Zeke emerges from my shadow as soon as I communicate with him. I see he had grown a lot these last 2 years, he's easily riding size now. Observing his growth I notice his normally white claws are now a crimson red, and white streaks adorn his fur. With 3 white lines across his snout, which looked like claw marks, and red fur trialing under his silver eyes he somehow looked way more intimidating than any beast we had come across in the past 2 years.
'Are you okay dad?'
'Yeah I'm fine, there's a change of plans. I won't be going with the others since apparently its too dangerous for a B class to enter the Dire Tombs.'
'That's what you get for holding back and appear as weak.'
'Yeah, yeah I know, I know. So How bout you two show me how you hunt?'
He grunted and turned around, gesturing me to sit on him.
As soon as I sat we sped through the shadows. We appeared in an open field with a forest not far away.
Zeke raises his snout up and concentrated.
What is he doing?
A few seconds later he relaxed.
'What was that?'
'I called Sylvie here.'
'Ah okay.'
Sure enough a black dragon flies down to us and looks at Zeke with a confused expression.
They seemingly converse with each other before Sylvie turns to look at me.
"Well damn you've grown. Arthur's gonna have a seizure when he sees you. You've grown too Zeke, although more in appearance than size." I add that last part when I hear Zeke whine. I guess even with all his size and ferocity he's still a kid.
"Now, who's gonna show me how you hunt?"
_________________________________________________________________________________
Arthur Leywin POV:
As soon as we came across a new species in the dungeon, one which resembled a gigantic worm, oddly enough, I knew something was wrong.
"Was that thing here the last time Brald?" Kriol asks our leader.
"N-no....I don't understand. It doesn't make sense for a new mana beast species to enter a dungeon like this." His confidence wavered as he spoke.
Flipping his hair Lucas spoke, "It's not a big deal as long as I'm here."
But the worm doesn't attack us, instead it burrows down forming another hole.
"It doesn't seem to be after us," Elijah muttered.
The creature continues burying into the walls, ignoring us.
"Are we just going to stand around and watch the worm dig or are we going to proceed?" Oliver pushes past Brald and me, striding towards the end of the cave.
"Get back here! We need to assess what's happening before we go!" Brald gets annoyed by the arrogance shown by the conjurer and goes after him.
Suddenly the whole cave trembles and a light fizzing sound is heard.
"LUCAS! HEAT WAVE BARRIER! NOW!" I scream at the confused mage.
I barely managed to pull Brald in before the shield was erected and a fiery blast of gas was released by every hole.
The eruption of gas sizzled down after a few minutes and Lucas releases the now weakened barrier.
We stood in silence, each one of us spooked and grossed by the scene in front of us.
Oliver was dead, with only his skeleton, with chunks of flesh still attached, and the gem on top of his staff remained.
Fayden Leywin POV:
Creeping through the foliage I make my way towards an elk like mana beast I had been told to hunt. It was hard but doable...is what I'd like to say but I've already tried this almost 10 times. Damn you Zeke! If I could use Noctis' will it would've been a piece of cake.
Just like multiple ties before I messed up. I had conjured an ice spike and was about to shoot it, but the damn beast sensed the mana fluctuation and darted away!
"Dammit!" I spat out in frustration.
"Why can't I use my beat will! It would've been over a long time ago if I could!" I growl out.
'Because you can't rely on it all the time.'
Zeke said appearing beside me.
"How do you two do it?" I ask.
'We learn cloaking our mana based attacks instinctually. I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain it.'
I sigh
'It's alright, I'll figure out a way.'
I say and proceed to search my next target, and ultimately fail at it again.
Arthur Leywin POV:
The mist that once surrounded us was absorbed into the huge wave of vines, clearing our view and revealing our adversary.
"N-no way.." Samantha's face slackens in shock.
Towering above us was a 40 foot tall centaur like mana beast made out of entangled vines and branches. Its two humanoid arms were holding unto a giant wooden lance that looked more like a drill. In its lower horse like body, instead of limbs it had an uncountable number of vines.
For the last hour or so, the seven of us were battling against his feet, literally.
"I-I've only seen it in books...That's an E-Elderwood Guardian." Samantha stutters out.
"W-we're doomed..." Brald has a crazy grin on his face.
Damn it. He's lost it.
"What the hell is a S class mana beast doing here..." Reginald almost drops his hammer, looking at the Beast in horror.
"K-Kriol" He points at the lifeless torso and limbs at sticking out the chest of the mana beast.
A lone tear rolls down his face as he bellows, "KRIOOOL!"
He's covered by a brown cloak of mana as pieces of the Earth lift off from the ground and attach themselves to him, forming an armor.
"No! We can't fight this thing!" I try to reach him, only to be blown back by the force of the mana.
"Note!" Jasmine screams.
The Elderwood guardian thrusts his lance towards Reginald.
"Elijah! Shield him!" I shout.
"Rock Shield!" Elijah casts as a slanted wall of Earth rises from the ground, parrying the lance.
"We have to leave!" Jasmine tugs my hand, gesturing to the exit.
"What about them," I point at Elijah whose having a nose bleed trying to maintain the wall, and Reginald who has gone into a super rage after seeing Kriol dead, "I promised them that-"
I am cut off my Jasmine, "An I promised your family that I will keep you safe!"
Looking at her anguished expression I placed my hand on top of her, "We'll go, but not like this. We can't just leave them."
She sighs in response.
"DIEEEE" Reginald yells, bringing his hammer down the beasts' lance.
But as he's about to land on the ground, the broken vines that made up the lance whirland surround him, and condense back to its original shape, entombing and crushing Reginald to death.
His screams are heard as his body is ground to pieces.
Dammit! If they had let Fayden come we wouldn't have had so many deaths.
"Elijah, cover Jasmine while she grabs Brald and run to the exit." I say to the bespectacled boy.
Looking back once more I see the Elderwood Guardian is now looking straight at us.
"We need to move.." I will mana into my body...
"Fire Bolts!" Just as a ball of fire hits me square in the chest as I was sent flying back.
Fayden Leywin POV:
Finally!
I look down at my handiwork, a tiger like mana beast lay on the ground. Dead, an ice spike embedded in its eye.
I finally managed to conceal my spell and kill a beast.
'Congratulations.'
I heard Zeke say from behind.
'Yeah, feels good to finally succeed.'
Zeke tenses, ready to pounce on the beast. Only to stop midway and whine.
'Aw come on!'
Chuckling I turn back and see Sylvie already in the process of devouring it
When she abruptly stopped and looked up.
"What is it?" I ask.
'Your brother has gone into integrate phase.'
As soon as he says that Sylvie flies off towards his direction.
Instantly I take out the tracer, hoping his one is still intact. Pouring mana into it I can see exactly how far away he is.
Mentally sending Zeke his coordinates I say, "Lets go Zeke!"
And then we descend into the shadows once again.
Arthur Leywin POV:
Looks like I really have no choice.
But Will I be able to survive the recoil?
"Phase Two: Dragon's Awakening."
The same markings that Sylvia once had, those golden yellow runes, run down my arm and my back. My hair grows longer coming down to my shoulder, the once auburn colour turning to a luminescent white, with the ends being orange.
Undergoing Dragons Awakening startled Sylvie.
'Papa! I'm coming now!'
'It's fine Sylv, I want you to stay away for now, if anything happens take Fayden and go back to the Helstea's house. At least one of us needs to make it back'
'NO! I can help'
'Sylvie...please' I pleaded.
'Fine...but Uncle Fayden is already coming to you.'
'...'
I stay silent as I ponder on this.
Sigh.
'It's fine. I have a feeling he wouldn't have listened to you anyways.'
'Be careful...'
'Thanks Sylv.'
Looking around I see Jasmine and Elijah are the only ones left alive, with Jasmine sprawled on the ground and Elijah in a crawling position.
Before I could go ahead and attack it, quite possibly killing myself in the process, I heard a voice I was all too familiar with speak, "You Look like you need some
help."