Chapter 12 - Stormpyre
The queen's beauty was captivating, but Lukas sensed a dangerous power lurking beneath her ethereal exterior. He felt it in the words she spoke and in her very presence in front of him. He could only imagine what secrets she might possess or what terrors she might unleash if provoked.
Lukas glanced nervously at Fiona, unsure of how to proceed. The queen was unlike any enemy they had faced in the forest. Not only did she exude an aura of peace and serenity, but she had spoken to them. While the intelligence of many monsters and creatures was undeniable, Lukas had never once witnessed it being utilized in a genuine attempt to communicate with humans or elves. For the very first time Adventuring in the Mystic Forest, he felt like a trespasser into someone's rightful home. She was also extremely attractive, appearing as a nearly perfected woman, with some angelic enhancements from the forest.
Fiona just gave him a shrug, encouraging him to follow his instincts. Lukas stepped forward into the clearing and addressed the queen, his voice firm but respectful.
"Your Majesty," he said, "we apologize for our intrusion and request that we be allowed to withdraw peacefully."
The queen's gaze lingered on him, her eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. "I will allow you to withdraw, but I will be keeping my three captives."
"Three?!"
Prompted by the enemy boss' revelation, four figures emerged from the opposite side of the clearing, carrying a bound Lucy in between them. Lukas' eyes widened in surprise, seeing his Ranger captured by the queen's minions. He had never seen creatures like them before. The four sprites bore a striking resemblance to the queen, but were much smaller -- beautiful females with delicate features, smooth skin, and wild, untamed hair that matched the vibrant colors of their surroundings. They stood about four and a half feet tall and wielded spears that extended over their heads. Their bodies, which sported tiny wings, were almost entirely exposed to the elements, save for a thin layer of material that just barely suggested a gown and only covered modesty's minimum. They moved with a supernal grace, their slender bodies swaying with each step; it was both captivating and unnerving to all who witnessed it. Their weapons, similarly matched to their forest home, were crafted from enchanted wood, sharpened to form a point and tipped with a green stone.
The queen's expression remained serene, but Lukas sensed a subtle tension emanating from her. "Yes," she stated. "Three."
"I'm afraid I must insist the girls be allowed to leave with me," Lukas demanded gently, stifling his own anticipation of the impending conflict.
"I was hoping you would insist," the queen said, an ominous smile crossing her face. "I accept your challenge." She raised a hand, and a spear materialized in her grip. Except for its thickness and a larger green stone tip, it was identical to the ones wielded by her minions.
The air grew colder. Lukas' eyes flicked towards Fiona, and she gave him a reassuring nod before taking a defensive stance. The queen's eyes narrowed. "You will fight alone, Adventurer. I will not allow your friends to interfere." At her command, the four nymphs dropped Lucy and charged at Fiona and Laera with their spears pointed forward, the tips glowing with green, magical energy.
Lukas opened his mouth to protest, but the queen, without much warning, demonstrated incredible agility by leaping towards him, crossing a distance that would have taken Lukas thirty strides. He barely managed to raise his blades in time as her spear sliced through the air. The impact sent Lukas stumbling backward, and the queen pursued him with a flurry of lightning-fast slashes.
The queen's attacks were so swift that Lukas was forced to rely on his instincts and defensive techniques, desperately hoping the nymph's speed would wane soon. As the enemy's spear whizzed past his ear, Lukas strategically retreated backward, his heart racing from the adrenaline pumping throughout his body. He could feel her magic coursing through the air, imbuing her movements with an unnatural swiftness and agility. Her spear seemed to be everywhere at once, striking at him with a relentless precision that left him struggling to keep up.
Beyond the initial leaping attack, however, Lukas did notice his foe's strength did not match her speed. As the queen's attacks continued to rain down on him, Lukas was able to better evaluate his opponent. Despite her incredible agility and quick reflexes, her blows lacked the raw power needed to truly wear Lukas down.
Seizing on that literal weakness, Lukas adjusted his strategy. He no longer tried to dodge and weave around her attacks, instead focusing on blocking and parrying her blows. He used his blades to absorb the impact of her strikes, slowly pushing her back. The queen's eyes narrowed as she realized what Lukas was doing. Her speed and agility allowed her to strike at him from unexpected angles, but she was facing an opponent who could withstand her attacks without flinching.
Fiona, meanwhile, was holding her own against two of the wood nymphs. She had taken a couple hits from their magically enhanced spears, but her hard-trained skill and natural speed began slowly pushing them back. Laera had bewitched a minion to hold off the last, very confused sprite. The mage used the timely reprieve to attempt to free Gemma and Gwyn, but her efforts proved to be futile. She briskly ran over to Lucy, and had more success rescuing her.
The Ranger launched a Moonshot at the enemy boss, stunning her temporarily. Lukas knew the advantage was his to seize. Recognizing the need to overpower his foe, he let out a roar, triggering his strength-granting pendant. The surge of power filled his body, and he scored several hits on his stunned foe before beginning to push her back, her spear flashing in glowing forest energy as she struggled to fend off the strapping Adventurer. As the fight progressed, Lukas noticed that the queen seemed to be growing weaker -- her blows less precise, and her speed waning. He could see the magic draining from her form, leaving behind a wearied expression.
He took advantage of his foe's weakened state, using his Ultimate to hold her in place as he decimated her HP. The final stage of the battle was a blur of steel, wood, and magic as Lukas struck relentlessly, his blades tearing into his opponent. The queen's attempts to defend herself became slower and more desperate, her strength dwindling to the point where even her magic failed to compensate for her injuries. With a powerful blow, drove his weapons through the middle of her spear, snapping it in half.
The Wood Nymph Queen collapsed onto her knees as her head bowed close to the earth, Lukas raised his arms up to deliver the fatal blow, but wavered. The docile queen held out two hands. Her right one cupped a blue flame; the left cradled a red one. Lukas took a quick sweep of his surroundings, and noticed that the minions had also stopped fighting.
"What is this?" Lukas asked the beautiful boss kneeling in front of him, naturally suspicious at the unique turn of events.
"You have risen to the challenge and defeated me in combat, Adventurer," the queen answered. "I offer you two different paths of victory."
"What are the two paths?"
"The red flame represents a blood victory. You need only to strike me down as I kneel here, and you will be rewarded with experience and loot."
"What about the other option?" Lukas asked.
The queen glanced up at the tall Adventurer. "The blue represents a dominance victory. I cannot reveal what will be granted, but you will forfeit both the experience and the loot. You must drop your weapons and blow out the red fire to accept."
Lukas stared intently at the queen, but her expression was unreadable. He looked over at his teammates and noticed that they were watching him curiously, unsure of what to do. A green magical energy quickly swirled around him and the queen, blocking them from view.
"The choice is yours," the queen said, "but you alone must make it." His eyes returned hers, and he fared no better at trying to read her intentions.
Lukas felt a tug on his heartstrings as he looked at the beautiful creature. He knew the path most Adventurers would take, but he knew that he was not most Adventurers. He hoped -- had faith, even -- that his teammates would feel similarly. There was one path forward that fit his class perfectly. After dropping his weapons, he walked over to the kneeling queen, and took the hand that offered up the red flame. He squeezed it reassuringly then snuffed out the fire with a powerful exhalation.
