BXBX NOVEL Chapter 69 (LXIX) Hollow
The blood moon continued to grow darker under the eclipse, and the sky glowed with the faintest hint of red. The Spectral Bone Panther was exceptionally fast, disappearing like a ghost and reappearing like an assassin ready to kill.
Jackson was forced to keep moving as it darted around him, attacking from all angles. He kept his distance, deflecting the attacks as he shuffled his feet around, keeping himself away from his final opponent while waiting for his chance.
The panther would disappear, appearing next to him, and he\'d be forced to move to avoid being shredded by its sharp claws. It seemed almost impossible to get close without getting killed.
The panther appeared right before him, and he ducked to the side, barely escaping its claw. He turned, slicing through its thick hide into the powerful muscles in its foreleg.
The panther roared in pain, ignoring it as it turned and ran at him. He turned to follow, but the panther suddenly changed directions, jumping toward him. Jackson immediately threw his leg forward, sliding against the ground as the Spectral Bone Panther flew overhead.
He twisted his body as he slid along the ground, coming up underneath the charging panther and stabbing his scimitar into its belly. It screeched loudly as it fell forward, impaling itself on his weapon.
Jackson pulled the scimitar free and stabbed the creature in the throat as it lay dying. He rolled over, panting heavily as he leaned against the deceased beast, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his wrist.
He took a few moments to catch his breath and check the status of his wounds. His weapons had deflected most of the damage from the claws of the beasts, but he felt a slight sting in his side, sighing in relief when it was hardly a scratch.
A dozen loud ear-shattering ethereal wails sounded off in the jungle around Jackson, followed by a deeper bloody, guttural roar sending a shiver down his spine. Now that the ordinary Island Panthers were taken care of, it was time for the real challenge. A dozen powered-up Hollows are being further powered up by a beefed-up Knight...
Jackson shook his head as he got back up on his feet and readied himself for battle once again, \'This is going to take everything I\'ve got!\'
Black clouds of smoke appeared around him, rising off the ground as Hollowed Panthers appeared around him. Similarly to the wolves, their fur was pitch black, and their bones jutted randomly. Their skulls were clean, and green flames floated in their eye sockets. They snarled and growled at him, baring fangs dripping with saliva.
Jackson sighed and turned his attention inward, focusing his mind and spirit. He closed his eyes and focused his energy, feeling his mana pool within his core. He breathed deeply and exhaled, letting his power flow outward, purple electricity dancing across every inch of his body.
He opened his eyes just in time as two hulking panthers leaped at him, claws extended. He lifted both his swords, the long sweeping edge burning brightly, and brought them together in front of him. He pushed his willpower into his blades, channeling it through his hands.
The two panther hollows collided with his scimitars, causing sparks of electricity to fly between the blades, twisting his body as he launched both in opposite directions, crashing through the trees. The panthers came at him en masse, surrounding him on all sides. They snarled and growled as they circled him, waiting for an opening.
Several of them rushed forward, trying to overwhelm him with numbers. He dodged left and right as the panthers swarmed him. He slashed wildly through the air, cutting down any who dared approach.
Jackson\'s heart pounded in his chest; he was breathing hard as he fought. He could feel his strength waning; if he didn\'t end this soon, he knew he wouldn\'t make it.
He couldn\'t let this happen. He had come too far, survived so much, and lost people he cared about. He wasn\'t going down here. Not now.
Jackson gritted his teeth as he cut down another pair of panthers. He turned and swung his sword downward, severing the heads of three more. The remaining five backed away and formed a semi-circle around him.
Jackson\'s breath was ragged as he stared down the pack of monsters. From behind the lines of the Hollowed Panthers, their alpha, the Blighted Panther Knight, stepped forward from the shadows, raised his spear high above his head, and pointed it at Jackson, unleashing an eerie howl.
Jackson could see the other panthers begin to charge at him, pushing themselves harder than ever. He could feel the pressure building inside him, and he could feel his own exhaustion beginning to set in.
Jackson gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his twin scimitars. He spun and struck out with his twin blades, slicing through the necks of several of the creatures. He began weaving through the panther\'s attacks, easily blocking each blow.
Jackson\'s movements became faster and sharper as he weaved through the attacks of the hollowed panthers. He moved like a dancer, gracefully twirling through the air, slicing through the air as he danced among the horde of beasts.
Jackson smiled as he saw the panthers falter, confused by his speed and agility. He spun and sliced the legs from beneath one of the panthers, knocking it to the ground. He kicked it in the ribs, crushing them as he sent it rolling away.
Jackson spun again, bringing his blade around in an arc, cleaving the neck of the panther in half. He turned again, swinging upward, decapitating the panther as it charged him.
The blighted knight watched him intently, slowly approaching as the man continued to dance through the air, striking out at the enemy with his twin scimitars. The beast\'s eyes narrowed, lowering his spear and charging, screaming in rage as the remaining hollowed panthers joined in.