Taken Horizon Origin, volume 2, Descension

Episode 26 : the call

Getting grabbed by the neck, a grey scaled apocalyi screamed a final death cry before the fox man plunged it's claws through the creatures chest.

Several mermaids tried to sneak up on the black Kitsune but using it's nine tails the ink fox-man pierced all their hearts leaving holes in the mermaids chests. Nogitsune was strong enough to handle all the grey mermaids in this room alone but it was good to let the others stretch.

Swinging it's forelegs around a giant spike covered tank impaled several apocalyi onto it's body killing them all easily as needles of crystal ink tore through their scales. Fentu, a giant echidna pretty much was using it's defensive spikes well to handle all the mermaids just as easily as Nogitsune was

However, neither of them could compare against Ingrik. The mermaids instinctively stayed far from him keeping to the sides of the room where the knight was not but my taken-spirits along with my two sub-leaders were tearing them apart.

Ingrik was in a heavily weakened state when i duelled him back in the <quest lines> monolith and he was still an incredible opponent. Now that he's become one of my taken-spirit's i wonder whether he regained or lost some of his strength.

"My liege. We should be quick. The situation at Grigel is contained for now but it is only a matter of time until the soldiers stage a revolt." As i walked closer to the knight, Ingrik stepped aside showing the door on the opposite end of the room where i could hear Medea's frightened heart beating.

"I have faith Raptor can prevent that. You saw how charismatic he can be before i summoned you back didn't you?" Responding back to the 8-foot knight i showed little worry.

"Hmm..." trying to act unsure Ingrik pondered as he walked with me at my right hand side. "He is influential and talented in persuasion. But human hearts are tricky. Even the most talented speakers fail to convince the strong minded."

"That's true. But so long as the many are given what they want they will ignore the few who are still discontent." Raising my hand to the steel door orange light emanated from my skin and aether flooded into the material before me.

[skill: conceptualisation, changes the matter]

The steel door in front of me changed into sand and once it was gone, water came flooding out of the room going all the way up to my ankles as i saw what was inside.

"Stay back!" Holding a struggling man by the neck, a half fish faced woman with green hair surrounded by ten of stronger looking grey mermaids were waiting to eat the man. "Any closer and they'll eat him, Strife! I know your here for him!"

The sword of violet aether i held thrummed quietly as it's edge cut through the water flowing out of the enclosed room. Ingrik watched the situation calmly next to me as we both calculated ways to try and save him.

"Here are my demands! You'll let me go, and give me all the secrets of aether that you have! Then i will-"

Crshh!

Medea jumped in her deformed body as bolts of orange lightning struck from my aether sword into the water. Seeing she clearly wasn't well in the mind i said, "how about you give, Iron, to me and i don't kill you a second time."

Snarling through her monstrous visage Medea was the definition of a rabid animal trapped in a corner by her appearance alone. Even if her apocalyi eat the man, so long as enough of his body as is left undirected he can be revived.

[skill: horizon chains, releases the abyssal howl]

Chains shot out in the space linking the walls, floor, and ceiling all together before vanishing from sight. Medea opened her mouth to scream at me but left it open without saying anything as a horrific illusion swapped out what i looked like in front of her.