Chapter 627 – Ruby Light.

“Hey, watch the vines!”

The warning came a moment too late. A thick vine, glistening with green sap, lashed out from beneath the cracked earth, snaring one of the adventurers by the leg. He yelped and tumbled backward, barely managing to slice through the sticky tendril before it could drag him closer to the strange green creature.

A twisted fusion of bird, serpent, and blossoming plant spread its wings to intimidate the group of adventurers. Where feathers should have been, green petals grew, each lined with faintly glowing veins. Its eyes shone with a toxic green light, and its beak dripped with a viscous yellow liquid, the same substance that oozed from the cut tendril nearby.

“What’s a cockatrice doing here?”

“I don’t know, but watch its gaze. It will petrify you if you’re not careful!”

Another vine lashed out, but this time they were ready.

“I’ve got it!”

A second man shouted back, letting the green appendage strike his shield. When it rebounded, he slid forward and sliced it cleanly in half. Yellowish liquid spilled out, sizzling as it hit the ground and the surface of his shield.

“Look out for the acid!”

A woman with elongated ears called out while drawing her bow. She notched an arrow, released it, and with a shimmer of magic, it split into several more. The arrows struck the monster’s side, sending it tumbling.

“Why is one of these things here?”

“I don’t know, but it’s easier to kill here than in that poisonous forest. Just watch the stare and the…shit, jump!”

Before the armored man could finish, the creature raised its beak toward the sky in a motion he recognized. As its head came down, a blast of acidic breath burst forward. It was aimed at the woman who had shot the arrows, and even though she jumped aside, the monster continued to release its corrosive bile in her direction.

“I’ve got it!”

The armored man shouted as the breath attack moved toward him. The symbols on his armor began to shine, their light focusing on the shield he carried. A moment later, a blue barrier expanded and covered more than the entirety of his body. When the sizzling attack collided with the shield, it was stopped, but it was clear that the man could not hold it for long.

“Is the spell ready?”

Behind him stood a fourth party member, an older man wearing a robe and holding a staff topped with a large gem. He was slowly casting a spell while mana gathered around him, turning the gem on his staff bright red.

“Volyn, hurry up! I can’t hold this much longer!”

The armored man shouted as the shield around him began to falter. The acidic breath started eating through the barrier. The blue light flickered, and cracks spread across its surface like a spider’s web. The armored man gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling under the strain.

Volyn’s voice trembled as he continued to chant words that no one could understand. His robe fluttered violently in the wind created by the swelling mana. The gem on his staff pulsed faster and brighter, flooding the clearing with waves of heat. Even the vines on the ground began to shrivel and smoke from the intensity.

The monster sensed danger, cut off its breath, and tried to retreat by beating its leafy wings, but it was too late. Volyn’s eyes snapped open, glowing a deep crimson, and mana began to form beneath the creature’s birdlike legs.

“High Flame Cyclone!”

The world erupted into fire. From the magical circle beneath the monster’s feet, spirals of flame shot upward and merged into a massive vortex. The roar of the blazing tornado drowned out every other sound as it expanded and engulfed the cockatrice-plant hybrid in an inferno.

The creature shrieked as the flames devoured its leafy body. The petal-like feathers were torn apart by the spiraling fire, and the vines that lashed out from its back burned to ash inside the blazing storm. The force of the spell made even the armored warrior stagger backward. Heat waves rolled through the clearing, the air shimmered, and the ground cracked as the earth began to turn to glass.

“Is it dead? It has to be, right?”

Once the monster was consumed by the flames, the armored man lowered his shield and let out a sigh. Just as it seemed that everything was over, the creature charged forward again. Its body was half charred, its green feathers reduced to ash, yet it still had its beak and legs to strike.

“Damn it, don’t look!”

He shouted to his allies as a strange pulse flashed from the creature’s eyes. The mage who had cast the spell failed to avert his gaze and was caught by the petrifying stare. His body froze instantly, and his limbs began to turn to stone.

“I told you to close your eyes, you old fool!”

Without the ability to move, the mage was frozen in place. He tried to step forward but could not. One of his hands reached into a pouch, pulling out a small vial. His fingers were moving slowly, already turning to stone before he could remove the cork. To make matters worse, the creature charged at him without slowing down.

“Shit, Volyn, get out of there!”

The armored man shouted, but just as all seemed lost, a dagger flew from the side and sank into the monster’s large eye. From its flank, the fourth member of the party appeared, holding another dagger. He plunged it into the creature’s neck, causing it to collapse. With a quick pull, yellow acidic blood sprayed in every direction.

He jumped back to avoid the spray and ran toward the mage. Moving quickly, he picked up the vial the mage had dropped, uncorked it, and poured its contents over Volyn’s face, halting the petrification. A grayish light surrounded the mage, and soon his stone limbs returned to normal.

“That was a close call,”

The man with the dagger said, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Are you all right, Volyn?”

Once the monster was dead, the warrior finally joined the mage and the rogue.

“What, you won’t even ask if I’m fine? You wound me, Culdor.”

“Shut it, Heister, you’re fine.”

Soon, the fourth party member joined them. The elven woman with the bow jumped down from one of the trees she had been using for cover. She slowly approached the dead cockatrice and knelt beside it. Placing her hand over the creature, she murmured a few words, and the rest of the party appeared behind her.

“Syl, got anything?”

Heister stepped forward while Culdor supported the injured mage behind him.

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“This creature seemed frightened. Something must have forced it out of its habitat. Perhaps it was an ‘Apex’.”

“An apex? In that place?”

Syl stood up and nodded without replying. She looked toward the area filled with plantlike drachinids.

“If not an apex, then maybe a monster rampage. We should warn everyone before these creatures start flooding in.”

The others nodded and stared into the distance. Something had clearly frightened this plant drachinid. This creature was strong and would not easily leave its habitat which implied that whatever caused this was probably tearing through other monsters as they spoke.

“Let’s just collect the materials and get back. I don’t want to be here when whatever scared this cockatrice shows up.”

The adventurers exchanged a brief glance, and as if on cue, a fifth person stepped out from behind a tree stump. They carried a large backpack and held a carving knife ready in their hand. Once gathered, the five adventurers spread out around the body, ensuring their companion could work safely. All of them remained on high alert, wondering what could have caused such an anomaly.