12 Yargoth, pt. 1

He was but seven years old when he read the book. It was large and yellow, titled "Azeria's Oddities". Elizabeth had told him it was among the other books in the cabin, when she first stepped foot in it. She had never read it. And one day, for some reason, Jin's eight year old mind thought it interesting, and he decided to inspect it himself.

It spoke of various strange concepts, spells, past events and the like that were too complex for his young mind to understand. However, he vividly remembered the creatures described.

They were creatures of a past era, before even the establishment of the three kingdoms, when only the elves and demons ruled Azeria.

They ranged from awe-inspiring to horrifying, but Jin ate up as much information as his young mind could.

Among the monsters described, was the yargoth. Nicknamed "the tide of death" by the author, it was a monster that was said to have caused great strife in years past. At some point or another, they were hunted down by a combined effort from both demons and elves.

The book said they had been wiped out. However, here and now, Jin was staring into one's eyes. He was petrified. His right hand gripped the sword he'd been using on the karak, but refused to move up. His lungs functioned, but in strained form.

His head slowly moved back, to look at his allies standing not too far away. They shared his expression. Goljin in particular looked like he was just about ready to fall onto his knees. Jin looked back in front of him, the monster tilted its head at him. Almost as if wondering what Jin was.

Jin's heart showed a brief moment of courage, and he forced his arm up, to put his blade between him and the beast ahead. It narrowed its red eyes, recognizing the challenge. Jin's own eyes widened when he realized what a foolish act he was committing. What even was this thing? He had never seen something so large! The way it killed that karak like it was nothing... What had he gotten himself into?

The monster didn't give him time to repent, and in one swift motion, it swiped with its winged arm to take Jin's head off. Something inside Jin screamed at him to duck, just before his life was surely ended.

He staggered back. The beast looked at Jin once more, as if surprised that he dodged the attack. It pulled back, and gave a bone-chilling roar that shook the grass around them. The plains looked like they'd been struck by a strong wind.

Summoning a false sense of perseverance, Jin went to impale the creature. Sensing the danger, it jumped, and launched its massive form into the air, but not before Jin managed to slash its leg! Or at least, that's what he thought would happen.

Instead, his sword bounced off the monster's skin. What manner of creature was this!? How could something have a hide that thick? The simple force of the beast flapping its wings pushed Jin back.

Jin rolled into a crouch as the beast landed, and reared back, clearly about to attempt a second attack. This was it. Jin was about to die.

From the left, an arrow struck the beast's head. The attack actually managed to pierce its skin! But, how!? Was its head weaker than its body? No creature functioned like that!

The beast turned a furious eye to its right, prompting Jin to do the same. He saw Viscerin, holding her bow upright, having just launched an arrow. The expression on her face seemed as if she couldn't believe what she had just done. And, if the beast's next roar was any indication, she'd not get any time to regret her action.

From its forehead, an orb of fire shot out towards Viscerin. She jumped out of the way, but the projectile set all the nearby grass on fire. This thing can cast spells!? Jin thought. Viscerin got up once more, only to wish she had stayed down.

Almost instantly, as if shot from a bow itself, the yargoth lunged towards Viscerin with its large mouth wide open, and dozens of razor-like teeth aimed at the young girl's head. To Jin's surprise, it was Goljin who saved Viscerin's life. He pushed her aside, and fell after her, getting them both out of harms way. Just as they stood back up, they were forced to fall back once more as the beast lunged again, this time, ending up with its back to Jin.

Suddenly, Jin felt energy entering his body. It was a hard thing to describe, it was like drinking cold water during a hot day. He looked back, and saw Thompson aiming his hands at Jin. This must have been another one of those "healer" faculties. He was thankful.

Ferally, Jin ran forward. What else could he do? Running away would have no effect, where could he hide? There were no trees nearby, only tall grass. He had to fight. Not because he wanted to, but because it was the only choice.

He approached the distracted monster from behind, and slashed its back! Again, this time, his sword went through! How!? It was inconceivable to believe that its back was weaker than its legs. There had to be something else at play here...

He wouldn't be able to ponder it for long, as the beast spun in place, with one of its wings in an attempt to decapitate the assailant behind it.

Jin didn't dodge it this time. He was too slow. Luckily though, the wing didn't catch his neck, and instead hit the top of his head. Still though, the blast sent him back several meters. As he opened his eyes, his sight was blurry.

Several scars marked his body, and yet, Jin was sure this was the single strongest hit he'd ever taken. If it had hit its mark, Jin's head would be disconnected from his petrified heart, surely.

Slowly, he stood, and surveyed his surroundings. The beast was attacking Viscerin and Goljin, while Thompson had managed to avoid its wrath for now. While every part of his body yelled at him to protect Viscerin, he put himself between the beast and Thompson. Out of the four of them, Thompson would be the most helpless if the beast went to attack.

Jin grit his teeth, and ran forwards. It took some effort on his part not to fall as his balance was slightly off. Still, he paced forwards. Seeing that the beast stood above both Goljin and Viscerin, and was about to strike them down, Jin jumped and climbed onto its back!

The yargoth looked back, but couldn't turn its neck far enough to properly identify Jin's position. It spun, and thrashed trying desperately to get the strange being off it, but to no avail.

Jin had his left had placed firmly on the yargoth's robust back, and had his legs wrapped around the yargoth's large waist. He wasn't going anywhere.

Annoyed, the yargoth began flapping its wings. The force exerted by this action alone almost blew Jin away, but still, he held on.

It flew a few feet into the air, and wildly began spinning as though it were burning alive. in held on, and pulled his right hand back. He went to thrust his sword in the same area he had slashed before, but this time, his sword didn't make it through.

Jin's eyes widened, and the yargoth took this moment of hesitation to begin flying backwards, into the ground! Before he could be flattened, Jin released his hold, and fell some distance away from the yargoth.

He got on his knees and heaved. He was tired, but not yet exhausted. Years of physical training were serving in his favor right now. However, the right side of his head pulsed. He placed his hand there, and looked at it.

Only now did he notice the bleeding. He realized then, just how dangerous this situation was. One false move, and his life was over. His promise to his aunt, his duty to his mother, all of it, gone.

He couldn't allow that to happen. Not due to this yargoth, not due to any beast.

He grabbed his sword, which lay nearby, and stood. To the north, the beast was chasing down Viscerin and Goljin once more. The spot where it had cast its flame spell had burned away, but the fire was spreading. Smoke was rising in the air, threatning to block out the light that shined down on them.

Jin ran forward once more. However, this time, he had something in mind.

Previously, the same area where he had attacked, had been hardened. That was the tip Jin needed. he stared at the beast as he moved, and noticed something he hadn't earlier. The textures of its body seemed to adapt to whatever it was facing, as right now, its front looked far stronger than its back.

No, rather, it was adapting to what the yargoth was aware of! It knew Viscerin and Goljin were in front of it, so it hardened its front on purpose! The fact that its back was left uncared for, meant that it could, most likely, only harden one area at a time. So, in order to defeat this thing, Jin would have to catch it unawares.

As he neared it, he smirked. He'd figured its game out, now he just needed to...

Goljin raised his axe, and for the first time, he attempted to attack the beast. The yargoth, exhibiting a terrifying intelligence, ducked, and allowed Goljin to strike its head. As Goljin went to do so, the yargoth used its hardened head to propell Goljin up! Launched into the air, the short man landed just beside Jin.

The yargoth looked back quickly, and in the span of seconds, launched another flame spell. This one, however, was different. Instead of one orb of fire, several beams of flame-like light sprang out towards the two of them.

They each managed to jump away, but the very earth crumbled where they had just stood. How powerful is this thing!? Jin thought. He looked towards Goljin for a moment. He could see the dread passing by the poor man's face. He didn't hold Goljin in high regard, but he still felt pity.

Jin himself however, no longer felt that same fear from earlier. Why? He realized, it was because he now saw a path to victory. It was a lesson Elizabeth often told him, when they were in the middle of those mystical woods, hunting small game.

"The strongest will wins the day." She'd often repeat.

Jin knew there was nothing to fear, as long as his desire to survive was strong enough, and so, he stood and placed his blade in front of himself once more.

He knew he could not face this thing up front, but he had to act as though that was his intention until the yargoth gave him an opening. He charged forwards, but he was surprised when the yargoth turned its back on Jin. Jin saw why in an instant, two arrows stuck out of the yargoth's back. Viscerin had attacked it just now.

As the yargoth went to attack Viscerin, Goljin emerged, and tried to hack at the yargoth's legs with his axe. Instead, the yargoth kicked him once, sending him just behind Viscerin.

Jin could see the scene before him, and so, went to help. However, the yargoth had been expecting Jin to move, and quickly launched another flame spell in his direction. This time, it was but a basic [Fireball]. Jin could tell, that was the only spell he knew, he'd recognize it anywhere.

But, just because he knew what it was, didn't mean he was fast enough to avoid it. The attack came so suddenly, that Jin's stagger back was too slow, and the flame engulfed his leg. He screamed in pain, it was a pain he'd never experienced before.

He scurried a few meters away, trying to snuff the flame out with something. Anything. But there was nothing there. Eventually, the flame went out of its own accord, and Jin tried to sit up as tears exited his eyes.

However, the sight in front of him pained him more than any spell could. Goljin and Viscerin were both standing in front of the yargoth, still valiantly fighting, but they hadn't figured out its weakness yet.

Jin felt his leg feeling slightly better. He looked back, and saw Thompson straining himself, aiming his hand towards Jin. His forehead's vein was bulging. Whatever he was doing though, was aiding Jin.

But yet, he didn't have it in him to be thankful. He was desperate. He wanted to attack the yargoth now!

Instead, he was forced to watch his allies fight the beast themselves.

The yargoth reared back, and swept its wing towards Viscerin, who stumbled back, just barely dodging a slice that would have carved her face off. The yargoth moved up, and tried to charge Goljin, who rolled towards Viscerin.

Only then did Jin notice, that at some point, they had made it close to the road. The battle had shifted quite a bit. At first, the implications didn't register in his mind, until he saw Goljin's expression.

Goljin was looking at the road as well. Why? He should be focusing on the yargoth.

Ironically, the yargoth seemed to agree, as it roared at them. Jin noticed his strength returning, and managed to get on his feet.

He had to go to them. To help in any way he could.

However, as Jin stumbled forwards, he paused.

As the yargoth was about to attack, and surely end their lives, Goljin's eyes shifted from the road, to Viscerin and back. What was he thinking? Jin was utterly confused. What was going on?

Suddenly, Goljin pushed Viscerin forwards, and began to run along the road, back to the village.

Jin's eyes widened, and in that instant, the yargoth brought one of its claws down on the cinnamon-haired girl. Viscerin tried to turn and run away herself, but the attack caught her.

Jin's sight was still fuzzy, but he heard Viscerin cry out in pain, and he saw her body fall.