Garden Of The Abyss

As if listening to its identity be uttered, the Ogre Tyrant roared out with a booming voice that vibrated the large ship, "All of you will be me sustenance! Failure is not permitted! I shall feast on your feeble flesh and find myself a new cry!"

With this proclamation, the tyrannical captain stomped across the deck, catching a pair of goblins in his mighty hands that easily dwarfed the small creature--squeezing his gauntlet-clad fist shut as a stomach-churning squelch released from the crushing of the goblins.

Around his arms was fabric, aged to an old gray that had been stained with blood and other liquids--wrapping around his arms like winged sleeves.

"No way…" He muttered, holding a look of disgust.

They watched as the Ogre Tyrant reared his head back, opening his fist above his mouth as the mangled mess of twisted goblins and blood fell into his maw.

Jae-Seong's smile was tested at such an abhorrent site as he spoke to his comrades, "...Hey, Fedrin, correct me if I'm wrong...but it's ogres that grow stronger with the more they eat, right?"

Silence exuded from the high elf for a moment before he begrudgingly nodded his head, "Unfortunately...that is the case, yes. Anything with an amount of mana within it is added to the ogre's being."

Witnessing the vile consumption the Ogre Tyrant indulged in, sweeping up terrified archer goblins into his hands before crushing and swallowing them whole--it began to dawn on him just what type of foe existed on the ship.

It didn't matter if in the process he chewed their armor or bows, the tyrant was a fiend for their flesh.

He gulped, "Aren't monsters in Purgatory usually around for decades--no, even centuries, sometimes?...If that guy has been around that long, eating during that time…" His words trailed as their meaning was already set.

Fedrin answered quietly, "It's as you say; that ogre has likely been consuming and growing stronger for countless years. This is not a battle we can win with frugality restraining us."

As they spoke amongst each other in whispers, staying near the forefront of the ship, the colossal, merciless captain of the ship continued his path of abhorrence--smashing, squashing, and tearing apart any orc or goblin that was in his path.

Each step forward the black-armored ogre made with his lengthy, black cape, that more so resembled a ship's sale, rocked the entire ship against the abyssal waters it sat on. It was a theatre of horror; the screams of those who were their daunting enemies filled the black air as the monstrous ogre painted the ship in a new coating of crimson as innards were flung about with each pull and bite he took.

"What's the plan here?" Jae-Seong asked, "We don't know how strong that big guy is--I'd prefer it if we don't rush in like frantic rookies."

He paused for a moment, looking down at the two blades he held before nodding to himself.

We obviously have to conserve as much mana as we possibly can. But...trying to be too careful can result in an early death. It's fine if I use a bit, or even Fedrin...but Jae-Seong is the strongest member of our group, no doubt--we have to converse his strength the most, he thought.

Raising his gaze, he answered his comrade's question, "...Since I'm the only one with blades, I'll handle trying to bring him down."

Fedrin added, "I see...not a bad idea; going for his tendons?"

He nodded his head as his snowy fringes brushed by his eyebrows, "Let's just call it "Operation Chihuahua"...bite his ankles. Anyway, I hate to ask you to waste mana...but I'll need you to cover for me and keep him distracted with some magic. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, whatever you can throw his way will do."

His words were dulled by the booming stomps of the Ogre Tyrant, who reached the middle of the deck by this point--nearly running through the hulk of the crew as his gluttonous rampage didn't seem to cease in the slightest.

The high elf shook his head with a determined look inhabiting his purple eyes, "Don't think twice about it, Ren. We high elves pride ourselves on our high mana reservoirs--I'd be ashamed if I couldn't handle such a role."

"Thanks, Fedrin," he gave a slight smile before turning to Jae-Seong, "once he's down, I'll leave the finale to you."

Of course, such a pivotal role was something the curly-haired otherworlder couldn't reject as he smiled with his golden-irises glistening, "You picked the right man for the job! I'll give you a finale you'll never forget!"

Hey now, don't sound so excited! He thought.

With a final sweep, the Ogre Tyrant's pathway to the three was cleared as he huffed through his veiling helm; his maw dripping with the blood and remnants of his freshly consumed meals.

"...Looks like it's my time to shine, right?" Ren muttered before yelling out to the towering brute, "bring it on, you glorified tutorial boss!"

His sword was pointed directly to the being of colossal height, who responded with a voice that haunted his ears with a deafening boom to them.

"I don't care for your meaningless words! I'll tear you apart, rip you limb-from-limb, like the rest! This is my ship--you boarding it was you serving yourself on a platter for myself!"

Through his explosive words, the massive ogre lifted his pillar-sized, studded club--an action that signaled the young man to engage in battle with a swift dash.

As he sprinted around to lose the persistent, gluttonous eyes of the ogre, he shifted direction swiftly with his blades aimed at the massive, armored ankles of the tyrant.

But, it seemed the captain of the accursed ship anticipated such a movement as he began to move his gargantuan weapon towards the young human.

"Luft: Shifting Breath!" Fedrin yelled.

--A blast of unseen air slammed against the armored giant, knocking his balance off enough to make him briefly stumble, interrupting his attack completely.

With his pathway clear, he reinforced the edges of his blades; broadsword and dagger, setting his eyes on the ankle that rivaled the size of his entire body.

Nice one, Fedrin! He thought.

He didn't stop as he swiftly dashed by the ogre's leg, leaving behind two, deep slashes that cut right through his sable armor--conjuring a spill of crimson from the tyrant's slashed achilles' heel.

"Grgh…! You seething sack of shit! I'm going to turn every bone into powder...I'll bathe in your screams of agony…!"

The Ogre Tyrant howled his threats as he fell to one knee, though he was slowed in the slightest as he went for another strike while the young man was directly before him.

...He's going for an attack?! Is this guy crazy?! He thought.

As the brutal captain was already halfway through a downfall of his bludgeoning tool, the high elf had no time to cast a spell--it was left to Ren in that moment.

Waiting for the absolute last moment, he jumped up just as the club crashed against the wooden planks below, flipping over onto the giant ogre's bolstered arm. As he scaled the lengthy, clad arm of the tyrannical captain, he drug his blades along the exposed portions--leaving a trail of releasing blood in his wake.

"Ren!"

--The yell of his name came from Jae-Seong; though he had no inclination as to why his name was called so desperately. That was, until he felt the reason why hit him against the very core of his being.

Thinking the ogre had no way to retaliate as he scaled its arm, reaching its shoulder--he felt a massive force collide against the right side of his body as if a boulder had slammed into him after gaining immense momentum.

It was the densely-armored fist belonging to the Ogre Tyrant, slamming against his side and knocking him against the metallic railing of the ship with such force that a shock wave emitted through the air.

"...Ren!" Jae-Seong yelled out with such fervor that his vocal cords were strained.

But as he took a single stride forward with the intentions of aiding the young man, he was stopped by the high elf's arm.

"Why're you stopping me, Fedrin?!" Jae-Seong asked through his teeth.

"Because," Fedrin answered calmly with a droplet of sweat scaling his cheek, "We put our trust in him."

Jae-Seong opened his mouth to contest the man's words, but he stopped as his lips parted before clenching his teeth.

...Dammit, Ren. Don't be like me, Jae-Seong thought.

"Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that we should stand aside so that his honor isn't tarnished. I wouldn't allow a friend to die for such superficial reasons. However, this is his plan; if we interject now...we'll ruin it all," Fedrin said.

"I get you," Jae-Seong replied, maintaining himself, "...sadly, I really get you."

Letting out a sharp cough that exuded dust from his lungs, Ren slowly lifted himself from the shattered planks.

...I think I inhaled some wood chips. Shit, he wryly smiled to himself.

A stream of dark crimson leaked from his left nostril, though the brunt of the pain was felt throughout his entire skeleton.

Using bare minimum reinforcement...is not fun. A hit like that would normally sting, but right now...just the force felt like it punched me straight in my lungs, he thought.

"As expected: weak and feeble, worthless and good for nothing, except for being my own sustenance," The Ogre Tyrant taunted.

The ship-shaking stomps of the colossal ogre approached him with a dreadful aura oozing from the captain. Though it was clear the mammoth of an ogre wasn't unfettered; a limp inhabited his stride--a strike to his pride that bolstered him with a malicious air.

"Come on, get up, Ren…!" Jae-Seong gritted his teeth, "if he's not up in a few seconds...don't try to stop me."

"Stop you?" Fedrin replied, "I will assist you if that's the case."

As their confidence in the silver-caped, white-haired young man was tested by the daunting situation--such fleeting feelings were dashed by an uncanny movement from the one in question.

Without a seamless kick of his legs, he returned to his feet as if he didn't just experience such a brutal hit.

"You pack quite a punch," Ren complimented, wiping the blood from his nose, "I'm going to definitely feel that in the morning."

The Ogre Tyrant stopped just in front of him with a look of confusion inhabiting his radiant, scarlet eyes, "How? How are you standing?!"

Jae-Seong couldn't help but grin wide at the sight, while Fedrin smiled subtly, though he raised his staff in preparation to follow the lead of the snowy-haired companion.

"I'd like to say I'm just built a bit differently than the rest, but in truth...Purgatory has really trained my body to endure," he answered, spitting out fresh blood from his mouth with a slight smile.

A quick glance to the high elf gave a wordless signal understood between the two, prompting Fedrin to nod as the mystical sphere embedded in his staff began to glow.

"Nonsense! It matters not! I will tenderize your flesh all the same!"

As the ogre brought his club to the air with a weight that caused the air to shift against the young man's eardrums, the monstrous foe was interrupted by a blast of fire straight to the side of his helmed head.

"Grghh…!" The ogre grunted, faltering for a moment.

Thanks, Fedrin, he thought, I'll get to finally try this one out in battle, thanks to you.