I should shift my
attention to what occurred with my other comrades after our
separation. My lord, Agrond, only recently shared his tale with me
upon my request. He found the story to be irrelevant, claiming he was
clearly the victor. I implored him that such details were crucial for
us to build his legacy, as tales of his deeds would spread and
further aid our goals. Eventually, he shared with me the tale of what
happened to him after our separation.
After being hurled
through the air and across acres of forest by Yashima, Agrond had
landed in a lake north of our starting position. The verdant green
waters had absorbed much of the impact and Agrond found that he
managed to rise to his feet with only a few minor aches and pains. As
he gazed at his surroundings thigh deep in water, he admitted that
despite the circumstances at which he arrived, this view was a
reminder to him of just how dearly he truly does care for this world
and its beauty. Unfortunately, his momentary appreciation for his
surroundings were stifled by a sharp pain that cut through his left
ankle. He fell and collapsed down onto his knee from the pain as the
once clear emerald water was slowly clouded by red blood.
The wound was too deep
and excruciating to be done by a blade, something was wrong. He
raised his foot out the water and was shocked to see that this was no
mere cut. His angle was missing a rather large piece of flesh that
had been carved away from the bone in an instant, from a distance, it
would have appeared that his foot was barely hanging onto this leg.
Agrond immediately deduced that something was lurking in the water
and immediately took to the air. His wings spread outward and carried
him into the air. But when he sailed no more that a few feet above
the surface of the water, something exploded from beneath the water's
surface and plowed into him from behind. The force would have
shattered the spine of a weaker primaren, but he gladly settled for
the blunt wet smack of the lakes water's once more. The pain grew in
his ankle as he balanced himself instead of his left leg to take
pressure off his wounded limb. Moving was clearly not the answer,
whatever was prowling the depths wouldn't let him. If he couldn't
move, he would have to focus on healing his wound as quickly as
possible.
Moments felt like
hours to him as he diligently tried to regenerate his flesh as well
as focus his senses on his surroundings. The next attack could come
at any moment. As his mind raced back an forth, desperate to find a
solution, he suddenly came to a realization. He must have bared his
teeth while smiling, as he so loves to do when he has gained insight
into his opponents.
“You've had your fun.
Why not come on out so that we can have a real fight... Toyotama.”
Agrond was not wrong
in his assumption that Toyotama was behind the attack. Though we knew
little of her, her reputation is one that is well known in many parts
of Ferus Mundus as a vain and haughty creature who cannot resist a
chance to bask in her own achievements. Almost as if on command, the
mere mentioning of her name caused Toyotama to rise from beneath the
surface of the lake, licking off her fingers one by one as if
finishing a satisfying meal.
“Mmmm. Such a shame that eating the flesh of
another primeran has such gruesome consequences, would you not agree?
Yours is a taste that swells with vigor, my lord. Delicious!
Absolutely divine! You wouldn't mind if I have just one more bite
would you? After all, is it not a lord's duty to serve those beneath
him?”
Toyotama was as
much the talker as rumors made her out to be. Agrond knew that if he
could manage to keep her prattling on, then he might be able to buy
himself time to heal from his wound.
“I agree, you are all
beneath me.”
How I wish I could
have seen that crone's face when my lord told her that! As expected,
Toyotama flew into an expletive rage as a result.
“How dare you speak of my master and us that way!
Genkaku-sama is a primeran destined to carve out his own kingdom in
this world! You are nothing more than the pitiful remains of a now
dead and forgotten waste of flesh! Clearly, he doesn't fear you at
all. Why else would he trust me to end your life?”
“Because you are a
pawn. Something to throw away at his leisure. Or at the very least
act as a reasonable distraction.”
“You insolent bastard! Look around you! Why are you
here!? Because I have the advantage! You are easily the biggest
threat to my master's plan, and he entrusted me with your demise.”
Agrond's plan was
working perfectly, but something was not quite right. Despite how he
continued to focus his essence to heal his wound, the healing was
slow, much too slow. As much as Toyotama talked, she wouldn't
continue to do so for very long. She was vain, not stupid. Agrond
then began to laugh at Toyotama's words and replied in an effort to
gain more time to solve this riddle.
“If you honestly
believe that I am the greatest threat to Genkaku's plans, then surely
you were not paying attention when we first met.”
“What are you babbling about?”
“I seem to recall the
looks on your faces when the wolf decided to shut you ALL up with
nothing but a glance. If you really want to see just how pointless
your quest his, just try pushing that mutt around and you'll see.”
“See what, liar?”
“How you should have
never thought you could take us... ONE ON ONE!”
Realizing that wasting
his essence on healing his wound was not going to work, Agrond
instead channeled his essence into his throat to produce a thin and
deadly stream of flames towards Toyotama. The soul light spiraled
around Aground a mere moment before the attack came, and despite its
increased speed, it was enough time for Toyotama to use her massive
tail to up heave a mound of water to absorb the flames as she dived
beneath the water's surface. Agrond had made his gambit, and it
seemingly failed. After wasting too much essence trying to heal his
wounds, he gambled on putting a great deal into a single precision
attack that he had hoped would wound Toyotama enough for him to at
least make it to the shore. When the waters finally settled, Agrond
could see a feint stream of blood that trailed off away from him.
His
newfound confidence was short lived, however. Toyotama soon came back
towards him at immense speed, tearing across the surface of the
water, her massive tail propelling her ever closer to him. Then, from
where she once stood, she vanished beneath the water. Then, there was
but a single breath that escaped between Agrond's lips when Toyotama
erupted from the depths sailing through the air towards him, her
mouth opened wide, far wider than anticipated. It was if her jaw
extended down her neck to the top of her shoulders. All of which was
lined with razor like teeth and emitting a foul stench of death.
