'Emergency quest...' Arlo thought to himself, his heart pounding as he stared at the monstrous creature before them. 'That might just be the best way to describe this situation.'
Petrified by fear, the group watched as the Wyvern rose from the chamber, its menacing growl reverberating through the room before it unleashed a powerful roar that shook them to their core.
"L-Liam, take formation," Argus muttered.
Liam, however, remained frozen in place, his eyes wide with terror as he gazed upon the Wyvern. The creature cocked its head back, its throat swelling and glowing a bright, ominous red as a bulge began to move up its neck.
"Liam!" Argus yelled, snapping Liam out of his trance.
Quickly, Liam stepped forward, raising his shield to brace for the impending impact. In that instant, the Wyvern thrust its head forward, releasing a massive surge of flames that burst forth from its mouth with incredible force.
[Defence Manipulation: Spherical Shield.]
A glowing blue barrier materialized in the air before them, taking the shape of a spherical shield that completely enveloped the group, pushing back against the Wyvern's flame breath.
From within the protective confines of the barrier, all they could see was an unrelenting wave of flames passing around them, showing no signs of abating.
Despite the barrier's protection, the searing heat still managed to penetrate the magical shield, making them feel as though they were being scorched alive.
"Argus, what's the plan? At this rate, we'll be grilled alive in here!" Alexander exclaimed.
All eyes turned to Argus, who stood with cold sweat pouring down his face. It was the first time Arlo had seen him so visibly unnerved.
"We've got no choice but to fight," Argus muttered. "The door was closed off, taking away our only means of escape. Even if we did manage to break free from this room, we can't take on the horde of winged serpents waiting for us outside..." With those words, Argus closed his eyes..
As Argus closed his eyes, the group fell silent. Arlo watched intently as Argus slowly opened his eyes, revealing an intense, radiant glow. Unlike the faint glimmer that typically accompanied the use of abilities, Argus's eyes shone with a bright glow.
[Foresight Control Maximum Output: 5 seconds.]
Without uttering a word, Argus entered a state of deep concentration, his gaze fixed upon the raging flames before him. The longer he stared, the greater the strain appeared to be, his eyes slowly turning a deep shade of red. Despite the pain, he persisted, unwavering in his determination.
Arlo began to wonder how much longer Argus could maintain this state when, at last, he closed his eyes, his breath coming in heavy gasps.
"Alexander, on my signal, charge," Argus muttered, catching his breath as he readied his dagger.
"So, we're really doing this..." Alexander nervously replied, gripping his sword tightly.
"A-Argus, I can't hold on much longer," Liam stammered, falling to one knee.
"Just hold on... a little longer..." Argus urged. "And Liam, keep Arlo and Arlene safe."
The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. On the third second, Argus yelled, "Now!"
As Liam released the barrier, the waves of flames dissipated, allowing Argus and Alexander to dart forward, weapons in hand. Despite the overwhelming fear coursing through their veins, they charged directly at the wyvern, its eyes glaring at them as traces of flames flickered from its mouth.
Upon reaching the beast, the two circled the wyvern, searching for openings.
[Wind Manipulation: Wind Step.]
Alexander was the first to strike, using the wind to propel himself beneath the wyvern's snapping jaws. He slashed at the creature's legs while Argus, utilizing his speed and foresight, maneuvered behind the monster, targeting its vulnerable spots.
*Clank!*
Their eyes widened in shock as their weapons failed to penetrate the wyvern's armored, scaly hide, sparks flying as the blades glanced off its impenetrable surface.
"Wha-"
Alexander's words were abruptly cut off as the wyvern's tail lashed out, sending him tumbling across the temple floor.
"Alexander!" Argus yelled, narrowly avoiding the tail by sliding beneath it before striking at the monster's underbelly.
Despite targeting one of the most vulnerable spots on the wyvern's body, Argus's attack only managed to inflict a small cut, further enraging the beast as it charged at him.
The wyvern's agility belied its size, its jaws snapping at Argus repeatedly as it pursued him relentlessly. Even with his foresight ability, Argus found himself struggling to keep pace with the creature's movements.
Just as it seemed the wyvern was about to catch him, a volley of arrows whistled through the air, released by Arlene's steady hand.
Although the arrows failed to pierce the monster's hide, they exploded upon impact, creating a cloud of dust and debris. As the dust settled, the wyvern emerged unscathed, but the distraction had provided Argus with the opportunity he needed.
Quickly flanking the beast, Argus ran up its back and thrust his dagger deep into its right eye.
"Roaaar!"
The wyvern's deafening roar echoed through the temple as Argus drove the dagger deeper. With a powerful swing of its head, the wyvern launched Argus across the room, his body crashing into the temple wall before crumpling to the floor.
Argus struggled to stand, only to collapse once more, the attack having left him severely injured and unable to move.
Helpless, he could only watch as the towering monster charged straight at him, its wings flapping furiously to generate more speed.
At the last moment, Alexander's figure flashed past, propelled by a surge of wind. Grabbing Argus, he dashed out of the wyvern's path, the beast crashing into the wall behind them.
As the wyvern recovered and began its pursuit, Alexander carried Argus towards Liam, Arlene, and Arlo, desperate to regroup and heal their injuries.
The wyvern's speed far surpassed that of the injured Alexander, who was pushing his core to its limits, using every ounce of energy to propel them towards safety.
'Come on, faster! Faster!' Alexander screamed inwardly as the wyvern closed in on them.
[Defense Manipulation: Spherical Shield.]
Crash!
The wyvern's charge was abruptly halted as it collided with a large, glowing barrier that materialized around the group. By sheer luck, Argus and Alexander had reached their companions just in time, but both were critically wounded.