บท 114: Battle Against the Manatite Hydra
***** Eris' POV *****
"That's it! This room looks exactly like the one in the desert temple with the teleportation circle in it. The only difference is the set of stairs that would be right about here."
As I said that I pointed to the floor beside the platform where the stairs would have been. Talhand got down on his knees and tapped his gauntlet against the floor as he held his ear to the ground.
"You're right! It's hollow under here!"
"Stand back, I'll open the path", Roxy exclaimed.
"Answer my call, God of Obscurities, and shatter my enemy! [Stone Cannon]!"
Roxy fired a [Stone Cannon] at the floor where Talhand had indicated. A loud bang echoed through the tunnels as her projectile broke the thin layer of stone and exposed a hidden stairway underneath. Down the staircase was yet another teleportation circle, only this one was glowing in a deep blood-red.
"That's gotta be the one. It'll take us to the labyrinth's guardian for sure!", Talhand exclaimed.
"You're right, but let's not go rushing in. We need to formulate a plan", Elinalise cautioned. "Roxy, take this. Use it if you run out of mana."
Elinalise tossed her a magic stone that she took out from her bag.
"Understood", Roxy answered with a serious look on her face.
"Is everyone ready?", Elinalise asked the group.
I glanced around and saw tight expressions on everyone's face. The tension in the air was palpable. I've never faced a labyrinth guardian before. Normally I would be excited at the opportunity, but after seeing Roxy almost die in that trap I couldn't help but feel slightly nervous as well.
"Ok then. Let's go."
We exchanged glances at one another and all stepped into the magic circle at the same time.
The room we warped to was vast, spacious, and wide open; perfect for doing battle. It looked like the reception hall of a palace. It was about twice the size of the ballroom at the old manor I used to live at.
At the opposite side of the room, movement caught my eye as a huge monster started to stand up. Even from a distance I could make out its multiple heads and shining emerald scales.
"It's a hydra!", Elinalise yelled out.
"I've heard stories, but never seen one in person...", Talhand muttered.
"There he is!!", Roxy yelled out from behind me.
Just behind the hydra, in the room it was protecting, was a massive magic crystal, green in color with spikes that fanned outward. Encased within the crystal was none other than Rudeus!
"Rudeus!", his name escaped my mouth in a shriek.
"You idiot! Don't rush in on your own!"
Elinalise chastised me, but it was too late. The moment I saw him encased in that crystal, unmoving, I rushed forward at top speed.
"I'll cover you!", Roxy shouted.
As I approached, the hydra coiled two of its heads back like a snake and sprung them towards me once I was within range.
"Hya!"
I twisted my body just out of the hydra's range and used my momentum to slam my blade down onto the hydra's neck.
*Ting*
My eyes went wide as my sword glanced off the shimmering scales having only left a deep scratch but not penetrating through into the creature's flesh. Having expected to slice right through, the surprising hardness of the scales distracted my attention for just a moment.
"Eris! Look out!", I heard Elinalise calling from a distance.
I came back to my senses just in time to notice the second of the hydra's head zooming towards me from the side. I managed to turn myself just enough to get my sword between the hydra and myself and intercept its attack.
While I defended myself against a direct hit, the force of the blow sent me flying backwards into one of the large pillars supporting the room.
*Kyak!*
The world before me blurred and all I could hear was a loud ringing. As I began to come back to my senses an intense throbbing pain permeated my entire body, but was strongest coming from my head.
"Eris!!"
*KRRRCK*
A loud grinding noise came from Elinalise's shield as she deflected a strike from another of the hydra's heads as it was headed my way. As she held the shield firmly against the hydra's scales she jammed her sword into its neck only for the blade to clang against the scales and barely even leave a scratch.
"Let this divine power be satisfying as nourishment, giving one strength to rise again. [Healing]!"
Roxy, who had caught up to us, rested her hands on my head and began chanting healing magic. Slowly, I felt the pain leaving my body and my strength returning to me. Quickly I got back up and held my sword in front of us to protect us from any incoming attacks.
"[Earth Pillar]!"
As Talhand finished his incantation a large boulder appeared above the hydra and plummeted downward towards it.
*PING*
An ear splitting noise rang out as the boulder disintegrated into dust right before it made contact with the hydra.
"Majestic blade of ice, I summon thee to strike my enemy down! [Icicle Edge]!"
Roxy launched a crescent shaped blade of ice at one of the Hydra's necks.
*PING*
Once again, the same jarring sound rang out as Roxy's spell evaporated right before contacting the hydra.
"Does magic not work against this thing!?", Talhand howled.
"Retreat!", Elinalise shouted as she backed away while keeping her shield in front of her.
The four of us ran back towards the blood red circle which, thankfully, did take us back to the previous room.
"Ha...Ha...Ha..."
The four of us, Talhand especially, gasped trying to catch our breath.
"Elinalise! You're bleeding!", Roxy called out.
I looked over to see her right shoulder completely drenched in blood. She held her left arm over the wound trying to minimize the bleeding.
"As I deflected one of the hydra's blows, its scales brushed up against my shoulder", she explained. "They are razor sharp. We need to be careful not to touch them."
"Oh merciful mother of gods, please heal this one's wounds, and let them recover with a healthy body! [X-Healing]!"
As Roxy cast her healing spell, the deep gash in Elinalise's shoulder knit itself back together.
"Thanks Roxy, you're a lifesaver!"
"We'd all be done for if you didn't rush in to stop the hydra's attack in there."
"I'm glad you're alright, but the problem remains... how in the world are we supposed to beat that thing", Talhand said with a troubled look on his face, his arms folded in front of his chest. "Its scales are too tough to cut through and magic has no effect. I don't see a single way in which we can win. Heck, even Rudeus couldn't beat it and he's one of the Seven Great Powers!"
"That thing is a bad matchup for Rudy", Elinalise argued. "There's got to be a way we can beat it. We just need to come up with a plan."
"I can cut it!", I yelled out. Everybody looked my way. "I know I failed in there, but I just underestimated its scales. If I give it everything I have I know I can cut it!"
"How can you be sure?", Elinalise questioned.
"I almost made it through last time and I was swinging one handed without putting all my weight into it."
"If Eris says she can do it then she can", Roxy affirmed.
"A longsword of light will cleave its head off in a single swing. I guarantee it!"
"You're right", Elinalise agreed. "Even still, it looks like you're the only one who will be able to damage this thing."
"The rest of us will watch your back", Talhand said as he pressed his fist against his chest.
"We'll guard you from any counter attacks so you can focus on offense", Elinalise added.
"My magic might not be of much use against the Hydra, but maybe I can hide your presence with [Deep Mist]. If nothing else I'll be there to heal anyone who gets injured."
"Still, I can't help but feel uneasy about this", Talhand said. "I've never heard of a hydra with green scales."
"It is most likely a Manatite Hydra", Roxy answered. "I've read about it in a book in the Shirone Palace. It's an infernal dragon whose entire body is covered in magic stone scales that can absorb mana."
"Let's take some time to regroup and then we'll go in for another round", Talhand suggested.
Elinalise repaired her damaged armor while Roxy and Talhand rested to recover their mana. I just sat there cleaning my weapon, agitated that I was just sitting here while Rudeus was stuck in that state. Once Elinalise finished with her repairs she stood up and asked if we were all ready to go.
"Let's go!", I yelled out in a rally cry.
"We'll save Rudy at any cost!", Roxy agreed.
Our rematch with the Hydra was about to begin. There was only one thing I needed to focus on. Taking that things heads off one by one. The rest of the party was going to focus on defense. As a group, we stepped through the blood-red magic circle once more.
The hydra stood there imposingly, waiting for us at the back of that spacious room. Our group walked up cautiously until I got within striking range. I then crouched low to the ground while gripping the hilt of my sword firmly with both hands.
*Raaaah*
The hydra lunged three of its heads at me but compared to my longsword of light they moved slow as molasses. My sword struck true and sure enough one of the hydra's heads went flying through the air.
"She did it!", Roxy shouted.
Two of the remaining heads continued their attack at me when I landed but Talhand and Elinalise stood firm to deflect the blows with their shields.
I didn't waste any time. Immediately I got back into stance and launched another longsword of light, sending another head flying. Once again Talhand and Elinalise were there to guard against any counterattack.
I continued my assault, sending a third head flying, but the hydra seemed to have learned its lesson from the first two attacks. The head I was aiming for almost looked like it intentionally left itself exposed only for me to be surrounded by all six remaining heads attacking me from all directions. This would be too much for us to handle!
"[Flood Flush]!", Roxy cast a spell from a scroll, skipping the incantation.
Suddenly a massive surge of water materialized beside me and carried me out of the hydra's range just before the strikes landed.
"We can do this!", she shouted out excitedly as I sent another head falling to the ground.
Our coordination was perfect. We fought as one cohesive unit. Already four of the hydra's heads were gone, cutting its attack potency roughly in half. I launched yet another longsword of light, removing yet another head. I could feel it. We were going to win!
"Aaaah!"
Suddenly I heard Elinalise scream out in pain. I turned to see her lying on the ground as one of the hydra's heads was chewing on her detached arm, up to the shoulder.
'What!? I already cut off that head', I thought as I stared at the blood spatter around its neck from where the head regrew.
I looked on in horror as the same thing happened to all the rest of the heads I cut off. The hydra's flesh knit itself back together at an incredible rate. All of its heads regrew to their previous state in less than ten seconds.
"Eris, look out!"
Talhand shoved me out of the way just as a strike was about to hit me from behind, the strike landing squarely on him instead, sending him flying back into the wall.
"Oh merciful mother of gods, please heal this one's wounds, and let..."
Roxy had run up to the bleeding Elinalise and was attempting to close the wound when one of the hydra's heads lunged straight at her. She would be killed!
I hurled the scabbard of my sword at Roxy, knocking her back just before the hydra took her head off.
*Cough, Cough*
Unfortunately, I was a split second late as the hydra's scales still grazed Roxy's throat. She laid on the ground beside Elinalise, choking on her own blood.
*Raaaah*
I heard the hiss of the hydra once more coming from behind me. At the same time two more of its heads came at me diagonally from my left and right in the front. I had just finished throwing my scabbard and was off balance after putting my weight into the throw; there was no way for me to dodge this.
I felt the strike land true in the center of my back. As I was thrown forward, my eyes happened to land on Rudeus, still immobilized in the giant magic crystal. One final thought passed through my head. Ah... I'm dead.
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