Vespera almost fell as she slipped, Xerves took hold of her by the arm and drew her back. Vespera turned red as he locked hands with her arm.
"Be careful with stairs" Xerves warned.
"H-hum y-yeah thanks" she replied breathlessly.
"That was a close call, Vespy you are on the verge of stepping on that pressure-type trap thanks to Xerves you didn't," he said pointing at a glass-like gem embedded on the left side of the stair.
"I think I'm right for asking him to join after all"
Don't get the wrong idea Four Eyes I'm not joining for good, it's the deal, Four Eyes, the deal.
They stopped as Vespera brought a short rod-shaped gem and gave it to Velgrim, he placed the top of the gem on the glass-like gem, it hummed as fog of dense energy drew out of the trap-type gem into the rod.
"Done, it's in a dormant state, let's move and get this quest done with before the trap becomes active again"
"But I still wonder, as all these trap-type gems are ancient, they are supposed to have become dormant over the years, it is like they are being activated some moment ago"
The burly guy emphasized while treading carefully on the ragged stairs.
The tracking-type gem glow grew brighter helping them transverse the stairs.
"I wouldn't be surprised, you could feel the atmosphere buzzing with energy as if the ruins are alive...
...I think the molecular energy in the air helps keep the gems activated for a long"
"Whoa, incredible! If only it can be tapped...
Vespera replied.
Xerves remained unconcerned with their conversation all he could think of was the trap-type gem earlier.
I wonder what would have happened if she stepped on it, he mused curiously.
The atmosphere grew heavier, the weight of centuries pressing down on them as they neared the end of the archway corridor. The corridor finally opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling disappearing into darkness. Pillars of huge stalactites and stalagmites lined the room stretching up to the unseen ceiling, some toppled and broken, others standing tall like sentinels.
"Kinda huge"
"Yeah, I think it is safe to say we have descended about forty feet down the stairs" Velgrim concluded.
"Wow!" Vespera exclaimed cheerfully.
The orbed-shaped gem glowed brighter, illuminating the area to reveal a space parted from the others by high walls of stalactites and stalagmites.
"But it's strange"
Velgrim's voice echoed across the space.
"What?" Vespera asked.
"It doesn't seem like there are any water sources around the ruins, yet there are huge stalactites and stalagmite walls in this large chamber parting it into sections" Xerves explained.
The first section was large, stretching out to afar.
"But where is the source of this gem signal?
Its glow has become brighter ever since we entered this underground chamber" Vespera mused loudly.
To be frank, it is strange, if the tracking-type gem has been glowing due to an artifact being near, why haven't we seen any artifact apart from the ones embedded on the walls and the trap-type ones, or is the glow itself a trap? Xerves soliloquized.
Not long, Xerves noticed an odd emission of energy aura, different from the ones buzzing in the ruins, from behind some huge toppled stalagmite pillars.
"Watch out!" he shouted pouncing on Velgrim, shoving him out of the way.
A figure swooshed over them.
"What the—, noticing before he finished the words.
"You saved me" he replied
The creature before them was a grotesque amalgamation, a testament to the twisted nature of the ruins. Standing at least seven feet tall at the shoulder, the mutated wolf's form was a horrifying blend of bat and bull.
"What the heck? What type of creature is this?" Xerves asked puzzlingly.
"It is a wolf that has fed and survived on mutating-type gems, after getting mutated, it gains the physical features of any other animal it devoured, becoming more grotesque with every prey," Eric said.
Its body was covered in a patchwork of coarse, matted fur and leathery, bat-like skin. Massive, bat-like wings sprouted from its back. The wings, though powerful enough for flight, were tattered and scarred, a testament to countless battles and struggles in the depths of the ruins.
The head of the beast was unmistakably lupine, but twisted and deformed. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent, unnatural light, piercing yellow and filled with a predatory hunger. Long, curved fangs jutted from its powerful jaws, dripping with saliva that hissed as it touched the ground, hinting at some corrosive quality.
The wolf's muzzle was elongated, but its nose was broader and flatter, reminiscent of a bull's, and steam snorted from its nostrils with each breath, giving it an almost demonic appearance. Its ears were long and pointed, twitching at every sound, and occasionally, it emitted an eerie, high-pitched screech more akin to a bat than a wolf.
Its body was heavily muscled, with thick, sinewy limbs that ended in massive paws equipped with razor-sharp claws. Each step it took left deep gouges in the stone floor, a testament to its strength. The creature's chest and shoulders were broad and powerful, much like a bull's, and it had a short, tufted tail that flicked back and forth with agitation.
Perhaps the most disturbing feature was its voice, a blend of guttural growls and high-pitched squeals that echoed through the ruins, sending chills down the spines of anyone unfortunate enough to hear it. This abomination moved with a sinister grace, blending the stealth of a wolf with the brute strength of a bull and the eerie, silent flight of a bat.
This mutated wolf was not just a beast; it was a nightmare brought to life, a predator perfectly adapted to the twisted, shadowy world of the ruins.
"What an aura" Eric groaned
"How come we didn't notice it," said Vespera, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"It is its stealth skill, all wolves can use stealth; concealing presence, but its own is more sharpened than ever" Xerves voiced out.
"That is because of the mutation... Velgrim concluded, standing up and dusting his woolen trousers.
...but a grade two beast, as expected of an S rank ruins"
"What does that mean?" Xerves asked.
"Beasts in ruins are graded, the higher their level of mutation the higher their grade number. The Infernal beast of grade one, Savage beast of grade two, and Draconic beasts of grade three...
...since we are in an S-rank ruins, it is pretty normal to meet a grade two beast"
"But we haven't encountered a ferocious one like this before" Eric admitted.
"Yeah, we haven't even reached the treasure trove" cried Vespera.
"I wonder what type of beast we will meet at the heart of this chamber" Velgrim concluded.
"Brace yourself, men, we have got to handle this unscathed"
"Men? What about me" Vespera whined.
"Dunno..." Velgrim retorted.
"You have got to be kidding, it should be lady and gentlemen" she argued.
"Lady or kid?"
What the hell is wrong with these psychos
Let's see how they will fight maybe their skills are sharper than their mouth after all.
"Two of you stop the argument, we have got to focus, your sword at the ready" Eric declared.
They moved closer to each other, each watching the other's back.
The beast walked slowly and gracefully around them at a distance as if finding the right moment to attack.