It was an ominous sight, apparently the cockatrix's feathers had some sort of camouflage ability and only its beak and claws could be seen. It was fast and once the element of surprise was taken from it, the beast decided to attack. Kal had never faced this kind of situation before and now, he was frozen solid. It was not due fear, not that he was feeling particularly valiant, but incertitude what kept him indecisive. He knew very little about the beast's behaviour, skills or weaknesses. He found himself saying goodbye to all those he had met and embracing dead, again.
"What am I doing?"- he reflected- "Am I giving up this easily? I'm no fighter but at least I can outrun it. For so long I yearned for a less monotonous life and now that I finally got one I'll just give up in my first bloody kind of quest!? Hell, no! Fuck you chicken. You are not eating me today."
Gil, Landy and some others were at sight but too far to help Kal, so, he had to come up with a way to buy some time until they reached him. He turned 180 degrees and faced the beast. It was not much of a strategy but, suddenly, he thought of a game he used to play that had a particularity, its bosses were really hard to defeat. This was obviously no game, but he decided to do what he did in it: face the boss, learn its attack patterns and his overall speed. There was a major flow in his plan though, he had no health bar, and so, one false move and he would die.
The cockatrix accelerated and though it was still somewhat invisible Kal could see its pitch black beak. He concentrated and when the beast rushed to get him he blinked pass it and they stood fifteen meters away from each other. Kal had no much time to catch his breath, the animal immediately turned, as if it knew what was going to happen, and charged towards him.
A couple blinks later Kal was panting. He could no longer keep this rhythm, he had to come up with another plan. The cockatrix wasn't slowing down nor losing interest and there was not much the novice mage could do. The beast continued its relentless onslaught but this time Kal tried to dodge it instead of blinking, he had no much energy left and knew that he could use his space magic one more time.
The giant bird let out a croak and attacked. Kal successfully dodge but his left arm was bruised and he could no longer feel it. The animal took the opportunity and it started to open and close its wings to creating a vacuum which forced the air to twist around both of them. Eventually a small, but high enough to cover both of them, whirlwind arose. Kal fell, his eyes was being covered by dust and his arm ached badly. The cockatrix launched its final attack but, in the middle of it, it stopped. Blood was spurring from its nostrils, its eyes were bloodshot. It started to behave erratically and then, finally, it collapsed.
The terrifying bird saw that its prey's friends were closing in and it was not going to allow them to aid Kal; that's why it summoned the whirlwind, even though it knew it would take a big toll in its energy. The dust settled a few seconds after the group had reached the "fighting pit" and what they saw there was beyond their comprehension. The cockatrix was dead and aside from some blood coming out of its beak, it was unharmed. On the contrary Kal was wrecked, and though he was still standing, his left arm was badly messed up and his right one covered in blood.
Kal looked at the bird with satisfaction. He had been frightened and at some point thought of giving up and dying, but he prevailed, and, what was more important, it gave him a new-found will that was going to serve him well in the future.
Gil was speechless. Sure, he fights these kind of beast for fun all the time but he never imagine Kal could. He knew all about this novice mage skills from Cyrus and there was no way he could defeat it, unless, of course, there was more to be known.
"Hey there little fella. All good?" asked Gil.
"Water" simply responded Kal.
Landy came running with water bottle and helped him drink it, he also started to apologise but, to his surprise, Kal stopped him.
"I don't want Landy to be blamed. Yes, he could have explained me better the situation," –he said with a stern look directed to the chatty scout-"however, I decide it by myself and he did nothing to compel me. Also, this was a good experience for me. Ever since I came… I mean"-he quickly corrected- "I started living as an OR, I have been taking things to lightly. Now I'm more aware of this world's dangers and my own fragility."
"Certainly a cockatrix is no big threat,"- said Gil and he saw Kal's surprise at this words-"for an experience fighter such as myself, I mean. I'm genuinely amazed by your performance. Do indulge me. How did you do it?" asked Gil with curiosity and the rest of the group were eager to know as well.
"I didn't,"- said Kal- "the stupid bird created a small whirlwind, so, I just redirected part of it to its brain until it collapse. Honestly, if it wasn't for it, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. I don't have the magical strength to summon, control and direct such a powerful air force but the beast did most of the job for me, so, it was mainly its own doing."
"Hahaha"- Gil let out roars of laughter like the villains in old movies when they think they got their way-"That is a man, fearless"-Kal choked a bit at this particular word-"and cold-minded when times come, and on top of it, he isn't even bragging. Something that you folk could learn about"- Gil directed that last sentence to some of the men that were there –"C'mon kid. Let's take you to the healers and fix that arm. Later, we will talk about your reward."
"Reward" Kal's eyes lit up at the sound of such "exquisite" word.
"Oh right, you don't know, let me explain. This is a desert cockatrix, not a forest one as you were misinformed by this moron"- Gil slapped, a bit too hard, Landy's back-"the main difference, physically, is the black beak; forest cockatrixes' are dark brown. For normal people such a difference is barely unnoticeable but this one here,"- Gil slapped Landy again- "should have spotted it miles away."
"What's the difference anyway? It would have been equally dangerous right!?" Interjected Kal.
"Not at all kid. Forest cockatrixes don't eat meat and have many predators, so, at the sight of you it would have fled. Landy's greed blinded him, cockatrixes feathers are quite valuable and rather easy to catch, if you take them by surprise, so, he only saw the profit and nothing else. Its cousins from the desert are another story, they are very territorial and though they can eat fruits and vegetables, they prefer flesh. Anyway, desert cockatrixes have evolve due their harsh lives in the desert, so, their camouflage is better thus making more valuable its feathers."
Now Kal was also eager to slap Landy but in his face. All that danger could have been avoided if it wasn't for his stupidity, however, he wasn't going to hold a grudge, as matter of fact he was also grateful; given the choice he would have never tried to confront the beast. He learned valuable lessons and decided to put extra effort in his magic, not just for the fun of it, but, for his survival. Nonetheless, he was going to make Landy pay and he knew exactly how.
The group had finished loading a wagon with the cockatrix's body and were heading back to join the rest of the Redpaws. Suddenly Gil called for Kal anxiously and with a stern look he asked-"When you were in the forest were you found the beast. How long did it took to start attacking you?"
"I don't remember. It didn't noticed me and I stood there behind bushes about twenty minutes before it disappeared" explained Kal.
"So, he started attacking you there right?"
"No, actually, it wasn't until I got to the clearing and I heard your screaming that it attacked for the first time."
When Gil heard this immediately started to give orders. Kal had always seen Gil either smiling, joking or in a good mood; even an hour earlier at the sight of the fight's results his only expression was the excitement that true warriors showed in battle. This time, however, he showed a different side of him completely.
"Landy! Get your ass over here"-said ominously serious Gil-"take the fastest horse and go get Cyrus and lead him to the place you found the cockatrix. Narla, you come with me. The rest of you, take the beast and set up camp and wait for me"- he finished ordering and then spoke to Kal-"You, come with us too."