บท 18: The Drynewts Bounty

The party launch themselves backwards as the man with the axe takes a deep breath in and slashes towards the roots cutting them off completely the swing leaving a gust of wind behind the swing.

The mage plants her feet and stares at the drynewt and lifts her staff

"Fire Magic: Elytra's Fury"

A giant fire tornado erupts around the mages' feet before it all collects into a giant sphere above their heads. It slowly spins to the right as it blows up into seven large feathers. They launch towards the drynewt from all angles.

The Drynewt stares as the attack grows closer and the warrior with an axe rushes towards it.

"DIEEEEEE"

The warrior screams as the monster opens its mouth and screeches at a high deafening pitch. The feathers dissipate right before they reach the monster and it launches into the air.

"BEND"

The mage speaks under her breath and a fire feather strikes the drynewt from behind at insane speed landing a direct hit where Ankoku's sword cut the monster, it failing to heal the wound.

The fire erupts into the drynewts body burning it from the inside out the fire bursting from the wound on it's shoulder, mouth and eyes.

"It looks like a demon."

A cloaked elven archer says staring at the monster burning and flailing around in pain. The drynewt rushes towards the mage and arches with it's blood curdling screech.

The elven archer raises her short bow, shooting an arrow towards its head.

"Lyrion's Haste."

The arrow gains incredible speed and strikes the drynewt between the eyes the arrow digging into it's burning head launching it backwards wind blowing leaves and sticks around the drynewt everywhere the gust of wind knocking down the archers hood. The elf stands there staring at the drynewt as it falls her beautiful long silver hair, her green eyes glistening from the flames of the monsters body, a golden band stretching all the way around her head with an emerald in the front of it.

The drynewts body hits the ground shattering the dirt around its body as it burns and dies the ground begins to shake.

Roots begin to sprout from the ground at great speed, the warrior rushes towards his friends pushing them out of the way, being pierced by two sharp roots through his stomach and chest. The elf and mage fall into the bushes outside the opening as three more members of another party appear.

"Wh-what the hell is this.." The young dark haired boy yells

A spear erupts from behind the three and pierce all three in a line, the boys turn around realizing they have been hit and begin coughing up blood as four more spears sprout up piercing each of them from the sides killing two of three instantly as the young boy coughs up blood falls to his knees.

At the other side of the opening lays Ankoku and the woman in a cloak. Her hands trembling as she struggles to decide to rush to her friends aid or help the wounded Ankoku leave. She begins to panic as she does not know what to choose as Ankoku's hand reaches up and holds her hand.

"Go. Help them. I'll use my crystal. GO!"

The woman leaps up grabbing her rapiers and rushing towards the drynewt as Ankoku watches bleeding, his vision fades as he clutches the teleportaion stone and a bright green circle appears below his body and envelops him in a light as the surroundings begin appearing he sees buildings.

"HELP! HELP HIM HE'S BLEEDING! We Need a Priest!" a young man says hovering above him trying to patch Ankoku's wounds, his eyes close as a priest rushes towards him.

The woman is launching from root to root stabbing and jumping the roots as she nears the body which is trying to heal from the flames. A spear launches from the ground piercing her cloak ripping it off to show a beast woman. She is dressed in all black with a shinobi mask and hood with two rapiers. Her wolf ears perk up as another spear strikes from behind and she flips to get on top of it,

She launches herself from one root to the next and lands on a rock near the drynewt.

The Drynewt begins to stand fifteen more spears erupting around it.

"You got to be kidding me, why don't you just die." The woman says.

"HELL'S KAIOS"

The mage yells from the bush as a dark red and black blade slashes through the roots from the side hitting the drynewt in the back leaving a deep slash in it's body, The drynewt unable to focus on healing the external wounds and busy healing it's burned insides, it leaves it.

The archer stands up aiming her bow preparing to shoot three white feathered arrows as she sees something in the corner of her eye, her eyes widen with shock.

"DAYNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The elf screams.

The beast woman seems shocked and looks at the elf with confusion.

"Look at the cave in the middle of the opening!"

Dayna snaps around until she sees the cave and inside the cave, there is eight young beast children cowering in fear with wounds all over them and bones nearby.

Her face lowers in anger and hatred as she prepares to charge at the monster who is nearly fully recovered from the burns with more spears appearing around it.

"Dayna, I know how you feel, but, We have to get the kids out of here. We will fight this thing again."

The elf says calmly to Dayna as they all rush towards the kids, the drynewt launches it's spears towards them. The warrior appears slashing them all but three getting past him. The spears are about to pierce the elf and mage as the young black haired boy cuts all three of them with his sword.

The boy coughs up blood as he falls down behind them laying in a pool of his blood.

"Torsted! RUN!" Dayna yells towards the warrior.

His rough face covered in dirt and blood begins to lower into a frown, his grey hair covered in red. His left hand covering his stomach blood dripping onto his feet. He let's out a deep sigh and grabs the young boys body and rushes towards the cave where the elf uses the teleportation stone.

They watch as the drynewt watches them leave still covered in wounds.

The party appears also in the middle of the town everyone rushes over to help as Torsted falls to his knees then falls to the ground with a metallic thud.

Dayna's eyes widening as the mage cries and the elf stares blankly at Torsteds body. The priests surround him and begin carrying him towards the church.

Ankoku lies in a bed staring at the ceiling seemingly mostly healed up but still bandaged with sun peeking through the window as it is early morning.