The tension in the air was palpable as the Airrider and the team of five stood poised, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Crow, casting an intent gaze toward the Airrider, broke the silence, "Just so you're all aware, I lack any substantial offensive abilities. My strengths lie in support – healing and mana assistance."
Creambell's eyes sparkled with hope upon hearing this revelation. He knew Finn, their valiant companion, had been struggling with dwindling mana reserves, hence his recent retreat from the offensive. Eagerly, Creambell chimed in, "You can replenish mana?"
Crow nodded, revealing, "Indeed, I possess an ability that can restore 100% of anyone's maximum mana. But, I can only use it once a day. I plan to reserve it for a dire situation."
Creambell's face lit up, and Finn's eyes glinted with newfound optimism. "100% mana!" Creambell exclaimed, unable to contain his joy.
Crow affirmed, "Yes."
"Use it on Finn, then," Creambell suggested without hesitation.
"Finn?" Crow questioned, glancing around with a puzzled expression, unfamiliar with the name.
Creambell clarified, gesturing towards their diminutive ally, "The doll. His name is Finn, and he's running low on mana."
Crow's realization dawned as he focused on Finn, "Ah, Finn! I see."
In the midst of the unfolding chaos, the Airrider emitted a piercing screech, signaling its imminent assault on the group.
"I believe one of you would be a better choice than a golem," suggested Crow, assessing the impending threat.
Creambell, his urgency palpable, asserted, "Believe me, if you want to leave this place alive, restore Finn's mana."
The bandit, nodding in agreement, chimed in, "Yes, he's right."
With two voices in harmony, both advocating for Finn, Crow regarded the doll's painted devil face with skepticism, while Finn's emotionless, unanimated eyes met his gaze. "Yes, fill up my mana," came Finn's voice from within, which no one could hear.
Meanwhile, the Airrider metamorphosed, its entire body adopting a metallic sheen, except for its wings. Slowly, it began advancing towards the team, prompting Creambell to urgently instruct, "Quick, fill his mana."
As the bird increased its speed, unleashing a powerful screech, Creambell shouted, "RESTORE FINN'S MANA!" The team swiftly scattered, each member finding strategic positions. Crow, facing the approaching threat, cast a spell that enveloped Finn in a protective blue glow. "You better be worth it," Crow muttered, his eyes fixed on Finn.
Now fully charged, Finn responded by shooting multiple sticky threads at the wings of the Airrider, its only remaining vulnerable body parts. The creature lost its balance and crashed to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Creambell unleashed a barrage of fireballs from one side, while Kestrel, extending her bionic arm, transformed it into a hand cannon. A red light emanated from the cannon as she prepared to unleash a devastating beam. In an instant, the cannon fired, but the Airrider, quick on its wings, turned its feathers into metal, shielding itself from the onslaught. The sticky threads on its wings were also vaporized in the process.
In the midst of the unfolding battle, Finn, quick on his arcane feet, activated his mirage ability. This time, however, he created three identical copies of himself to conserve mana while maintaining the illusion.
The Airrider, now fully encased in metallic armor, seemed impervious to the group's attacks. A temporary standstill occurred as the bird contemplated its next move, and the team withheld their assault. In a sudden shift, the Airrider reverted its wings to their natural state and started flapping them.
Rising into the sky, the metallic creature hovered above the group, creating a curious pause among the onlookers. Abruptly, something struck the ground just before Crow, leaving a significant dent. Startled, Crow exclaimed, "WHAT WAS IT?"
"AIR BULLETS," Creambell urgently informed. "QUICKLY PUT UP A SHIELD!"
As more bullets hurtled towards Crow, he, unfortunately out of mana after his previous exertion, began a hasty retreat. Running alongside him, the bandit questioned, "WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AWAY?"
"I AM OUT OF MANA," Crow admitted, turning the inquiry back to his companion. "WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?"
"BECAUSE I WANT TO LIVE," the bandit replied, the urgency in his voice matching the gravity of the situation.
Amidst the chaos, Kestrel seized the opportunity to strike the Airrider from the side, capitalizing on its apparent limitation. Unable to launch air bullets in every direction, the bird turned sideways to face Kestrel. The revelation sparked a coordinated assault from Creambell, Finn, and Kestrel, who strategically targeted the vulnerable wings.
Finn, armed with driller spikes, aimed for the unarmored wings, successfully inflicting damage. The relentless barrage forced the Airrider to divert its attention, turning its wing feathers into metal for protection. Despite the attempt to ground the creature, it found itself surrounded by the relentless trio, ready to bring it down.
Unbeknownst to the group, the metallic prowess of the Airrider was not everlasting. Sustaining significant damage, the bird reached its limit in utilizing the metal feathers. Desperation set in as it realized it needed to eliminate the group before its protective ability wore off.
In a daring move, the Airrider extended its snake-like tongue, seizing Kestrel's human arm in an attempt to draw her closer. Undeterred, Kestrel anchored herself to the ground with her bionic legs and heated the palm of her bionic arm. Gripping the bird's fleshy tongue, she inflicted pain, forcing the creature to recoil.
Swiftly, the Airrider redirected its attention to Finn, extending its tongue without certainty. In a stroke of luck, it snatched the real Finn, pulling him closer. However, Finn's quick thinking allowed him to switch places with one of his illusions, leaving the Airrider grappling with empty air.
In a desperate attempt to save himself, Creambell conjured a protective wall of fire as the Airrider's tongue snaked towards him. The fiery barrier, however, proved futile as the tongue effortlessly passed through, constricting Creambell and swiftly pulling him closer.
Reacting swiftly, Kestrel transformed her bionic arm into a red-hot, razor-sharp blade, charging at the Airrider. Simultaneously, Finn launched a barrage of driller spikes at the bird's tongue. In a defensive maneuver, the Airrider reverted its wing feathers to their natural state, flying up into the air while still pulling Creambell.
Amidst the chaos, Creambell unleashed a flurry of fire attacks in a desperate bid to break free. However, his efforts were in vain. As he hovered before the bird's beak, the Airrider abruptly transformed its beak and tongue into unyielding metal, tossing Creambell into the air before swallowing him whole.
The shocking turn of events left the group momentarily stunned, but there was no time for grief. Finn, though lacking the strength to bring the Airrider down, deployed multiple sticky threads to restrain the creature. Kestrel, arriving on the scene, joined forces with Finn, gripping the threads and using every ounce of her strength to counter the bird's flight, but the bird's flight power was still greater.
Just as Kestrel contemplated releasing the threads, she felt a sudden surge of resistance from below. To their surprise, it was Crow and the bandit, pooling their strengths to anchor the Airrider to the ground. The collective force of the group proved superior to the bird's flying power.
Recognizing its impending defeat, the Airrider ceased flapping its wings and, in a last-ditch effort, transformed its entire body into unyielding metal. The creature plummeted from the sky, crashing to the ground. Sensing the imminent danger, everyone scattered, narrowly avoiding the impact. The battle-worn group stood, their victory tinged with the somber realization of Creambell's sacrifice.
The bird, once again grounded, found itself encircled by the remaining members of the group. However, Crow and the bandit chose a prudent retreat, ensuring they remained out of the creature's line of sight.
As they fled, Crow glanced at the bandit running beside him and couldn't help but voice his frustration, "Why did you even come here if you're so afraid for your life?"
The bandit, catching his breath, replied, "I didn't know there would be wild beasts in the path of flowers."
Crow rolled his eyes in disbelief, focusing ahead as they continued their escape.
Meanwhile, Kestrel and Finn prepared for the second round against the beleaguered Airrider. Unexpectedly, the creature exhibited bizarre behavior, swaying back and forth as if intoxicated. It appeared on the verge of regurgitation, and with an abrupt motion, Creambell emerged from its mouth. Sprinting towards Kestrel, Creambell's escape left everyone in shock.
Astonished, Kestrel questioned Creambell as he approached, "How did you get out?"
Creambell smirked and revealed an array of jars concealed within his coat. "I gave it some medicine, and it let me out," he explained.
Turning their attention back to the still-ailing Airrider, Finn seized the opportunity. Employing sticky threads, he skillfully bound the creature's legs together, causing it to stumble and crash to the ground once more. The group, renewed with hope, prepared to capitalize on the weakened state of their formidable adversary.
The Airrider, now teetering on the brink of defeat, experienced a glitch in its ability, oscillating between metallic and normal feathers. Seizing the moment, Kestrel lunged at the creature with her blade hand, swiftly decapitating it just as its feathers returned to normal. The bird froze, its lifeless form now devoid of movement, lying defeated on the forest floor.
Relieved and victorious, the group shared glances and a spontaneous burst of laughter echoed through the air. The realization of their triumph against one of the forest's most formidable creatures filled them with a sense of accomplishment, especially considering the battle was won without any casualties.
However, their joy was short-lived as they remained unaware of the final, unexpected twist in the battle. The tip of the Airrider's tail detached, flying directly towards Crow and the bandit. Before anyone could comprehend the impending danger, the tail pierced through Crow's neck. In the blink of an eye, Crow's head rolled onto the flowery floor, followed by his lifeless body. The atmosphere, once filled with jubilation, was now punctuated by a stunned and somber silence. The group, triumphant yet now mourning the loss of their comrade, faced the harsh reality that the battle was not quite over.