Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Amongst the scattered fallen leaves, twigs and the towering moss amongst the arching roots of the tree in whose branches he had just fought to the death in, Cieba's body lay spread eagle.

A massive hole burned straight through his chest, the edge of the wound charred and dripping with blood. His tanned and weather beaten face was now pale, and flecks of blood were scattered all throughout the short beard on his face.

As his corpse lay there, the Treasure Frond continued to advance along his arm, wrapping it tightly, extending more and more tendrils into his lifeless body.

The heavy furs wrapping his stocky frame were torn apart by the advancing roots, the shining gold of the roots glowing like golden veins all across his right arm.

The tendrils reached Cieba still heart, and plunged deep into it, for a moment, all of the constantly spreading tendrils stopped. Then, all of a sudden, Cieba's heart began to beat ferociously, almost thrusting itself out of his chest.

The constantly leaking blood from his wound took on a golden sheen, and within a few minutes, it was as if molten gold was dripping from the hole in his torso. Once the blood had turned completely gold, the flesh and organs began to rapidly knit themselves together.

By now, Cieba's body had fully integrated with the Treasure Frond, his right arm no longer ended in a hand, rather the Treasure frond extended naturally from the end of his arm.

Cieba's heavy furs had been shredded by the tendrils, and his wiry frame lay bare on the forest floor, pulsing golden lines all over him.

Cieba's eyes shot wide open, glaring emptily up into the air, he let out a massive gasp, starved of air. The wiry Freeman sat up, a series of hacking coughs shaking his frame, as he coughed up globs of dried blood.

Cieba, seemingly revived from death, stood tall and stretched out, and glared up into the air seemingly at nothing, but his eyes, empowered as his body was by the Treasure Frond, could make out Kothar speeding down the side of the tree on his Hoverbike.

Cieba hid himself within a large mass of moss, waiting for the man who had killed him to appear.

Kothar roared into the clearing where Silane had estimated that Cieba had fallen, to find the odd man nowhere to be seen.

[That's odd, maybe scavengers got him?] Kothar said to Silane.

[No, look closer, there's an odd pool of blood, it almost seems like it's shining gold?] Silane responded, and Kothar took the bike in closer.

As Kothar peered down at the blood, his felt a disturbance in the Lightning Field he maintained, and swung his head back to reveal a recovered Cieba.

The mysterious pursuer was now almost completely nude, and covered in a network of golden vessels, a fierce =grimace on his face as he let out a bloodcurdling scream, leaping at Kothar, violently whipping the Treasure Frond at Kothar, aiming for his neck.

"What the f***?" Kothar yelled out in shock, immediately sending his Hoverbike speeding out of the way, looking at the strange creature that his assailant had become in shock.

"Ahchwdbwugwdiuyw!" A string of gibberish came out of the creature's mouth, as his menacingly stalked toward Kothar. The sound was eerie, it sounded as if an entire chorus of people were screaming at Kothar. [Silane? Any help?] Kothar called out.

[One moment. It appears he said, "We shall flay the flesh from your bones." That's quite kind of him.] Silane said coolly.

[What do you think, Silane, can we take him?] Kothar asked as he swerved the Hoverbike to and from, dodging a rapid flurry of whip like blows from the reawakened being.

[I don't think we have much of a choice, if we flee, there's the chance he gives our location to Krieg.] Silane said grimly.

"WE SHALL TORMENT YOUR SOUL FOR AN ETERNITY!" The chorus of voices screamed, and the revived golden streaked man leaped high into the air, barreling toward Kothar.

[Now I wish I hadn't asked you to translate what he was saying." Kothar complained, cleanly vaulting from the Hoverbike. He couldn't easily cast from atop the bike, and it seemed like he would need all his magic to best this creature.

The creature whipped out a succession of blows straight at Kothar, who quickly threw a portal in front of him, with no exit portal, the portal disintegrated the tip of the now oddly fleshy frond, which gave a tortured scream of pure rage in response.

"YOU WILL PAY!" The voices screamed, as the frond quickly regenerated, Kothar was unfazed, taking the opportunity to charge up the latest spell he had learned.

If not for the abundant mana on Atla and the increases in his mana cores, he would have found it impossible to cast it.

Kothar had planted his feet wide, his palms wide apart, a pinpoint of absolute darkness appearing between his outstretched palms.

The creature that was Cieba widened its eyes in shock, aware of the threat that pinpoint posed.

Purple energy swirled all around the pinpoint, forming an ever widening disk. Kothar's forehead beaded with sweat as he struggled to hold the Void Disk together, the slightest mistake would cost him his life.

Kothar's arms shook, not from any physical strain, but from the ridiculous pressure on him.

Kothar looked up, it was as if everything around him had slowed down, he could hear Silane, but her voice was quiet and faded, as if she were far, far away.

All he could see was the snarling face of the rapidly approaching creature, teeth bared and screeching in rage. Kothar's eyes met the creatures, and he saw the raw fear and desperation in its eyes.

The Void Disk had grown to the width of Kothar's chest, and he knew that he couldn't hold it much longer.

With a loud shout of exertion, Kothar sent the disk spinning rapidly at the approaching creature.