from the focus flame from the Dragonoid attack. It was enraged, and the strikes it made were more powerful and destructive.

The players scrambled to regroup, but it was moving around as a fast and agile predator, making it difficult for them to strategize and mount a counterattack. The dragonoid's fiery breath scorched the ground as it continued its rampage. The attack team that was in a different area that cast the chains was burned to death. The imbued armor and fire-resistant clothing were no match for its flame, as it tossed its aim toward anything that was in front of it. The surrounding buildings turned to ash and exploded with the sheer force of its flames. Panic spread among the players as they realized the gravity of the situation, desperately searching for a weakness in the dragonoid's armor to exploit before it was too late.

The warehouse where Dane was hiding suddenly caught fire, forcing him to flee. The creature, standing ten feet tall, had enough firepower to burn rocks and metal.

The dragonoid shifted its focus, a terrifying gleam in its reptilian eyes as it targeted the mages and healers. A primal fear gripped the players; protecting their vulnerable teammates was now paramount. Each earth-shattering blow from the dragonoid pushed them closer to the brink, but surrender was unthinkable.

The healers, the lifeblood of their hunt, were now prime targets. While the knight and berserkers formed a desperate shield around them, Charlotte, despite a broken leg, refused to be sidelined. Dragging herself through the dirt and carnage, she channeled her pain into potent attack spells. Farah, witnessing Charlotte's unwavering resolve, wove a plant spell, encasing the broken limb in a verdant cast, granting her a semblance of mobility.

The agony was excruciating, but Charlotte bit back a scream, her focus laser-locked on supporting her team. But the dragonoid's attacks were relentless. Jacob bled, Cody lost his hand, and Mary Kaye bore the mark of a second-degree burn on her back. Sasha's arm was gone, and Leonid Zoya was seen dead, a testament to the indiscriminate fury unleashed by the explosive flames.

The fight lasted only a few minutes, and they had gone from 180 plus to just fifty. Their numbers dwindling, the healing potion and the equipment were gone, the healers were scared and could not use their skill out of dread and panic, they were well prepared, and seeing it took the evolved drake turn into a dragonoid took ten minutes to show how weak they were.

The healers, tethered to the knight's protection, were increasingly vulnerable, and the dragonoid seemed to sense their crumbling morale. Then, a deafening roar echoed through the battlefield, followed by a sight that sent shivers down the spines of the wounded players.

The dragonoid, bathed in an ethereal glow, began to heal, the wounds inflicted upon it closing with impossible speed. In that moment, the weight of their impossible task crashed down upon them. Their healer's power was limited, and against a self-healing monstrosity, they desperately needed a new strategy, or their hunt would become their own gravesite.

The dragonoid felt the fear in the air as its wounds healed, the damaged eye that Sasha shot regenerated, and the arrow that pierced its stomach fell to the ground. The remaining battle wagon was filled with food and rations. They assumed it could cast many types of fire attack spells, but self-healing was not one of them.

This was not part of the scenario; the shifting of the narrative was too large and unexpected for them to comprehend in the heat of the moment. The dragonoid's ability to regenerate its wounds added a new layer of complexity to their already precarious situation.

Their plan never had a chance to begin with. Wounding the dragonoid was showing hope, but what made the remaining fifty tremble in fear and despair was the sound that came from the creatures mouth.

"Humans are weak!"

The mocking tone in the dragonoid's voice struck fear into their hearts, causing them to question their own abilities and strength. As they stood frozen in terror, the dragonoid took advantage of their hesitation and launched a devastating attack, sealing their fate.