Seeing this, Alia Hadrian let out a breath of mist through her nostrils that quickly covered the surrounding area.
Through the heat vision, Alia Hadrian saw the form of the beast stand still, seemingly observing the mist.
Snake Hadrian slithered up to its legs, and with its popping venomous fangs, bit down on the four armed beast's leg.
He cursed. The fangs barely scratched the beast's skin. It was like concrete.
Using the essence and energy state of the lost Hadrian vessels in that dull white space, Alia Hadrian bolted in the opposite direction as the mist and snake Hadrian distracted the beast.
Without haste, the beast raised its right leg, which snake Hadrian was not trying to bite, and brought it down in one quick motion. The mist was displaced and instantly dispersed.
The red eyes of the beast went to its left leg and one of its four arms reached out with human-like fingers and grabbed snake Hadrian.
It studied the snake with some interest for a few moments then crushed it in its hands.
Hadrian, already creating distance from the beast, winced. Alia Hadrian circled around so that she would not get too far from main vessel Hadrian.
He also planned to substitute one vessel life state to the other and carry it so that he could focus all his resources on the main vessel.
As snake Hadrian's remains fell onto the grass below, the beast raised its head in the direction Alia had escaped in.
Seeing this through Hawk Hadrian, Hadrian descended to the beast with great speed and layered reinforced talons and beaks.
Even the beast seemed surprised when the large hawk went for its face.
Just like the skin on the leg, its face was hard as concrete. Of course, Hadrian's reinforced talons and beaks managed to break through, though not by much.
Using magical essence from the core in Alia through Hawk Hadrian, its beaks and talons got heated up as a heat wave spread from the hawk onto the beast's face.
His talons managed to dig deep and draw blood. His beak sunk in and poked the left eye.
His flapping wings and heat wave had affected the beast, creating the opportunity, only for a moment.
The beast's mouth opened and bit down on Hawk Hadrian, crushing his legs and bones. Its arm rose and tore hawk Hadrian off of its face, its blood dripping down its face onto the vegetation beneath.
Hadrian's lips twitched but he'd already made some distance. He didn't stop.
His remaining vermin vessels stayed back, making sure he was not followed.
Maybe if I attacked with all my vessels and used the core's essence, I would have stood a chance?
No. I feel I would have been completely obliterated. It barely used its abilities and caused me this much.
Hadrian's eyes scanned around the jungle of tall thick trees and vegetation as it hummed and caw-caws came from the distance.
This won't do. What if I run into another?
He made his way back to where he'd last seen the cohort.
Obtaining their skills and vessels might make me more confident.
He relied on his vermin selves that he'd called back after seeing the beast did not follow.
Perhaps it's feasting on horse Hadrian.
A snort and majestic bellow resounded from a distance.
Hadrian's heart skipped a beat.
Not another one already.
He sent out one vermin Hadrian to observe.
Hadrian's brows creased. There, as if the evening light solely shone down upon it, a large majestic grey furred horned and hooved beast stood, the sounds it made reverberating through the air and through Hadrian's bodies.
His sight altered and he peered into its essence sea.
Sigh, another rank two equivalent.
He made to circle around it, but then the beast's gaze focused onto the vermin Hadrian vessel.
Cool calm washed over Vermin Hadrian.
In that moment he felt as if this were the most beautiful thing in existence. He gravitated towards it and began taking steps to approach it but then the beast broke its gaze like it was disappointed and walked in an opposite direction.
Hadrian's heart shattered at the rejection.
That's strange.
Hadrian thought. Not about the beast's ability but how it had affected him. That strange heart string pull and awe he'd felt was only through the vermin Hadrian vessel. His other vessels remained unaffected.
Is this my authority over the mind?
It was like observing yourself lose control of yourself and not being able to do anything about it. Of course, Hadrian could cut off his control of the affected vessel.
I wonder which path of magic that is.
After an hour of following the trail and as the sun began setting, long shadows already covering the forest floor, Hadrian located the Cohort.
I went to obtain vessels to face them, and now I return with less.
He observed them as they set up camp through vermin Hadrian.
They drew their circles and chanted their spells as they sprinkled the coloured sand and other ingredients.
They'll recognize Alia's Hadrian armor.
He'd planned to approach them with teenage Alia vessel since they had not seen her in this state.
If they saw my Hadrian face, they'd kill me on the spot. I'm supposed to be dead.
He turned to Alia Hadrian vessel standing next to him, her black hair strands dancing to the whims of the blowing minty breeze.
Staring into those eyes, he remembered her memories and sighed.
…
"How's the leg coming?" the bearded leader asked the member whose knee had been bent backwards.
"The spell is working," the man answered, "slow, but working. I'll probably be good by tomorrow."
The bearded leader nodded then he heard shouting outside and stormed out the set up tent.
His heavy steps caused dust to rise each time. His arms swung and his right shoulder tilted so that it was lower than the left one as he walked.
He approached the spot where some of the cohort members had surrounded. Lips pressing tightly, he pushed them aside and squeezed through.
His long lashed eyes constricted.
In front of him was a shivering naked girl. She curled into herself covering herself with her arms and closed legs.
"Please…. " She muttered.