Chronicles of Legends

Volume 4 Chapter 2 - Beast Will

|Alistair|

My heart was pounding with worry as I descended in the elevator to where Tess and Grandpa were. There were complications with her assimilation, and I was needed there immediately.

The mysterious orb that Arthur gave me was weighing me down, even though it was safely tucked away in my spatial ring. I couldn't quite grasp what was special about it, except for its high concentration of mana.

I approached the training room that had been assigned to me, and as I walked, my feet felt heavy. I didn't know how I would react if Tess was injured.

Placing my palms on the surface of the door, I pushed it open. But as soon as it swung open, I felt an unfamiliar and sinister aura surge forward, attempting to trap me. The dark fog felt like thousands of thorny vines coiling around my arms and legs.

"WHO'S TH... ALISTAIR?" Grandpa Virion's husky voice boomed amidst the dark wave emanating from a particular focal point.

"It's me, Gramps! What's going on?" I yelled over the sound of crashing waves.

"God, am I glad you're still alive, brat. I think I'm becoming somewhat thankful for your cockroach-like tenacity, HAHA! Come over here, I need your help!" Grandpa Virion's slightly insulting metaphor was the last thing on my mind. Confused and worried, I made my way towards him, using his hazy figure as a guide. 

I willed my mana to shield me as I pushed forward against what felt like a reinforced wall. Finally, I saw Tess lying in front of Grandpa Virion, the source of the dark aura.

"What in the... Tess?!" I exclaimed as I approached, my concern growing.

The pain from my dimension ring was becoming unbearable, and I gritted my teeth as I approached Grandpa Virion and Tess. Virion looked worse for wear, his face pale and sweat-drenched as he struggled to contain the oppressive aura emanating from Tess.

As I got closer, I could see that Tess was completely ensnared in a thorny vine-like growth, and the dark aura made it difficult to see what was happening to her.

"How long has she been like this?" I asked, my concern growing with each passing moment.

"I think it's been a day or so since she returned from the dungeon," Virion replied wearily. "But time moves differently in there, so it's hard to say for sure."

I took a closer look at Tess and was shocked by what I saw. It was as if the beast will was trying to take over her body. This was completely different from what had happened with Arthur and Sylvia's dragon will.

"How is this possible?" I asked, my mind racing with possibilities. "I've never heard of anything like this happening before."

Virion shook his head. "Neither have I, but the beast will seems to be too strong for her. I fear that the Earthern Shell you fought is taking over Tess."

I felt a knot form in my stomach at the thought of Tess being taken over by the beast will. We needed to find a way to save her before it was too late.

As I approached the cocoon, a sudden attack caught me off guard. A twisted vine spear shot towards my heart, narrowly missing me. My heart raced as I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

It was almost comical, Grandpa Virion's hands were on the cocoon, but as soon as I got near it, a flurry of spear-like vines automatically locked onto me for the kill. I deftly dodged the discharging vines while slowly closing in on the cocoon.

Tess's attacks were becoming more creative and lethal; the next wave of tendrils were laced with sharp thorns. It was evident that the beast will was dead set on trying to kill only me. The burning sensation from my ring was making it even more difficult to dodge the attacks.