The monsters lusting after them were cut down with minimal effort. Grunts; mere creatures possessing what could barely be called sentience guiding their every movement.
For Isaac, they were akin to the undead.
Isaac diligently lashed at any creatures that dared to enter the radius of protection he had established for Mary, the elongated fingers returning to him covered in the black putrid goo. Isaac didn’t bother cleaning it off his form, focusing all attention on preventing any from touching Mary’s human body.
There was no telling of what would occur if it did.
“This is fine.” Mary offhandedly commented as she cut down another of the creatures on the way down the cave, quickly throwing a hidden dagger towards another creature, the blade embedding itself into the creature's eye socket. Even with the loss of an eye, it continued without a struggle, another comment slipping from Mary. “This is definitely fine.”
A titanic fist pulverized the creature into a paste, aforementioned fist quickly retreating; drenched in a horrid mix of cloud and goopy gore.
"Sanctificamini!"
A quick burst of light erupted from the bramble vine flesh of Isaac, the black goop burning away from the holy magic. The plant-like flesh was dirtied yet again even as the light still shone brightly, another horrid creature bursting into ashes. Cutting off the magic before any effects were inflicted on his body, Isaac turned and lashed out, his elongated fingers ripping through a horde of the creatures again.
Yet, with each corrupted cloud slain, two more emerged, the repeating cycle doing little to slow the onslaught. Mary’s efforts to cut them down were temporary at best; Isaac knew he would be forced to take more drastic measures to survive. Unfortunately, using holy magic and crippling himself was not an option he was willing to take right now, although this predicament was remedied as another thought crossed his mind.
It was repulsive, but Isaac would never know if he never tried.
“Mary, I’d like to try something that might be a bit disgusting for you, but have you noticed them returning to life?” Isaac asked as he cut down another creature into piles of clouds and goo.
“Yes, I’ve noticed. No matter how repulsive the idea, I'll follow your lead.” Mary didn’t look back and kept slashing her way through forwards. The precision and grace as she performed with the art of the blade were impressive to Isaac. With the permission granted, Isaac faced the creatures.
“I will try this one first,” Isaac muttered and willed his armor to spike up. On command, the metal plates on his body reacted, the spikes on them stretching, jutting out menacingly, before elongating into blades and impaling the creatures. “Odd.”
Waiting for a result, to Isaac's dismay the dark metal spikes failed to react. “They have no essence. They are not alive.”
Recalling the mass of spikes, Isaac backed away before resuming his previous actions of lashing out, dicing up all who came his way. Quickly catching up to Mary again, the incantation of the purify spell graced his lips.
Another burst of light erupted from him at its conclusion, the titan sending it forwards to Mary; the wave of light crashing into her, the creatures around her bursting into ashes.
Mary turned with a grateful smile on her face. “Thanks. That felt… good.”
Isaac grinned as the light receded. “You’re welcome.”
The cave throat went deeper, but Isaac and Mary could oddly see just fine, most likely as a result of one of Alicia's spells.
“I’ll be trying again,” Isaac said to Mary, a different method in mind. “Don’t go too deep. I can feel something inside there.”
“Will do, I’ll be just ahead.” Nodding in affirmation, Isaac turned to the horde chasing them from behind.
Chills crawled down the titan's spine as he prepared to enact his plan.
Steeling himself, Isaac stood straight and presented his form. The vines on his body slithered through ice and metal, waving in the air like snakes.
Mary turned to the back for a glimpse, but witnessing such actions was rather jarring. Shrugging it off, she returned to ward off the creatures.
Isaac experimentally sent out a single vine, wrapping around the vile creature. The vines cocooned it before Isaac felt a swallowing motion in that very vine; a large lump traveled through the tendril, the sight causing the titan to tremble in trepidation as the big struggling lump joined his body mass.
And it was disgusting. The moment it joined his body, Isaac coughed into the ground as a vile putrid goop spilled from his mouth like drool. Violently lurching forth, the paladin vomited onto the ground, the goop splattering into a mess.
But it worked! The creature had successfully integrated into his body, as seen when the goop began to fill out the area where his vines did not. Examining his arm out of curiosity, Isaac's expression shifted to slight surprise, the area underneath his icy skin beginning to fill with what could be described as a mockery of blood.
The creatures witnessing the horror were unfazed, advancing without hesitation. Isaac's face twisted into a scowl. He would have to take them all in at once if he didn’t want to feel it many times.
Isaac steeled himself once more and looked to Mary. “Mary! Brace yourself and duck down!” A simple warning being all he could say, she did as instructed.
Instantly Isaac erupted into a mass of slithering vines connected to a granite core, the tendrils slithered and cocooned the creatures into itself, but Isaac didn’t absorb yet.
As soon as he felt every creature cocooned and there was nothing more that his vines could feel, the titan of a paladin absorbing everything.
The struggling mass flowed through his brambled vines, joining the core body.
Vines retreating, reforming the flesh once more; Isaac instantaneously felt bloated, the black tar overflowing his form. Knees giving out, Isaac collapsed to the cloud ground, form heaving as he desperately panted, the goo sloshing through his form and leaking from every orifice.
Black slime trickled down his cheeks from his eyes, the orbs of sight threatening to burst much like an overflowing dam. From the maw of a mouth as it overflowed, cracking through the ice. He was regretting the bitter, vile taste as his whole body, the vines being able to taste, was soaking in it.
"OMNIA MUNDA!"
A stronger burst of light erupted from his heart, forcing Isaac onto his chest. Unable to do more, his maw stretched open; a primal scream resounding from the depths of his throat. Roars filling the caves, one could perceive such cries as that of a true monster.
A set of ears perked up at the roars from inside, the form of a terrified Slar hearing the spine chilling roar of an incomprehensible monster.
”I’ll protect you."