The spring water in the cavern shimmered with silvery light, its coolness a relief from the searing heat of the magma fields.
Elara leaned against the rock wall, immersing her injured left arm in the water. As the water touched her wounds, a faint mist rose with a soft sizzling sound.
Liam sat beside her, wiping the grime and blood from the 'Boiling One' armor. The crimson-gold metal gleamed softly in the cavern's dim light. The volcanic ore set into the chest plate pulsed like a steady, silver heart, continuously suppressing the restless Rust-Corrosion Curse within him.
"The minerals in this water are even purer than the volcanic ore. It will help your wounds heal," Liam said quietly, watching the cut on Elara's wrist slowly close. He could see the water washing away the residual rust stains and blood, the edges of the wound already turning a healthy pink as they scabbed over.
Elara nodded, a trace of approval in her silver eyes. "I never imagined a place like this existed deep within Rust Island. If not for you, I doubt I would have survived these injuries." She paused, turning her gaze to Liam. "And your curse? Is the energy balance within you still stable?"
"Stable for now," Liam replied, pressing a hand to his chest. He could feel the intertwined energies of her silver blood, the volcanic ore, and the Seething Beast Blood forming a stable barrier, locking the rust patterns firmly below his chest. "But the balance is fragile. Any strong stimulus could trigger another flare-up." He looked towards the cavern entrance, his expression grim. "Also, we killed its young and an adult. Rust Island's true ruler – the Rust-Beast Ragnarok – will likely come for us soon."
From the original host's memories, Ragnarok was the undisputed king of Rust Island, centuries old, so massive it could shake mountains. Its body was covered in thick, dark brown metallic scales etched with ancient gear-like patterns. It could manipulate the island's corrosive forces, even summoning small-scale rust-storms. The island's Beastman tribes bowed to it, offering annual tributes for survival.
Elara's face turned serious instantly. "Ragnarok's power far surpasses ordinary Rust-Beasts. Legends say its scales can withstand steam-cannon fire, and its horn can tear through space itself. In our current state, we are no match for it." Her hand tightened on the hilt of her short sword. Even with her beast soul damaged, her eyes held an unyielding sharpness. "But hiding here isn't a solution either. This is its territory. If it wants to find us, it will eventually discover this cavern."
Liam stood and walked to the entrance, peering through a crack in the rocks. The sky was fully light now, but Rust Island was shrouded in a faint, rusty haze. The distant mountain outlines were blurred. The air, besides the ever-present sulfur, carried a subtle, wild undercurrent – the oppressive feeling before a storm. "It's already here," Liam's voice was low. "Can you feel it? The corrosive power in the air is restless, as if controlled by a powerful will."
Elara joined him, a flicker of alertness in her eyes. "It's Ragnarok's aura. It's summoning the island's corrosive forces. It must have sensed the deaths of its young and kin and is enraged." As she spoke, an earth-shaking roar erupted from outside the cavern, so powerful it made the walls tremble and sent small stones clattering down.
"We need to go see," Liam clenched his fists. The steam joints of 'Boiling One' activated with a hum, the crimson-gold armor taking on a sharp gleam. "If it finds us here, fighting in this confined space would rob us of any room to maneuver. That puts us at a severe disadvantage. Also, the Beastman tribe might know how to fight Ragnarok. We could seek their help."
From the original host's memories, a Beastman tribe lived on the island's western slopes, surviving by mining volcanic ore and hunting. Though not particularly powerful warriors, they knew Ragnarok's habits and might provide useful intelligence. Elara offered no objection. They quickly gathered their things. Liam supported Elara as they carefully exited the cavern and headed towards the Beastman tribe.
The scene along the way made their hearts sink. The once dense Rustwood Forest was shattered, trees snapped in half. The ground was scarred with massive claw prints seeping with dark brown corrosive energy. Beast carcasses littered the path, their surfaces covered in rust patterns, clearly victims of Ragnarok's spreading influence. The rusty haze grew thicker, visibility dropping to less than ten meters. Ragnarok's enraged roars mixed with the screams and battle cries of Beastmen – the tribe was already under attack.
"Faster! We can't let it wipe out the tribe. If it does, we'll know nothing of its weaknesses, and any future encounter will be even more disastrous for us," Liam urged.
"As a Knight," Elara replied firmly, "I cannot stand by and watch people – even Beastmen – be slaughtered by a beast."
Their resolve aligned, Liam pushed the 'Boiling One's' steam joints to their limit, their speed surging as he helped Elara navigate the thick haze.
The closer they got to the tribe, the stronger the corrosive aura became. Rust patterns spread across the ground like a sinister web, burning faintly underfoot. Fine rust began to bloom on the surface of 'Boiling One,' the silver light from the chest ore flickering as it struggled to keep the corrosive power at bay.
After a frantic run, they reached the Beastman village. The scene was one of devastation. Most of the wooden huts were destroyed, campfires extinguished by the corrosive energy. The ground was littered with Beastman bodies, blood and rust mingling in a horrifying tableau. In the center of the settlement, a beast of breathtaking size wreaked havoc – the Rust-Beast Ragnarok.
It stood at least five meters tall, its body encased in heavy, dark brown metallic scales.The gear-like patterns on its scales seemed to rotate slowly, emitting a potent corrosive aura. Its limbs were like stone pillars, its claws like polished steel scythes. A single, thick, curved horn, a meter long and stained with rust, sprouted from its head, radiating an air of apocalyptic power. Its yellow eyes blazed with pure fury as it used its horn to impale a Beastman warrior, the victim's blood flowing down the horn and instantly turning into a blackish, rusty fluid upon hitting the ground.
"Ragnarok!" Liam's pupils contracted. The beast's size and power exceeded his imagination. 'Boiling One' seemed like a child's toy before it. The remaining Beastman warriors fought back, but it was futile; their attacks couldn't scratch its scales, and they were effortlessly slain.
"We can't let this continue!" Elara gritted her teeth. Despite her damaged beast soul, she gripped her short sword, ready to charge. Liam grabbed her arm, shaking his head. "Charging in now is suicide. We need to find its weakness."
He watched Ragnarok's movements closely, noticing a pattern: before unleashing a rust-storm, the scales on its chest would part slightly, revealing a faintly glowing red area beneath. It seemed to be its energy core.
"Its weakness is on its chest!" Liam whispered to Elara. "I'll draw its attention. You find an opening to strike that core with your sword. It might be enough to wound it badly."
"No! Its focus is too intense. You can't get close," Elara objected. "And your curse is unstable. If its corrosive power touches you, the consequences would be dire!"
"There's no other way!" Liam's eyes were determined. "If we wait any longer, the entire tribe will be wiped out, and we'll be next. It's better to act now, while the tribe still distracts it." He released her hand and charged towards Ragnarok, the steam joints of 'Boiling One' roaring, the crimson-gold armor cutting a brilliant arc through the rusty haze.
"Arrogant human! You dare challenge me?!" Ragnarok sensed Liam's approach, halting its assault on the Beastmen. Its yellow eyes locked onto him, a deafening roar erupting from its throat. It could speak. It swung a massive forepaw towards Liam. The paw carried tremendous force, gouging a deep trench in the ground and sending rust and debris flying.
Relying on the armor's speed, Liam dodged sideways. Ragnarok's claw grazed the armor's edge, spraying sparks and leaving a shallow scratch. Liam used the momentum to circle to Ragnarok's flank. He clenched his fist, the armor's piston joints driving his arm forward with full force, smashing into the beast's scales. CLANG! The scales were unharmed. The recoil sent numbing pain up Liam's arm, forcing him back several meters. The rust patterns on his chest flared with heat.
"Useless! My scales are impervious!" Ragnarok laughed mockingly, turning and whipping its thick tail towards Liam. Liam, still recovering his balance, raised his arms to block. The tail connected squarely, sending him flying like a discarded doll. He crashed heavily to the ground. The silver light from the chest ore dimmed noticeably. A trickle of black blood escaped his lips.
"Liam!" Elara cried out, trying to rush forward, but she was blocked by several surviving Beastmen. Their leader, a tall, bear-like Beastman, covered in wounds and with his clothes in tatters, stood before her."Human woman, stop! That is the King of Rust Island! You are injured, you are no match for it! Let the brave warrior and our tribesmen handle this!"
"He is my comrade!" Elara struggled against their hold, her silver eyes filled with desperate urgency. "I must help him!" She gripped her short sword, forcing her remaining beast soul energy to circulate. Her silver blood seemed to boil in her veins. Though her strength was a mere fraction, she radiated a fearless intensity.
Liam struggled to his feet. 'Boiling One' was scarred with cracks, its steam joints grinding roughly. The rust patterns had spread to his neck, the burning intensifying. He knew he couldn't withstand more direct hits. He had to create an opening to strike the core.
"Ragnarok! I killed your young! I killed your kin!" Liam roared at the beast king, deliberately provoking it, hoping to enrage it into a mistake and create more openings for the attacking Beastmen warriors. "Face me if you dare, you tyrant! Leave these Beastmen alone!"
Ragnarok was thoroughly enraged. In its long memory, no single human had ever challenged it so directly. This was an intolerable insult to the King of Rust Island!
Its yellow eyes bloodshot, it threw its head back and unleashed a roar of pure fury. The scales on its chest parted, fully revealing the glowing red core beneath. A dense wave of corrosive power surged from it, forming a small rust-storm that blasted back the surrounding Beastmen warriors and surged towards Liam.
The Beastmen's attacks had done little damage, but they had served as a crucial distraction, forcing Ragnarok to split its focus. And in that split second of distraction, Liam saw his chance. He had a natural talent for seizing such moments in battle.
"Now!" Liam's eyes narrowed. Instead of dodging, he charged directly into the rust-storm. The steam joints of 'Boiling One' erupted with power. The silver light from the chest ore flared brightly, momentarily suppressing the curse within him. He gripped the piston rod he'd taken from the adult Rust-Beast, hefting it like a javelin. Aiming for Ragnarok's exposed core, he hurled it with all his might.
The piston rod, trailing a stream of crimson-gold energy, pierced through the rust-storm, flying straight towards Ragnarok's chest – its most vulnerable spot. Ragnarok, realizing the danger too late, tried to close its scales, but it was futile. With a sickening thud, the sharp, brutal point of the rod, fashioned from the bone of its own kind, found its mark, sinking deep into the core.
The red glow instantly faded. The rust-storm ceased abruptly. A direct hit.
"NO---!" Ragnarok let out a piercing shriek of agony. Its massive body convulsed violently, swaying unsteadily. Dark red blood, mixed with rust, poured from the wound in its chest. It looked down at the piston rod protruding from its body, its yellow eyes filled with disbelief and bitter resentment. It tried to pull the rod out, but its strength was failing. An action that would normally take an instant now felt impossibly slow. It could only watch as its life force drained away.
Seizing the opportunity, Elara, who had rushed to the side, leaped into the air. She channeled the last of her Silver Wolf soul force into her short sword, making it gleam with a pure, silvery light. She aimed for the base of Ragnarok's horn, where it met the skull, and drove the blade deep. CRUNCH. The sword found its mark. Ragnarok issued one final, despairing roar before its colossal body crashed to the ground, the impact shaking the very earth. The light faded from its yellow eyes forever.
Liam collapsed, sitting heavily on the ground, drenched in sweat. 'Boiling One' had lost its luster, the chest ore's glow was dim, and the rust patterns had reached his face. His consciousness began to fade. Elara rushed to his side, kneeling to check on him, her silver eyes full of worry. "Liam! Are you alright?"
"I'm... fine," Liam managed a weak smile. "Ragnarok is dead. We... we actually won."
Elara nodded. "We won. There was luck involved, but it was your courage and quick thinking that made the difference!"
The surviving Beastmen gathered around, looking from the fallen Ragnarok to the wounded Liam and Elara with a mix of awe and profound gratitude.
The bear-like Chieftain approached Liam and dropped to one knee, his voice filled with reverence. "Great warrior, thank you for saving our tribe! You have slain Ragnarok, who oppressed us for a century. From this day forward, you are our King! The King of Rust Island!"
The other Beastmen followed suit, kneeling and chanting in unison, their voices powerful and echoing through the haze-filled clearing: "Hail the King of Rust Island! Hail the King of Rust Island!" It was a cry born of heartfelt respect and allegiance.
Liam and Elara exchanged a look. Elara gave a subtle nod, her voice barely a whisper. "Accept their allegiance. Beastmen are not known for cunning, but their gratitude and courage in battle are plain to see. They will be valuable allies. That is my assessment."
"I trust your judgment," Liam said.
Liam looked at the kneeling Beastmen, then at Elara beside him. Though the rust patterns on his chest still burned, he felt an unexpected sense of grounding. From dying in a car crash and being reborn on this cursed island, beset by the curse, besieged by beasts, and facing death repeatedly, he had not only survived but had now become the King of Rust Island, with loyal followers.
He struggled to his feet. Though 'Boiling One' was battered, it still carried an air of authority. Liam raised a hand, signaling the Beastmen to rise. His voice was low but carried strength. "From this day forward, I, Liam, am the King of Rust Island! I will protect you from beasts and foreign enemies, and I will lead you to a better life on this island!"
The Beastmen erupted in cheers, their faces breaking into long-absent smiles, despair and fear replaced by joy. The Chieftain stood and said respectfully, "My King, our tribe has the finest craftsmen. We can repair your armor and forge even greater weapons for you. Please, come with us!"
Liam nodded. Surrounded by the Beastmen, he moved towards the heart of the village. Elara walked beside him, her silver eyes filled with relief and renewed determination. She knew Liam becoming the King of Rust Island was just the beginning. With the support of the Beastman tribe, their chances of fighting the Empire and breaking the curse had significantly improved.
The rusty haze began to dissipate. Sunlight broke through the clouds, falling upon the Beastman village, illuminating the blood and bodies, and also shining upon the battered but still resplendent 'Boiling One' armor. The rise of the new King of Rust Island had not only ended Ragnarok's century-long reign but had also brought a new hope to this land shrouded in the Rust-Corrosion Curse. And Liam knew that being King meant greater responsibility. The path ahead required him to protect not only himself and Elara, but all the inhabitants of Rust Island.