Chapter 9 Trolloc Mimickery

"I instructed all of you to resume your tasks. Do you believe that someone will miraculously come to your aid? Tsk tsk tsk... Arm yourselves and begin working," the Guard shouted loudly, but the Elves paid him no heed. Their attention was solely fixed on the elderly man who was on the brink of death.

"I had forewarned you that the Black Boy wouldn't survive. Who knows what fate has befallen him?" questioned one of the Elves, addressing no one in particular.

"I am confident that he must have perished or fallen prey to one of those formidable creatures. This is all the more reason for you to labor," he chuckled and blew a whistle. Almost instantly, three guards entered the cave and began lashing the Elves, who were too intimidated to resist. They hastily retrieved their weapons and commenced breaking down the stones.

"And what about you, Old Man? Will you not rise from your position?" the guard sneered, referring to Brakor, who was coughing up blood for the umpteenth time. "Are you blind? Can't you see that I am dying?" Brakor retorted, causing the guard's temper to flare.

'How dare he question my authority?' he thought, his face displaying clear anger. He hastened to Brakor, pulling him upright until the latter was propped against the stone wall. Without warning, he delivered a blow to Brakor's stomach, causing more blood to spill. "You are destined to perish regardless. Why not hasten the process?" he taunted, preparing to strike again when they heard a commotion. The Loctrum cave was violently shaking. "What is happening? The cave is on the verge of collapse. Everyone, evacuate!" one of the guards shouted, prompting the Elves to exit the cave hastily.

The guard continued to glare at Brakor, his expression gradually transforming into a malevolent grin. "You are fated to die, after all," he remarked, shoving Brakor to the ground before making his own escape.

Slowly, Brakor turned, lying on his back on the ground. His life flashed before his eyes as a large stone dislodged from the wall and rolled in his direction. 'This is the end,' he thought, closing his eyes. The stone plummeted towards him, but a fist intercepted it, causing it to shatter mid-air.

The debris rained down on Brakor, who opened his eyes to behold a being of average stature with crimson hair. His hair obscured his ears, and his appearance was captivating. 'Who is this individual? His face seems vaguely familiar. Nonetheless, I am on the brink of death; he is foolish to return,' Brakor mused.

"That was my death ticket," Brakor coughed up more blood as the crimson-haired being pulled him to his feet. "I refuse to let you perish," he declared, presenting him with a flower.

"Black boy?" Brakor was taken aback to see the same black boy who had been his fellow captive, now standing before him in a transformed state. Apart from his perpetually black eyes, every aspect of his being had changed, even his countenance had matured.

"My name is now Kael," he responded, patting Brakor's shoulder. "Recover, old man. We have matters to address," he stated, then turned and exited the cave. Brakor promptly sat on the ground and cast a protective barrier spell to shield himself from the falling stones while tending to his injuries.

Kael emerged from the crumbling cave to find the Elves lined up before it, with guards encircling them. The guards were puzzled by the presence of a laborer with crimson hair, clad in worker's attire. The mark on his chest had transformed into a tattoo, but one guard swiftly recognized the mark. It was the same guard who had informed him about the flower, the one who had sought his demise.

"How are you still alive?" the guard inquired, looking astounded. Kael smirked as he regarded him. "Let us simply say that fortune favors me."

"Well... I do not comprehend how you managed to survive and alter your appearance, but all things meet their end here," the guard remarked, seizing an axe from one of the elves and charging fiercely at Kael.

Kael stood motionless, observing the guard's approach. In contrast to the Trollocs, this guard was insignificant to him. He effortlessly caught the weapon with his left hand as the guard aimed to strike him in the head.

Despite the guard's efforts to retrieve the weapon, he was unsuccessful; Kael's grip was unyielding, and what was amusing was that he was exerting less than 5% of his strength. It was then that Kael had a clearer view of the guards, realizing they shared a similar aura to him. Their ears were of the same shape in contrast to the Elves.

"Are they human as well?" He pondered, leading to his grip loosening on the axe. The guard seized the opportunity to pull back the axe and thrust it towards Kael's neck, but he was too slow. A swift punch connected with his face before he could act, causing him to collapse instantly.

"Huh!" Both the elves and guards exclaimed in surprise as they witnessed the acting leader of the guards knocked out with a single blow. Two guards rushed towards Kael almost immediately, but he snatched the axe from the unconscious guard.

In the heat of the moment, the first guard made a move to attack Kael with his whip, but Kael's quick reflexes allowed him to catch the weapon mid-air. With a swift motion, Kael pulled the attacker towards him, deftly wrapping the whip around his body. Before the attacker could react, Kael delivered a powerful headbutt, creating a visible disturbance in the air around them.

Seeing his companion in trouble, the second guard leaped into the air and dove towards Kael. Anticipating the attack, Kael pivoted and unleashed a precise straight kick, connecting with the second guard's chest and causing him to stumble backwards. The clash of bodies and sounds of impact echoed through the area, intensifying the tension of the confrontation. Kael stood his ground, ready for whatever challenges came his way.

As he stood his ground, a sudden rush of adrenaline surged through his veins as he encountered the incoming threat. Four guards approached from the right, their menacing presence evident in the way they moved. Simultaneously, three guards advanced from the left, their eyes fixed on their target which was no one other than Kael. In a swift and calculated move, he executed a precise 90-degree spin launching the axe with unparalleled skill. The blade sliced through the air, swiftly dispatching the four guards before it returned to his grasp. He turned swiftly, his gaze now locked with the three trembling guards before him.

"Are you of the human race?" He inquired, to which they shook their heads. "Humans are prohibited from entering this region. Their realm lies to the far north," one of the guards replied with a tremor in his voice.

"In that case, what lineage do you belong to?"

"We hail from the Dworgin lineage," they all exclaimed, causing Kael to cover his ears. Enraged, he swiftly struck each of them with the back of his hand.

🗣️He's truly remarkable

🗣️His appearance is captivating; if only I were a lady

🗣️We are deeply indebted to Mr. Red

🗣️Our lives are owed to him

Kael smiled in response to the accolades from the Elves. The praise was reassuring and calming. He closed his eyes briefly, sensing a presence behind him. When he turned, it was too late, as a sword pierced his lower abdomen. To his bewilderment, it was one of the guards. Kael couldn't comprehend how the guard had appeared so swiftly without his notice.

Still in a state of shock, Kael watched as the guard raised his sword, preparing to strike again. A strike that would have severed Kael's head from his body.

ALEXA - A SKILL HAS BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR SKILLS. SHOULD I ACTIVATE IT?

"Why do you delay? I am on the brink of death,"Kael retorted with strength. In an instant, his body underwent a vast transformation, turning into that of a colossal Trolloc. However, the sword landed on his lap, unable to penetrate.

The sudden change left everyone, including Kael, in a state of shock. He found it difficult to comprehend this metamorphosis. The guard attempted to remove his sword, but the Trolloc body was as hard as stone, impervious to his efforts.

"Alexa, could you please explain this?"He inquired while examining himself.

ALEXA: THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR ALLOWS YOU TO EMULATE THE TROLLOC IT CONSUMED. YOU NOW POSSESS ITS ABILITIES.

"What abilities are those?"He queried once more, just as the guard managed to extract the sword, yet Kael felt no pain.

ALEXA: LOADING

The guard leaped high into the air, targeting Kael's Trolloc visage, only to be apprehended with ease. Kael drew him near, dwarfing the guard in size, which facilitated the task. "Alexa. Appraisal."

ALEXA: A DWARGON. THE HEAD OF THE GUARDS AND A DEVOTED FOLLOWER OF ARCTIC. SKILLS: SHADOW MOVEMENT.

"Utilizing the technique of shadow movement allowed you to approach me stealthily. I am intrigued by this skill,"he said with a cunning smile.

ACTIVATING ALEXA: ENGAGING THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR SKILL.

A dark mist emanated from Kael's outstretched hand and shrouded the guard, who let out a horrified scream before dissolving into the mist, which quickly dissipated.

He then directed his attention to the Elves, who were visibly intimidated by his gaze. They feared his potential to harm them, reminiscent of his actions against the guards, but he had more urgent matters to attend to than their emotional state.

"Could you inform me of Lady Rose's whereabouts?"he inquired of one of the Elves, specifically the one who had alerted him to the dangers surrounding the flower.

"I overheard a guard mentioning that she is located in the Palace of Arctic,"the Elf responded, prompting Kael to sprint off in the direction of the palace.

Suddenly, a radiant light emanated from within the cave, and a figure emerged, hovering in the air. It was revealed to be Brakor, appearing in good health. The Elves who recognized his true identity bowed in reverence, with the others following suit, acknowledging their fellow Elves.

"Leader, you are unharmed."

"Yes, I am well. Where is Kael?"

"Who is Kael?"

The Elves exchanged perplexed glances, their faces betraying confusion. None of them were aware of the mysterious red-haired man who had previously eliminated all the guards.

........

⌚PRESENT TIME ⌚

Dark aura enveloped Lord Arctic as he gazed at Chief Brakor, whose body emitted a radiant light. It was the result of the flower, not only healing him but also temporarily enhancing his powers. Brakor realized that he had to take action against Lord Arctic now that he had the opportunity, or none of them would survive.

"Elf magic: Glacial Wind!"Brakor incanted, conjuring a freezing wind that swirled around him, forming sharp ice shards aimed at Lord Arctic. The latter chuckled, effortlessly evading the ice shards as he advanced towards Chief Brakor.

He threw a punch that Brakor dodged by swerving to the right, followed by another punch that was also evaded by Brakor as he unleashed another barrage of ice shards at Lord Arctic.

"Elf magic: Shadow Veil,"Arctic retorted, summoning a dark mist that enveloped him and absorbed the icy attack.

"I anticipated that,"Chief Brakor smirked, while Lord Arctic grinned. "Allow me to surprise you."

Before Chief Brakor could react, Lord Arctic appeared behind him. Brakor sensed his presence and swiftly turned to deliver a punch to his nose, causing him to stumble and crash beside Kael, who had since fully recovered.

"Let me assist you,"Kael offered, assuming his Trolloc form and leaping into the air to deliver a powerful blow. His expression and stance indicated that he had focused all his energy on the strike, but Lord Arctic effortlessly redirected the air with his fingers, sending Kael flying backwards and nearly colliding with Brakor, who agilely dodged, causing Kael to crash into a pillar, shattering it entirely.

"Ouch..The pain in my back is unbearable,"he exclaimed while observing Brakor confront Lord Arctic.

"Elf sorcery: Frostbite Frenzy!"Brakor declared, causing the air around him to burst with frigid spikes, each one targeting Arctic who merely smirked and snapped his fingers. The frosty spikes veered away from him instantly, heading straight for Brakor who widened his mouth in shock.

"Weren't you the one who chanted the incantation? Why are they heading in our direction?"Kael inquired, noticing three ice spikes hurtling towards him.

"He interfered.."Brakor responded, attempting to neutralize the magic but it was to no avail. "I am powerless to stop it.. Flee."

"Flee? How am I supposed to do that? I am unable to move an inch,"Kael lamented, struggling to rise but it was too late, the spikes were mere inches away." Alexa!"

ALEXA: THE SPIKES ARE POISONOUS. NO SKILL IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO RESIST IT.

To be continued...