"Poison? Its talons are coated with poison?" Xerves wondered, his voice tinged with desperation. His arms throbbed where the beast had struck, and he could feel the venom coursing through his veins.
Forcing his already-closing eyes to stay open, his legs trembled and threatened to give way beneath him, barely able to support his weight.
"What to do... what to do..." he muttered, almost on the verge of collapse. With a final burst of determination, he unhooked his silver necklace, clutching the pendant tightly.
"Gotta deliver the final blo..." he gasped, his energy rapidly draining away. "It's seeping awa..." His voice trailed off, weakened and fading, as he struggled to stay conscious.
The beast, in its cunningness, observed Xerves' weakened state and decided to deliver the final blow. It didn't use its teleportation power but lunged forward, mistaking arrogance for power, believing Xerves to be completely at its mercy.
"Xerves! Xerves!! Nooooo!" Vespera cried, horror etched on her face, her hand stretching as if to grab something.
Just as the beast's talons clawed their way toward Xerves' neck, his bright sky-blue eyes flung open, locking onto the beast. He grinned mischievously.
"You've given me enough time. Your arrogance will be your downfall," he declared.
In an instant, he tapped the curved end of the silver pendant he held. The pointed edge extended a few inches, and with one swift motion, he slashed at the beast's neck repeatedly, his hand a blur of silver strokes. Blood gushed out as the creature stumbled backward.
With a heavy thud, it fell, covered in blood, its body trembling spasmodically.
"Your spinal cord and major blood vessels have been severed. Try to live a little longer," Xerves yelled sadistically at the beast, his hand punctuating each word with a demonstration of his dark satisfaction.
"I appreciate your kindness; my body managed to neutralize your poison," Xerves said, his voice steady and unwavering. "After living in the jungle for years and consuming all sorts of poisonous fruits, I've become immune to toxins. But man, that poison of yours is an odd one. It took my system a while to neutralize it. Had you teleported and struck the final blow, I would have lost. But you took your time, savoring every moment of my weakened state. Now, it's my turn to savor yours."
He laughed darkly, a sadistic grin spreading across his face as he looked down at the barely alive beast, his entire demeanor a testament to his dark satisfaction.
"Xer...! Are you really Xer...?" Vespera's voice echoed, a mix of terror and disbelief.
Snapping out of his sadistic reverie, Xerves blinked. "Hu-huhu... I got carried away," he said, slipping his necklace back on. The sharp weapon retracted into a horn-shaped silver pendant.
He approached Vespera. "Where's the adventure kit? We need to heal them with a healing potion, especially Eric. He's lost a lot of blood."
"No... D-don't come near me. W-who are you? A-answer me!" she stammered, her voice trembling as she pointed her sword at the approaching Xerves, her hands shaking.
"Relax, relax, it's me, Xerves," he said, smiling innocently at her, his expression a stark contrast to the dark, sadistic look he had moments before.
"O-ok..." She said, dropping the sword, and gasping, regaining her breath.
She stood, and walked clumsily to some toppled pillar of stalagmites, picking up the kit and the tracking-type gem amid the broken pile of stalagmites, they seemed to have been knocked off from Eric during the fight, the gem broken at one side was still glowing, but with an unsteady glow.
She opened the kit, brought out a small bottle containing some purplish thick liquid, and approached Eric.
"It seems both of them are unconscious"
Xerves said, tearing the hem of his hip-length armless tunic, he wound it around his arm to stop the bleeding.
Kneeling at his side and using her hand to open up his mouth, she poured some quantity of the liquid into the burly guy's throat. She went and did the same to Velgrim on the other side.
Velgrim was the first to wake up, putting on his glasses which had one of its lenses broken, the slender guy rose, stroking the middle of the glasses lens.
He never stops that habit, does he? But the weirdest thing is his hair which looked neat and refused to tousle. Tsk! Damn four eyes or should I say three eyes. He thought almost grinning out.
"What happened, hey! why are you grinning at me..." said Velgrim noticing Xerves.
...And what about the beast—
Eric coughed and rose too, standing firmly, the big guy seemed to have regained his stamina.
"Eric! How is your body?" Velgrim asked delightedly approaching him with a smile
"Yeah, I'm fine somehow" he looked confused, dusting his cloth
"Ehn ehn, the beast what about it" he asked again, after remembering.
"Hum hum..." Xerves cleared his throat,
"Vespera killed it, Right?" he looked at Vespera, seeking her agreement.
"Y-yeah" Vespera muttered, nodding head.
"You defeated it? That monster? Did you use a gem, like a rare type, a dragon gem? You had it at your disposal, didn't you?" He asked, bombarding Vespera with questions.
Now lost in words with a blank expression on her face, all she could do was nod her head.
"Well, as expected of a gem merchant daughter..."
"Don't bring my dad into this..."
"Whoa whoa it isn't an insult tho"
"With that sarcastic tone?"
What a hassle, the psycho arguers has begun their business
"Thanks for saving us, Vespera"
Eric said, turning red.
So the big guy has a thing for Vespera, interesting.
"No no... I-it's nothing, it's just luck, p-pure luck" she muttered, grinning amateurishly and scratching her already tousled black hair.
"Anyway let's move, I would have suggested that we return, but the entrance is sealed, we will have to proceed".
"Sealed?" The three echoed in surprise and turned to look at the entrance they came from. The entrance was sealed with a wall, the wall looked newly constructed and remains the only structure that stands out sturdily as if informing them that it's impregnable.
"Yes, you didn't notice? I think it's when you defeated the grade two beast that the wall sealed the entrance"
"P-probably" Xerves muttered.
Tsk! always the first to notice, damn three eyes!
Strange though, from the its glowing name to the sealed entrance, it seems these ruins has a life force, it's like it's alive, so that means the wild vines that I sensed moving on our way here actually moved.
"Let's move and pray we don't meet any beast as ferocious as this one or a grade three one, otherwise, we may not be as lucky as this"
Vespera handed Eric the adventure kit and the broken gem. No one could predict what lay ahead as the four of them steeled themselves, ready to venture into the unknown depths of the ruins. The air was thick with tension, and the faint glow from the broken gem cast eerie shadows on the ancient walls. With a final, resolute nod to each other, they stepped forward, prepared to face whatever challenges awaited them in the darkness.