Aozaki Aoko [580-582] (Patreon)

Chapter 580: Love Big Monsters Brawling!

Even under Mystra's divine protection, Aoko still felt a heart-premonition-inducing pressure from the newcomer.

She already had a guess about this being's identity.

A bipedal creature in a regal blue cloak, about seven feet tall and hunched over, descended from the sky and landed not far from Aoko.

Its entire body was covered in snowy-white feathers, bearing the owl-like head of a snowy owl, black talons, backward-jointed legs, and goat-like black hooves.

Around its neck was a ruff of wolfish gray-white fur, and atop its head grew a pair of massive, curling ram's horns.

No matter how you looked at it, this could never be a naturally born creature—its identity was self-evident.

There was no doubt; Aoko's strong intuition screamed that this monster was the very foe her legendary destiny had foretold. If she did not defeat it here, she would never advance on her path of arcane magic.

"Don't be too afraid," Mystra's voice suddenly sounded in Aoko's ear, tinged with disdain. "Auril has used up most of her divine power maintaining the Everlasting Rime. Though challenging, this avatar isn't someone you can't defeat."

"...Thanks so much," Aoko thought sarcastically to the goddess in her head, taking a deep breath. "By the way, why did this thing suddenly show up here? Did I do something to anger her?"

"I can't be certain, but I have some guesses," Mystra replied carefully. "Auril has a hobby—she likes to freeze and collect anything she finds beautiful. She believes that's eternity. By that logic, she loves Icewind Dale, and she loves Ythryn, the floating city. But your recent resonance means Icewind Dale is about to be defrosted."

"That's a real blood feud, huh!" Aoko said mockingly. She could imagine the rage of a child whose favorite figurine collection was about to be smashed. But she quickly focused, channeling the enormous power of the Mythallar into herself, and watched the god before her warily.

"...Sever your resonance with that Mythallar, mortal." Auril's mouth didn't move, but a layered, echoing, ancient voice filled everyone's ears. "If you do, I'll spare your lives and let you leave."

"Ara~," Aoko let out a short laugh, answering Auril, "I don't take orders from any god but the Goddess of Magic. And besides, who gives up what's already in their hand?"

"Then die!" Auril lost all patience for this mortal, her voice cold as winter.

The avatar, known to her followers as the Cold Crone, raised her arm. Magic circles appeared on the ground. Aoko seized the moment, using Bigby's Hand to snatch her immobilized teammates from behind the trench to her side.

Mystra cooperated by increasing the output of divine energy to Aoko's holy symbol, bathing her teammates in light and freeing them from the oppressive divine might.

Everyone was drenched in cold sweat, but as they stood, they were stunned by Auril's next move.

Auril ignored Aoko's little trick. As soon as Aoko had her teammates by her side, Auril finished her summoning.

First came three towering, armored frost giant skeletons, their appearance smashing huge chunks from the cavern ceiling. Even Aoko had to rely on "Heightened Metamagic—Spell Expansion—Spread" to create a massive hemispherical forcefield shield to block the descending attack.

But Auril wasn't done. Along with the frost giant skeletons, six slightly smaller snow golems appeared beside her.

Still dissatisfied, the Cold Crone avatar let out a piercing beastly howl. Suddenly, six huge, pure white winter wolves appeared in a swirl of snow and wind.

Now satisfied with her summoned army, Auril gazed at Aoko and her companions—mortals bold enough to defy her will—then lightly waved her black-clawed hand, commanding the monsters to attack.

"As my final battle, this is quite the spectacle," Holga gripped her adamantine battleaxe, facing the towering monsters. "To battle a god! What better way for a barbarian to go out?"

"Wish I could see my wife and kid one last time," Edgin muttered as he played a rousing tune, "but I guess that's not on the cards..."

"I don't plan on dying here today," Aoko said calmly, pulling a scroll from her belt. "Save the defeatist talk for after we win—I've still got plenty of trump cards left!"

"You think you're the only one who can summon big monsters?" Aoko shot Auril a contemptuous glare, then activated her scroll. A summoning circle even larger than Auril's appeared at the center of the battlefield, and a massive figure began to emerge.

Even with the frost giants and the spacious core chamber, the monster Aoko summoned from Iriolarthas's scroll made the place feel cramped.

The reason? Simple—Aoko had summoned a Tarrasque.

This behemoth had powerful limbs, a spiked, armored carapace running down its back to its tail, a huge maw full of fangs, armored plates on its cheeks and jaw, and two forward-pointing horns.

Its physique was very similar to a T. rex, with powerful, backward-jointed legs, but its arms were much longer and stronger than the dino's stubby ones.

In fact, the Tarrasque looked like a cross between Earth's T. rex and a draconic creature from this world.

The Tarrasque roared and charged its enemies. Several winter wolves were instantly smashed to pulp by a single swipe.

Finally, Auril's face turned serious. The Frostmaiden hadn't expected that this little mage, not even a legend, would have a scroll capable of summoning such a beast.

But a god's arrogance is beyond mortal understanding. Auril immediately ordered her snow golems and frost giant skeletons to utterly destroy the rampaging Tarrasque.

The battle became a back-and-forth kaiju brawl, leaving Aoko's teammates on an emotional rollercoaster.

Chapter 581: I'll Take Direct Control!

Auril watched coldly as her minions and Aoko's Tarrasque engaged in brutal melee. The six winter wolves, though fierce, were like big puppies compared to the Tarrasque, and were slaughtered in moments—only the wolf king survived, badly wounded and missing an eye.

But this was barely a warm-up for the Tarrasque, which now ignored the boring wolves and grappled with the sturdy snow golems, claws and fangs shattering chunks of ice.

"Shouldn't you order that big monster to attack the owl-head directly?" Edgin nervously suggested. "Take out the summoner, and the other summoned creatures will weaken, right?"

"Which eye of yours saw me controlling the Tarrasque?" Aoko shook her head. "That thing comes out hostile to everyone—it just hates Auril's minions more than us."

"Because it's a magical beast, right?" Simon guessed. "I read in Ythryn's records, these beasts have very low intelligence (INT 3), so controlling them is tough—they don't understand commands."

While Aoko's group debated, the Tarrasque had already smashed most of the snow golems. Only three frost giant skeletons remained.

Auril's expression didn't change; clearly, this was no big deal to her. Aoko soon realized why Auril wasn't concerned about the rampaging Tarrasque.

The three armored frost giant skeletons drew their weapons: the leader wielded a giant sword and shield, the others a massive axe and a spear.

From their stances, it was clear these giants retained their battle skills from life—a huge challenge for the brainless Tarrasque.

Sure enough, the Tarrasque roared and charged, slamming into the shield-bearer, shaking loose more stalactites and icicles from the ceiling.

The shield-bearer was driven back, gouging deep ruts in the ground but managing to block the charge. The other two flanked and attacked.

Their weapons, though unremarkable at first glance, radiated a strange aura—easily cutting through the Tarrasque's scales and armor.

The pain only enraged the yellow behemoth further, making it attack more wildly. The three skeletons, fighting in perfect sync, quickly suppressed the Tarrasque.

"Not good," Aoko muttered, gripping her staff. "Looks like it's my turn..."

She glanced back at the Mythallar, checked its status, then pulled out another 9th-level spell scroll—one she'd bought in Neverwinter but never had time to study. Now she had to use it.

Normally, 9th-level spells can't be metamagicked, and ordinary wizards can't metamagic spells stored in scrolls. But with the Mythallar and her metamagic prowess, Aoko could do what others couldn't.

"Empowered, Delayed, Maximized, 9th-level Enchantment—Dominate Monster!"

This spell wasn't aimed at Auril's minions (divine control can't be overridden), but with triple-metamagic, she could control the Tarrasque!

"Turn your head 50 centimeters to the right."

With her command, the Tarrasque's massive head suddenly jerked right, narrowly dodging the spear giant's attack to its eye.

Under Aoko's direction, the Tarrasque fought with the poise of a skilled, composed boxer, swiftly overwhelming the three beast-hunter skeletons—even breaking the spear giant's weapon.

Aoko, having trained in modern martial arts, found this overkill against these wild fighters.

Seeing her minions suppressed, Auril frowned ever so slightly and flicked her hand, sending an ultra-metamagic prismatic orb at the Tarrasque.

The spell, which would normally have many damage types, was pure frost in Auril's hands.

The Tarrasque slowed—half its body was frozen.

"!" 

Aoko clicked her tongue, glancing at Simon, who immediately understood and cast Greater Dispel Magic on the Tarrasque—a powerful inherited spell.

If Aoko's Dominate Monster had been a normal mind-affecting spell, both the freeze and control would have been dispelled. But supported by the Mythallar, her spell was almost beyond 9th-level—Simon's dispel had no effect.

The shield-wielding frost giant skeleton struck while the Tarrasque was frozen, but Simon's dispel freed it. Aoko made the Tarrasque bat aside the shield, taking the sword hit, and used its horn to pierce the skeleton's skull-fire.

For the first time, the hunter trio lost a member.

With their tank gone, the other two giants were forced on the defensive, unable to withstand the Tarrasque's storm of attacks.

Normally, undead aren't bothered by this, but neither is the Tarrasque. Its wounds closed up in moments—the regeneration was monstrous.

The giants' defeat was inevitable.

Suddenly, the temperature plummeted.

Chapter 582: Fierce Battle with the Cold Crone

Sensing the drastic temperature change, Aoko immediately used Enhanced Metamagic—Expanded—Planar Bubble on herself and her party.

This spell, meant for survival in other planes or space, worked perfectly against Auril's extreme cold.

Unbeknownst to Aoko, outside the core chamber, all of Ythryn's temperature plunged, endangering every creature and adventurer within.

The Arcane Brotherhood's hunter trio was down to half a member.

As a ghost, Nass, now alone, fell into a daze—a dangerous state for a ghost, as her human mind and memories of the Brotherhood slowly faded, leaving only a wandering spirit in the ruins.

Back in the core chamber:

The frost giant skeletons, once the ace of Auril's army, were now piles of dead bone.

After their loss, Auril withdrew her power, and the victorious Tarrasque was frozen solid, locked in its triumphant pose.

The Cold Crone hovered in midair, blue cloak billowing, looking down at Aoko and her friends, silently gathering power.

She meant to freeze these mortals who dared threaten the Everlasting Rime—forever trapping them in this forgotten corner of the world.

Aoko saw right through her intent. As a modern woman, she had zero reverence for gods.

Even Mystra, who came calling her daughter, was just a friend or boss to Aoko.

So she would never hesitate out of awe, giving Auril a chance to wipe them all out. Her next spell was already ready.

"Black Blade of Disaster!"

A 9th-level Evocation: a jet-black greatsword appeared in midair and flew at Auril.

Aoko had considered that gods might have immense magic resistance or even immunity.

But she hadn't expected this: Auril simply reached out and grabbed the blade with her bare hand. No matter how Aoko tried to control it, the blade was immobile in Auril's grip.

Auril's owl face frowned slightly, then gave up her charged attack to crush the blade instead.

If one trains hard enough, even spatial rifts can be crushed by brute force—what kind of strongwoman is this?

Though shocked by Auril's barehanded black blade catch, Aoko understood that gods could do such things. She also noticed that her spell wasn't entirely useless—a wound had appeared on Auril's hand, and it was bleeding.

If it can bleed, it can be killed.

As if making up her mind, Auril vanished midair and reappeared behind Aoko, her claw wreathed in icy blue magic, slashing at Aoko's back.

Holga reacted fastest, swinging her battleaxe at Auril's claw, but the adamantine weapon couldn't even scratch Auril—just a clang of metal.

Still, Holga's move alerted Aoko, who instantly used Misty Step to reposition closer to the Mythallar, slammed her staff to the ground, and issued her next command to the Mythallar.

Aoko knew full well that, as a non-legendary, she had little chance against this enemy of destiny. Her biggest trump card was the Mythallar—she had to use it wisely.

Holga and Doric were blasted away by Auril, their bodies coated in frost and paralyzed. Simon struggled to break the freezing magic.

Edgin retreated toward his friends, firing his hand crossbow at Auril—though it hardly annoyed the Cold Crone, let alone hindered her.

While Auril focused on Holga, Aoko's command to the Mythallar took effect.

The Mythallar's golden glow flared, flooding the chamber with summerlike warmth. Even the frost on Holga and Doric began to melt.

Edgin and Simon quickly helped them up and dosed them with healing potions.

Auril turned her attention back to Aoko, now backed by the Mythallar. The goddess's divine coldness and arrogance gave way to a seething hatred, as if Aoko had murdered her family.

As goddess of winter and frost, Auril despised all light and warmth. Only cold could preserve beauty forever. But Aoko's actions ran utterly counter to her wishes—hence why she had come to stop her when she seized the Mythallar.

Auril raised her hand. Without words or gestures, a thick blue-white ray shot at Aoko—an 8th-level Evocation: Polar Ray!

Aoko had faced spells of this level before, but a god's spell is on another level.

She dared not slack, instantly casting triple-metamagic Antimagic Field, barely blocking the attack.

She then drew a thread of searing power from the Mythallar, shaped it through her spell model, and unleashed a quadruple-metamagic, instant-cast, maximized, empowered, upgraded Sunburst!