Shock hog II

If the first evolution increases the class of a magic beast by at least an entire level, does that mean we're fighting another class five or higher magic beast? Last time Leo and I were mostly out of the fight, and the main reason we didn't win was the collapse of the house. Still...

Class five plus brings back bad memories, and if August is any measure to go by, I'm not the only one feeling this way. The size of the beast does not make it any less daunting, either. The "normal" magic beast size is already a significant upgrade, going from around one metre in shoulder height and 100 kilograms to about one metre twenty and 150 kilograms. However, the evolution causes it to grow exponentially. It's taller than me, at about one metre seventy, probably weighing over 300 kilograms. Makes you wonder where all that extra weight even came from.

"Okay, guys, let's do this!
Pierre and I will be the main vanguard.
Leo, Andy, and anyone injured, stay behind the shield.
The rest should try to help where they can. There's enough space around this thing!"

"If anyone gets injured, I'll drag them here. It's the most and least I can do."

Leo does not sound pleased, being forced to stand on the sidelines again. He seems to have accepted that it's a necessity at least. The advantage of this beast not being specialised in summoning is that we can totally gang up on it. Yet it is still easily class five, so that probably means any and every hit it deals will cause massive damage to our ranks, while we'll have to try our very hardest to even cause a scratch.

Everyone except for Andy and Leo is circled around the boar. In front of the boar is Thomas, who got thrown back by the headbutt and is trying to get back up. To the right is Henry at the front, and I am a bit further away, running toward the back of the right flank. I'm on my way ever since the hare jumped there, but I don’t have that kind of agility. Pierre is standing to the left, and finally August is at the back.

Whatever, time to snap out of all this worrying and get into battle focus. The boar is finished evolving and seems to be fully in combat mode. First magic attack incoming, time to guard!

Except it's not hitting me. Instead of a wide area attack, there's a giant stream of pure power flowing towards Thomas, who, only a few seconds ago, got back up from being charged while the boar was evolving. He managed to block with his shield, but that's just a one-off deal, considering the heat has turned the formerly wooden shield to coal as the impact shattered it. All that's left of the shield are some chunks of charred wood in a layer of ash on the ground.

Seems the boar's magic is not the only finite supply on this battlefield. We can't really afford to go around losing too much of our gear either. As the magic attack focussed on only one of us, the rest of us start slashing at the boar, most wield their big katana with two hands, Pierre and August are carrying their shield in their off hand, and Henry seems to be going absolutely mad. He's swinging not only his katana, but the shortsword in his offhand is also getting to see offensive action. He's cutting with one after the other in an X shape. He's probably hoping this will somehow cause some damage to accumulate where the cuts meet.

Me? I'm trying my hardest to hit the same spot at least a few times before I see the blast ending and return to a more defensive stance. The boar has no interest in me, however, and swiftly starts charging toward Thomas again. Once this thing locks on, it sure as hell is relentless!

Thomas manages to partially block the attack with his katana, but the power difference is too ridiculous. The sword gets ripped out of his hands and falls to the ground. The boar picks him up between its metre-long tusks before rapidly standing up in a rampant stance, whilst shaking its enormous head. Thomas gets thrown against the rock face.

It tries to continue battering Thomas, but Pierre, who rotated to the front, manages to use the beast's momentum against itself. He manages to stab it in the face right as it passes by, trying to charge at Thomas. The first attack to actually have a visible effect. Which was secondary to the main purpose: making sure the beast stops attacking Thomas. Leo is already on his way to retrieve Thomas and do some first aid.

I don't know if it's because Pierre is the biggest threat, blocking the direct route toward Thomas, or just because the boar is angry about being stabbed in the face, but it finally switches target. It starts a new magic circle. I brace for impact, but expect it to be another beam instead of a shockwave.

A beam it is. full force, point-blank range aimed at Pierre. Unlike Thomas, Pierre doesn't guard with his shield. He uses his katana. Most of the beam goes into the blade, some of it flies to the side, and a relatively small part actually reaches Pierre. relatively small as it might be, if you get hit by only a tenth of a giant lightning bolt, it will still cause a lot of trouble for sure.

Pierre is still standing, but his plate armour falls to the ground in pieces as his sword is smoking from the amount of heat delivered by the lightning. How is his sword even in one piece? That should have been way more than enough to smelt it! Not that I mind, obviously, having Pierre on our side is soothing. When I think of what would happen if that attack were aimed at me, I can't help getting goosebumps.

The leather armour he wears underneath seems unscathed. I don't know if it's as good as plate, but it's reassuring he still has armour, which reminds me... I'm the only one without armour. Leo and Andy only have simple leather armour. Andy is behind a massive wooden shield, while Leo is guarded by the walking fortress known as Pierre, as he drags Thomas back toward the cave... Am I the least safe person around this area again or what?

As we continue slashing at the thing while it's occupied with Pierre, Henry finally manages to break through the skin as well. I'm not quite doing as well. As for August, I can't see, so who knows.

The boar decides that taking out Pierre is not working out well enough, so it quickly spins to its right, giving Henry a headbutt to the chest. He gets sent flying with quite a lot of momentum, landing only a metre or two in front of the large standing shield. Andy quickly picks the shield up and moves it closer to guard Henry as well. He's been aiming knives at the front of the boar for quite some time, but the boar is not showing many signs of weakening, and we're already two men down.

The boar starts another magic circle, bigger than any of the ones it has used before. Considering it's taking out the easier targets first, I can feel my life flashing before my eyes. This attack is meant to not just incapacitate me. It intends to leave nothing but ashes! I still try my very hardest to prepare for blocking, as dodging is impossible at this range. I hold my scythe out in front of me to guard, but seeing what a weaker version did to Thomas and his shield... Here it comes!

As the blinding beam approaches, I try to block with the scythe, but the moment it hits my scythe, it gets ripped out of my hands. A couple of seconds later, my scythe completely disintegrates.
It was a short life, but I really did like the last month, getting to meet these great people...

Something flashes in the corner of my eye, and my final moments get disrupted by a shove from my left, being pushed so hard that it may have bruised a couple of my ribs.

Instead of getting hit by the beam face-first, someone is standing in front of me.
Why is August risking his own life to save mine? It doesn't make sense! From the way he acted, I thought he hated me!
The beam finally clears up, but both layers of August's armour are completely destroyed on his left flank, and he has severe burns all over the place. No bleeding or lethal blunt trauma, though.

"I told you, didn't I?
I won't let any of you leave for the afterlife!
You didn't have to test my statement like this, sheesh!"

"Thank you so much. Are you okay, though?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but we're getting you some decent armour after this fight, if you get hit with that single piece of cloth as your only protection, you're a goner...
I also managed to get some pretty deep cuts in on this thing before I had to go save a damsel in distress. It should be bleeding out as we speak. This is no longer a losing battle. We're in a war of attrition"

As if to seal the boar's fate even further, one of our "disabled" combatants returns to the battlefield, Henry seems mostly fine except for a few scrapes on his left arm and a big dent in his plate armour.

We've got this!

August continues slashing at the beast again. If he can continue fighting with his entire flank looking like an entire pot of boiling water was spilt all over it, I can't possibly let a few bruised ribs and a lost weapon hold me back, now can I?!

I grab my dagger and make a run for the right flank of the boar, which is still facing where I was standing, which is August.

As I approach Thomas' sword, I notice Pierre isn't here. He probably noticed the damage August had done when the boar turned, and rotated to cut deeper into the wounds the boar already has.

I wonder if August intentionally sacrificed his offside so he still has his main hand to fight. It may have just been a case of where he was holding his shield, not like that thing holds back such a breath, but it may have made the difference between life and death right then and there.

The boar launches another shockwave, but it feels very faint. I don't think I even got any burns from that at all. There wasn't a magic circle either?

The boar drops to the floor as its thick hair loses its purple glow. I guess it finally bled out, or Pierre managed to take out a vital organ.
Either way, we miraculously won.

Thomas is the only one possibly in immediate danger. While August will need treatment, if it doesn't get infected, his condition should not get critical. Henry has some minor injuries, and I only have minor burns on my left hand.

When I turn toward the front of the boar again, I can see August walking toward the shield. Pierre is following closely behind him. Both of Pierre's swords are soaked in blood. I suppose he went all-out offensive when he saw the magic wasn't aimed at him.

About ten minutes later, Leo emerges from the cave. Thomas is leaning on his shoulder, but walking mostly by himself.

As Pierre and Leo treat August, I go to check on the other side of the boar. Gruesome is an understatement for the sight I'm beholding. Hundreds of deep cuts are spread across the entire rear and left of the boar. The fur is no longer dark brown, but painted crimson with blood.
I may have sold my travelling companions short by thinking of our victory as a miracle.