She was hanging onto its back, holding on for dear life, one arm gripping the Beast and the other gripping her weapon. Cursing up a storm, the woman repeatedly thrust her knife forward, piercing Fell flesh again and again.
It was like a needle poking at a lump of uncaring muscle. The Wanderer appeared largely unperturbed. Conversely, judging by Katarina's expression, she seemed to be sorely regretting her decision to scale an implacable colossus – yet she still didn't let go.
I watched her go through the passage, Simon thought, mystified. She...she changed her mind.
She came back.
He was so utterly shocked that he almost missed his moment.
Then the Wanderer's weight shifted away from his body, distracted by the mosquito's sudden return, and it was time. Simon kicked to his feet, practically flinging himself back. A chunk of his flesh was torn off, bringing his HP dangerously close to 0, but he was free, and nothing else mattered.
It didn't take long. In less than a second, he had arrived at his destination – a raised platform at the center of the cavern.
Where the discarded Water Artifact laid.
The device was shaped like a teardrop and could fit in the palm of his hand. Its glow was gentle and unassuming. He grabbed it in a hurry, whirling around to face the Fell Beast.
Katarina had jumped off its back and retreated, leaving the creature's loving attention on Simon yet again. Teeth gnashing, the Wanderer lunged.
A small Artifact was raised to meet it.
In all of nature, no element is viewed more favorably than water. It represents the origin and continuance of life itself. Water feeds, water births, and water sustains. Simon had good reason to feel perturbed by Valtia's lack of rainfall – it was tantamount to a barren, empty world.
But despite the gifts it grants and the life it bestows, water is not benevolent. Like any other aspect of nature, it is an impartial, unfeeling force. That which is a boon when calm becomes ruination when roused. People can build castles so tall they pierce the skies, drape themselves in gilded finery and lofty titles, place themselves on the highest of pedestals, pretend that they have ascended their baseborn mortality...
Only for raging waters to sweep away their achievements with contemptible ease. Before the might of the tides, nothing is safe.
That was more or less the question Simon had asked earlier, when he peered across the cavern and cast Identify on the Water Artifact. He already knew that it needed to be strong enough to send a constant stream hundreds of feet up to Springwater's plaza fountain. With that in mind – and when activated at the maximum possible setting – how much water pressure could the Artifact output?
The answer: a lot.
Torrential geysers burst forth from the tiny device held in his palm. They crashed into the Ravenous Wanderer like a truck speeding down a highway, sweeping the twelve-foot giant off its feet. Wet, distorted cries gurgled around the cavern, as if screamed from the bottom of a pool.
Spurred on by an exhilarating sense of turnabout, Simon pursued the Beast for the first time. He dashed forward, maintaining the Artifact's assault, following the creature as it was sent slamming into the far end wall.
A monster-shaped dent formed in the stone, resembling something out of cartoons from simpler, nostalgic days of yore. He made a mental note to appreciate the memory when he wasn't busy fighting for his life.
With its back now literally up against a wall, the Wanderer found itself a hapless victim of Newton's Third Law of Motion. It could scarcely even move, locked in place by crushing water pressure that seemed to be summoned from the oceans depths themselves. Flesh was shorn faster than it could regenerate, pulverized by nature's inexorable indifference.
Identify. Estimated Level: 25.
Identify. Estimated Level: 22.
Identify. Identify. Identify! Simon's heartbeat was lodged firmly in his throat, his skin buzzing with anticipation. This was it. They'd won. They were–
The Water Artifact deactivated.
Between him, Katarina, and the Beast, it was impossible to say which of them was more surprised. Without warning, the Artifact's geysers had lessened to a trickle, and then to nothing at all.
Swallowing the unhinged laughter that threatened to escape his chest, Simon refused to panic. He cleared his thoughts of concerns – valid as they were – and attempted to re-activate the Artifact.
All he got for his effort was a haughty, imperious female voice somehow emanating from the device. It sounded muffled, as if recorded on a low-quality microphone.
"Water production has exceeded reasonable volumes. Safety mode engaged. This Artifact will be usable again after one hour's time."
The recorded voice tsk'd at him. "And if you were employing my lifegiving creation to commit acts of barbarism, then be a good dear and submit yourself to the local authorities for judgement."
Simon's eye twitched. Okay. Okay. He was standing close to the Beast's crumpled form. It looked dazed and heavily wounded, but not dead. Identify.
Estimated Level: 15 (17 when at standard health and mana-levels)
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The creature had been brought below its baseline strength. However, Level 15 was still more than twice Simon's own. The instant it gathered its wits–
"FELL HARVEST!"
There was no time to plan. He immediately leapt forward, grabbing the nearest limb with his demonic arm. With his free left arm, he produced a longsword from Inventory, stabbing and draining simultaneously, absorbing mana as he perforated the Fell Beast with fresh holes.
Yet the creature's stirring intensified. Even mangled and beaten, even in a state where half its body mass was missing...like a corpse animated by vile magic, the Ravenous Wanderer began to rise. Hateful grumblings slithered into Simon's ears, a promise of imminent pain.
His offensive output was racing against its regeneration – and he was losing. It was going to recover and retaliate before he could finish it off, depleting the remnants of his HP with a single monstrous blow.
Has to be something else I can utilize. Something for one more push. Simon plunged his sword again, wincing when it snapped off inside the Beast's hardening muscles. What else–
A lone Warding Orb soared through the air, landing close by.
Then came a second Ward, and then a third. With each new arrival, the Beast shrunk further into itself, cowering. Resisting their Warding auras was far more difficult now than when it had been healthy and gorged on mana.
Simon spared a brief glance behind his shoulder. Katarina was running around like a madwoman on a mission, seeking out the Warding Orbs that the Beast had previously scattered. She tossed over a fourth without even looking in their direction, turning on a dime to sprint towards the next glow of light.
Yeah.
I think you've earned that explanation.
After that, the victor of their race was never in doubt. Fell Harvest kept draining mana as Katarina continued to procure more Wards. Eventually, the monster had degraded to the point where Simon's basic sword stabs were having a noticeable effect.
He knew for certain that he would cross the finish line first. It wouldn't be an explosive finish, but that suited him just fine.
Simon was perfectly comfortable playing the role of a silent executioner.
"JuST...jUst waNTed..."
Hateful grumblings became morose whimpers. The Ravenous Wanderer didn't try any last-minute gambits. It found no hidden reserves of power in the depths of its tainted soul.
"To be..."
It was merely a beast caught in a trap. A rabid animal that needed to be put down.
"...whole..."
The Wanderer went still.
Bit-bit-bit, its skin began to peel off. A scent of embalmed corpses permeated the air. Ashen flakes floated upwards before disintegrating, vanishing in a heartbeat, as if they'd never existed at all.
With every passing second, it decayed further. Skin, then muscle, then bone. The process hastened rapidly–
Until it was just a fading cloud of dust, nothing left remaining where there had once been a Fell Beast.
Simon only allowed himself to believe it was gone when the system notifications started rolling in.
Alert: The Ravenous Wanderer has been slain!
Your Level and Stats have increased!
Level: 6 → 11
Strength: 18 → 20
Dexterity: 16 → 24
Vitality: 12 → 17
Intelligence: 9 → 14
A powerful life has been Harvested!
Fell Harvest's Rank has Increased! 1 → 2
It will now add more stat points per Harvest!
2 stat points added to Unspent Points!
Simon calmly sat down, lacing taut fingers together. He looked behind his shoulder, meeting Katarina's expectant gaze. Words were failing him – so he chose to nod instead.
His message was duly received. Katarina pumped her fists into the air, shaking with relief as she let out a throat-scratching cry of victory. "WE KILLED IT!" Frenzied laughter poured out of her in a torrent more powerful than the Water Artifact's geysers. "IT'S DEAD! WE KILLED IT! WE! KILLED! IT!"
That we did.
Simon flopped back, his gaze naturally resting on the cavern's rocky ceiling. Its plain simplicity seemed to ground him, helping him come to terms with what had just transpired.
They shouldn't have fought the Ravenous Wanderer. That was blatantly obvious even without the benefit of hindsight. It was an opponent which – by all discernible metrics – was far beyond their pay grade. Yet due to a mixture of bad luck and bad intel, they had been forced to clash with an unbeatable foe...
And won anyway.
So. He directed his thoughts inward. What do you think?
A pause stretched on.
Alert: Heroic Valor's bonus has activated!
For rescuing Springwater Village from a Fell Beast incursion, you have received bonus EXP!
Your Level has increased!
Level: 11 → 13
8 stat points added to Unspent Points! Allocate them at will!
Alert: Level 13 milestone reached! New options for Class Advancement available!
More Class Advancement options will be available at Level ???
[Not bad,] it told him.
Simon closed his eyes, smiling as Katarina's whooping cheers serenaded him into a well-deserved respite.
