NOVPUB"Good timing," Rick said between strikes, seeing how Martha’s root control and Floyd’s manipulation of the beast’s momentum turned a very strong beast into something less than an Erendu.
The clone couldn’t help but smile. He had never met the group but had Erik’s memories, so, for him, it was the same as Erik being the one seeing them. There was genuine happiness at seeing them so strong. The problem was, they weren’t strong enough.
Luckily, they brought some clones with them. The problem was, they weren’t among the last batches Erik had made, so they were weaker than him.
Their attacks threw off the thaid’s movements. The creature let out a roar as ice spread across the ground, its massive form straining against Martha’s roots.
Ben and Allan rushed forward, joining Rick in combat.
"Hey Erik! Care if we share the spotlights?" He said, swinging his mana halberd at the Thaid’s exposed flank.
<Ah… I get it…>
"I’m not Erik," he said, ducking under a swipe from the thaid. "I’m Rick, one of his clones. But your help’s appreciated."
Rick turned to look at them. Being Erik’s clone, they were identical. He also glanced at Allan. He knew he and Gwen were a couple, but didn’t expect him to come here. Though, if Gwen decided to come, it made sense for him to be here.
He had likely come to protect her, though the notion was absurd—Gwen hardly needed protection, and Allan’s ability to help was questionable at best.
What Rick said disappointed the group, though. While they didn’t think less of the Chimaeric Demons, being stronger than them and as smart as Erik, it was still not the real deal.
Besides, they had problems not considering the clones just the manifestation of Erik’s power. In a sense, they were no more than mana turned flesh.
They kept fighting. The thaid struggled against their assault, its movements growing more desperate.
Rick struck the beast, which was now easier to deal with, and the other clones did the same. He was targeting points where Aaron’s slime weakened the creature’s defenses. The thaid’s attacks grew wilder, less coordinated, as Mickey’s insects continued their harassment.
"Be careful, thaids here are problematic," Rick said, evading an ice-covered paw.
"You don’t say?" Floyd could see it firsthand. Though his power was strong, it wasn’t affecting this creature as easily as it usually did with other beings.
While he wasn’t struggling to contain it—especially with everyone’s help—the thaid’s raw power was clear in how much resistance it put against his abilities.
The fight continued, but the outcome became clear as time went on. The Thaid’s superior strength counted for little against this many brain crystal powers and this many clones.
Rick’s combat experience showed in every movement, every counter. Allan and Ben helped a great deal, especially Allan, who electrocuted the beast with each attack, and the Chimaeric Demons were the Chimaeric Demons.
Martha’s roots tightened their grip as Floyd’s power further reduced the creature’s speed. At some point, he tried to stop the beast’s heart from beating, but affecting something inside a body, especially with all that mana surrounding it, wasn’t easy, especially considering the beast did its best to contrast Floyd’s power.
The thaid thrashed, its movements becoming sluggish also because of the blood loss. However, there was no pool of blood nearby, as it got either dissolved by Aaron’s corrosive slime or frozen by the beast’s own power.
"I’m finishing it!" Rick said, launching himself at the Thaid’s exposed throat.
His attack hit the monster’s throat with crushing power. The beast let out one last cry before falling to the ground. A last sheet of ice spread over the forest floor, then melted away.
Everything went quiet.
"Good fight," Rick said, approaching them. "You improved a lot…"
"You’re really one of Erik’s clones?" Floyd asked, studying Rick’s face. They were identical. The group had never seen the Chimaeric Demons without a mask. The other clones could shapeshift, so they all took slightly different features from Erik.
Rick didn’t reply.
"This thing was strong!" Ben said, moving the attention from the clone to the creature.
"Yes. They all are, but that thing wasn’t among the strongest we’ve killed. It wasn’t even close, actually. But it got too close to the shelter, and the master ordered me to take care of it if that happened."
Gwen stepped forward. "Not the strongest? It moved faster than anything we’ve seen, and Erik told you to kill it alone?"
"We are stronger than them. If it weren’t for some flying thaids, there would be more of us here, instead of just me."
"Just you?" one of the clones asked. "Where are the others? Where is the master?"
The clone then explained what happened on their journey to Mur. Starting from their departure from Hin to their meeting with the Three-headed Void Ravagers. The clone’s story made them shiver in fear.
They had been lucky nothing had approached them before the clone found them.
"Is the tree your shelter?" Aaron asked.
"Yes. The master created it. We also have trees and vegetables." Rick started walking back toward the massive trunk. "Come. It’s not safe to stay here." Rick stopped.
"Ah, Aaron, can you dissolve the beast’s carcass? I don’t want to attract more thaids here."
Aaron nodded and did as instructed.
The clone’s casual handling of such a powerful thaid spoke volumes about Erik’s own capabilities.
"You said Amber and the others got separated from the master," a clone said.
"Is there any news about them?"
"I don’t know," Rick said. "The master left the camp to go search for them. I don’t know if they are alive. The only thing I’m certain of is that the master is well, since he made another tree."
Rick pointed at another giant tree in the distance. It was very far, but it was still visible on the horizon.
He led the way. Until they got near the shelter’s entrance. The massive tree was reassuring. It looked sturdy and with walls big enough to protect them from anything.
"Erik will be pleased to see you," Rick said, giving a furtive glance to the other clones. "But he might also question your decision to come here. Mur isn’t kind to visitors."
That and the fact he told the clones he left here not to come.
"We came prepared," Gwen said. She missed the glances she gave to the clones, so she didn’t know Rick was mainly referring to them. "And after what we just saw, it’s clear we made the right choice."
Rick smiled—an expression identical to Erik’s. "Perhaps. But remember, that thaid was relatively weak by Mur’s standards. There are creatures here that would view it as prey."
The group fell silent as they realized what Rick meant. They had just fought what they thought was an incredibly powerful monster.
But here in Mur, it was considered weak. They couldn’t help but wonder what kind of terrifying creatures lived in the deeper parts of this continent.
Rick led them inside, into the house Erik had created within the massive trunk. The interior amazed them—rooms carved from living wood, stairs spiraling upward and downward, and windows covered by thick curtains of vines.
"Welcome to our temporary home," Rick said. "I don’t know when the master will return, but your help will be appreciated around here."
