The Implock – Chapter 86 – “Feathery Vengeance”

∼ Feathery Vengeance ∼

Dreaming of impossible heights, flying across the cloud-packed sky, and feeling the cold wind part for his aerial freedom, Nyx shed all worries. His large feathered wings beat at the air, carrying him across previously insurmountable peaks. It was a pleasant dream.

Darkness moved to claim Nyx - for perhaps another dream? A sudden rough sensation shook Nyx, however, distinctly unpleasant. He groaned sleepily. Another sensation, this one much more distinct and painful as it pecked at him. Attempting to bat away the annoyance, the intrusion on Nyx's otherwise deep slumber, elicited only more prodding pecks.

Slowly waking, Nyx came to a strange sight. Hay, sticks, and the odd nicknack here and there. Where... was he? Turning from where he had been laying face-down, Nyx yelped. Hovering over him was one large beak underneath two eagle-like eyes. Wait, no... They were eagle eyes!

Instinctively conjuring forth a [Demonbolt], he hurled it at the massive eagle, making it squawk and jump away. Rushing back in, the damn bird tried to take a bite out of him. But Nyx merely slapped the accursed avian, stunning the huge creature as it definitely hadn't expected so much force from its otherwise unassuming prey.

Ready this time, however, Nyx threw a ball of [Impfire] at the eagle. Unfortunately, the bird was fast, too fast. Jumping back, it essentially let itself merely fall off the edge of its nest, effectively avoiding the ball of fire that roared down the side of the mountain. Attempting to cast multiple other spells after the bird, Nyx could only curse as the bird reluctantly backed away as it batted its wings on the wind, squawking at Nyx with what he could almost call animus. Then it left, flying off into the distance with the promise of a feathery-vengeance.

Nyx groaned, his wounded body not nearly having been up to snuff to do such strenuous and sudden movements. Looking down at himself, his robes couldn't even be called that. It was just a few strips of cloth that miraculously still clutched onto his body for dear life. Nyx sighed, not having any spare robes to put on as his rucksack was back at the Orphan's hideout.

Underneath the tattered robes, remained the aftermath of his and Eric's battle. That had been a good fight... Nyx thought contentedly. If he had been worried that he'd outpace the human, he had thought wrong. Even without those incredibly powerful weapons he wielded, the stinkin' human would've beat Nyx in a straight-up fistfight. It felt oddly good knowing he had a competent rival.

Looking at his health points, it at least appeared that his body hadn't been critically injured and was well on its way to healing naturally. When damaging one of those pesky 'organs' as Aria called them or something equally as delicate, it often wasn't anything you could heal on your own. At least not at his current level.

That reminded him; there was an avalanche of notifications awaiting his perusal!

Three whole levels. Even though he hadn't killed nearly as many humans this time around compared to his slaughter of the bandit camps in Meadesborough, these humans had been far stronger, sporting levels more geared towards twenty-five than ten. Classholders, every single one. Additionally, he had gotten quite a bit of experience from his skill increases in [Hand-to-Hand Combat]. Having felt his own mastery better itself by the second during his fight with Eric, Nyx wasn't as surprised by the considerable leap in levels. Still, it was a more than welcome addition to his list gains.

Apropos gains - he had gotten a new skill!

Reading the skill, however, Nyx's mouth thinned a little. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. It was a shield. Something to hide behind, and the description rubbed off wrong on him. Didn't really seem like something he could bash any stinkin' humans over the head or immolate their bodies with. While Nyx could see its usefulness, he was admittedly quite a bit disappointed his new skill wasn't directly adding to his killing force.

Wanting to at least try it out, Nyx summoned the spell, the runes forming in his mind. Before Nyx, a large curving pane materialized, a dark translucent red. Nyx thought it to be large, enough to shield his entire body from the front, but that was in relation to his own size of course.

Noting the spell at least not being a continuous drain on his pool, seemingly able to hold it up indefinitely, there was one major drawback. Nyx had to focus on it, and only it, when conjuring the barrier. He couldn't move around with or perform any other task while active. As it currently stood, it was only made to deflect or block any immediate attack. That would most likely change of course, but Nyx was nonetheless disappointed.

Moving on, he shelved any ideas of how he might make [Demonic Barrier] work. Such things were left for tomorrow as he had more satisfying things to take stock of. Before opening his status sheet and going over everything, however, he quickly assigned his unallocated skill points to the one stat he had found sorely lacking during his fight with The Stained Tooth.

It was a whole lot of points to be putting in a single stat, but he needed it. With his fighting style blossoming as it is, he was only going to push himself deeper and deeper into the fray. Recalling that rune-forged hatchet nearly taking his arm off with a single lacing blow, Nyx was only more affirmed in his choice. His fights were ones of reckless chaos. Meaning that a simple stray hit - could mean death.

Bringing his health points from eighty to one-hundred-and-forty, he could feel himself toughen up. Alongside his [Demonskin], his actual durability had gone up more than two-fold. And that was only with a measly six points. Maybe he should consider that attribute some more in the future, though Nyx generally preferred being quick enough to simply not get hurt at all. Compromises, compromises...

Taking a moment to recall the last moments of the battle, Nyx did feel both a little proud and embarrassed with how it had turned out. Using the [Twin Vambraces of Deception] to sneak right in under the noses of the thugs guarding the last wagon had all gone to plan spectacularly. What hadn't, however, was what followed right after. Nyx hadn't expected just how unwieldy and summarily out of control the wagon would become once it began tumbling down the mountain pass. Admittedly though, that was probably something the demon should've foreseen.

Regardless, the mission the Orphans had set out to accomplish had been a resounding success! In Nyx's opinion. Just look at all those levels! -Oh yeah, and all three wagons were sabotaged. That also worked out he supposed... A great success indeed!

Finally getting around to get a sense of his surroundings, Nyx noted he wasn't quite alone in this oversized nest. Five huge eggs lay grouped in the center of the nest. Now he definitely knew why the bird had been so reluctant to leave even though Nyx would've probably killed the damn thing if he had hit. Smirking to himself, he thought; thinkin' me dinner? Fine.

Now strolling up the mountain to get a better vantage point to see where the fuck he was, where that damn bird had taken him, Nyx struggled a little to carry the large egg under his arm. He was going to make himself an omelet.

Reaching the peak of the mountain wasn't so easy, however, the top became unreasonably steep as it was more so just a collection of rocky cliff-faces now. But, Nyx did find something interesting. A cave, or tunnel, leading upwards. Just where he wanted to go.

Plunging himself into the darkness without much of a thought, he at least could see easily inside. It was rather steep but manageable, and before long, Nyx saw the light at the end. Coming out to a strong wind with a mind-boggling landscape of towering peaks that broke the sky and split clouds, Nyx knew he was far from home.

Not exactly sure where on the unimaginable expanse of the Spine he was because he couldn't see the lands below, he surmised that he was probably quite far up and into the Spine itself. Nyx sighed, resigning himself to a long, and arduous journey. At least, he had dinner.

Nyx padded the large egg lovingly as his stomach grumbled, a smile on his lips. That smile, however, died quickly as a certain cry alerted the displaced demon. In the distance, a blot in the sky was rapidly approaching. Squinting, Nyx's smile entirely dropped. The blot, become many. And many - became a flock of what Nyx recognized to be; a feathery-vengeance…