Veloren

Chapter 32: Henteko

Tatsuo is perplexed at his doppelganger self. It wasn't the first time he entered his own subconscious state, but his double was new to him.

Tatsuo: Hm? Who are you?

Tatsuo (???): I...Am Henteko.

Tatsuo's face lightens up.

Tatsuo: Huh?! Henteko?!

Tatsuo: That's strange...Why do you look like me? You've always appeared as a snake...Was this something you could do all along?

Henteko: Still calling me that I see...(side remark): Well, at least it's better than what you used to call me...

Henteko: I'm not too sure myself either, but all this happened as soon as you got hit by that black energy. Maybe this is the reaction of our body absorbing that energy.

Tatsuo looks around, searching for a way to exit the place as he casually comments back to Henteko.

Tatsuo: You may be right...Sorry, but I ain't got time to chat with you right now.

Henteko: It appears you are unable to leave this space since your body is still in the process of absorbing the energy.

Henteko: This isn't anything like the usual energies we are used to absorbing. This one here is quite...Unnatural. But out of reflex, your body absorbed some of it.

Henteko: Since the energy is foreign, our body is having difficulty breaking it down. As a result your body shut down.

Again, Tatsuo casually responds - "Oh...is that so..."

Henteko: Yes. What I'm saying is you can't leave here until our body purifies this energy.

Henteko takes a couple steps forward towards Tatsuo – "Since you're stuck here, why don't we chat?"

Henteko: It's been a long time since we've last met like this, when our minds aren't linked together...

*Back at the battlefield.

Sharon, Windie, San, and Darren continue their assault on Heymlir. Heymlir forms a wall in front of him to block a combined attack of Windie's air blade and Sharon's arrow. The wall then deforms itself to shape into thin tendrils to which Heymlir sends to attack San and Darren. San swiftly deflects the tendrils as sparks flashes off from the impact between his sword and the black substance pushing off against each other.

The tendrils combine together to form a mallet and it swings itself towards San, knocking him off his footing. His quick reflex was fast enough to place his sword between his body to absorb the impact. San quickly recovers, but the back mallet has already swung itself again. Darren rushes to save San but the mallet disperses into smaller prongs and changes its trajectory for Darren instead. It was already too late for Darren with his momentum.

Darren (thinking): Damn...! I can't stop myself!

A hand grabs Darren by his collar and yanks him out of the way. Darren and San are surprised to see Jayce back on his feet.

Darren (stammers): ...! You...!

San: You got up pretty fast.

Jayce assumes a fighting stance, "Sorry about that...Can't believe I actually blacked out there...!" – His whole body was aching but he simply bears with it.

Heymlir: You came back to your senses rather quick. But your body should be at its wits end from all the abuse you've took.

Heymlir: It doesn't matter how many more of you come at me.

A wave of the black substance towers over Jayce and San, and attempts to smother the two. The two dashes out of the way evading it.

Heymlir: None of your attacks can reach me.