Novel Full Chapter 231 - Unexpectedly Hard Fight
After leaving the others, Evale quickly made her way towards the cabin. While she tried her best to sneak and find a good spot to rain down arrows on the enemies, she did not manage this. While most of the undead in this horde consisted of beasts of prey such as Direwolves and Arkbeasts, some were deers or even birds.
Both of whom seemed much more alive as the undead were careful when killing them, something not so easy to do against beasts who could fight back. In this case, it was not the seemingly healthy deers who betrayed Evale's location, but rather the birds.
While they lacked a way of communicating with others, they could still let loose a shriek born from hell. The decomposing throat of these birds robbed them of their beautiful songs, and this shriek embodied their anger at this fact.
Hearing these ear-piercing shrieks surrounding her, Evale quickly realized that she had been spotted. Also realizing for the first time just how much harder it would be to sneak past the undead. She had never considered that even birds could be corrupted and used as scouts. This most certainly placed them at even more of a severe disadvantage than she had thought they were at.
Even though things had gone wrong right from the start, Evale was not disappointed. In fact, she was extremely happy at her rash actions. If she had not done this, she would still not have known of the undead birds, and if no other groups encountered them, then it could have led to a disaster later on.
None of the notes and books on undead ever mentioned this either, so this was most likely something that was quite rare or new. Most likely only being used here since the forest had an abundant amount of all types of animals.
Furthermore, this was likely only able to be used while flesh stayed on the birds, most weaker undead would lose their ability to make sounds as their troats completely decomposed. As such Evale realized that probably any animal could be used in this way, sending goosebumps down her back as she realized the benefits this would give the enemy in scouting.
With her position found, Evale no longer cared for stealth and while her mind ran through the meaning of this discovery, she started running at full speed with her bow drawn. On her human back was a large quiver carrying her more expensive and dangerous arrows. While at her hips, where her human half and horse half met, were two more quivers of more normal arrows. Further down, past her hips and down on her horse half she had two arming swords strapped, and on her horseback lay a large teardrop shield.
When she managed to get a clear view of the undead horde rushing her, all at varying states of decay, she quickly decided to try and thin their numbers. She didn't mind that each arrow she was going to use cost nearly a full gold coin, their effect certainly held by the price.
Letting loose the arrows, blinding flashes of light and fire erupted on impact, robbing all undead within fifteen meters of the arrow of their undeath. Those further away were instead all weakened and slowed, yet unlike how Evale had expected, this weakened state did not last long. Not more than fifteen seconds later the undead were all back to their top condition.
Must be the effect of the revenant. Evale thought as she let loose more of her specially made arrows while trying to find the revenant inside the horde. Soon the aura reached her and she could immediately feel its effect. Even with the revenant being a Tier lower than her, its aura robbed her off around 5% of her strength and agility.
Evale was keenly aware of her own abilities and as such she could deduce this without needing a system or magic to inform her of the effect. Nonetheless, she was astonished at its strength, she felt certain if she faced a revenant of the same Tier that it would rob close to 20% of her stats. No wonder everyone regards revenants as extremely dangerous enemies, and why a cleric is a must when facing them.
As the undead horde kept dying, all of them being unable to catch up to Evale, the revenant finally decided to leave and charge out on its own. This didn't help it much as Evale was far faster, even with her needing to find a safe path through the trees, that she could pass through. As soon as the revenant left its horde, she changed to arrows designed to do as much damage to a single combatant; instead of those with an area of effect.
A revenant, in most cases, would permanently bind with their armor upon being reborn. This was not in a figurative sense, but rather truly what happened. Its flesh would be replaced by the armor; being strengthened and almost brought to life. The armor gained the ability to be more like the hide of a beast than just metal. Covering every inch of the revenant while still allowing it perfect movement.
The only places where there were holes in this armor were the eyes and mouth. The eyes were like sunken holes as if the armor had melted into them, only complete darkness apt to describe these holes. The mouth instead had a glow of green under spike-like teeth. This revenant held a large heater shield in one hand and a longsword in its other as it charged out of the horde.
While Evale's arrows had been too fast for the revenant to block, it had failed to pierce the armor; to Evale's astonishment. Luckily these arrows were made to actually penetrate the best of armor, and while it failed in this case, it did not break. Instead it kept its form, dented the armor, and sent the revenant sliding back from the impact. However, upon realizing that it couldn't keep up with the arrow's speed, the revenant quickly moved its shield to cover its only weak points.
Fuck! There is no way I will be able to kill it like this. Why the hell didn't I know of this strength of theirs? Evale thought, extremely glad that she had sent the others away and frustrated she hadn't tried shooting the eyes from the start.
The former thought quickly overcame her regret as the other undead, those she had already killed, started reassembling; at least all those who weren't completely destroyed in the blast and were close enough to the revenant. How on Gaia!? Those arrows are meant to deal with the undead! They should be purified for at least a few days!
Seeing this Evale truly started to fear a revenant. Finally understanding why Kydone had such fear against it, along with Katania. She assumed the eyes would be the weak point of the revenenat, seeing as how it was kept them hidden undead its shield now. Knowing this did no good since they were in fact now hidden. This left Evale with three choices, try and shoot until the armor gave, going into melee to get past the shield, or retreat.
Looking around Evale confirmed that the other undead were still having difficulty catching up, so she felt she should try and risk it. The more she learned of the revenant the more she felt each one she encountered had to be killed. If she, as a Tier 7 ranger, couldn't manage this. Then she would have to quickly do something about it.
Unknown to her the reason for most of her struggle was the absence of a cleric, their abilities allowing them to weaken the revenant in a complete manner, armor and all; as long as they were on the same level as the revenant.
Having made her decision, Evale stored all the quivers into her dimensional storage, except for one at her left hip. Along with this, she made sure her swords were easily accessible, having learned that in moments of tense combat, relying on adimensional storage could be a disadvantage.
Dimensional storages were not as easy to use as the player's inventory, especially when players also had the slot-type inventory that basically needed no thought to use. It would always take a second or two to connect to a dimensional storage, find what they wanted, and pulling it out. Much too long for a fight.
Feeling ready Evale finally stopped running away, she turned and suddenly charged at the revenant. Using her bow -which was two and a half meters in total length- like a spear, she thrust against the revenant's shield, who had taken a defensive stance upon seeing her charge.
The force of this sent the revenant crashing into a nearby tree, cracks forming along its trunk. This impact didn't seem to bother the revenant, the tree instead started falling to one side. The revenant quickly got up as if nothing had happened and charged at Evale, who quickly stored her bow and drew her swords.
Both flew into each other without any fear, Evale easily managing to keep up with the revenant in melee. While she was only Tier 5 in melee, and as such her actually skills with the sword were slightly below the revenant, she was much much faster and hence she had total control of the fight. Her extra speed even allowed her to make sure the revenant didn't use her large frame against her, but rather that she used it to her advantage.
In a short summary, Evale could deliver three attacks where the revenant should only be able to deliver one. Yet due to its technique, it managed to do two sometimes even three. With the addition of its shield, Evale couldn't manage to get past its defenses, but she most certainly had the upper hand.
Each time she tried to use a skill to break through its defense, the revenant would seemingly sense it and counter with its own. The surrounding trees quickly being flattened by the shockwaves. The weaker undead dumb enough to try and get close would quickly receive undeath. Some even permanently as their bodies were completely destroyed.
Still, they didn't just wait, they tried to surround the two. Those who could still use magic would send their spells at Evale, and while they were weak and did little to her, her armor blocking it all, it robbed her of some concentration. She also had to make sure to keep the fight moving, so as to not be truly surrounded. While she could easily manage to get past the weaker undead, they might slow her enough to allow the revenant to also keep up with her.