I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Chapter 561: One Tendril Done

The battle raged on, the air filled with the sounds of clashing steel, cries of determination, and the guttural roars of the creatures.

Despite their grotesque and strange forms the creatures fought with surprising resilience and strength. At first there had been fifty of them but the Elven warriors, led by Adrien and Billy, had whittled their numbers down to forty-five. Yet, even with their numbers reduced, the creatures’ ferocity did not lessened.

Adrien moved with practiced precision, using his Starsteel sword to parried an incoming claw strike and countered with a swift slash. His blade sank deep into the twisted flesh of a creature and it crumpled to the ground with a shuddering moan.

But another leapt at him immediately, its many eyes glowing with a sickly red hue. Adrien ducked and drove his blade upward, cutting through its chest.

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Beside him, Billy fought with the same tenacity as him. He struck down a creature with a two-handed blow, but as he turned to face another its massive claw swiped at him, catching the edge of his armor.

The force sent him stumbling back a few steps. He gritted his teeth but managed to regaining his balance quick and thrust his blade forward, piercing the creature’s gaping maw. Black ichor spilled from the wound as it collapsed.

"These things are tougher than they look! Fuck, man!" Billy called out, wiping the sweat from his brow. His voice was steady, but the strain was evident in his eyes.

Adrien nodded after blocking another strike. Hee said, "Just keep pressing! They may be strong but they don’t have healing. We’ll wear them down!"

The Elves continued their assault, but the creatures’ durability began to take its toll. Each strike needed precision and strength to cut through the dense, sinewy bodies of the monsters.

The warriors worked in pairs, one distracting while the other struck, but the creatures’ relentless attacks made every victory difficult. Several of the Elves grunted in pain as claws and tendrils lashed at them, leaving shallow wounds and bruises.

Adrien’s arms ached from the constant motion, and he felt the weight of exhaustion creeping in. But he couldn’t afford to slow down. He dodged another attack, slashing at the creature’s legs and bringing it to the ground.

"Keep attacking these bastards!" he shouted, rallying his warriors. "We’re almost there!"

Slowly, but surely, the Elves turned the tide. Working as a cohesive unit, they circled the remaining creatures and cutting off their movements and striking in unison.

One by one, the monsters fell, their bodies collapsing into the parched earth with sickening thuds. The golden light from Adrien and Billy’s Starsteel swords illuminated the battlefield like a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

As the last of the creatures surged forward in a desperate attempt to break through the Elves’ defenses, Adrien and Billy struck together. Their swords flashed in tandem, cutting down the final abominations.

The battlefield then fell silent and the heavy breathing of the Elves filled the air as the last of the creatures crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Adrien wiped the sweat from his brow, looking around at his comrades. Their faces were worn and tired, but relief flickered in their eyes.

"Well done, everyone," he said, his voice filled with pride. "We’ve cleared the way."

Billy catching his breath and glanced at the black cloud above, where the writhing tendrils still anchored themselves into the earth.

"Now, it’s time to finish the job," Billy said.

The Elves readied themselves once more. With the immediate threat vanquished, they turned their attention to the dark tendrils still draining the life from the land.

Adrien and Billy took the lead and they marched forward.

The group moved cautiously as they approached the tendrils, their eyes scanning every shadow and every movement in the barren landscape. Despite having defeated the creatures none of them relaxed. They knew better that there were always surprises lurking in the unknown and their vigilance was their best ally.

The dark energy still pulsed from the tendrils above, casting an eerie light over the valley. The air felt heavy as if the atmosphere itself was pressing down on them.

Adrien glanced over at Billy as they walked, the two keeping their weapons drawn and ready.

"Strange, isn’t it?" Adrien murmured. "Those creatures... they were resilient but not strong enough to be guarding something this important."

Billy frowned then nodded, his eyes fixed ahead. "Yeah, it feels off. If the Great Calamity is as powerful as we’ve seen these creatures should have been far stronger. They felt more like fodder than actual guards."

Adrien’s brow furrowed in thought. "It might be that the Great Calamity has been weakened. Think about it, it’s already spent so much energy keeping its harbingers alive, battling the forces of the Elves and of course, Erend and Eccar. Maybe it assumed those creatures would be enough to finish us off, and now it’s paying the price."

Billy considered his captain’s words and a glimmer of understanding crossed his face.

"That would explain why the valley looks the way it does. It’s like it’s spreading itself too thin, trying to drain everything it can to maintain its power."

Adrien nodded. "Exactly. It’s desperate. And that’s good news for us."

As they reached the base of the tendrils, the Elven warriors fanned out, their eyes still wary. The dark roots that extended from the cloud above writhed and pulsed, the sinister energy within them practically vibrating through the ground.

Adrien and Billy exchanged a quick look before nodding, signaling their warriors to prepare their Magic.

"Alright," Adrien said. "We take these things down now!"

The Elven Mages stepped forward, forming a semi-circle around the tendrils. Their hands glowed as they summoned their elemental power. Flames, lightning, and ice forming in their palms.

With a unified motion they unleashed their spells. Bolts of fire and lightning struck the tendrils while shards of ice crashed against them, encasing portions of the dark energy in a frosty shell.

Adrien and Billy joined in, channeling their own Magic power. Golden arcs of energy shot from their Starsteel swords, slashing through the writhing tendrils. The combined assault of the Elves began to take effect and the tendrils recoiled as if they writhed in pain.

Billy smirked as he saw the tendrils weakening. "Looks like it wasn’t as invincible as it thought."

Adrien’s eyes remained focused. "Let’s finish this. All at once!"

With a final coordinated attack, the Elves poured all their Magic into the tendrils, the valley lighting up with the brilliant display of elemental power. The tendrils thrashed and let out sound that sounds like scream. Their dark energy dissipating under the relentless assault. Bit by bit, they began to dissolve, the sinister cloud above shrinking as the energy was severed from its source.

As the last strand of the tendril disintegrated, the black cloud above began to wane, fading into a dull gray. The valley, though still scarred, felt lighter, as if the dark presence had been lifted.

Adrien lowered his sword, breathing heavily but smiling with a sense of accomplishment.

"We’ve done it. One less foothold for the Great Calamity," Adrien said.

Billy sheathed his weapon and nodded, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

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