It broke through the treeline with a terrible noise, a rippling bellow that sent demented birds flying from the nearby trees. It tore down a tree, smashing it down as it pelted across the red-orange grass towards the man who continued to stand his ground. Each hoofbeat sent a shower of dirt spraying up behind it as Nevin stared down the oncoming beast. As soon as it was in range he lashed out with the whip, cracking the barbed weapon across its face.
The thing screeched as it reared back and Nevin threw himself to the side, ducking into a roll. Mighty hooves crashed down - but the man wasn't there anymore. He had managed to throw himself far enough that the mock-deer missed him in its attack. Nevin rolled back to his feet as the beast shrieked and pawed the earth. Again he cracked his whip, barbs digging into the flank of the deer thing, and this time, watching, Nevin could see his whip absorb some of the thick red blood of the beast.
It bled. He could kill it.
And now that he knew he could hurt it, it was only a matter of time, and keeping himself from being bitten by the beast. While he could cure the onset of rabies, it would necessitate leaving the woods. And he didn't know if he could force himself to come back in if he had to leave. No, it would be best if he took this out here and now, without being injured.
So back and forth the two danced, Nevin narrowly avoiding the snapping teeth and stamping hooves, his whip drinking deep of the flesh. In the end blood was actually flowing out of the whip, dripping from the weapon, as the massive deer-creature had more blood than the amount of Plynt that he had could hold. But still the slavering beast fought, its motions growing more and more sluggish as Nevin’s whip drank deeply of its life fluid.
But even the mightiest of living beasts can only survive so long losing blood as rapidly as this thing was. It stumbled a moment longer than it should have, and the Alchemist seized the opportunity. With a snap of his wrist, the barbed whip wrapped around the mock-deer’s throat, barbs of metal cruelly cutting into its flesh as Nevin hauled back on his arm. It let out a shuddering screech that echoed through the woods as it fell to its knees, blood that hadn't been soaked up by the Plynt gushing from the jagged tear around its neck.
It tried to rise back up, but the monstrosity was done for. It pushed one foot upright - and over balanced, landing with a heavy thud on the ground on its side. It snapped weakly with its sharp teeth as Nevin walked over to it, and he could see that even now, as death gripped it, the madness still filled its eyes. Madness and hatred, as it tried to lunge for him. Nevin grimly shook his head, and coils of red threads emerged from his arm, spiraling together into a solid point - almost like an oversized pick head. He brought his arm up, and stabbed downwards, piercing through the soft tissue of its throat.
