Fanfiction The wounded beast

Jeremi

Well-Known Member
The Convergence Series GM

Minwu had thought that his final act from expelling a devil from heaven would have given him the final rest he deserved. How wrong he had been. The white mage had suddenly found himself waking up in a brand new world alive once again with none of his companions. He later found out the world had been created through the whims of two crazed scientists out to rule all of it for themselves. It seemed like they had succeeded as Minwu’s eyes went to the ever-looming skull orb in the sky and his thoughts shifted to their mechanical soldiers policing the world.​

Minwu was no stranger in fighting an overpowering regime, and while he had heard whispers of a resistance being mounted against the scientists he had decided for the time being to journey alone through this new land. With his magic, he could help those plagued by illness and wounds this new world inflicted on them for them to at least survive the chaos. Minwu himself survived by the rewards his clients offered him in gratitude, despite his vehement protests. He only did what he did to help, not for monetary reward. Even the little glimmer of light his aid granted would shine through the darkness. Though even so in his travels Minwu realized the world itself needed healing. The land was stitched together with different patches of other worlds like a puzzle whose pieces had been pushed together by force to fit. The white mage had seen a lot in his own world that had left him stunned but this world had some times left in him utter disbelief. Technology far beyond what he could dream of. Vicious monsters he had never seen before and cities with houses stretching high above the skyline had made Minwu gape in amazement.​

That was far beyond him now though as he made his way through the countryside. He had not seen a human or beast for some time, but luckily he still had some dried meat left from a grateful patient for food. An unwelcoming mountain was looming over the horizon and the land itself was a mixture of soils with some heavy forest with unfamiliar trees and a stream that seemed to have spawned from nowhere. Minwu didn’t mind the trek but the sun was starting to set and he needed to find a place to rest before the final light vanished. As he was considering his options Minwu’s eyes went to the bank of the stream, and that’s when he noticed the body lying motionless in the water.​


Night had fallen and in the light of a fire, Minwu was looking over the man he had found in the stream. The man was badly bruised, the cape he was wearing was in tatters and his armor was dented to beyond recognition. The only thing that seemed whole was the spear that the white mage had to pry from the man’s grasp. Minwu speculated that the man had fallen from a great height and the water had dragged him downstream, but the only thing that seemed to fit that was the mountain. Minwu looked back down at the man. How had he survived? He was alive, if barely. It had taken all of Minwu’s strength to pull the man from the stream and into the forest where he had created a camp for the night before taking a closer look at his new patient. The first was to get him out of that armor to assess the damage. Old scars mixed with new ones, and he had lost an eye at some point. Minwu’s magic couldn’t help with that but his healing spells would bring the man back from the brink. The fresh wounds vanished in a pale green light as Minwu administered his healing. Once he was done he sat down to keep an eye on the fire. There was nothing more he could do. Despite his best efforts, Minwu had fallen asleep sometime during the night. He was awoken by what he had thought was a bestial roar. Had they been attacked? As his eyes shifted through the darkness he soon realized it had come from his patient that seemed to be desperately getting up from his makeshift bed. Only a while ago the man had barely been living yet he was already trying to get up on his feet?​

“Calm yourself,” Minwu spoke with a calm, but authoritative voice as he made his way towards the man.​

“What did you do to me?!” The man snarled his disheveled long blond hair was stuck to his face. Minwu felt that if he got any closer the man would rip his throat out.​

“Help you to the best of my abilities.” He tried to sound as calm as possible with no sudden movements that the man would take as a threat. “I am more concerned about what you have done to yourself.” He motioned towards all of the scars on the man’s body. “You look like a man eager to throw your body towards the first sign of danger.”​

The man had calmed down a bit but there was still a wild look in his eye. “That is none of your con-“ His eye went wide like he had remembered something. “My spear? Where is it?!”​

Again Minwu continued calmly over the man’s hysterics. “You will find it over there, with the rest of your equipment.” He motioned towards a tree with the spear leaning against it. “I thought I was going to be forced to break your fingers to remove it from your grasp.”​

The blond man kept quiet so Minwu decided to continue. “I am Minwu. In my world, I was a court magician. I found you lying face down in the water not too far from here.” The man continued his silence. Minwu realized the man didn’t trust him and instead to try and play nice he decided to ignore him. Nagging a response from him was not going to work. Instead, Minwu sat down by the fire in silence looking over his rations.​

“Dimitri,” The man finally replied. “I am Dimitri.”​

Minwu turned around a smile on his, which ended covered by his mask. “Well Dimitri,” He showed Dimitri the food he had in his hand. “Would you like something to eat?”​
 
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Minwu had shared his food with Dimitri who had reluctantly joined him by the fire, not unlike a wounded animal not sure of the intention of his rescuer. Minwu suddenly realized trying to pry something out of him was much like trying to get a dog to talk. Finally however he managed to get something. Dimitri had been on a quest to kill a corrupting beast living on the mountain. He had failed and that's how he had ended up where the white mage had found him.​
It was clear Dimitri wasn't done with the beast and as he finally fell asleep from exhaustion, Minwu would look over him for a bit longer before he went to sleep as well. Minwu woke from metal crushing to the ground. He didn't know how long he had slept but the crash quickly got him to his feet. Then he noticed that Dimitri was getting into his armor. "What are you doing?" Minwu asked with a sigh.​
"Leaving," Dimitri replied with a curt reply.​
"Despite healing the worst of your wounds, I do not recommend you walking around just yet."​
"I still have a task to accomplish." He had quickly put on his broken armor and grabbed his spear when Minwu stepped in his way. "Move. I won't ask again."​
"I have not known you for very long," Minwu started. "But I will not leave you to go to your death. So it seems you have gained a travelling companion."​
Dimitri looked over him with a tired eye before walking past him. "Do what you wish."​
Minwu wasn't going to wait for another invitation as he headed after him.​
Their journey continued on in silence as the heavy forest area made way for dry grass and cliffs as the flatness turns steep towards the mountain. Minwu quickly realized the extent of the corrupted beasts influence on the area. Only withered vegetation and black splotches covered the ground. "What kind of animal could do something like this?"​
"If you are going to follow me to end this monster," Dimitri replied brusquely. "You have to stop thinking it's another animal. It's vicious. Murderous. We are lucky we haven't met any other creatures. That black goo drives them into a wild frenzy, attacking indiscriminately."​
Minwu nodded. He didn't appreciate being talked down to like a child, but this was more words that Dimitri had said since they met. "I will make sure to remember that." It was curious though. Even before they made their way towards the mountain any wildlife seemed to have mystically vanished. The forest had been filled with bird song but now the trek had been filled with silence. What powers did this beast posses?​
Under Dimitri's lead they soon ended up in an area surrounded by cliffs and a cave in the rock face opened up. "Brace yourself," Dimitri remarked clutching his spear.​
Minwu complied and summoned his magic staff to his hand. It had been awhile since he had to conjure it to his side but the situation seemed dire enough. As if on cue a roar came from inside the cave followed by purple smoke. Minwu had seen dragons in his world but this was something else. It emitted a vile aura as it stepped out into the light.​
Before they could talk some form of strategy Dimitri let out a roar and charged the beast. It seemed like Minwu would have his work cut out for him.​
 
This time, Dimitri knew what was coming. The dragon pounced forward ready to render the knight to shreds with its claws. Instead it was hit with a blinding light that caused it to be knocked backwards. Dimitri looked behind him in confusion seeing Minwu holding his hand towards their enemy.​
The white mage noticed the look he was getting. "I might be a healer, but that doesn't mean I can't defend myself and my compatriots."​
Fair enough, Dimitri thought to himself as his focus turned back towards the Shagary Magala. The opening the spell caused allowed him to get in close and get a good swipe with his spear. The beast roared from the attack and was quick to get back to its feet and charge. There was no reason behind its attacks. It was pure rage and it wouldn't falter until its attackers were dead. Even then it was two against one. Dimitri felt some form of surge come over him as a magic shield wrapped around his body.​
Minwu was staying behind and playing support for the time being. A claw swipe went through Dimitri's guard but the magic protection took the brunt of it. The fallen prince roared not unlike their foe and charged.​
The battle seemed to never come to an end. For every hit Dimitri managed to hit the monster with it countered with one of its own. Luckily this time around he had a white mage by his side that managed to dispel the alignment it exhumed keeping Dimitri in fighting shape. Then the beast roared, some might call it of frustration as it ascended into sky. Its follow up roar was almost deafening as it was surrounded by a purplish energy aura. As it finished its focus went instantly back towards Dimitri as it swooped down. The fact that their foe was now airborne and the confined spaces made it hard to avoid. Dimitri did his best to block the beast but its last attack sent him crashing into the mountain side with enough force to crack it causing him to cough up blood. Another shot like that would kill him, even with the protection Minwu had provided him. Weakly he raised Areadbhar to try and counter the next attack as the beast swooped down.​
The attack never hit its mark as a massive blast of magic it the Shagary Magal in its side. The ensuing spell blasted a good chunk of the monsters side away as well as fully obliterating one of its wings sending it careening towards the mountain wall and crashing in spectacular fashion. Minwu gasped from the strain. The magic he had already cast had been taxing and casting Ultima almost made him topple over. He however remained standing with sweat coming down his brow. That was his final contribution to the battle.​
Dimitri was not going to let it go to waste. Before the monster could get off the ground the prince of Faerghus descended upon it with his spear. Stabbing into the gaping wound Dimitri wouldn't stop until he heard Minwu shouting his name. "Dimitri! The beast is done!" It had felt so far away like he had been underwater.​
His senses returned Dimitri saw that he was covered in blood and the beast in front of him dead. Vengeance had been his, yet the hollowness inside his body yet remained. It had after all only been a beast and not his true target. Minwu came up to him and put a weary hand on Dimitri's shoulder. "...Perhaps we need to inform your employer that the deed is done?"​
Yes, Dimitri thought. I suppose that had to be next.​
 
Dimitri and Minwu had no problems when they descended the mountain. The death of the Shagary Magala made it seem like a sickness had been removed as the land around them slowly started to heal. Or maybe the reason they didn't get to any trouble back down the mountain was the fact that Dimitri was dragging along the large head of a now dead dragon with him?​


As the duo made their way down into Kilika they had both seen better days. Dimitri's armor was dented from his past battles on top of the fact that he was now covered head to toe in blood. Minwu's white outfit had almost turned a dark brown from all the mud it had gathered. Their appearance and gift that was being dragged after them caused the townsfolk to gasp and shock at what they were seeing. One of the children playing in the street burst out in tears. Minwu wanted to say something but he realized any words he could try to convey would come up short and instead he silently trailed after Dimitri and the giant head.​

The commotion outside meant that Donna was waiting on them on her porch. As Dimitri saw her, with a good tug, sent the head flying just shy of the steps to her home. Before the defacto leader of the town managed to say anything Minwu quickly stepped in. "He felt that it was pertinent to show proof of his conquest."​

Donna was silent for a moment and wrinkled her nose in disgust at the head before looking up at Dimitri. "To be fair, I thought he was dead." She then looked over to Minwu. "And you are?"​

"Minwu," He replied with a short bow. "I suppose I rescued Dimitri from a terrible fate."​

Again Donna was silent for a moment. "I think we need to talk about this." Dimitri and Minwu were going to follow her inside before she stopped them. "After you've been cleaned up. Despite the circumstances I'm not going to have you two dirtying up my home."​

Dimitri and Minwu looked at each other while some of the men of the village went up to the head to toss a tarp over it before attempting to drag it away. Minwu was the first to speak up. "I think that sounds perfect, actually."​
 
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