[A/N]: Longest chapter ever.

Wilheim did not even feel the faintest tremors of spiritual energy before Jon was struck through the shoulder. An eruption of putrid dark-yellow spiritual energy pierced through whatever meagre spiritual shields the human had constructed, thrusting him backwards and crashing into the icy cold waters of the river behind him.

Wilheim did not even realize what had happened for a few seconds, his gaze lingering on the spot where Jon once stood.

Where the young human pushed their green-skinned companion Sariel out of the way, and where the pauldron-shaped remnants of chalk dust laid scattered about the riverbank, blood covering their almost pure-white exterior.

Wilheim felt his eyes widen, and his emotions surge as he felt tremendous tremors emanating from behind the tree line. The floresiensis could feel an unfamiliar type of spiritual energy wash over him, filling his flesh and bones with an existential dread that Wilheim did not think was possible.

The middle-aged floresiensis noticed that Sariel and Shamael had both gone pale, the latter looking towards the tree line while unconsciously shaking his head. The expression on his face was obviously afraid, although from the trembling in his hands and feet, Wilheim thought that the satanas was coming face-to-face with his worst fears made manifest.

He was not that far off, all things considered.

All of them, the Liver Of The Ginseng King and Custodian Of The Fire Swarm included, could smell the presence of this creature before they saw it.

The thick, vile, metallic scent of blood filled each of their nostrils. An overwhelming amount of dark-green splotches covered its blubberous, over-inflated form, dripping from a mouth containing far too many teeth to count.

Thick, viscous drool dripped from its tongue, long and serpentine, emanating a stench that would have brought tears to the eyes of uninitiated Mortals. Deep gashes could be seen up the length of one of its arms, dripping toxic blood onto the shrubs and grasses beneath itself, corroding whatever Mortal flora it came into contact with.

The tremors that were released with each thunderous step it took shook the very sands that Wilheim and the others stood upon. The ashen-coloured beast slammed one foot deep into the ground beside it, grinning at the familiar figures of Sariel and Shamael before roaring, emanating a colossal amount of fear natured spiritual energy.

Although all of the summoned creatures present could resist the effects of its Aura, Wilheim, Avahni, Sariel and Shamael all found themselves frozen in place, their feeble mental resistances unable to muster any significant form of resistance against its presence.

Ru Luan Di did take note the deep, white-coloured wounds stretching up the length of its arm. Although the little ginseng king could not be certain, the distinct flavour of spiritual energy was one that he was quite familiar with.

Although none of the Mortals present could even identify why this creature possessed the faintest traces of ice natured spiritual energy around it, Ru Luan Di and Titus Claudius glanced towards one another, the former similarly looking back towards where Jon laid beneath the water's surface.

Ashvattha Rana scrambled to retrieve Jon from beneath the icy cold waters. Her roots extended beneath the sands, towards the depths of the icy river, gently wrapping her summoner in a cocoon of earthy tendrils.

'The White Lady Of The Winter Castle… even in her current state she could fight a Knight Ranked creature, even wounding it in the process. How incredible she must have been in life,' Ru Luan Di now realized why neither himself, nor Titus Claudius could feel the presence of Schwarz Eis from within Jon.

The beast in question stood over ten feet tall, wielding an abomination shaped into a one-handed hatchet. Bones and sinew formed the length of the tomahawk, coiled and constructed into some vile, horror thought to only exist in nightmares and fairy tales.

Flesh and blood formed the blade of the hatchet itself, a putrid red colour emanating a violent amount of blood natured spiritual energy.

Wilheim stood completely motionless. An overpowering amount of fear sprouted within his Mental Sylvascape due to this creatures Knight Ranked Aura. He had not once realized that the Fragment Of Transcendence within himself was violently reacting to the presence of this horrifying creature.

Avahni was no exception, her own Fragment Of Transcendence shaking aggressively in the face of the foreign Aura.

The sound of his Flauros-Forest Heart beating uncontrollably within his chest was the single thing that Wilheim could focus on, even drowning out the thoughts that sprouted within his Mental Sylvascape. Wilheim thought that the resistances born from his Fragment Of Mind and Fragment Of Spirit would help him resist foreign mental influences.

He never once considered the possibility that his opponent might not be a Mortal.

"Wake up you stupid idiots! If you don't want to die then circulate your spiritual energy and move!"

He could not hear the sounds of Ru Luan Di screaming at him in Nain, nor the feel the presence of the [Fire Chevalier] Aura wash over his form. The seeds of fear that had been planted within his Fragment Of Mind were particularly effective against sapient beings.

Wilheim was of no exception.

"Wilheim! Help me, I need you to use your Fragment Of Hearth on Jon! His mortal resistances will not hold on for much longer!"

He could not even react to the words spoken by the Earthen Treasury Womb in English.

The Liver Of Ginseng King commanded for Titus Claudius to nudge Avahni out of her stupor, managing to summon both Metzli and Xochitl into the physical world. Although the effects of her Asherah-Shamrock Hair might have dulled the effects of the foreign Aura, Avahni's own control over the effects were not nearly as strong as what the Malum Hobgoblin possessed.

She paled in comparison, in both proficiency and depth.

Ru Luan Di let an obvious tsk, waving his arm-shaped roots around the battlefield in front of him.

"Metzli! Protect the idiots for the time being! Do not hesitate to use as much spiritual energy as possible!"

Several patches of dark-green moss started sprouting outward from behind Avahni's shadow. The Shade-Seeking Shield Moss granting each of the stunned humanoids a self-regenerating shield of wood natured spiritual energy.

A faint shimmer of dark-green light appeared across the forms of the four humanoids, Avahni's fingers twitching ever-so-slightly as the self-regenerating shield of wood natured spiritual energy engulfed her form.

Ru Luan Di gestured towards the physical manifestation of the Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove. The enormous, wrinkled seed that sat mere inches in front of Avahni rolled around the base of her feet before pausing, moving its attention towards the top of the fire swarm beetle.

"Xochitl! You want to eat right!?", the little ginseng king asked.

The green ocean mangrove nodded its, moving its present form up and down.

Ru Luan Di pointed towards the approaching Malum Hobgoblin. Its monstrous form treading closer and closer towards them.

"Then devour everything around you and kill that thing! Kill it before it can reach Avahni!", Ru Luan Di screamed.

[Yumka; Cradle Of Life], the Memento Source Fragment which Xochitl had transformed into both its cradle and physical body, halted it regular movements, turning around one-hundred-and-eighty degrees before focusing on the approaching figure of the Malum Hobgoblin.

It paused for a few moments, before rolling forward, in a strange, almost drunken pattern.

A large spherical tree seed rolled up the length of the riverbank, before planting itself in the soft sands closer towards the tree line. The green ocean mangrove halted whatever it was doing and started drawing upon Avahni's Wood Mana Core.

Xochitl produced an enormous surge of wood natured spiritual energy.

The concentration and potency was beyond anything that Avahni was even remotely capable of. [Yumka; Cradle Of Life], was a Memento Source Fragment formed from a mortal ranked spiritual cradle, capable of nurturing the lifeform that was contained within it.

The sheer amount of spiritual energy that was released from Yumka caused the Malum Hobgoblin to pause, narrowing its eyes as it felt the familiar presence of that strange power once again. The Malum Hobgoblin had just fought an opponent with a similar sort of power, one capable of even injuring itself.

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Glancing down towards its wounded arm, the Knight Ranked creature let out a terrifying snarl, before stomping forward, raising its Fragment Of Weapon and Fragment Of Flesh and swinging down on the basketball-sized seed in front of it.

Xochitl remained motionless for a few seconds, frantically absorbing whatever lifeforce and wood natured spiritual energy the green ocean mangrove could get its roots and vines on.

Metzli found her wood natured spiritual shields wavering in the presence of the Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove but remained stalwart despite its rapidly draining spiritual energy reserves.

The Earthen Treasury Womb several dozen metres away placed Jon beneath itself, moving its attention towards the familiar presence of a Memento Source Fragment. Her leaves quivering in shock as she gazed towards the green ocean mangrove seed.

'That seed is Xochitl?' the bodhi tree said to herself. The dull golden-green light she produced dimmed as a portion of her lifeforce was swallowed by the Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove.

If Ashvattha Rana had been manifested from a Tree Mana Core instead, she might have been devoured whole by the green ocean mangrove.

Through its Corruption Mana Core and Fungi Mana Core, the Malum Hobgoblin could feel the traces of spiritual energy it left behind devoured by the strange seed-shaped object in front of it. Despite it clearly being a Mortal, there was the same strange quality that it had seen mere hours ago used again in front of it to combat its numerous afflictions and debuffs.

While the corruptive natured of its abilities transformed lifeforce into something dark and tainted, the creature in front of it devoured it whole. Absorbing anything it could sink its presence into regardless of the source or origin.

Not wanting to take any chances, the Malum Hobgoblin activated another ability, its one-handed hatchet in its hand gaining a distinct dark-green tint to it.

The hatchet slashed through the air, producing a foul-high pitched whir as it travelled downwards towards Xochitl. Time seemed to slow down for Ru Luan Di and Titus Claudius, who felt their stomachs sink as they watched the Knight Ranked construct crash down onto the minuscule form of Xochitl.

The crimson-coloured edge hummed with numerous different kinds of spiritual energy.

Blood.

Fungi.

Corruption.

And something other that did not seem quite right.

Ru Luan Di almost leaned forward in shock, trying to leap towards Avahni in order to slap her out of this state. But...

Mere seconds before the hatchet-shaped flesh collided with Yumka, the Memento Source Fragment exploded outwards, dozens of wooden roots, branches and tendrils expanding outwards in every direction.

The hatchet struck several branches but was abandoned as the Malum Hobgoblin felt several roots and tendrils attempt to coil around its arms and legs. Showing a series of uncharacteristically agile movements for several seconds as its Blood Mana Core surged, fuelling some sort of physical enhancement ability.

Avahni thought that Ashvattha Rana was an incredible summoned companion given her size and beauty. The golden-green bodhi tree released a soft, somewhat gentle light from her leaves, capable of illuminating a small portion of the riverbank whenever she manifested herself.

The warmth of [Naraka Of Protection] and [Niraya Of Protection] filled her with no small sense of awe and wonder about the Earthen Treasury Womb.

Xochitl on the other hand, filled her with a sense of incredulity, almost bordering on fear with how enormous the Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove was.

An unorganized mass of coiling vines and tendril-shaped branches soared up into the skies above the campsite. The earth and sands beneath their feet shifting as Xochitl buried itself deeper and deeper into the ground, swallowing whatever traces of lifeforce that Avahi allowed itself to devour.

This section of the riverbank was obscured beneath the canopy of the Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove. Thick bushels of oval-shaped leaves prevented light from entering or escaping the gaze of the green ocean mangrove, dozens of trunks coiled around one another, holding up the leaf awning which stretched over a hundred metres from one side to the other.

The Knight Ranked Hobgoblin peered up towards the presence of Xochitl, gnashing its teeth before resummoning its Fragment Of Weapon back into its hand. The ashen-skinned beast swung its flesh-hatchet, carving huge chunks of the form of the green ocean mangrove.

[Rotten Blood]: Inflicts a continuous blood-natured damage over time effect. Blood natured spiritual energy disrupts the life cycle of bodily fluids, turning them foul and tepid as they course throughout the flesh. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

[Sanguine Hex]: Inflicts a continuous blood-natured damage over time effect. Blood natured spiritual energy forms imprints upon contact, preventing other sources of spiritual energy from rejuvenating or healing the affected area. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

Each blow that the Malum Hobgoblin inflicted upon Xochitl increased the amount of debuffs affecting the mangrove tree. Despite the magnitude of its form and the incredible amount of lifeforce contained within it, the green ocean mangrove did not possess the same amount of spiritual energy that the hobgoblin had at its disposal.

The Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove extended its tendrils and vines outwards, trying to find purchase on the flesh of the Knight before it. The hobgoblin muttered a few indecipherable words beneath its breath before letting out an enormous sigh.

Its mouth released a cloud of noxious yellow poison of near-unmatched potency and virality. The scent was enough for even Titus Claudius and Ru Luan Di to scrunch up their faces in disgust, the former using his [Fire Chevalier] Aura to shield Avahni and her companions from its effects.

[Yellow Lung Corruption]: Inflicts a continuous corruption-natured damage over time effect. Corruption natured spiritual energy gathers within the lungs or other respiratory systems where it feeds on living tissue. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

[Broken Flesh Corruption]: Inflicts a continuous corruption-natured damage over time effect. Corruption natured spiritual energy dissolves flesh upon contact. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

The uninitiated shrub and trees closest to the hobgoblin experienced the unhindered effects of its Spell, withering and decaying within moments of touching the foul yellow cloud of corruption. Living matter shrivelled up and died within fifteen seconds of continuous contact with the Spell. Not even Xochitl was immune to this effect, although found its tendrils and branches lasting just a few moments longer but unable to physically touch the Malum Hobgoblin.

With the presence of this foul yellow smog hanging around the hobgoblin, the Knight Ranked beast continued to swing its Fragment Of Weapon deeper and deeper into the bark and sap of the green ocean mangrove.

Ru Luan Di used Xochitl's presence in order snap Avahni out of her trance. The effects of fear natured spiritual energy were quite effective on sapient beings, and Mortals who had not learnt how to resist their effects were often left stunned even in the face of certain death.

The little ginseng king relied on Titus Claudius to open Avahni's mouth as he fed one her one of her limbs. The cleansing fire natured spiritual energy that Ru Luan Di possessed circulated throughout Avahni's form, searching for whatever traces of foreign spiritual energy the Aura left behind within her.

With a matter of moments, Ru Luan Di burnt away whatever traces of fear natured spiritual energy remained within Avahni, watching as the green-haired lutin blinked, regaining a degree of clarity within her gaze.

Avahni heard the sounds of flesh and blood hacking into wood and sap, shaking her head several times before looking down towards Ru Luan Di.

"Little Roland… I don't understand, what was I-." Her words were interrupted by the sound of bloodied flesh striking wood and sap. Avahni felt an enormous pull on her Wood Mana Core as Xochitl moved to devour more lifeforce from the surrounding flora and fauna but was countered by the presence of that noxious yellow haze.

Avahni could feel the gazes of Titus Claudius and Ru Luan Di on her. The expectant looks on the faces on the fire swarm beetle and ginseng king caused whatever humorous and jubilant emotions within her to dry up, focusing more on the situation around her.

The familiar presence of Metzli dwelling within her shadow brought her some measure of comfort, but her eyes could not help but glance towards Ashvattha Rana, who had adjusted her roots to bring Jon out of the river, encased within a cocoon of protective wooden tendrils.

Avahni noticed that Wilheim, Sariel and Shamael were all still frozen in place, their minds paralysed in fear and their movements somewhat unresponsive. The two satanas in particular seemed horrified just from the presence of the ashen-skinned beast alone, Sariel trembling in fear as the Malum Hobgoblin continued to hack away at Xochitl.

Avahni felt the waves within her Mental Aquascape churn as the basis of a plan started forming within her mind. [Mine Is The Rivers And Oceans, The Seas And Rain] surging with a violent undercurrent, trying to formulate a strategy as swiftly as possible.

The green-haired woman glanced towards Jon protected by Ashvattha Rana, turning towards Ru Luan Di and giving the small ginseng king a resolute nod.

"Roland! I need you to bring Jon back into the fight. Focus on helping Ashvattha Rana heal his wounds!" the lutin declared, watching as her little ginseng king nodded before rolling off towards the Earthen Treasury Womb.

Avahni turned her attention towards her other two companions.

"Titus! And Metzli! The two of you will assist me in getting the others to safety. That… creature has some sort of mental effect that can prevent us from feeling anything but fear. There must be some sort of radius to its ability, so moving them as far away from here is our top priority!" said Avahni, showing an uncharacteristically serious expression as she gestured towards Sariel and Shamael, both of whom were frozen in the face of that Fear Trait Aura ability.

Avahi rushed towards her closest other companion, Wilheim, who just stood their motionlessly, his hands trembling as his vision locked onto the enormous ten-foot tall visage of the Malum Hobgoblin. His expression was pale and frightful; his pupils dilated to the point where his iris had been almost completely obscured.

Avahni was not in the mood for waiting while in the midst of battle. The green-haired woman raised her hand and slapped the cheek of the floresiensis with as much force as her Marchosias-Gale Marrow and Furfur-Gale Heart were capable of mustering.

The sound of a hand slapping against a bare cheek echoed throughout the riverbank. Most of the sound was drowned out by the fight between Xochitl and the Knight Ranked Malum Hobgoblin, but even both Sariel and Shamael could not help but turn towards Avahni, stirred to attention through the effects of Titus Claudius' [Fire Chevalier] Aura.

The hazelnut-skinned man fell to the ground, clutching his cheek as he peered up towards Avahni. His eyes wide in both pain and shock, his expression somewhere in between fear and confusion.

A pinch of colour had returned to his visage, although that might have just been a result of being slapped in the face.

Avahni extended her hand towards Wilheim, ignoring the sounds of flesh crashing against the form of her Voracious Wood-Swallowing Mangrove. The embers of the campfire they once gathered around had been entirety snuffed out, leaving nothing but the faint glow of the Earthen Treasury Womb to illuminate the space beneath the mangroves canopy.

"Wake up Wilheim! We've got friends to save!"

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