The gnoll leader raised the bone club and smashed it on the ground, letting out a low-pitched sound and pointed at the party. The majority of the gnolls rushed forward as the ones with slings stayed back and began hurling stones.
"Protection projectiles," Ezra cast on the party. "This will prevent a lucky rock to the head from being fatal."
Cyrus and Angela charged against the gnolls, with Ezra moving behind them. The gnolls would start swinging their weapons and claws at the party as Cyrus' skill premonition activated, making all attacks aimed at him appear in slow motion.
Angela stabbed the rapier through the paw of a gnoll, pulling the blade back before striking its head. She took a step back to avoid a nearby axe, stepping forward again before the gnoll could recover from its swing and stabbing into a gap underneath its arm.
The gnolls targeting Cyrus were no match, as his enhanced blade cut through the gnoll's pitiful weapons along with their heads. The only thing he needed to dodge were the stones heading his way.
Ezra backed up Angela, making sure none of the gnolls flanked her as she stabbed her spear into a gnoll's chest. The gnoll's armour prevented the wound from being fatal. The spear's tip would start glowing, as a white light shot from it and into the gnoll, causing it to collapse.
"Tch, don't make me waste spells, you stupid animals," Ezra mumbled.
Seeing its gnolls pushed back, the leader let out a high-pitched yelp making it echo far through the forest. Multiple howls from other gnolls responded to their leader's call and headed to their location.
Hoping to reach the leader before reinforcements arrive, Angela pushed through the gnolls and charged at their leader. Sheathing her rapier, she reached into her bag and pulled out the claymore.
The Gnoll leader growled at the approaching sword maiden and swung the massive bone in a sweeping motion. Angela used blitz to move out of the club's range before charging forward and slashing down at the giant gnoll. However, after a full swing, the gnoll grabbed the other side of the bone, holding both ends, and used it to block Angela's attack.
"It can keep up with blitz?" Angela was shocked. Standing near it, she realized she only came to the creature's shoulder and was forced to look up at the beast.
As the gnoll pushed Angela back, its reinforcements had arrived, with eight of them emerging from the forest on the left and right of the party. Many of them ditched their weapons to run on all fours, speeding forward to protect their leader. Some stayed behind to hurl stones at the party.
"Somehow, we avoided these scouts only to be pincered by them. Still think Angela has good luck?" Ezra asked.
"I'm sure we'll survive, but do you have any suggestions to make it easier?" Cyrus turned his head as he talked with Ezra.
Cyrus' attitude came across as odd to Ezra, considering the situation. However, that casual attitude ended when a stone managed to strike Cyrus' head, drawing a little blood. Cyrus' head turned, his eyes going to their original dark red briefly before reverting to their yellow colour.
"You dare," Cyrus seethed. A simple stone damaging him was an insult that demanded recompense.
He saw these gnolls as weaklings, as their claws and worthless weapons would only look painful if they struck his flesh but would do as much damage as a mosquito bite.
Ezra seeing the blood from the stone wondered if her spell wasn't as effective on demon-kin. Not realizing that full demons negate all holy defensive magic cast on them.
Cyrus would extend his arm as water gathered in the cup of his hand. The liquid rapidly becomes a dark putrid green as he throws it towards the gnolls. "Acid shot," the water droplets would spread out and fly forward like a volley of arrows, splashing on the advancing gnolls and reaching the ones further back.
The initial droplets pierced deep into the gnoll's skin, striking their bloodstream and spreading rapidly through their body. The corrosion through their bodies had them yelping in pain as their insides melted, killing them.
Ezra stared in surprise as the group of gnolls were killed by a single spell, leaving only the other side and the leader. She had a lot of questions to ask him now but figured it would be best to save them for after the battle.
"Care to do that again?" Ezra asked, prompting a sigh from Cyrus.
Having already exposed a portion of this strength, Cyrus couldn't find a reason to refuse. He didn't look tired from casting his spell, having more mana than some people could even fathom. He turned to face the other gnolls and prepared to cast the spell again. The gnoll's survival instinct immediately overtook their loyalty to the leader as they fled back into the woods.
The gnoll leader would see its clan flee in terror, its eyes shifted to Cyrus, and let out an angry howl. It swung its club again to push Angela aside, as she countered with flurry, turning a single attack into multiple as she slashed at the club, hoping to stop the weapon.
Each strike lowered the bone's momentum as she managed to push it aside and attempt another attack on the gnoll. However, the bone was pulled back and used to block Angela's attack once again, but this time the gnoll lunged its head forward, hoping to catch her off guard and rip off her face.
Angela wanted to shift her blade and cut off the gnoll's head when it extended to bite her, but the claymore created a chip in the bone, easy enough to pull out, but she couldn't tilt or shift it. She leaned back to avoid the bite, prompting the gnoll to push her back again. This time Angela was prepared and let go of her sword, ducking down as Angela pulled her rapier back out and thrust upward. Not wanting to take any chances, she activated flurry again. Her blade punctured its throat in multiple places, with the final strike going up through the neck and out the back of the gnoll's head.
With its weight forward, the lifeless gnoll body began to fall on top of Angela, despite her attempts to escape. With the heavy body knocking the wind out of her.
"...Help," Angela wheezed.
Cyrus and Ezra rushed to her aid and managed to lift the gnoll enough for Angela to crawl out from under it. Gasping and coughing as her body desperately sought to get air back into its lungs.
"You saved me," Angela panted before smiling, "looks like we survived."
Despite the pleasant atmosphere, Ezra glanced at Cyrus, "I have to ask something."
"Ask me when we're back in town," Cyrus quickly responded, already knowing the question.
Angela looked over the battle, having been so distracted with the gnoll's leader she wasn't aware of the spell Cyrus cast. Instead, she was more interested in the bone.
"What sort of bone is this?" She asked, trying to pick it up. "It's heavy!"
Cyrus put his hand on the bone and looked it over, "it's a dragon's bone. The bones on the ground are likely from the same dragon."
"Dragon? Like the ones from legend?" Angela asked in astonishment.
"Don't they usually appear every hundred years or so? What makes them a legend?" Cyrus wondered since there's always a dragon or two willing to assist during world domination attempts.
"It's because we're unsure if they're a living creature or a type of demon, so the church limits knowledge of them," Ezra explained.
"Ah, since you only see them when the demon lord revives. I understand," Cyrus nodded his head.
"We're gonna take some of these bones back with us," Angela announced.
"No, we should leave them. Dragon blood isn't poisonous to plants. If anything, they would enjoy the fertilizer from a deceased dragon." Cyrus countered.
"You're saying someone created this desolate area on purpose, but why?" Ezra questioned.
"Since no one sensed any dark or holy magic here, then it's best to leave the bones be," Cyrus stated.
"Then let's cut off some ears and head back to town!"