1.30 Hisssssss

Chapter 30

I admit that snakes are not as bad as goblins, not by a long shot. But, snakes are still pretty bad. The threat of danger noodle is well known across the universe for a reason, after all. If you make them large, and add arms for extra maneuverability, then you got some serious nightmare fuel.

And again, just two arms, not four, so its not even a cute lizard. That’s wholly different. Four legs and add wings, then you got a badass dragon, which might be the best reptile of them all. But snakes… snakes just are not it.

So they all had to die.

Within seconds of the many mounds all over the floor breaking open, Barry and the team had three of the Lynnorms rushing toward them. Barry got to doing the lord’s good work, his sword cleaving into scale and muscle to bring down the first beast to reach them.

Then the others joined in. Francis’ axe swinging, Vasquez conjuring his mighty flames, and Huwett set to having her bowstring singing.

But there were more and more creatures, some at their backs, at the sides, all closing in with the same slithery, jerky movements. I needed to help, and I was happy to do it.

My sword sliced through the neck of the closest one to me at the same instant it launched at my neck, long teeth barred. With my added strength, I barely felt resistance as my weapon cut through, beheading the beast in a single movement.

[You Have Slain Lynnorm Hatchling – Lvl 4]

It was just the beginning.

Dozens of the creatures swarmed about. They must have been hungry for live prey, because they simply ignored their dead siblings and kept trying to rush us. Blades, flames, arrows, all reaped their lives in quick succession. Even Norton’s staff joined the fray as the large man was forced to bring his physical stats to bare, defending from the many slithering bodies.

Things were looking up, despite the bloodbath. The fight was even easier than the wererat floor, given everyone was able to actually see. Which made me think that something had to change rather soon, it really couldn’t be that easy.

And I was right, of course.

Only a couple minutes went by before a rumble rocked the ground beneath our feet. I looked around, searching for the source, my eyes moving toward the center of the floor in time see it. The largest mound that Huwett had pointed out before, was shaking aggressively, large rocks tumbling down off the sides, before its peak also erupted like a volcano throwing debris across the entire area at high speed.

One of the ejected rocks slammed into my leg as I ducked behind a large boulder, the stone biting through my clothing and into my flesh. My high vitality meant my body was sturdy enough to take the hit, leaving only a flesh wound and keeping my bones intact.

But that wasn’t true for the others. Barry had his plate-armor and Francis’ body was also sturdy enough to endure. But Vasquez, Norton, and Huwett were hit with a barrage. Robes and leather armor were nowhere strong enough to protect them, and they each had multiple rocks burrow into their body.

“Help!” Vasquez yelled out from the ground where he fell.

Norton was on his knees, hands fumbling to cast a healing spell, but it seemed the pain and shock was making it difficult for him.

Huwett had knelt behind a boulder as well, her face contorted into the expression one used when trying to pretend dying wasn’t scary on the outside, while they panicked on the inside. She already had blood pooling below her, and I could see from my angle that she had taken a blow to the right side of her upper torso.

“Graaaaah!” A roar-like screech reverberated through the floor, drawing my attention back to the large center mound.

Just as I had thought, the fuckery had started. The Lynnorm hatchlings were not alone, their mother had joined the fight, and it was angry.

[Adult Earth-Blood Lynnorm – Lvl 14 – Marked to Die]

I didn’t know what Earth-blood meant, but I didn’t really care. It had to die, just like the rest. My hand tightened on my sword-hilt as I stood, [Blood Manipulation] flooding my legs with power as I readied to launch myself at the floor boss.

“Adam!” Barry yelled out at me.

He was now looking at me, eyes wide with worry, confusion, something else I couldn’t quite place. The Paladin was helping Vaquez to his feet, the mage still bleeding from his wounds, and his face already growing pale.

Barry pointed with his other hand at Huwett, who was still slumped against her chosen boulder. I could already see her eyelids fluttering, on the brink of passing out from blood loss. Death would follow closely after.

The adult Lynnorm was crawling down its mound by then. Its thick muscled arms dug its large claws through the rocks, breaking them apart as it moved. It was coming, building up speed.

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Damn it…

I launched myself from my hiding place, and landed beside Huwett. I raised my hand, conjuring a small vial from my inventory with a thought. I only had five healing potions, but it looked like it was time for me to use one.

Pouring liquid down someone else’s throat was not as easy as videogames make it seem. In fact, it was very much like trying to feed a rather unruly toddler its vegetables.

Huwett was in a daze, and not only did she try fighting against me as I grabbed her head to tilt it back, her instincts kicked in once I started filling her mouth with the foreign liquid. Her fists slapped uselessly against my chest, her strength nowhere near enough to seriously harm me, and she began coughing and spitting up the healing potion.

I had to use my other hand to clamp her mouth shut, forcing her to drink it.

Finally, she gulped, and I could see color begin to return to her face almost instantly. The nasty looking torn flesh around her wounds starting to knit shut slowly. Her eyes still fluttered, and I could see she was out of it.

Hisssssss!

One of the Lynnorm hatchlings scurried over a nearby boulder, its eyes locked onto Huwett and the pool of blood wetting the ground beneath her. I was sure the smell and warmth of the blood was like waving a lolipop at a toddler. Or maybe the pinging sound of a new social media notification on a highschooler’s datapad.