Chapter 1700 - Protheus (Part 4) (1/2)
The Doppelganger slashed with its claws and only when they passed millimeters away from her face did Jirni notice that instead of fingers the creatures had five small Scorpicore's tails.
'Yesterday Manohar told us that these things can just copy someone's appearance. He never mentioned the ability to combine and imitate Emperor Beasts!'
She assembled her remaining needles into the staff of a polearm to block the following slash, but as soon as she perceived the creature's strength, Jirni knew not to be its match.
She jumped back, using the momentum of the impact to gain some distance and drag the Countess with her.
”Give me the woman or die with her!” The Doppelganger's voice sounded like gurgling water while their words revealed a compassion that Jirni didn't expect nor respect.
A second before she and her mark were about to get caught, Jirni activated one of the needles' many enchantments to recall them to her hand. They released pulses of water magic that froze the Doppelganger's liquid body and darkness magic that sapped its strength.
The combined effect of the two elements made the Doppelganger groggy and allowed the needles to easily pierce their hard rock skin on the way back.
'My attacks may only cause ripples to a creature capable of adjusting their density at will, but even if just for a split second, those ripples can create an opening.' Jirni thought.
The needles had actually opened gaping holes in the creature's head, blinding it. On top of that, the moment the needles touched the polearm they extended it further and formed a curved blade on its end.
Jirni stabbed at the Doppelganger's still opened mouth, turning it into a block of ice blackened by the amount of darkness magic it was imbued with. The creature stumbled, but it wasn't enough to stop it.
The Doppelganger grew a new set of legs from their chest, using them to break the fall and become even faster. Jirni threw her spear at one of its feet, nailing it to the ground and enveloping it in a thick layer of ice.
Yet she knew it wouldn't last.
”Run, you idiot!” Jirni ordered and the Countess was happy to oblige.
The Doppelganger didn't even bother freeing their limb. They just cut it off and grew another before their prey could take ten steps away.
Orion wasn't faring any better.
He was a mage and could use magic holding rings, but they didn't make much of a difference. The creature in front of him shrugged off anything below tier four but using such a powerful spell would have killed everyone present including the Marquis.
The armor he wore had the same body-enhancing enchantments as Jirni's which was the only reason they were capable of keeping up with the Doppelgangers boosted by elemental fusion.
His shield and sword were of little use against an enemy who could grow as many limbs as they wanted and even extend them at will. Orion kept trying to gauge the Doppelganger's attack range just to see it increase every time he took a stand.
To make matters worse, the creature didn't care much for him and focused on the Marquis, forcing Orion to spin like a top to block the attacks that tried to bypass him from every direction.