A Perilous Fight

THIRD PERSON POV

Kondark whirled and struck his axe down on a Dare Molv, his leg braced to the floor as he endured the jarring force from the collision that rattled his insides.

'Insane' was his thought. He barely reacted as the imp landed on his face dagger raised to stab him. An arrow took it off him burying itself into the chest of the creature. The wound was either low or more damage was needed to take down the imp as it leaped back to its small legs with a scowl earning a curse from Kondark.

To his right, Yarrow split an Imp in two before leaping away from the position just in time to witness a Molv snap its jaws over the spot.

An arrow sunk into its eye the feather shaft quivering from the force of the strike.

The yelp of the Molv barely attracted his attention. His eyes went to the rest spotting where Jean fended off an imp aggressively attacking astride a Molv. The same was evident for Hardima, whose crude hammer was swinging dangerously in the air.

Those that managed to somehow skirt past both gods suddenly received a duo attack from both Gertrude and Realer.

Kondark's attention returned to his battle as a rush of wind shot past him. His eyes watched the two Molves that were eager to rip apart his distracted self get blown back.

'The last figure.' he thought.

The main reason they hadn't been outdone. Kondark wanted to leave it up to the racial affinity of the player. Yet the skillful and well-timed assist and disorient convinced him.

'It's one thing to give a man a gun. It's another for him to shoot it well..'

Yet even with Kondark's analysis, it was clear the group of gods was barely holding on. The disparity between level-two beasts and unleveled gods was too great. While they were managing to get in strikes they remained unsure of the HP of their enemies.

Worse was their enemy's endurance being high enough to make their weapons only capable of at most stunning or scratching if not hit strongly enough. It made fanciful strikes useless and prompted more power-filled blows.

The reverse on the other hand was not the same.

Everyone was marked and scratched. Only Yarrow was mildly bruised and Gertrude bore just a slight nick from a dodged arrow.

The rest either had slashes, claw marks, bites, or even sword stabs. Everyone was almost at fifty percent health. The only reason they hadn't gone any lower was due to Daedalus's extra efforts.

The said god was already drained of intent and had to alternate between Wind Force II and aerial swoops to disrupt the beasts and defend his fellow gods while letting his intent recharge.

The crew had pulled back until there was only so much space for Porteis to shoot, for Yarrow to swing his Scythe, and for Jean to brandish her long sword.

Things were dire, the creatures were adamant. Uninjured and unrelenting. The only saving grace at the moment was that stamina for gods was infinite.

Still, either something changed or they'd be stuck in an eternal battle unable to break away until someone made a mistake.

Fortunately, a change came. But unfortunately, it was in a way that was least expected and maybe unwanted.

*****

FRANCO'S POV

If there was a thing I found positive out of this situation, it would be the experience points gotten from using Wing flight and Wing force II. Also the hopeful improvement in my use of air and my constantly draining and refilling intent.

I wasn't even tired. Just annoyed that it was too difficult to kill these Level 2s while we were carefully conserving ourselves to prevent death.

Unable to harm them mostly due to a lesser strength, their greater endurance, and our weak weapons. It was aggravating and I wasn't the only one who felt the unfairness of it. Jean seemed to have many choice words for the game devs.

At least her insults helped to release the tension with the few laughs she got out of us but it wouldn't change the current status quo.

We were in a stalemate. One we couldn't break but they could break. All they needed was a weak link, a rusted chain to snap and we would crumble.

There was no weak link. Neither did any rusted chain snap. The stalemate broke simply because of a new arrival to the party. One that while at even lower levels than the beasts brought an aura of trouble.

SCRRRRCH

The mighty call had my head snapping to the right. My eyes locked on the newest contender for our lives.

My eyes bulged at the problem. It was a big problem.

For too long I had gone unchallenged. Soaring above unharmed while avoiding arrows and simply dropping in a dive to cause havoc and make saves. It seemed the devs dislike that fact.

Now, the air was no longer safe. Another adversary. One that ruled the sky just as much as I did appeared.

"Oh come on" Jean grumbled. The rest had frowns on their faces as the frozen group of both beasts and gods looked up at the arriving entity.

It was a certainty that my help would be halved or nonexistent now. The beasts seemed to realize this as they made another run for the group.

"BRACE!" I roared and flapped with even greater strength than before. The wind pummeled the ground pushing the Imps off and halting the Molves.

"Push now!" I yelled before turning to face my adversary. Its shape which had been a big blur except for the wings that spanned to its sides was now clear to see. I knew what it was. Or at least what it was supposed to be.

It gave me no reassurance in its looks. Bear-sized, massive wings that dwarfed mine, golden features with bits of black and white here and there, and white talons. I shivered at the thought of facing it even as it swooped for me.

In my right palm, the golden weave appeared to return my copper sword to my grasp. An exhale left my beaks even as the bird rammed into me with enough force to mash me into paste if I had been a normal being. My wings instinctively wrapped me up taking the full brunt of the blow. I felt the thud and scrape of talons along the wings as I was pushed back.

Wing Flight couldn't stop the force as I was thrown to the ground far from the others to the left of the altercation.

I smashed and dragged along the golden heel-length field before stopping. I barely had time to admire the superhero-like groove I had created with my body before it landed wings spread and feathers ruffled uttering a mighty screech of dominance.

Normally I would just go for it. But the first step to victory was to know thy foe.

It came instinctively this time. The flow of intent and a desire to know. I felt the little drops of my intent evaporate as the prompt carrying my desired information appeared in my head.

I gulped.

[Holy Creature] - [Sun Eagle]

[Lv 1] - [UPGRADED]

A resident of Torheim. Your chance against it is even lesser. If you're smart then run. If you're daring then do make a toast to the halls of the Fearghal. You might need it.

[PERKS] - [Echo Bizarre] - [Incenia Slash]

[+8 exp to Inspect]

[- 3 Intent]

'Well, at least the system showed me something and not an error. That means I have a chance. Not like I can run off' I grumbled. Looking at the larger wings and size I shook my head.

"Definitely can't run". The sun eagle standing before me now screeched in annoyance.

'Ah, using intent is a form of challenge, right?' I remembered. Oops. The sun eagle was double my height on its hind legs. Its beak a white tone and its eyes gold.

Another screech declared the start of the battle. One look at my temporary crew had me frowning. No way could I beat the eagle myself. Just as they were open without my aerial assaults and disturbances.

Still, the sun eagle stood between us both. A formidable barrier to us.

My copper sword was raised as the eagle rushed for me. Its beak pointed forward like a spear to skewer, its wings spread out as it made a bull charge. Its screech filled my ears with a ringing left behind.

I strained my legs on the ground and then pushed off with it whilst simultaneously flapping hard.

It was on.

*****

THIRD PERSON POV

God and beast. One striking above the ground, the other stamping forward like a brutish leviathan.

CLANG

The clash created a shockwave that rippled. The fields bent as the gust of wind flattened them. The sands beneath stirred up creating a bit of dust in the air.

" Did he just hit that thing in place?" Porteis murmured disbelievingly even as he shot off another arrow and quickly had a new one growing out of his fingertips. His eyes went to the side where the Argonne and Eagle were held in a deadlock. One holding a sword and the other pressing down with its beak.

"It's not actually surprising if you think about it" Jean mumbled ducking below a Molv and slashing up with all her strength. A slight nick appeared on the Molvs throat. The Undule clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"What do you mean?" Yarrow was the one to further enquire.

"Didn't you see the racial descriptions?" Gertrude mumbled. Her dagger sank into an imp's leg but barely got past the midpoint. She grumbled before jumping away.

"No. Once you select you can't leave to avoid having a higher ground than others. " Yarrow informed. Porteis nodded in agreement whilst hurriedly parrying an imp's dagger with his bow shaft and then kicking the little thing away.

"At least kicks still work" he muttered. The others chuckled in agreement.

"Well. An Argonne is one of the higher races, flight and wind affinity. Next is the Elosas" Jean informed head nodding to the NPC Mariet.

"Those are the Advanced races. I bet there's a catch for such power. That's why I picked a Lomrie. Low on the scale and fits me." Hardima spoke then shrugged at the looks he got.

"I'm a child. Playing a fully grown dude would be hard, especially with the system body sync." He tapped his head as if to emphasize his height.

"Well. I still think that while the advanced races have a catch so too will the lower races. Everything has a risk and reward" Gertrude shrugged with a grunt pushing an Imp away.

"Anyway back to The Argonne's. I think their strength was past 15 or 20 can't remember. But certainly higher than fifteen. It wouldn't be a threat to Daedalus if he was at least the same level as the eagle. Yeah, I used intent and I already noticed how the ranks or classification of races are under basic, upgraded, and advanced. " Jean rolled away from an angered Molv and back to the group stopping close enough to let Yarrow's scythe fend off the attacking beasts.

"If it follows the same idea of strength. Then rank wise, Daedalus is stronger than everything here except her" Gertrude pointed to Mariet while Jean and Hardima nodded.

"Level wise" Jean cast a glance at the duo farther off.

"He's screwed," Kondark spoke his gaze heavy. "Then we'll all be screwed equally".