Broken Chains

As per the preprepared plan, it wasn’t Puck's task to fight their main enemy or its prime constructs. That would be Scarlet’s job alone. Puck instead would need to try and get the attention of as many of the normal creations of the heart as possible to redirect them from Scarlet.

Feeling the ground shake and the air vibrate, Puck couldn’t help but look over again as Scarlet battled her monstrous enemy. As the gigantic abomination twisted and turned with unnatural speed for its size, Puck couldn’t help but marvel at Scarlets ability to be even faster and trounce the speed of her enemy manyfold. In Pucks perception, Scarlet was nothing but a blur around her enemy.

The last time they had fought the spawn of the heart, it had been a battle of endurance, but not this time. Scarlet was going all out from the start in an effort to destroy their enemy. Now and then, she even tried to make a dash for the heart itself, but a wave of literal darkness would push her back each time, bringing her back within the reach of her enemy.

Twisting his back and slashing out with Zephyrian sideways, Puck could only curse and praise Scarlet’s flashiness at the same time, as it was nearly impossible to distract the spawn of the heart of darkness from her as their target. On the one hand, that fact made Puck’s fight against the distracted monsters much easier, on the other hand though, it made him unable to do his assigned job.

Because of these circumstances, there hadn’t been any situations so far where Puck had to resort to any of the more demanding tools in his arsenal. Even though he was still surrounded by dozens upon dozens of enemies. Whether wounded from their fall from the ceiling or attacked by Puck, their priority remained to assist the titanic abomination Scarlet was fighting.

Biting his lips, Puck knew he needed to do something to draw more attention to himself in an effort to give Scarlet more breathing room. Deciding on the one method that had the highest likelihood of drawing enemies away from Scarlet, Puck disregarded all risks as he let Zephyrian flood his body with power but a single moment.

Feeling like time itself was crawling to a halt, as his own perception sped up, Puck leaned forward, dug the claws of his feet into the ground, and pushed off with all he had.

Instantly, he was airborne as the ground behind him shattered from the sheer force of his jump. Bringing Zephyrian forward with a great overhand swing, Puck aimed directly at the center of the heart of darkness he was flying toward.

Feeling like the heart had finally latched onto his rapid approach, Puck knew it was too late for a perfect defense. Though powerful, the heart was not omnipotent, and it had been too distracted by Scarlet’s fight. Crashing through the thin barrier of darkness the heart had managed to erect at the last moment, Pucks momentum instantly ground to a halt as Zephyrian hit the writhing, ever-changing entity that was the heart.

The impact felt like hitting a solid stone wall, as every bone in Puck's body shook. But the attack had not been in vain. In the center of the heart, a crimson red scar appeared, leaking all different kinds of viscous liquid.

Starting to fall down the pillar the heart was embedded in, Puck felt Zephyrian's strength leaving him midair. Had the infusion lasted any longer, the backlash would have been too powerful. Knowing that only he himself could soften his fall, Puck called upon the wind with all he had. Thankfully, it answered, slowing his descent.

Still hitting the ground hard, Puck tried to roll and buffer his fall. Managing to come to his feet again, Puck stood about five meters away from the column the heart was embedded in. Looking up and scanning the area in one quick motion, Puck knew his gambit had both done exactly what he wanted and brought him into immediate life-threatening danger.

Finally, the creatures around them no longer targeted only Scarlet. Instead, most had switched their ire toward Puck. Worst of all, the heart itself was out for revenge, and barriers of darkness sprang up to both protect the heart and limit Puck's mobility.

Knowing that staying still and facing such a crushing number of enemies in a direct standoff would be a death sentence, Puck decided to make a run for it, hoping he wouldn’t be cornered.

A few seconds earlier...

Having already fought the abomination before her for what felt like an eternity at the speed she was moving, Scarlet couldn’t help but feel some trepidation about the situation. Yes, she was faster than her enemy, but the gigantic abomination before her was terrifyingly powerful, and its regenerative abilities felt neigh limitless. Each time she cut off a tentacle, a new one would sprout, powered by the heart of darkness itself.

To make matters worse, she had to face most of the normal creatures as well together with the occasional repulsion and tentacle of the heart of darkness itself.

Sadly, Puck truly seemed unable to be of any help in this fight.

Of course, this was only to be expected in Scarlet’s mind, and any more attention on Puck would bring him into too much danger anyway. It was better this way. She would have to find a way, somehow.

Hearing a shattering impact behind her that temporarily overruled the heartbeat, Scarlet disengaged from the immediate reach of her enemy as fast as possible to look around. Seeing Puck crashing into the heart and wounding it, Scarlet could only sigh as she felt the heart's ire grow even more. This time, though, it wasn’t directed at her.

Her task had become much easier now, but could she defeat the abomination before Puck fell to his horde of enemies?

Knowing time was of the essence, Scarlet rushed forward again as Puck began his mad escape.