The Divine Hunter

There were still people in the room filled with fluorescent plants, and then the ground rumbled, shaking the group standing right outside the ouroboros door.

"What's going on?" Lambert pointed his sword at Idarran, who was bound in dimeritium chains. He saw a hint of excitement and fanaticism flickering on the treant's face.

"Alzur is nearing success!"

"Explain!"

"I told you. The Most High has reached maturity!" he shouted. "The whole world shall be turned on its head!"

Kiyan, Eskel, Coral, Kalkstein, and everyone else felt their hearts squeezing up. They were worried about their comrades, all of whom were still inside.

"Where's Roy?" Eskel asked, cutting off another of Idarran's wooden arms.

Idarran only gasped and winced a little. "Are you ready, people?" His mushroom eyes roved over the group. He held his pain down and roared, "Bear witness to a miracle!"

A long, everlasting wail echoed through the air, and then, an eerie red light followed. The light revived the nightmares hiding in everyone's hearts. Horrified, they covered their ears, and they tensed up.

The ground and walls were rumbling more violently than before, shaking like a raging sea, as if some titanic creature were shaking the outer walls of the sewers they were in. Shockingly, the ouroboros door sprang to life. It lay on the ground and was dragged backward. Like a python slithering out of its hole, the door left a deep, wide trail filled with crushed boulders and scalding hot smoke.

The white light of dawn shone behind the living door. The elements were pelting down on Maribor's old city area. The sewers that had been standing strong for centuries now had a great hole bored through them.

A creature the size of a mountain was curled up outside the hole, red light shining around its body. The people hiding within the chamber couldn't see the creature in its entirety. All they saw was the door dragged by the creature swiftly turning into a pair of crimson tentacles.

What happened next almost killed them with horror. The tentacles split up, revealing a bloated head. One crimson eye the size of a palace opened up on that head. Burning, sawlike crimson light was embedded around the rims of that eye. It hung in the air like a burning red sun, and it unleashed a sea of nightmares to the world around it.

A black, sharp line appeared underneath the eye, and then it opened up wide, eventually turning into a bloody maw as black and dark as an endless abyss. The creature let out another voice akin to the song of a whale, then the sewers shuddered, the ground rumbled. What little clouds were left hanging in the gray skies overhead ran away in terror. The creature's voice could penetrate everything easily. It charged straight ahead at the wall before it and slammed into the city of Maribor.

The time was dawn. The people of Maribor were still sound asleep, but they woke up with a start and pulled their clothes on tightly. Quickly, they went to their windows to see the commotion that was coming from the old city area, and what met their eyes horrified them.

A towering crimson monster was hovering over the ravine in the broken area. The ravine left by the nightmarish myriapodan a hundred years ago. The monster floating on it was obscenely gigantic, taking up the whole zone. It was like an octopus, but the tentacles that were supporting its body numbered far more than eight, and each of them was more than 100 feet long. The tentacles wove themselves into a crimson shadow underneath the monster. If the monster so wished, it could open up its tentacles and cover the whole city easily.

Blinding, ominous red light shone from its body, painting the skies above in bloody red. It scared the people. The sky looked like something evil and demonic. The skies could shatter and collapse at any moment, raining down on the city.

***

"Gods, have mercy on us! Save poor Maribor!"

Stricken by fear, the people of Maribor prayed silently. Some packed their possessions, ready to escape the city. Some fell unconscious from fear. Some huddled with their family, shaking in the corner of the walls, awaiting their demise. Even the soldiers of the city did not dare come close. They paced around the city gates. Their armor and weapons meant nothing in the face of this colossal creature.

Kalkstein was at the entryway of the hole, the light of magic shining on his robe. He hurled a string of fireballs at the monster's head, but they were all doused out right away like crushed fireflies. "That giant squid in Flotsam's just a maggot to this thing. How are we supposed to win this?"

Coral looked icy. She quickly tied her hair in a ponytail. "We're fighting it one way or another. Roy, Vesemir, and Letho are in there."

The witchers quickly unsheathed their weapons and covered themselves in the golden barrier of Quen. They were solemn, and their medallions were buzzing. Without hesitation, they leapt out of the hole and approached the gigantic monster before them.

"Fools. This is the Most High." Idarran, still locked in place, stared at the leaving group. He looked up at the great creature before them, and a hint of fanaticism flared in his eyes. "The devourer of civilizations and bringer of the world cycle!"

The monster hanging in the air shot a tentacle across the battlefield. It hung in the air for a moment, then it swung down like a giant red bat. The ground was crushed, and dust flew into the air. Idarran, still in awe, was crushed into splinters, and it died.

The tentacle landed on the ground, and the prairie of Maribor shook. Even the walls were shaken. The houses started to rumble, and the people held their breaths. A ravine more than 30 feet deep spanned across the ruins. Corrupted, crimson flames tore through the dust like a dragon rampaging through broken land.

The vines, alder trees, and bushes burned. The debris that was sent flying into the air from the impact fell like meteorites, arcing down to ground. Part of them flew into the city of Maribor, crushing multiple houses in an instant. The flames on the meteors were like leeches. Some unlucky sods were infected by it, and before they could even scream, red light shone from every hole on their face, and they were burned into nothingness.

Screams filled the air of the city.

***

Some meteors fell onto the witcher and crashed into their barriers. The light on the barriers went dim. Kalkstein and Coral were shaken. Their mana recoiled, and blood trickled from their noses and mouths, but the meteors were deflected eventually. Then, as if struck by lightning, everyone stopped in their tracks.

Before the gigantic creature, a ball of something that resembled it was moving at lightning-fast speed. That ball was not even a hundredth of the monster's size, though it was more vibrant. There was a layer of starlight on its crimson skin. The creature hung in midair, expanding and contracting like jellyfishes in a sea. It blinked around, evading the tentacles that were coming down on it.

The blob tensed up all its tentacles and pounced on the big octopus' head, aiming for the left eye that was bigger than the little blob itself. It thrust its tentacle again and again. The air hissed, and the suckers on its belly opened up as much as possible. Crimson energy beams came pouring out like waves.

Red whirlwinds screamed in the air, and a blinding flash of red and white shone in the air. The void was shattered like glass from the explosion of the storm of attacks, and it fell into the red eye.

The Most High let out a deafening roar as its left eye was punctured by the little blob's attacks. Crimson liquid resembling magma came spurting out of its wound. The monster slammed the ground with its tentacles, and the shaking of the earth ran far and wide. Winds howled, and everyone wobbled. Carefully, they evaded the incoming debris and tried their best to stay balanced. Trees and patches of land were pulled off the ground and flew into the air along with screeching gales.

Once again, Maribor was affected by the attack. Houses were destroyed and bathed in crimson flames.

"Two Most Highs? What the hell is that little one?" Eskel roared, rolling away. The patch of grass beside him was burned in red. A searing wave of heat shot over his ear, and his skin prickled.

"Must be something to do with Roy! Maybe it's him!" Lambert held up his weapon and crouched, crossing the ditch deftly. He shrugged the patch of grass flying his way away from his shoulder. The witcher was like a soldier dodging incoming projectiles on a battlefield.

"That red energy beam is Roy's signature attack! Now we know who the enemy is! Get that big squid, people!" Serrit quickly cast a Sign and covered himself with a golden barrier.

Before they could do anything, however, the Most High slammed two tentacles down on its smaller counterpart. The tentacles were like twin towers crashing into the ground, and a cross was left in its wake. A burning dragon flared, and its light shone upon the silhouette of the wriggling monster.

It flailed its tentacles around, crushing the ground and covering its vicinity in dust and flames. The world around it was plunged into a hellscape, and within this hellscape, Roy was like a dancer performing on the edge of danger, crossing through space like a phantom, again and again evading the Most High's slam attacks.

Then, at one moment, Roy blinked in a direction that led away from Maribor. When he reappeared, he was a hundred yards away from the city.

The Most High roared, expanding and contracting as it chased after its smaller counterpart, leaving the other witchers behind. The ground it touched was turned into a bloody hell devoid of any life.

"By the gods." The people of Maribor, who'd been watching the battle in fear from afar, heaved a collective sigh of relief. They were in tears, and they were still worried. "Please don't let it come back."

***

Roy flew across the endless prairie. Every time he flailed his tentacles, the woods, the ground, and the beasts would move back from his path. The power of teleportation given to him by the Elder Blood was transformed into his third tentacle, and he could use it as much as he wanted. Every time he flailed the tentacle, he could appear anywhere within a few hundred yards of him, but in exchange, his EXP was burning away at a blistering rate. He didn't have much time, but even fireworks would burn themselves up to the very last moment. Even if he was destined to be destroyed and devoured by the Most High, he would fight until the very last moment and leave no regrets behind.

***

The Most High riled up a destructive crimson storm on the prairie. Cracks and gashes opened up on the ground, and countless beasts and greenery were burned into cinders. The air current high up in the skies was stirred up by the red light, conjuring a tornado shaped like a funnel, connecting ground to sky.

Thunder boomed in the heavens, and purple lightning bolts swam in the clouds. The strobing lights of nature shone on a hunter and its prey.

Dozens of tentacles would shoot out of the clouds, slamming down on its smaller, escaping counterpart like red lightning bolts, but the smaller blob would manage to evade its attacks every time.

Half an hour later, the whole of Maribor was already out of sight, and Roy screeched to a halt. He flailed his tentacles and shot through the air, passing through the pair of tentacles shooting out at him. He saw the sawlike teeth in the tentacles' suckers, and they could easily crush him if he was caught.

A third tentacle was swung up at the little blob. The tentacle hanging on Roy's side swatted away at him, and shadows of flailing tentacles danced across the air.

Rows of black bolts shot out of the suckers on Roy's tentacles, and they turned into a storm of arrows. The bolts pierced half of the tentacle coming at Roy. The tentacle exploded into a blooming crimson flower of fire, then it was destroyed.

The remaining tentacle wasn't long enough to hit Roy. It thumped down on the ground, leaving a burning ditch. The Most High howled.

Roy finally made it through the obstacles and seized the split second of opening. The blob teleported to the Most High's eyes and flailed its fifth, sixth, and seventh tentacle. The light of the stars above started to shine on these tentacles. First, a sword that could cut through everything appeared in the light, and then a great maw that could devour the heavens, then a rune that commanded all fire.

A black dragon covered in spikes flapped its obsidian wings and flew out of the void, charging straight at the direction shown by Roy's tentacle.

The dragon slammed into the Most High's left eye and punctured its flesh with its horns. Blood spurted from the point of impact, and the dragon swung its claws, tearing and biting at the crystal embedded in the eye of the Most High. Its throat rumbled, and the dragon let out a shout that could destroy souls.

The magnificent roar froze the Most High in place, and its wriggling tentacles fell limp. The suckers on Roy's sixth tentacle opened up in rage. They were like countless mouths, and behind those mouths were broken throats, but the breath of flames rose through the suckers.

And then Roy shot off three bolts of his own unique Sign. The air was lit, and the temperature rose. Three gashes opened up in the void. Roiling magma came spitting out of the void, drenching the face of the Most High. White smoke of sulfur rose, bringing with it a sharp stench.

The magma turned into flying dragons, and they engulfed half the octopus' body before trickling down to the ground. A river of magma came into being, drowning the tentacles that were holding up the Most High.

Smoke billowed in the air. The great octopus had holes over its body, and its skin was charred. Like a crumbling mountain and a sinking ship, it fell into the magma, and it closed its eyes.

It let out one last song, and it was no more.

Roy was floating before the carcass, wobbling as if he were drunk on something. His tentacles fell limp, and there was no satisfaction of victory coming from him. The intense and neverending spellcasting took a toll on his soul and body, leaving him weak, and the starlight on his body dimmed.

Then, a tentacle big enough to blot out the sun shot out from the magma and wrapped itself around Roy. The tentacle hurled Roy into the magma, and the crushing impact flattened Roy into a piece of mincemeat.

***

Starlight swam, and the Elder Blood roared. Time was turned back. The piece of mincemeat gained volume, and Roy teleported away.

Ten tentacles flew out of the magma, flailing in the air like a great demon blocking out the sun. Once again, they wrapped Roy in their embrace, and this time, Roy could not move. Immovable strength came from all directions, crushing him.

The tattered Most High came out of the magma, red light flaring on its skin, and its wounds healed up in a matter of moments. The monster swung its tentacles, looking like a jellyfish coming up from the deep sea. It took Roy up, up and away from the ground. To the skies they went, and into the thundering, rumbling clouds they swam.

***

When Coral, Lambert, and everyone else came, all they saw was a patch of cooled magma and broken land. They looked up into the skies and were met with forked lightning tearing through the heavens, and deafening thunder roared. One crimson tentacle slithered out of the clouds like a python and swung around the vicinity. Dark clouds rolled, and sharp gales howled.

The tentacle returned into the clouds, and the light of lightning poured forth, revealing the insides of the clouds. Revealing the titanic silhouette of an octopus. The creature was hiding in the clouds like a god looking down at the world.

There was another shadow inside the clouds. Weak and insignificant, and yet it defied its superior, challenging it again and again, raining down assaults from all every direction.

Coral and the others could do nothing but watch from the ground underneath.

Lightning crackled, and thunder boomed. Towering tentacles would slither from the clouds, flailing around. Bloody light coursed and strobed like waves. Bolts flew through the air, and the hiss of swinging swords rang in the air. Crimson flames screamed, and bombs exploded. Blue currents of air roared, and colorful chaos energy blinked.

At times, majestic, furious roars belonging to a dragon tore through the air. And then, wails followed.

***

In a couple of minutes, the sky was nearly torn apart by the battle. Holes broke open. Red light and crimson, roiling magma came pouring out. Smoke billowed all over the land. The silhouette of the Most High blocked out the sun, creating a weird, bloody eclipse.

The red light was piercing everything. The air was filled with heavy depression, suffocating everyone. Their skin was starting to prickle.

"The Cleansing Flame? It wants to purify the world!" Eskel blanched. There was pain in his eyes. "Roy lost?"

"No. We can't stand idly by anymore. Give me a hand, Kalkstein." There was a plea in Lytta's eyes. "We'll cast Alzur's Thunder together and smite this beast."

"Are you mad? That spell will kill us! We'll explode on the spot!" Kalkstein snapped, but he quickly started casting the spell, and the sorcerers started chanting.

The clouds were getting darker, and biting winds howled. Millions of silver bolts sizzled and covered the beast in the clouds.

Crimson tentacles tore through the lightning bolts like titanoboas rolling around in the skies. They were more powerful than ever.

The tentacles fell down, rolling around. This time, everyone saw the tentacles holding the silhouette of a falling human, before they took it high up into the clouds.

***

Roy had failed. He had expended all his EXP and exited the form of the Most High. The status bar in his character sheet was shining bloody red. He was but a regular human now, and his refractory period would go on for a long time.

The Most High, on the other hand, had nearly infinite power. No matter how grievous its wounds were, they would heal immediately.

The tentacle took him to the Most High. The creature that stood tall like a god. Lightning illuminated its silhouette and the bizarre look on its face. The creature was looking at Roy, and there was a hint of approval in its eyes, as if it saw one of its own. "Roy, witcher of the Viper School."

An androgynous voice spoke in the witcher's mind. There was no emotion in that voice, but Roy felt connected to it for some reason. There was no anger or fury in the voice at all, unlike before the battle.

"You have proven yourself enough moments ago," said the voice calmly. "From now on, you are no longer my shadow. You are no longer anyone's marionette or appendage."

Roy was held in the tentacle, and his eyes went wide. He saw, in the creature's big, crimson eyes, his face. What the Most High said next shocked him further.

"You shall be a new Most High. One that I gave birth to."

"Far from it. You have a long journey ahead of you. For now, you can enjoy the present to the fullest. But when enough time has passed, you will eventually tire of your erstwhile passion. Humanity's hearts and feelings are fragile. They are transient in the face of eternal time. Fleeting and powerless. Eventually, you will understand that the one true cycle of the multiverse and all things in them is to feed, destroy, purify, and begin everything again. You will awaken your nature eventually. To celebrate your birth, I will give you this space-time, these people, and their wishes."

The holes that broke in the sky were patched up. The dark clouds and lightning disappeared, and the titanic tentacle, for the last time, rolled down the clouds. Within it were Roy, nine unconscious figures, and five agate-like crimson crystals with circles of bands within them.

The tentacle placed everyone firmly on the ground, and Roy's friends came running toward him.

The young witcher looked up stiffly at the giant creature swimming in the skies. This time, Roy saw through all the clouds. He witnessed the Most High swimming away, disappearing through the ozone layer. Within the void of space, it tore a dark gash open and leapt into another timeline.

Before it flickered away, one last tentacle hung at the edge of the portal to wave Roy goodbye.

The creature was magnificent, and yet it was lonely.

Roy fell into his musing.

***

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